Kilpatrick Braes, the blackthorn here still in bud, later than others places I’ve been recently. Warm & sunny with a bit of a breeze. Few bumble bees out exploring the ground. Several butterflies, probably peacocks, rushed by. Lots of birds singing. Heard a green woodpecker a few times. Chiffchaffs mostly heard but saw a couple. More primroses opening, some mouse-ear cress. Larch starting to green & buds on a chestnut at the edge of the heather.
A raven flew through the trees and circled above. on each loop diving, folding & twisting in a relaxed, effortless way, despite the speed.
An afternoon walk round the Kilpatrick braes yesterday. Warm and sunny, occasionally clouding over.Egrets, Opposite-leaved golden-saxifrage, lesser celandine, the first primroses of 2026. 5 ravens flew low and fast overhead two pairs twisting together wings loud. A few stonechats on the Muir.
#SilentSunday
I arrived at the Kilpatrick hills car park at dawn this morning. It was already pretty full. Frosty with a clear sky. The full moon going down. More folk than usual on the tracks and paths. Saw a few redwing feeding on hawthorn along with blackies & thrushes.
Beautiful warm light to start, long shadows.
The frozen ground was much nicer than the usual bog between Loch Humphrey and Duncolm.
On Duncolm a raven circled diving & twisting with quiet croaks. Seemed unfazed by me and came quite close, shining in the sun. Saw a few more on the way back. A little egret in the horse field. I wonder if they come to the field when the tide is high. I saw this one at 12:30 and high tide at Old Kilpatrick was at 12:40 today. I’ll try and keep a note.
Nice view of a buzzard in a hawthorn near the road and a flock of fieldfares on the field and hawthorn.
Photos on flickr & on the
walkmap
The 12 Days of Winter Wonder Photo Challenge ✨ Day 4 prompt: Evergreen 🌲
A Scots Pine at the edge of the Kilpatrick Braes. A young one sprouts in the foreground.
#SilentSunday
A walk to Duncolm via Loch Humphrey & Fynloch hill in the mist & drizzle today. Very mild for the time of year. The burns are full and the paths are bogs. Some photos on a map:
walkmap
A little egret & a pal were quartering the horse field at the star of the Loch Humphrey track. A few minutes later I head a nuthatch. Both are fairly recent arrivals in Scotland I believe. Due to climate change. It is a very mild start to December & fields are surprisingly green. Drizzle & mist
Kilpatrick braes, yesterday, short loop. Low clouds, some drizzle and a few bright spells. Quite warm. Paths like burns after yesterday’s heavy rain. On the first field a buzzard hunting. A couple of ravens appeared & moved it off. After the deer fence, under the trees, I saw them again, or another trio. Again the ravens chased the buzzard off. I could hear them kronk and also making an almost electronic 2 note call I’ve not heard before.
