Christine's walking & birds blog

The thaw seems to have begun, but the road north was still closed; so we walked round the village instead. I've never been hesitant about going for a walk alone before, but after the shenanigans yesterday I was pleased when Greger said he'd come with me.

In the harbour, a heron standing just below Shore Street opposite the pontoon was attracting a lot of hysterical attention from gulls and corvids. Along the west shore there were at least seven stonechats. They were difficult to see against the seaweed and also very flighty; I could get only two in the frame together.

A wren was seen, flying along just above the snow and foraging in clumps of grass.

On an island in the river, I scanned an interesting pool in the grass for waders, but could see only stonechats! There were four or five, although whether these were additional to the ones already seen, I couldn't say. At least three redwings were also present.

At home, Greger had scattered some dried meal-worms on the lawn; anything on the ground unfortunately draws gulls and corvids, and I spent some of the afternoon repeatedly chasing them away. Herring gulls were discouraged from nesting on our neighbour's roof last summer, and I don't want to give them a reason to come back.


Yesterday we had two wood pigeons (fairly uncommon here) under the feeders - and they seemed big enough, compared with the more usual collared doves; but the gulls looked gigantic.

Near the top of Ullapool Hill, something like a snow cornice has developed.


I pointed it out to Greger and he said he hoped there wouldn't be an avalanche, as we'd be in its path. :o)