Vane Farm Loch Leven

This was our first visit to the Vane Farm RSPB reserve near the town of Kinross, midway between Edinburgh & Perth. The reserve is on the south shore of Loch Leven National Nature Reserve and is one of three public access points around the loch shore.

The star of the day was a single Little Egret, apparently called Egbert, who is a returning visitor to the reserve. He arrived this year on September 10th and is usually seen on the flood lagoons at the furthest hide. He wasn't close enough to photograph - but we got good views through our bins.

The Pink-feet (1000s) and Greylag (1000s) were mostly on St Serf's island in the middle of the loch but there were a handful of both species on the shore line.

The list for the day looks like this (I didn't do many actual counts):

Little Egret (1)
Whooper Swan (6)
Greylag Goose
Pink-footed Goose
Mute Swan
Teal
Tufted Duck
Pochard
Wigeon
Mallard
Gadwall
Cormorant
Coot
Moorhen
Oystercatcher
Lapwing
Grey Heron (photo taken at a flood lagoon)
Great Crested Grebe
Curlew
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Black-headed Gull
Magpie
Carrion Crow



There is one species I've left off the list because I can't read my own handwriting. I'll add it as soon as I decipher it :o)