A great day's walking along the River Carron produced very good numbers of birds (especially winter thrushes and finches) and several highlights. Blackbird was probably the most encountered species of the day with a supporting cast consisting of Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Song Thrush. Finches included plenty of Goldfinches, quite good numbers of Greenfinch, plus Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer. Buzzards were at three sites, a Sparrowhawk strafed a bush full of finches and a Raven cronked over Dollar Park. On the waterways, Teal was the most obvious species, supported by plenty of Mallards, a few Goldeneye, some Cormorants, Coots, Moorhens and a Grey Heron.  Best birds were three Woodcock flushed from damp woodland as we tried to find a way round a flooded footpath in Abbotshaugh Community Woodland.

The final bird list for the day was: Mute Swan, Teal, Mallard, Goldeneye, Cormorant, Grey Heron, Sparrowhawk, Buzzard, Moorhen, Coot, Woodcock, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Feral Pigeon, Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Magpie, Jackdaw, Rook, Carrion Crow, Raven, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Wren, Starling, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush, Redwing, Mistle Thrush, Robin, Dunnock, House Sparrow, Grey Wagtail, Pied/White Wagtail, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer and Reed Bunting (43 species).