Christine's walking & birds blog

Intrigued by the two unidentified grouse we flushed four days ago, I returned to Loch Glascarnoch on the off-chance they would be there again. This is the track along the north-western side of the loch, looking back towards the dam.


Again, it was a mixed bag with regard to weather; one moment blue sky and even a gleam of sunshine - the next all hell breaking loose with a strengthening wind and sleet or hail stinging my face. A single dark bird rose from the rough grass-and-heather ahead and flew up the hill, turning to follow the ridge back the way I had come. It was flying high....


.....but a hugely cropped pic just shows a shallowly forked tail.


This was a female black grouse. I was surprised to see her because as I set out, a Scottish & Southern Energy vehicle was making its way along the loch to the tiny Loch Vaich Power Station; and I thought this would flush any grouse from the side of the track before I could get there.

I walked back to my car in a whirl of snowflakes which were doing their best to settle. I drove across the bleak moorland between whitening verges, but the road fortunately remained just wet.

Last night, a single flash of lightning and clap of thunder heralded the fiercest hailstorm we've experienced here. The clattering on the bathroom skylight was so loud I really thought the glass might break!


And then, as abruptly as it had begun, it ended. Excitement over.