A hillside full of geese.

Up before the crack of dawn this morning and off onto the M9, over the Forth Road Bridge and away across Fife to Loch Leven and the Vane Farm RSPB reserve. As soon as we got out of the car, we could hear geese and what a lot there were! Down under the main road we went, along the concealed pathway and into one of the hides. The bloke who was there before us barely acknowledged our existence before returning to his hi-powered scope. Honestly, some of these bird guys are as bad as some train guys - arrogant and anti-social. Anyway, we settled down and looked out. The far side was solid with geese, mostly pink footed ones, I think. There must have been pushing a thousand or so with a few hundred more already settled in for breakfast in a nearby field. We also spotted a couple of herons, several mute swans and loads of gulls. A buzzard wheeled over us and another was perched on a fence post by the waters edge. Sharing that breakfast field with the geese was a large flock of curlew (and possibly some whimbrel). All in all a great way to spend a Sunday morning.