"Scottish Snippets"

"Colour Supplement"

27 August 2005

Each week the Scottish Snippets Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. On occasions, there are so many such graphics worth including that a separate "colour supplement" is created so as not to totally overload the Newsletter. Here is this week's crop!

Mallard

For the last few weeks the mallards have been moulting and flightless and have looked very bedraggled. Now, at the end of August, the new winter coat is in place and this mallard looks very pleased with the result!

Mallard

With her head twisted right round, this mallard at Drumpellier Country Park can preen her new feathers to perfection!

Roses

One of the great advantages of growing roses is the succession of blooms they produce throughout the summer. These ones were photographed at Kinross House, overlooking Loch Leven and its castle.

Swallow

This swallow's nest was located in an underpass connecting the visitor centre to the RSPB nature reserve itself. The fact that visitors were constantly passing underneath and that the returning swallows had to take avoiding action round the humans, didn't seem to bother the parents at all. The hungry youngsters had better eat up as they will be expected to fly off to Africa in only a matter of weeks. Most will have left by October at the latest.

Starling

Unlike the mallards (above) which are "dabbling ducks", this tufted duck is a diver, swimming under water to feed. When it comes back to the surface, water droplets can reamin on its feathers for a while, as in this picture.

Tufted Duck

We tend to take the common starling for granted and it is only when you look closely that you see what brilliant markings this bird has. This is a young bird, just coming out of its juvenile plumage.

Damsel Fly

August is a peak time for dragonflies and the smaller damsel flies. These amazing insects are direct descendants of those that flew millions of years ago in the Jurassic age - and look it, too! This damsel fly is probably a "Blue Tailed" variety and is less than an inch long.


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