Eider Ducks at Lower Largo

Often see eider ducks on the rocks opposite the pier in Lower Largo. Today though they were in the harbour. Most of them seemed to be sleeping.

Male eider duck (Somateria mollissima).

Seagulls Wheeling

Seagulls wheeling over the end of the pier at Lower Largo and the rocks opposite.

Standing on the pier and looking at the scene, with the waves crashing in and a strong wind blowing, I remembered a couple of lines from the poem 'Sea Fever'.

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
John Masefield

Herring and black-headed gulls sitting at the end of the pier.

A Sea of Foam

The high winds creating stormy seas so that looking towards Leven, Largo Bay seemed covered by foam.

Looking towards Methil - the high waves buffeting the docks there.

 Looking out to sea from Lower Largo Pier.

Looking towards Ruddon's Point.

Largo Law White Again

A snow covered Largo Law from the Serpentine Walk.
Although it's the first day of spring today woke up to a light covering of snow. By mid-morning it had disappeared in Lundin Links but up on Largo Law the snow cap remained.

 Upper Largo Church nestles below Largo Law.

Sheep grazing in front of the ruins of Largo House  against the backdrop of Largo Law.

Goldfinches and Teasel Seed Heads

With the return of wintry showers this morning, the bird feeders were busy with a variety of birds, amongst them a group (or charm) of goldfinches. I include nyger seeds in the feeders which they love, but some of them made for the teasel seed heads. Their thin beaks are ideal for getting the tiny seeds out from between the spines of the seed heads.

Mosses in Winter

Moss amongst the lichen on a Lundin Links garden wall.
Perhaps it's because spring is a little late this year, daffodils are mostly still in bud here and everything seems rather drab that the mosses are more noticeable and perhaps have benefited from all the rain this winter.

 Close up of the mosss in the above photo probably Polytrichum commune.

On the sandy paths above the beach in Lundin Links this moss forms bright green patches. Likely to be sandhill screw-moss (Syntrichia ruralis)

Bryum capillare in the above photo growing on a fallen tree trunk in the Serpentine Walk and in the bottom photo on the top of a wall. Characteristic spore capsules.

Not sure of the identification but attractive reddish coloured spore capsules possibly Tortula muralis.

The lighter coloured moss is I think grey cushion moss (Grimmia pulvinata). Can just see the spore capsules.

A little piece of moss that the birds had taken off the roof, probably one of the feather mosses but not sure of the identification. Not sure why the birds pick the moss off as they leave it lying in the garden so not using it to line a nest. Maybe find insects underneath the moss?

Lichen on Ancient Stones

Lichen covers the Standing Stones which are situated on the Lundin Ladies Golf Course.

There are three stones and they form a scheduled Bronze Age monument said to date from 2000 to 1500BC. They are formed of red sandstone but the whole surface of the stones is covered in various lichens.

Several different species form a patchwork on the stones.

Little patches of snow mixed in with the lichen.

Winter Returns

Largo Law from Lundin Ladies Golf Course.
After a few sunny spring-like days it seemed that winter was on its way out, but this morning woke up to a light covering of snow.

Footsteps in the snow across the golf course approaching the standing stones.

Largo Law between the stones.

The Lundin Standing Stones in the snow with a nice sky beyond.

Blue Skies

Hazel catkins in the Serpentine Walk against a blue background. 

After such a long, dark and wet winter it's good to look through the branches of the trees in the Serpentine Walk to blue skies above.