A Changing Skyline

A giant wind turbine being constructed close to the Fife Energy Park in Methil. It will be the largest wind turbine in Scotland and at 196 metres, the structure will be taller than the Blackpool Tower, London Eye and the capital’s Gherkin building. Closer to home it will be taller than the highest spars of the Forth Road Bridge.

There is already a wind turbine in Methil and viewed from Lundin Links can see how much bigger the new one will be.

Broken Mussel Shell

Sometimes something quite common on the beach catches my attention, like this broken piece of mussel shell. I think it's just the way the outer black coating of the shell has worn away, leaving various colours and patterns behind.

Mushrooms Amongst the Ivy

An impressive number of mushrooms growing on an old ivy-covered tree stump at the side of the path in the Serpentine Walk. Not sure of the identification. Possibly honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) or a similar Armillaria species.

There was a lot of similar coloured mushrooms in the surrounding area.

Heart and Head Holey Stones

There is a particular part of the beach between Lundin Links and Lower Largo, where if tide and sand conditions are right, can find stones with holes in them. These holes are naturally made by rock boring molluscs such as a piddock. This heart shaped stone is one of the most unusual that I've found.

Would have thought it impossible for a stone to look startled, until I saw this one on the beach. Note all the tiny barnacles on the top of the stone and the surrounding rocks.

The two holes in this little stone immediately suggest a face. A slight case of pareidolia.

Two Fungi - One Large, One Small

Large mushroom at the base of one of the prominent beech trees in the Serpentine Walk. I think that this is probably an example of giant polypore (Meripulis giganteus).

Probably wouldn't have noticed these tiny mushrooms, growing in a dark little gully in the Serpentine Walk, except that there were so many of them - literally hundreds of them. Not sure of the identification. Because of the huge number, could possibly be fairies' bonnets (Caprinus disseminatus).

Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay.

Osprey Sculpture at Spey Bay.
On our recent holiday on Speyside paid a visit to the Scottish Dolphin Centre at Spey Bay. Unfortunately, it was cold and windy and not a great day for wild life watching. However, the centre was still well worth a visit, with a good exhibition area, shop and café.

I particularly liked the sculptures and art-work surrounding the centre.

Scallop shells decorating a wall.

Couldn't resist this little dolphin wood carving in the shop. The base is particularly interesting, as it is formed from a parasitic plant, a mushroom-like growth that imbeds itself into the bark of a chinaberry tree and gets its nourishment from the sap. The tree is native to Asia. These parasitic growths are so hard and dense that they don't decay when the tree is dead and rots away. The growths can be picked up and carved. Bali is well-known for these carvings.

The underside of the base showing the mushroom-like structure.