Spooky Trees

Very foggy last Saturday in Largo and the trees seen through the mist looked quite surreal.

A Foggy Day in Largo

Last Saturday the haar descended and stayed all day. The sea is there. Just can't see it.

Looking back from the end of the pier at Lower Largo.

  Can just make out the rocks opposite the pier.

Looking towards the viaduct.

A slightly misty Serpentine Walk but can still make out the daffodils coming into bloom.

The treeline disappears into the mist.

First Butterflies of the Year

With the warm weather this week, there have been some butterflies flitting about. This small tortoiseshell was on a mahonia bush at the top of the Massney Braes. Have also seen one or two peacock butterflies.

Reflections at Shell Bay

Lichen Covered Rocks

Lichen covered rocks at Ruddons Point.

At least three species of lichen growing on this small boulder. The yellow patches are yellow splash lichen - Xanthoria parietina. I think that the large grey patch at the front of the boulder is black shields - Lecanora atra and that the pale green tufted lichen is sea ivory -Ramelina silquosa.

Shell Bay and Ruddons Point

Ruddons Point. At the Eastern end of Largo Bay lies Ruddons Point and beyond that Shell Bay, which is much smaller than Largo Bay, almost a cove.

Beautiful day last Sunday so we drove to Elie and parked at the Coastal Path car park just behind the caravan park at Shell Bay. Took the marked path through the woods, then skirted the trees past some spectacular sand dunes overlooking the salt marshes which surround the Cocklemill Burn and then on down the grassy slopes to Ruddons Point. Having explored the point walked across the sands of Shell Bay and then up the tarmacked road of the caravan park back to the car park. It makes a good round walk.

Looking back to Largo Law from Ruddons Point.

Looking across to the Lomond Hills.

Across Shell Bay to Kincraig Point at the Eastern end of Shell Bay.

Kincraig Point and the Bass Rock On the other side of the Forth.

The sands of Shell Bay and Kincraig Point

Seal on the Rocks

I think I've been spotted by this grey seal on a rock opposite Lundin Golf Course last weekend! Quite often see seals on these rocks. From the size and colour I think this is quite a young one.

Same seal in characteristic banana shape pose.

Razorbill in Winter Plumage

Razorbill in winter plumage swimming just off Lower Largo Pier last weekend. Difficult to get a good photo as it was continually diving and then bobbing up in a different position. I've not seen one before in this area.

More Catkins

Hazel catkins - the lambs tails - which produce the pollen.. Two tiny red female catkins can be seen above.

A better view of the female hazel catkin. The red stigmas catch the pollen and eventually form the hazel nuts in the Autumn..

Pussy willow catkins silhouetted against a bright blue sky at the top of the Massney Braes. These are the male catkins of the goat willow - Salix caprea.

More on Sea Lemons

It was a very low tide this morning and I spotted this structure under the overhang. It took me some time to find out what it was. At first I thought it might be some kind of sponge. After searching on-line and in seashore guides I finally identified it as the egg-mass of a sea lemon. I found several examples amongst the rocks this morning. It is a wonderfully delicate flimsy structure.

Sea Lemon (Archidorus pseudoargus).

Daffodils

With the mild weather daffodils are coming out in gardens and also in the wild. Above patches of daffodils are blooming on the banks beside the disused railway track in Lower Largo.

Wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) - Wordsworth's Daffodils.

The first of Wordsworth's daffodils blooming in the Serpentine Walk. Unlike the usual familiar all-yellow, the trumpet is is as long as the pale outer petals but is of a darker yellow. These are the daffodils 'fluttering and dancing in the breeze' that inspired Wordworth's famous poem.

Lesser Celandine

Lesser celandine flowers beginning to come out in the Serpentine Walk.

Swans at Lower Largo

Adult with juvenile swan at Lower Largo Harbour.

Adult swan.

 Sleeping juvenile swan. It still has some grey feathers.

Waking up!

Out in the Forth a long row of swans make their way along.

Signs of Spring

The first primroses that I've spotted growing wild in the bank at the side of the old railway track in Lower Largo.

Hazel catkins in the serpentine Walk, Lower Largo. The first sign that the trees are coming back to life.

Since it's St David's Day just a photo of the daffodils in the garden. These are tête-à-tête a tiny but delicate and reliably flowering daffodil.