Early Snowdrops

A small clump of snowdrops beginning to flower in the Serpentine Walk in Lower Largo. In the last few years it's been towards the end of January before they began to appear.

December Daffodil

A bit battered by the gales but there is a daffodil now in bloom in the garden. Although it's an early variety, supposed to bloom in January, in previous years this particular clump of bulbs didn't come out until early March. Probable explanation is the extremely mild November.

Going back in time, nearly out on Christmas Eve and below buds beginning to show at the end of November.

Christmas Day at Birnie Loch

Although exceptionally mild it was a windy and blustery day, so a beach walk would have been a struggle. Trying to find somewhere that would be more sheltered, we plumped for Birnie Loch. The car park was quite busy so obviously others had the same idea.

These birds were in the middle of the loch, but I think they were goosander.

Looking towards the Lomond hills from above the neighbouring Gaddon Loch.

Christmas Roses

 It's Christmas Eve but there are still one or two roses in bloom in the garden.

 Also a daffodil nearly out.

Honesty Seed Heads

The silvery, translucent seed heads of an honesty plant (Lunaria annua) at the back of the Temple car park in Lower Largo.

The seed heads and some of the seeds.

Cloudy Sunset

Almost totally clear sky over Largo Bay but as the sun goes down some tall clouds appear above the horizon.

Cormorant is silhouetted in characteristic pose.

Sun goes down behind the billowing clouds.

Lesser Burdock Seed Heads

Lesser burdock seed heads on a plant in the Serpentine Walk.

Each spine of the seed head is hooked so that it easily attaches to fur, feathers or clothing aiding seed dispersal. They are said to have inspired the Swiss engineer George de Mestral to come up with Velcro fastenings.

The same plant back in August showing the leaves and the purple thistle-like flowers.

Another example on a sandy path in the Massney Braes.

Moonstruck

Just a fleeting glimpse of the moon this evening at the tail end of the lunar eclipse. Unfortunately it was rather cloudy as the moon rose over Largo.

 The above and following photos were taken yesterday in much clearer conditions.

Jelly Ear Fungus

Jelly Ear Fungus - Auricularia auricula-judae - growing on a tree stump near the path at the top of the Massney Braes in Lundin Links. Sometimes the fungus does look exactly like an ear.

Chinese Lantern Seed Head

The wonderfully delicate skeletal structure of a Chinese lantern seed head. Don't have them growing in the garden, so it must have blown in on the wind. 

Frost!!

 The first hard frosts of the winter making patterns on violet and teasel leaves.

Birch Catkins

Small birch female catkins like tiny cones against a bright blue sky in the garden.

When I picked off one of the catkins it disintegrated and could then see the tiny winged seeds. They are actually only a couple of millimetres in size.

Lichen

Lichen of various types, colours and patterns on tree trunks at the top of the Massney Braes in Lundin Links. A lichen is formed by the symbiotic relationship between a fungus and an alga. They can be encrusting, leaf-like or branched. They will not grow in polluted air, so their presence is a sign of clear pure air.

Daffodil Buds

Daffodils in the garden are in bud. I don't remember seeing them so far forward at this time of year. These particular bulbs are an early variety marketed as a January daffodil, but they don't usually bloom in our garden until around the first week in March. It will be interesting to see when they actually flower.

Brambles in November

Two-thirds of the way through an exceptionally mild November, there are still some flowers on the bramble bushes.

 Brambles ripening.

Faroe Sunset Shell

Picked up a very pretty little shell, around 4.5cm in length on the beach in Lundin Links, one that I hadn't seen before. I thought it looked like a pair of angel's wings! After a bit of searching I identified it as Gari fervensis with the common name Faroe sunset shell.

 The inside of the shell.

The name comes from the markings on the shell which look like rays of the setting sun on the horizon.