Moorland Magic
A short hop to the wild moorland of the Borders at the start of lockdown relaxation during yet another spell of very warm, fine weather produced some very special birds, some pleasing images and many happy memories - over three visits (one early morning, two evenings). Keen not to disturb the sensitive wildlife here, I stuck religiously to my vehicle hide, and I was pleased to see others doing the same. Only with the commoner passerines down by the river and away from protected breeding grounds did I allow myself to stray from the car. The best day was had on my morning visit: I didn't expected the Black Grouse still to be lekking at this time of year so I was thrilled to find 4 birds in the usual spot. Their comical antics - their jousting and leaps into the cool morning air - combined with their subtle babbling calls entertained me for a good hour. Later on, 2-3 pairs of Hen Harrier and a similar number of Short-eared Owls showed brilliantly; both species were displaying and without a care in the world, in full view and very close to their human admirers. Red Grouse chuckled noisy in the heather, Cuckoos called to each other across the valley, the odd Buzzard flapped its way nonchalantly overhead, Whinchat, Stonechat, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits sang from their fence-post perches, and Roe Deer tip-toed stealthily through the thicker vegetation. On two or three occasions I had Short-eared Owls mobbing Hen Harriers and at one point I was lucky enough to watch a Merlin having an equally close encounter with one of the Harriers, albeit distantly. Down by the idyllic river, I found Grey Wagtail, a young Dipper and, surprisingly, a Spotted Flycatcher. My third visit was less successful: although the cold north-easterly prevented the heat haze shimmer from spoiling my images, it also depressed bird activity and also forced any that braved the cold to hover into the headwind, facing away from my lens and the evening sunshine. Still, all told, it had been a fabulous few days and served as a welcome reminder in these otherwise miserable environmental times: where habitats remain pristine and far from the madding crowd, our special wildlife can still thrive in glorious abundance.
