October 26th
There were promising signs when I looked out the kitchen window in Dunfermline first thing, first a group of Fieldfare went West, then a single Redwing, while a Water Rail was calling from the drainage pond opposite. Since I moved up in 2009 I've had at least 1 Water Rail calling around our rain fringed pond every winter. (Scandinavian migrants perhaps).
Another opportunity to the south of the Forth was available to me after the missus was dropped at her latest class in jewelry making and I decided to have another root around in Pease Dene, Borders.
There were more birds about than last time and things started well with a Yellow-browed Warbler heard almost as soon as I got out the car but never saw it in the thick canopy. Working my way into the dene there were plenty of thrushes coming out of the understorey, a Brambling with a flock of 40 Chaffinch and several Goldcrest but that was as good as it got.