Birdspotting in Newtonhill

Jeepers etc. I had a really boring morning trawling round Newtonhill looking for birds. Saw plenty of Dunnocks, though. Actually, in the spirit of international communication, I'll give them their official IOC English name, which is of course, the Dull Prunella. I was mildly embarrassed to see 2 Collared Doves at it like knives on the track up from the Mill, especially when I noticed there was also a condom discarded by the side of the path, too. Blue one. I guess Collared Doves didn't blitzkrieg their way across the Middle East and Europe by practising safe sex. A Common Treecreeper around the clifftop cottages was only my second patch record, but although the Allotments were busy, they were busy with more Dull Prunellas, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Robins and Wrens. Tree Sparrows breed in Muchalls, but one on the wires above the Community Park was my first in Newtonhill - mind it went away fast enough. Plenty of Goldcrests in the gorse down the Muchalls track, but the trees in Water Valley were empty, so took the plunge into Muchalls itself. Argh! The twitching curtains... twitching, twitching, twitching. The smell of nicely upholstered Audis... the gardeners with wheelbarrows full of clippings. No birds. Not my greatest triumph. Hoping for better weather duringthe week.