Christine's walking & birds blog

We varied our daily walk from home again, following the road up to the Braes and walking through the plantations where I thought there might be an outside chance there would still be a crossbill or two - but in this we were unlucky. A singing blackcap by a lay-by was a nice first for the year.

There were siskins and redpolls in the plantations, but it was Greger who pointed out the toad spawn, like a string of black pearls in a shallow grassy pool.



The little pool was alive with creatures, some of which were too tiny and quick to photograph. There were lots of leggy pond skaters, and these lesser water boatmen.


Out on the open hillside, green tiger beetles flew along the path ahead of us, landing, and then flying off again.


Looking back over the plantations and Loch Broom to Beinn Dearg and the Fannichs on this lovely day.


A fly on the wall at home appears to be a hairy maggot blow fly - not perhaps the most attractive of insects.


I got up twice in the night to step outside and look for meteors, but saw nothing. It's nice though to see clear starry skies - not a common occurrence here!