Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Two very cold nights have preceded two very bright sunny days. Yesterday, the Ullapool spit held wigeon, curlews, turnstones, oystercatchers, and ringed plovers; but when I tried to continue along the river path into the woods, I found that the tarmac was a sheet of ice. It was impossible to walk on it. And it would be no good trying from the other end, as a long flight of concrete steps leads down to the path, overhung by trees. No doubt they would also be iced over, and that would explain why there weren't many people about.
Out to sea, strange atmospherics gave the impression that the ends of the islands were floating in the air.
The harbour was full of shags. I counted forty plus on the water, so with the additional ones perching on buoys, there must have been at least fifty. A string of them can be seen on the right-hand side.
Today I found that the path and boardwalk had been gritted, so I was able to check on the firecrest - which was still there! Once again, I had the impression that the firecrest was checking me out. I spotted it in a tree right by the path, and before I could lift the bins it had flown towards me, perching on a twig just above me, and certainly giving me the once-over. It then flew down to forage in brambles, bracken and gorse; and I'll post the poor shot as a record of its winter feeding habitat (or at least part of it; it goes all over the place, although I've yet to see it in one of the holly trees - often a favourite with firecrests down south).
Back on the rough ground where they have the bonfire, there were seven twite in a tree. They flew down to feed on the ground quite close to me, but none of the pictures I clicked off were any good.
It's lovely to watch them and to hear their nasal calls, which have a sort of questioning lift and which always sound cheerful.
// posted by Christine @ 8:18 AM 
