Crestie!

The extra image is better, much better, but I don't care [Edit: blinkin' site won't let me upload the extra] [Edit Edit: it's let me do it as an edit]. The plan for this morning was simple, a wee trip back to Loch Garten to see if the Cresties were about, a spin up to the Ski Centre for the view, a brief jaunt to the Rothiemurcus shop for some local Crossbill Gin, and home in the daylight.

The RSPB visitor centre at Loch Garten is closed outside Osprey season, and all but one of the bird feeders is taken down. That one had Coal Tits galore, a Robin, and a couple of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers. We persevered, waited and watched, but nowt. Walking back to the car we stopped to watch another flock of Coal Tits. After a while I'd uttered the words, "Ah well, will we just head off? I don't think we're going to see any..." 10 seconds elapsed, and a Crestie duly arrived. Just one, which we saw fleetingly twice (and had a Coal Tit land on each of our hands, which was rather nice). Happy.

The other tasks were completed successfully (with the stop for reflective Loch Garten), with the gin now having been opened, and the week ahead pondered (with Mel not ruling out a winter return to Aviemore to see if we can have more sightings luck).