Each week the Scottish Snippets Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather, flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. 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!
Some of the snow which fell two weeks ago was still lying on the top of Ben Lomond and the other mountains around Loch Lomond when this picture was taken on Tuesday. In the days after the snowfall, there was a lot of dull, cloudy weather but the sun came out on Tuesday, creating this bright - if chilly - scene.
There are a number of pairs of Redshank in residence along the shingle at Helensburgh, on the Firth of Clyde. Each duo seems to have their own patch on which they paddle around to feed. They may move away soon, to nesting sites on wet grassland or low moorland areas.
These Eider Ducks are courting one another, with the male rising up out of the water and the less colourful female crouching low. Eider ducks can be found all round the coast of Scotland, preferring remote, off-shore rocky areas to roost at night. There were quite a number of Eiders swimming and displaying on the Firth of Clyde, off Helensburgh.
The cold weather in March has kept back a lot of the flowers but this Rhododendron in the garden at Glenarn House in Rhu had managed to burst into bloom - and avoid frost damage at night. Glenarn opens to visitors on 21 March, but many of the rhododendrons at Glenarn (which were in flower at this time last year) were still in bud. The snow had also caused a bit of damage and brought down a number of branches. But there are plenty of shrubs and trees at Glenarn still to flower. Another visit in a few weeks time is certainly likely - by that time the magnificent Magnolias will also be in all their glory!
This shade-loving Helleborus was undaunted by the low temperatures and was in full bloom at Glenarn.
This picture could be a candidate for a "What is it?" competition. It is the flower of a large Rhododendron, just bursting out of its bud, in the garden at Glenarn House, Rhu.
Regular readers of this Colour Supplement will know that pictures of sunsets have been featured here on a number of occasions - and here's another one! The swan and mallards in the foreground seem to add to the peaceful nature and the "silver lining" of the clouds.
If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page
