Early Spring Nature Studies

A few photos of the early spring wildlife in our garden and the woods beyond.

The frogs in our garden pond had been vocal for a few days. The first frogspawn appeared on 27th February....

...3 weeks earlier than last year.

Snowflakes in the sunlight

Our first butterfly this year, a Peacock seen on 28th February.

Our first moths recorded this year, at the kitchen window on 3rd March, 2 Mottled Greys and a...

...Chestnut

Roe Deer skull in the woods

A cream spot ladybird found in some dead wood.

Slime Mould Metatrichia floriformis (i think!)

Ground Beetle Larvae

Ground beetle

Owl pellet with lots of tiny bones

Mennock Pass 27th February 2011

Having gone through the Dalveen Pass on the way we decided to go back home via the Mennock Pass. A beautifull sunny day so we stopped in several locations to take photos.

Site of the old viaduct, it must have looked great in this stunning location. All that is here now is the sign.

There always has to be a dark side to such beautiful places!

Patches of snow still on the hills.

We could hear a lot of red grouse about and I finally got a photo of one

A magnificent scots pine

I think this track is part of the old railway line

Posing against a blue sky

This round sheep pen was unfortunately full of rubbish and the remains of camp fires.

Scree

Lovely clear water tumbling through the pass

Some people just have to spoil a beautiful place, amongst the rubbish found here was a mobile phone bill with name and address on!

Back in Dumfries and Galloway, a choppy Clatteringshaws Loch

The Wild Goat Park on the Queens Way

Daer Water 26th Feb 2011 cont

After our walk up Tinto Hill there was still a few hours of daylight so we decided on a drive to visit the local reservoirs.

We drove up a long road to find Camps Reservoir but were unsuccessful as there was no vehicular access. The scenery was stunning though and we went past Crawford Castle.

We then decided to see if Daer Water was any better, which it was, although very bleak and no bird life on the water, which is I understand the source of the Clyde.

They are building a huge new windfarm on the hills above but have yet to put the blades on so they look a bit strange.

The Southern Upland Way crosses here on the dam.

A short icy rain shower and a rainbow appeared over the water.

and the other end.

Strip of sunlight across the hills.

Another shower as we left...

..and this time a double rainbow.

This one was much brighter against the dark sky.

We stopped at Watermeetings to watch some lapwings in a field, amongst them were starlings, ringed plovers and we were delighted to see golden plovers too, although too far away to photograph!

Over the other side of the road were more lapwings and curlews.