Zan Threlfall

WHEN Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the country, it is not only us humans who are looking to get a date – the same thing is happening in the animal world.

THE Eurasian bullfinch is a beautiful, secretive bird from the finch family that can be seen in woodlands, hedgerows, parks and gardens.

DAYS are getting shorter and East Lothian has started its transformation into living art: yellow, orange and crimson splash the parks and gardens as deciduous trees with an autumnal tint start shedding their leaves, decorating the ground.

The great tit, as its name suggests, is our largest tit species, and inhabits most of the country apart from some northern and western Scottish islands. Although it is mainly a woodland species, these birds are also well adapted to living in parks and gardens.

LAST month, I was following several families of geese and ducks from the moment of building their nests through to scrupulously sitting on eggs to finally taking care of their newly hatched chicks.

THE red grouse is an unmistakable plump bird with reddish-brown plumage about the size of a small domestic hen that is commonly found in upland heathlands.

THE Eurasian oystercatchers are large black and white wading birds with a distinctive long red bill, red eyes and pink-red legs. They develop a prominent white collar during the non-breeding season.

Some of you may remember me writing about Chris and I planning our honeymoon last year. We were looking for a place that could serve as a romantic getaway and also have interesting wildlife to discover.

GREAT spotted, green and lesser spotted woodpeckers are the three species of the woodpecker that can be found in the UK, of which only the first two breed in Scotland.

SNOWY winter has arrived – Musselburgh looks stunning covered in a white, fluffy down. I cannot remember the last time we had such a fairytale start to the festive period and I am very much enjoying it.