"Scottish Snippets"

"Colour Supplement"

3 September 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!

Loch Ore, Fife

It is hard to believe that this lovely loch in Fife was once the site of coal mining and that it was formed initially as a result of land subsidence arising from the mines below. The area is now Lochore Country Park - but sports the (pristine) winding gear at the top of a defunct mine, just to remind vitors of the area's recent past.

Wigeon

Traditionally, Wigeon have over-wintered in estuaries and coastal marshes, but in recent years they have moved inland to winter around lowland lakes and lochs. This one, with its attractive markings, was seen in Drumpellier Country Park in North Lanarkshire this week. As far as I am aware, Wigeon did not frequent this area last winter.

Gadwall

A solitary Gadwall spent last winter at Drumpellier Country Park. Despite the notices which asked visitors not to feed the birds there, the Gadwall benefited from the many who ignored the official advice and provided bread throughout the winter months! It is impossible to tell if this is the same Gadwall - but surprisingly it did seem to be associating with the one and only Wigeon, pictured above!

Black Headed Gull

Despite its lack of a black head, this is a first-winter Black Headed Gull. Fully grown adults have lost their black heads too, as their winter plumage is a largely white head with just a spot of black.

Clematis

This climbing Clematis has been producing flowers for months and a burst of late afternoon sunshine has brought up its colours nicely.

Magpie

Magpies are not popular because of their reputation for raiding the nests of other birds, though recent research suggests that they are not as guilty as was once thought. A member of the crow family, it has an attractive iridescent blue-green sheen on the back of its wings.


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