The trip north yesterday produced the usual fare in the form of roadside Pheasants between Perth and Blair Atholl and a single Red Grouse south of Dalwhinnie.
A Grey Heron was the main sighting during a walk around Craigellachie while waiting for the bus.
Grant Park Lochan in Grantown on Spey held only Mallards with no sign of the Moorhens, Coots or Goldeneye sometimes reported from there.
The walk from the smokehouse to the outskirts of Nethybridge failed to produceany winter thrushes (unlike previous years). Certainly the Rowan trees held relatively few berries - I wonder if the birds have been through the area already.
Notable birds on the river were five Goldeneye and four Goosander. The Nethy held at least two Dippers (plus another Goldeneye and another Goosander) and the Spey at Broomhill held two more Dippers.
The farmland around Nethybridge held a female Sparrowhawk, a pair of Bullfinches and two Yellowhammers.