For several weeks during November small flocks of whooper swans were flying close to the house as they made there way from their roost site on a small lochan to their feeding grounds on local arable farmland. This year, I first heard their evocative honking calls as they passed overhead in late October bringing with them the first hint of winter. It is one of my favourite bird calls and I am always cheered by their presence during the winter months. This year, as in the past, they seem to hang around in local fields for a few weeks before moving on, quite possibly to Insh Marshes RSPB Reserve a little further south. I caught up with them on a couple of occasions feeding in nearby stubble fields - mostly adults with just two juveniles in a group of 15, which is perhaps indicative of a poor breeding season. I tried on a few occasions to capture the kind of image shown here but as always all the ingredients must come together not least an interesting sky and backdrop.