"Scottish Snippets"

"Colour Supplement"

11 November 2006

Each week the Rampant Scotland Newsletter includes a number of photographs which illustrate the weather and the seasons, plus the flora and fauna of the current week around Scotland. There are often so many such graphics of Scottish subjects worth including that this separate "colour supplement" is created where some of the best pictures can be displayed in a larger format. Here is this week's crop of Scottish views!


Regular readers of this Colour Supplement will know that I have a liking for photographs of sunsets. Of course, today's digital cameras seem to do a much better job of capturing the glorious colours. This sunset was photographed at the RSPB Vane farm reserve near Kinross.


Goosanders have now returned to the lochs of central Scotland for the winter months after breeding in the upland areas, close to woodlands. These sleek birds are experts at catching fish, frequently diving under water - making photography difficult at times!


This is probably a female Goosander, but the young males look very similar to this until they develop the black and white (with a flush of pink in winter) of the males.


Mallards moult after the breeding season and for a while look very scruffy and are unable to fly for a few weeks. But they have now renewed their feathers and the iridescent green of this handsome male is catching the sunlight.


Over the summer, it has been fascinating to watch the rapid growth of the young birds after they have hatched out. This young Great Crested Grebe is now well able to look after itself. As yet, it has not developed any of the adult's crest - and looks more as if it is sporting a crew cut!


Rooks and Crows are not particularly popular birds and are usually regarded as "pests". But I have to confess that I have grown to admire their intelligence - they learn to recognise individuals like me who will throw them bits of bread and will follow along, swooping past to make sure you know they are there. But they have learned to be wary. Move your arm too quickly when throwing them food and they will move away in alarm - only to turn round immediately they realise there is food to be had!

If you want to look back at earlier editions of this Colour Supplement, there is an Index Page





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