SOC Walk Stranraer Community Woodland 23rd May 2012

A beautiful evening for an SOC evening walk at Stranraer Community Woodland.

The view from the car park towards Stranraer (click on photo to see larger image)

Ailsa Craig with Arran beyond

A Siskin up amongst the cones

A distant Yellowhammer

Towards Cairn Pat

Fields of buttercups

A strange looking caterpillar that I struggled to identify, however Roy Leverton on the Scottish Moths forum wrote:

“I've seen something like this before, though not quite so extreme. I suspect
it's a Garden Tiger that has lost nearly all its hairs, perhaps have spun theminto a cocoon. Maybe the cocoon was then torn open by a bird. The few hairs that remain, plus the very white spiracles, would fit Garden Tiger."

Juvenile Crows

I think this is a Cuckoo Flower, but an unusual double form

 

This is the usual form.

A lovely evening walk and plenty of wildlife seen, including over 30 species of birds!

Loch Trool to Loch Dee Walk–19th May 2012

A dull showery day and not very warm but ideal for a long walk in the hills. We parrked at Glentrool near to Bruces Stone and set off down the hill to the Glentrool Oak Woods.

Managed by the Cree Valley Woodlands Trust with the forestry Commission, they do an excellant job in preserving this ancient woodland and it is full of life.

Old broken tree.

The path follows part of the Southern Upland Way..

…through the Galloway Hills…

…past both deciduous and coniferous woodland…

…and tumbling burns.

Hawthorn or May blossom

Lots of different birds seen by the burn including Grey Wagtails and a Dipper

The tumbling Gairland Burn

A chance to play about with shutter speeds…

Low light….

….and in the absence of a tripod a bridge is always good!

Nuthatch-only recently colonising Scotland

This is a great path, even in wet weather

Glenhead-This beautiful little cottage has been empty for several years and sadly the Forestry Commission are talking about demolishing, such a shame as it would make a great walkers bothy.

We could hear Cuckoos here

Glenhead Burn

The path now starts to rise through the hills, this is looking back toward Glenhead

Lichen or Moss?…not sure but it was very striking

Up through the hills

Quite bleak in places

Looking back towards The Merrick area

Our first glimpse of Loch Dee…

…with its islands

Meadow Pipit

The Giant Axehead….

…one of the Galloway Forest Park sculptures…

…with its ancient Runic script

Colourful moss

Loch Dee is quite a large loch…

…in a beautiful setting…

…and well worth the walk from either Loch Trool side or Craigencallie near Clatteringshaws

Theres always someone has to spoil such a beautiful place!

Looks like these have been here a long time, you would think the Forestry Commission would clear these up

Willow Warbler

One of Loch Dees islands

Mayfly

7 Stanes sign

 

 

We must explore Loch Dee further on another day, but now its time to turn back

The Loch even has sandy beaches

 

Large tadpole in a puddle

Back towards the bridge over the Glenhead Burn where we heard the Cuckoos and we actually saw two in the distance, a bit far away to get a decent photo but at least we saw them!

Stark conifers a contrast to the lush oak woods

Another Nuthatch

Spotted Flycatcher

Back to the Gairland Burn and the light is even lower so time to play with shutter speeds again!

 

 

 

 

An empty nest in brambles

Meadow Pipit

I think this is the Buchan Burn

Dor Beetle

Back at Bruces Stone…

…overlooking Loch Trool

A great walk!