I’d spent the previous few hours walking without seeing much wildlife. The caw of a few crows and a buzzard in the mist. A couple of grouse on the braes and the odd raven, one with what looked like a lump of meat in its beak. Pigeon and tits in the trees.

Joining the metalled road from Loch Humphrey at the cattlegrid and round the next corner. A buzzard left a tree on the right of the road 10 yards in front. As I watched it glide off some goldfinches went over head. To my left two more sat chatting. My eyes were pulled by fieldfares leaving the trees. A woodpecker was silhouetted on a dead stump like a classic cartoon. It flew to the top branches and clung letting me have a good view.