Based in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Reached 200 within 72hrs
CLOSED at 2,017
APRES CLOSE: 2,021
Cunning thing midges. As reported in BG!'s blog, with a report from The Scotsman, scientists were going to be testing a midge spray that would cloak the wearer from the wee pests. A big test was run at the weekend's Loch Ness charity run. According to the Press & Journal, "midges were strangely rare" during the event.
Maybe it is like that elephant deterrent I bought for my flat.
Hopefully the scientists glean some useful data.
The croft was strangely quiet. A solitary wood pigeon perches statuesquely atop the windvane, eying the leftover rice. "What's up?", i ask the Old Man. "There's a pair of buzzards nesting in the Castle Grounds." As i looked back out, the vane was empty, rice untouched. Walking round the side of the house, a small black dot is visible against the thunderous clouds. My eyes, drawn by the motion quickly makes out the ragged wing-ends. Only seagulls are big enough to risk taking to the air. Behind me, the cat is sitting on a fence-rail, waiting to pounce on birds moving close to the ground. Every cloud has a silver lining for the hunter.
At 825m north west of Carn a'Mhaim (1037m). I didn't want to tempt fate by planning it in, but checked through the guidebooks on Friday night to remind myself of what to watch for. George n Keith know i'm taking this way back to the car. Glorious weather but windy.
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George and Keith breaking camp
George and Keith heading away from Corrour Bothy, walking up the Lairig, and eventually to Aviemore.
There has been a lot of pathwork done to the bothy.
North up the Lairig Ghru with Braeriach on the far left.
Track up Allt Clach nan Taillear
Track is good at stages
Local wildlife
View of the Lairig and Braeriach from 750m
Due to bad weather, road trip diverted to Skye. Took some photos of beautiful hills on the way here, but had to focus on driving. Appropriately, "the 39 steps" is on tv, and the hero is heading across Scotland. The static caravan is rocking in the high wind. Woosh. But that's ootside the hoose.
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Stopped on A890 to take photo of snow-covered hills.
And got diverted by other things, like the juxtaposition of the light, the cloud and the bothy. I can't help it, I get all celticy and heelan'.
Cows.
A buzzard landing on a very thin branch.
The Skye Bridge. A bridge to Skye. It also comes from Skye. It's like magic. And now it is free. Only because some people refused to pay and took matters to court. Aren't Governments wonderfully democratic.
The chaps are back on Radio Scotland. Out of Doors, based in Aberdeen, discussing many outdoor issues. From red squirrels to plastic bags, and that's only in the first 15 minutes. Red or dead. Shame there is no way to vaccinate our native squirrels, so discussion on options. And they seem to be using fruit to describe colours.
I'd just like to recommend the Scottish Natural Heritage for an AMmie. I've been playing pine marten snap and reading up on Scottish geology. All for free on their site.
Well done to the SNH.
Woohoo, just found their educational resources - handy for parents taking their kids out.
NORTHERN Constabulary is today hosting Scotland’s first ever multi-agency training day for all those organisations responsible for investigating and combating wildlife crime.
Northern Constabulary Wildlife Crime Co-ordinator, Chief Inspector Paul Eddington, who hosted today’s training day said: “What today is about is talking to like minded professionals about issues they are dealing with in relation to wildlife crime and how we can improve the way in which these incidents are investigated.
“Wildlife crime, and particularly poisoning which is the focus of today, is an extremely serious issue and I believe the fact that so many people are willing to attend this event and discuss the ways in which we can go forward is testament to how seriously the Police service takes the issue of wildlife crime.
“Today we are looking at the prevalence of offences, types of offences and a range of other issues including evidence gathering. There has never been a forum at which to look into these issues in such depth and it can only benefit officers across Scotland in the future.”
Best wishes on the fight against this "national disgrace".
At Balmedie Beach. More details later.
It was frosty, duckboards frozen. I wore my lined Craghopper trousers, fleece mid-layer, and fleece-lined Montane Verso windproof jacket. And a hat. Same gear as I wore last weekend. Toasty.
Same shot below, but cropped in to a panorama.
Light, clouds, sea and sand, all from one viewpoint at Balmedie beach, just north of Aberdeen.
I turned back to see my footprints in the sand, but it was so cold, that there weren't any.
After the shots down the beach, I walked in to the dunes to see what was worth protecting from development further up the coast. Heck, what do I know about them? Fun to play in and walk about in, but worth getting into a fuss about? Maybe they are too easy to get to, and just get taken forgranted? They may look pretty, but so was the lass I'd walked down here with years before. Then things got interesting. Remains of WW2 anti-invasion defences.
A frozen pond and frost-crusted dunes woke me up, as they formed sleek, feminine lines.
And then I wondered how many hundreds of years ago would this tidemark have last touched the sea?
And from the long view, I realised that micro-scapes were being formed at my feet.
I turned away from the inshore dunes, and returned to the sea. Wondering at what I had seen, and how it was formed. There had been no information leaflets at the car park, and the barest of information on the information boards. I was used to more than this when I visited places like the Linn of Dee. So, I need to find out more myself.
Returning to the seashore, the light has changed again. And then I went into sports mode, clicking off shots of Sanderlings at ISO800, filling up the remains of the 2gig CF card.
Described in my copy of the BBC's "The Birdwatcher's Handbook": small loose groups twinkle along at great speed on sandy shores next to the sea like clockwork toys, heads darting from side to side, chasing after retreating waves to snap up morsels left by tide. No other wader moves so fast or with such energy.
This needs an "Our Tune" playing in the background. Romantic Balmedie Beach.
Finishing off the walk with a robin back at the carpark. If it was more festive I could have saved a fortune on Christmas cards. That would have been my trump card.
I caught up with last night's "Landward", and was captivated by the article about the near-extinction of the Scottish wildcat. You can catch the programme online here.
Amongst a variety of people being interviewed was Peter Cairns of the Tooth & Claw project
In 2004, a team of scientists attached to WildCRU (Wildlife Conservation Research Unit) and the National Museums of Scotland estimated that as few as 400 wildcats remained. A previously quoted population of around 5,000 is now believed to be attributable to feral domestic cats or hybrid mixes of domestic and wildcat.
Further information and some more stunning photographs at the Scottish Wildcat Association (or Trust)
You can see some wildcats in captivity at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig. Link
For the first time in years I pulled a tick off me last night. Ugh. there I was, lying in bed reading ("The Surgeon's Mate", no, it's not some Mills & Boon, honest) and scratching. And inspecting what I'd scratched. It was only when one of the bits of dead skin waved back at me that I sat up and took notice. Quickly.
A sodding little nymph, or whatever they are called. It couldn't have been properly attached. So, that was me wide awake, and it was off to Madame Guillotine.
It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to, than I have ever known.
Now, what is a wonder, is did little Sydney hide himself on me for a couple of days, or did he fall off my kit when I got round to unpacking it on Monday. I'm watching for the rash.
Before pitching at Loch nan Cnapan
After pitching at Loch nan Cnapan
Thursday evening. Reindeer at south end of loch.
Later there were 5. Later none.
Akto + lochan + sunset = Bliss.
Loch nan Cnapan at sunset.
