Ouzely the best find on Boghall

We are well used to social distancing, as our legion of fans have been staying away from our gigs and indeed record shops for many, many years. The transition to working at home has been quite easy for us, especially as it means our daily exercise (separated by 2 m) is a walk around our patch. This has resulted in the standard flurry of seasonal migrants including chiffchaff and willow warbler, and the less usual such as osprey flying over the garden. Friday we had a very early silent whitethroat hopping around a hedge, and Sunday really delivered. First it was long overdue swallow, and then up the glen a bit wheatear, with another later away from breeding territory.

We had stopped a couple of times on the way up the glen to listen for ring ouzels, just on the off chance that one was singing on one of the heather and scree slopes. This was much more in hope than expectation as we’ve never seen ring ouzel on our patch, whether in 12 years watching since we adopted it, or in a multitude of birding trips into the area as kids. But further up we heard a rather familiar and exciting chack noise. Could it be? A quick scan indicated it was indeed a fine male ring ouzel hopping around. Patch tickeroooo. They are quality birds wherever and whenever they are, whether in Seppy’s garden or on the hill.

Much buoyed, we returned and in celebration have recorded an acoustic version of Isolation by Joy Division. Ring ouzel - at last.