FINALLY,  around six months after I hung up a Nyger seed feeder, we saw goldfinches in the front garden today.   These jaunty wee chaps are a joy to look at; their collective noun, as you will know, is a charm of goldfinches, and once or twice I have been privileged enough to see such a group fly alongside the car, in their true to type dippy up and downy mode.

Paul spotted them first, then after two hours of taking pictures in the pouring rain, twenty starlings** showed up at once,  stripping the feeders but welcome so to do.

Earlier today we had been all round Loch Leven looking for a spot to go for a walk, as above the inclement weather did not provide any havens but we did sit in the Gilman Hide at not Vane Farm, from which we saw swans, gulls, lapwings, mallards, shelducks, finches, siskins, tufted ducks and swallows.  Indeed, as we stood outside the RSPB shop the swallows ducked past us as they flew to and fro their clay nests just above the ladies’ loos.  This allowed us a close view of their fantastic beetle blue plumage; not something which is obvious as they sweep, dive and frankly belt above.

Jolly good scones and tea in the cafe too.

* been singing Goldfinger ever since

**that would be an official murmuration.