Christine's walking & birds blog

There was an item on the BBC website yesterday about Loch Glascarnoch (created as part of a hydro-electric scheme in the 1950s); the water level had been "lowered for operational reasons" exposing quite a large area at the north-west end. We drove there this morning and made our way across a moderately wet piece of ground to walk along a surprisingly sound stretch of the old road linking Ullapool and Inverness. If you didn't realise it from the narrowness, the passing-place on the right-hand side reveals that this was a single-track road. We've noticed a short stretch of the road before, but much more was exposed this time, including a bridge that can just be seen in the distance.


We looked back to the north-west, marvelling at the arrow-straight road; passing vehicles show the higher, more winding and undulating route of the new one.


A few other people had been drawn out to walk the old road, and at least five ringed plovers were foraging on the mud.


There could well have been more waders (the terrain suggested pectoral sandpipers) but I didn't have the 'scope and anyway, it wasn't a day to linger; there was a freezing wind and frequent spatters of rain.

Two days ago we drove inland to Rosehall, where on a forest walk earlier this year we had noticed blueberry plants; we picked a couple of punnets, serenaded by goldcrests and treecreepers. Walking back to the car Greger left the track and disappeared into the woods again. In a grove of spruces among the pines he had spotted some chanterelle mushrooms, nestling in the damp moss.

A shady pond was alive with insects. These two black darters had just been flying around in a mating wheel.


Three large hawkers kept their distance, so I've no idea what they were. But several small, delicate damselflies with wings held at 45˚ were new for me, and I believe they are emerald damselflies - Lestes sponsa.


Back home, Greger fried his chanterelle mushrooms in some cream, making a tasty addition to the dinner. But my blueberry pie was not really successful. I haven't made pastry for a long time, and I've obviously lost the knack. Shame, because the blueberries were lovely.