Christine's walking & birds blog

As we're now layabouts (i.e. retired) we went for another walk, up Ullapool Hill and out towards Loch Achall. It was again sunny and bright, but I wore my hat for the first half of our walk (Greger wore his yesterday - there's still a cold wind).

A sudden rapid movement in the heather proved to be two common lizards. One froze and I was able to get a shot. I didn't notice at the time but the pic seems to show, in the bottom left-hand corner, that the tail comes to a stumpy end, with just a tiny bit of new growth protruding. The lizard has obviously had a close encounter of some kind.


Meadow pipits were singing and displaying everywhere; but the longed-for first true summer migrant failed to show. I think it's reckoned that spring comes to the far north two weeks after it's reached the south of England.

Meanwhile we are upside-down again; my desk and old computer have been put in the garage, and Greger has painted the office. We'll order a bed from Ikea and the office will become the spare room - although it will still have to accommodate Greger's desk and computer. In June, his brother and wife will be coming to visit. I'm sad that my family won't be visiting. I got some things off my chest (which anyone is entitled to do) but did this at a time when people were ill, undergoing operations, dealing with marriage breakup.... But I have to be honest and say I don't think they would have come anyway. I'm not a person that people visit.