D&G bimble

With a glorious day forecast, it was a full day out in Dumfries and Galloway. We planned to go to the Crook of Baldoon to try and see the American Wigeon, then to the 'Teapot' at Skyreburn (superb bacon butties and a big mug of tea) ; then to the Red Kite Centre at Lauriestone and then to Castle Douglas - potential Smew on Carlingwark Loch, a visit to Ballards butchers - proper Haggis, and the greengrocer - marmalade oranges, before popping in to the supermarket for square sausage and morning rolls - why we can't readily get these just over the border in Cumbria I don't know! Anyway a change of plan as the weather wasn't glorious - so we dipped out on the Red Kite Centre as the light was so poor for photography and went to two burial chambers instead...

On leaving the house it soon became apparent that we were in for a spectacular display of lenticular clouds....and below.

Crook of Baldoon - plenty of Wigeon to hunt amongst for the American Wigeon...

We had good views with binoculars, through the reeds and electric fence, but sadly no photos as the camera kept focussing on anything else but the bird, which kept swimming in and out of vision.

The two burial chambers at Skyreburn were well worth a visit...

Mawbray High Tide

A sunny and dry walk on the beach. Despite being eight degrees warmer than when it snowed, it felt colder because of the wind! Some spectacular high tide roosts of Curlew and Oystercatcher, with the odd Sanderling, Ringed Plover, Redshank and Bar-tailed Godwit.

A bright and breezy day - looking back towards Silloth.

High tide roost....

Oystercatchers...and below.

Curlew ...and below.

Ringed Plover.

Golden Plover and below...

Workington Slag Banks

Finally released from our icy and snowy cocoon, by an incredibly rapid thaw - it was off to the slag banks for a walk. A curious choice of first ' free walk'  I hear you thinking....But it's dry underfoot and there had been regular reports of a couple of Short-eared Owls that were perfoming beautifully, sitting on fence posts in a photogenic manner! Not today though ...but good to be out. The Skylark flock was lovely...I'm not used to seeing them on the ground as a flock - not unsuprisingly they reminded us of the Shorelarks at Holkham Gap in Norfolk....

Spot the Skylarks!..at least five....

Zooming in....

and in....

So well camouflaged!

An industrial coast....

Local brick...

Smelting waste...

..and hope for spring - Bee Orchid rosette.

Looking inland at the thaw...

Frosted ferns and fringes

The fern's fringes as well as the fringes of the grykes attract the hoar frost ...pretty! ..Some more photographs from Gaitbarrows....

Beautiful ice-crystal detail....

Gaitbarrows Limestone Pavement

While we were snowed and iced in, Tom kindly took some photos down at Gaitbarrows NNR. The pavements were stunning and covered in beautiful hoar frost...

Lovely feather patterns ...