THE osprey soared high in the air above Gartmorn Dam before spiralling away over the trees on the southern shore as it headed on its southward migration to warmer climes.

I suspect this osprey had come from the Scottish highlands and was using lochs and reservoirs as a series of stepping stones as places to fish on a marathon migration that may take it as far as west Africa.

With the osprey now gone, I turned my attention to the waters of Gartmorn. A large herd of mute swans had gathered at one corner, and in among them was a flock of noisy black-headed gulls.

They are among my favourite gulls, so elegant and benign, and always with an engaging demeanour.

I recall several years ago when fishing on Glensherup reservoir in the Ochils watching black-headed gulls feeding on insects.

It was a still day with low clouds over the hills and wisps of mist clinging to the tops of nearby pines.

The water lapped against the boat and the only sound was the gentle swish from the fly-casts. At the far end of the loch, in a reedy margin, a small group of black-headed gulls hawked for mayflies emerging from the shallows.

Stereotypical perceptions of gulls as greedy scavengers can be firmly disabused when it comes to the black-headed gull, for they really are the most graceful birds and I was mesmerised by their agility in snapping up individual mayflies in the air.

I wandered further along the track edge by Gartmorn Dam where moulting mallards bobbed in the water and a lone great-crested grebe roll-dived in search of fish.

Earlier in the year, I had watched a pair of great-crested grebes engaging in their spectacular courtship display. It was a dance – a fabulous fandango – between the male and female that was delivered with perfect synchronicity.

The coy female was a foxy lady, at first appearing disinterested and aloof, but watching her suitor all the while. He, too, cruised in the shallows nearby, as without a care in the world.

It was like a scene from a night club, where both man and woman have caught each other's eye, but remain fearful of making the first move and appearing too keen.

Then, at the behest of some unknown cue, the two grebes powered towards one another until face-to-face and began to dance hypnotically in the water.

Both grebes rose up vertically to extend their bodies and shook their heads rapidly from side to side, the male raising and flaring his orange-frilled crest in excitement.

After repeating the head shaking several more times, the grebes parted company to play the bashful act once more, before rushing back together to dance again.

Although it did not happen in this instance, great-crested grebe display behaviour often involves the collection of pondweed in their sharp bills, which is showed off to one another like some prize trophy.

It is mesmerising and enchanting, and a reaffirmation of the importance of the pair bond in ensuring a suitable mate is found to successfully rear a family.