One of the real pleasures of cycling is being out among wildlife, particularly on quiet roads. As many will know, I am a keen bird-watcher/bird-listener. I shall keep a list of birds encountered while on my long ride, and am doing so during my current training runs. This time of year marks the change over between our winter visitors and those who join us for the summer. Wintering geese in the fields are difficult to photograph from a bicycle (as soon as you stop, they fly away!), but some summer visitors, such as this chiff-chaff are slightly easier – I must have heard at least 30 separate individuals over the past few days around Aberdeenshire/Kincardineshire. The resident yellowhammers are also “camouflaging” themselves on the gorse that is in flower (where Aberdeenshire Council has not flailed it down in the interests of having verges that people can drive upon).
Down Memory Lane 