Should we start the day by re-tracing our footsteps to Udale Bay? I didn't mention it to Pam as I knew that the tide was going out again and the birds had been so distant yesterday. Plus the aditional mileage. We should have done, two sub species of Canada Goose to-day and one flock was in a roadside field. Ah well.
We breakfasted, in the rain, at Skateraw Bay. Curlew, a small passage of Gannets, Redshank, Eider, a lone Bar-tailed Godwit and Shags, in addition to the usual gulls. Tree Sparrows near the entrance houses were a welcome addition. Even the Snowy Owl in his cage was hiding in a corner.
Aberlady Bay at low tide is not a pretty sight. I love Snettisham in its muddy glory, why not this place? Plenty of Wigeon, flights of newly arrived Pinkfeet, a large flock of Lapwing and a plethora of Herring Gulls with a few Greater Black-backed.
Longniddry Links No 3 was no better, neither was the weather, time to negotiate the Edinburgh Ring Road with its ever changing speed limits. We were copped here once......
A new road system since the Spring was a surprise. So was crossing the magnificent new Queensferry Bridge. Awesome. When was that opened to traffic?
Queensferry Crossing was first opened to motorists in the early hours of August 30.
The Northbound carriageway admitted traffic first, before the Southbound carriageway was opened 45 minutes later.
The Queen officially launched the crossing on September 4, exactly 53 years after she opened the Forth Road Bridge – and it opened fully on September 7.
The structure is 207m above high tide (683ft), equivalent to about 48 double decker buses stacked on top of each other.
It is 50m (25%) higher than the existing Forth Road Bridge
The bridge has windshielding to almost entirely eliminate the need for closures during the frequent periods of high winds in the Forth estuary. Cables can be replaced with more ease than on the Forth Road Bridge - it can be done as part of normal maintenance works without closing the bridge.
How did I miss that?
Pam passed me her camera and I tried some shots through the windscreen, desperately trying to get the support masts upright.What looked like gossamer webbing sails hanging from the pillars were very solid when adjacent.
Queensferry Crossing was first opened to motorists in the early hours of August 30.
The Northbound carriageway admitted traffic first, before the Southbound carriageway was opened 45 minutes later.
The Queen officially launched the crossing on September 4, exactly 53 years after she opened the Forth Road Bridge – and it opened fully on September 7.
The structure is 207m above high tide (683ft), equivalent to about 48 double decker buses stacked on top of each other.
It is 50m (25%) higher than the existing Forth Road Bridge
The bridge has windshielding to almost entirely eliminate the need for closures during the frequent periods of high winds in the Forth estuary. Cables can be replaced with more ease than on the Forth Road Bridge - it can be done as part of normal maintenance works without closing the bridge.
How did I miss that?
Pam passed me her camera and I tried some shots through the windscreen, desperately trying to get the support masts upright.What looked like gossamer webbing sails hanging from the pillars were very solid when adjacent.
This a better photo, taken from the internet.
A visit to Loch Leven and Vane Farm RSPB is a must for Pam. Thirty Whooper Swans the harbinger of many more to come. Two hundred Pink-footed Geese whiffled wearily down on to the water, a mere handful of the thousands that winter here. Our first Roe Deer fed distantly, white rumps gleaming in the wintery sun. It's not my favourite place as everything is always so distant.
Time to spare and the sun shining. Methil beckoned. What we remembered as Methil was actually Leven, with its shore-side parking area and snack van.
In Autumn 2004, a Masked Shrike turned up in Scotland. I'd had both my knees replaced and had daily visits from a District Nurse to clean and dress my open and infected wounds. I convinced her that I could do my own dressing, travelled to the Perth area, stayed overnight and hobbled on crutches to see the bird. We then drove to Leven car park in search of birds and breakfast. There I dressed my wounds, whilst Pam got breakfast of bacon roll from what looked like the identical snack caravan. The van was closed to-day.
Having a fresh water inlet, the bay is popular with gulls, waders and ducks. The beach- loafing gulls and waders were constantly disturbed by off the leash dogs, joyously chasing them into flight. When they re-settled, two Sanderling fed amongst them, always a delight. Pam, whilst watching passing adult and black juvenile Gannets, spotted a winter plumaged Tystie pass swiftly by. To my delight, I had 10 Red-breasted Mergansers in my scope at once, one of my favourite birds and one I associate with this site. Our first male Eiders too, making their stately way out to sea in a line flotilla.
Time to retire, we joined the home going traffic towards Perth, making steady progress. As we approached the dead end left turn off the A9 for our Travelodge, the cones closing it off became apparent. What now? We sailed past in our fast, 3 lane wide stream of traffic, moving inexorably towards Inverness. The Satnav was silent........ Nearing a roundabout, she burst into voice, directing us back the way we'd come but, on the opposite carriageway of course. Some time later, via a lot of instructions, traffic, detours, unfamiliar roads and turnings, we arrived at a back entrance to the Lodge. Waw. Never has our Satnav been so appreciated and intuitive. I love her. Until to-morrow anyway.
Our room number is 101. We've been put into Room 101.
A visit to Loch Leven and Vane Farm RSPB is a must for Pam. Thirty Whooper Swans the harbinger of many more to come. Two hundred Pink-footed Geese whiffled wearily down on to the water, a mere handful of the thousands that winter here. Our first Roe Deer fed distantly, white rumps gleaming in the wintery sun. It's not my favourite place as everything is always so distant.
Time to spare and the sun shining. Methil beckoned. What we remembered as Methil was actually Leven, with its shore-side parking area and snack van.
In Autumn 2004, a Masked Shrike turned up in Scotland. I'd had both my knees replaced and had daily visits from a District Nurse to clean and dress my open and infected wounds. I convinced her that I could do my own dressing, travelled to the Perth area, stayed overnight and hobbled on crutches to see the bird. We then drove to Leven car park in search of birds and breakfast. There I dressed my wounds, whilst Pam got breakfast of bacon roll from what looked like the identical snack caravan. The van was closed to-day.
Having a fresh water inlet, the bay is popular with gulls, waders and ducks. The beach- loafing gulls and waders were constantly disturbed by off the leash dogs, joyously chasing them into flight. When they re-settled, two Sanderling fed amongst them, always a delight. Pam, whilst watching passing adult and black juvenile Gannets, spotted a winter plumaged Tystie pass swiftly by. To my delight, I had 10 Red-breasted Mergansers in my scope at once, one of my favourite birds and one I associate with this site. Our first male Eiders too, making their stately way out to sea in a line flotilla.
Time to retire, we joined the home going traffic towards Perth, making steady progress. As we approached the dead end left turn off the A9 for our Travelodge, the cones closing it off became apparent. What now? We sailed past in our fast, 3 lane wide stream of traffic, moving inexorably towards Inverness. The Satnav was silent........ Nearing a roundabout, she burst into voice, directing us back the way we'd come but, on the opposite carriageway of course. Some time later, via a lot of instructions, traffic, detours, unfamiliar roads and turnings, we arrived at a back entrance to the Lodge. Waw. Never has our Satnav been so appreciated and intuitive. I love her. Until to-morrow anyway.
Our room number is 101. We've been put into Room 101.
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