Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Ardwell Bay - 23rd February 2013

We headed for the South Rhins as that was where the forecast looked best.
1-Ardwell-Bay
We hadn’t been to Ardwell Bay for a while so decided a walk along the beach might be good.
2-seal
One of the locals came to see who was about!
3-seal
A very spotty Grey Seal
4-Ardwell
The sun trying to come through!
5-Doon-Brock
Doon Brock
6-lichen
Colourful lichens on the rocks
7 Orange-lichen

8-crab-claw
Crabs claw
9-ravens-nest
I think this is a Ravens nest and it looks like there is some fresh bedding in it..
10-ravens-nest
…a bit untidy!
11-beach-rubbish
Its amazing just how much rubbish gets washed up on these little beaches!
12-beach-string
Bright string!
13-beach-junk
Where does it all come from?
14-shoes
Anyone lost a shoe, boot or slipper?
15-junk
Floats, rope, wellies and an oar!
16-primroses
Much prettier…
17-primroses
…the primroses are out!
18-fishing-boat
Fishing boat offshore
19-caterpillar
Caterpillars…
20-ruby-tiger-caterpillar
..I think they are both Ruby Tigers
21-robin-on-footpath-sign
Robin on sign
22-celendine
Celendine
23-ardwell
The sun is coming out!
24-sand-trees
Sand “trees”
25-sand-trees

26-sand-trees

27-shoes-and-hats
More shoes and helmets too!
28-road-sign
I wonder where this came from?
29 Ardwell-Bay-1
Ardwell Bay…
30Ardwell-Bay-2
…deserted, just how we like it!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Ink Moss–2nd February 2013

A cold, bright day, we parked near Loch Ronald and set off through the forest to Ink Moss.
1-forest-track
There is a good track though the forest.
2-the-black-burn
The Black Burn, time to stop for lunch!
3 crossbill-cone
Whilst we were eating our lunch we realised we were being “bombed” with these cones!
3crossbill-1
We soon found the culprits…
4crossbill-2
One male and two female Crossbills were feeding above us!
5 crossbill-3
Brightly coloured male
6 crossbill-4

7 crossbill-5

8 crossbill-6

9 crossbill-7
Male and female
10 crossbill-8
Female
11 crossbill-9

12 crossbill-10

13 crossbill-11

14 crossbill-12

15-ice
Plenty of ice about
16-ice

17-view
We headed down the track towards the road
18-snowy-mountain
There was still snow on the hills
19-shed

20-ice
This looks like some sort of satellite picture but it is of ice formed on the peat
21-black-loch
Black Loch….
22-black-loch
….one of the Three Lochs…
23-holker
….and part of the Holker Estate
24-boat
Sinking boat
25-boat

26-black-loch

27-geese
Geese flying over
28-horse
Friendly horses, this one has one strange blue eye
29-geese-loch-heron
Greylag Geese on Loch Ronald.
One of the Holker Estate rangers kindly stopped to let us know that they have repaired the walk around Loch Ronald, we will investigate next time!
30-moss
Lush moss.
A good circular walk, we will have to return in the summer to see more wildlife!