A beautifully warm, sunny day today, perfect for the Natural History Soc outing to Gartmorn Dam near Alloa. This large still water area had an interesting variety of birds, including Great Crested Grebe, Goldeneye, Tufted Duck and Dabchick. Courtship display was seen with many of these, most spectacularly in the Great Crested Grebes which seemed to be in the process of pairing off (probably at least a dozen were present). Though I didn't see them myself, a few Sandmartins were spotted.
The area surrounding the water is attractively wooded and has been additionally planted with mixed native tree species, including Hazel (catkins pictured), alder, ash and willow. Not much vegetation was showing though dogs mercury, a few coltsfoot, and the leaves of dock and celandine were beginning to make an appearance.
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