Natural highs and lows

We set aside a day for venturing to Loch Ruthven, south east of Loch Ness, in the hope of seeing Slavonian Grebes in breeding plumage. These birds are Winter visitors to Orkney, but do not breed here, and don't wear their Summer colours during the stay. Come the day, the weather was dreich, with a steady and unrelenting rain falling from a grey sky and dripping from the Scots Pines around the cottage. However, checking the forecast for Inverness, it appeared that it was a different day there. More in hope than expectation, we set off anyway, and as we crossed the Slochd summit, heading north, the sun was indeed shining. No sooner were we ensconced in the hide at the RSPB reserve of Loch Ruthven, when an Osprey drifted through. It being April, it was still chilly despite the drier weather, but we were eventually rewarded with a view of a pair of Slav Grebes. To warm up again, we decamped to a tea room and farm shop near Foyers for a well-earned bowl of soup and some cake. With no fi...

I hope that the festive period has provided everyone with the opportunity to share happy times and good food with family or friends. We all need some respite from the cares of the world to recharge our batteries, whatever our persuasion. Up here, in the erstwhile Hyperborea, whilst we still have a little daylight at this time of year, snuggling down for the evening can begin as early as half past three in the afternoon. This is ages before gin o'clock which, thankfully, doesn't dance to the solar cycle. Wildlife, on the other hand, does have to worry about making it through the long cold nights. Recent snowfall has encouraged a few Fieldfares into the garden, to compete with the local Blackbirds for apples. So far, they have only appeared around dawn, making photography difficult. The daylight, or lack thereof, has caused a few headaches for our fortnightly shore survey, with the need to juggle tide times, weather and the ability to see where we're walking. The latest batch...

Here are a few images from a late afternoon walk along the shore of Houton Bay, but first a helpful gardening tip... When trying to eradicate Broad-leaved Dock, ensure you remove all of the tap root. A Grey Heron in the shallows There were some Shoveler in the bay And lots of Golden Plover (and Common Gulls) Sunlight on the water A pair of Slavonian Grebes On the mudflats, there were Ringed Plover and Dunlin Almost sunset