Some Speyside Birds

At RSPB Loch Garten the best views of the osprey nest, eggs and adult birds  are from the webcams at the visitor centre. The above photo shows the osprey nest. Can just see the head of the adult bird in the middle of the nest.

A siskin on one of the feeders at the centre. Looks like it contains black sunflower seeds.

Great spotted woodpecker on another feeder.

A heron taken from the Heron Trail, Milton Loch at Boat of Garten.

Spot the treecreeper in these last two pictures, taken on the Speyside Way  between Aberlour and Craigellachie.

Red Squirrels at Loch Garten

Have seen red squirrels before on several occasions but they were either too far away or too quick for a photograph. However, on holiday in Speyside last week, at RSPB Loch Garten which we were visiting to see the ospreys, it was a bonus to see red squirrels on the peanut feeder.

Lucky enough to snap two red squirrels!

At Ballindalloch Castle a red squirrel is a blur as it dashes across the path.

Cat on a Pipe

Cats generally do not like water, so surprised to see a cat walking across the pipe that goes over the Keil Burn in Lundin Links. One slip and it would have been in the water but it got safely to the other side of the burn. Just shows how sure-footed they are.

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Have seen lesser black-baked gulls (Larus fuscus) near the pier at Lower Largo, but never as close as this one on the wall at the terrace on top of the National Museum in Edinburgh.The bright yellow legs differentiate it from the great black-backed gull (Larus marinus).

First Peacock Butterfly of 2014

One of my favourite butterflies, a peacock, on a dandelion flower. I've seen quite a few small tortoiseshell butterflies flitting about, although too fast to get a photo, but this  is the first peacock that I've seen this year.

A Bank of Spring Beauty

Just across the road from the Lundin Links Hotel, there is a bank covered in spring beauty (Claytonia perfoliata).

The flowers are tiny and are unusual in growing from the centre of the leaf.

Misty Views

A misty view of the beach at Lundin Links.
This has been a cloudy drizzly and misty week. Not so much as even a brief glimpse of the sun.

Lower Largo beach. The houses at the temple have disappeared in the mist.

A slightly hazy view of the viaduct from the pier.

The path in the Serpentine Walk disappears into the mist.