Thursday April 28
After two hectic days spent readying the house, plants, garden and cat carers for three weeks absence - and a little packing - it was a relief to drive away at 5.45 a.m. I never feel that we are going anywhere until I have left Norfolk, reaching the A1 is the first waymark.
Although we'd had to de-ice the car before leaving, the sun shone out of a cloudless sky - until we hit several patches of fog - suddenly leaving them for clear blue again. As we drove north, the cloud thickened. The first longish stop was near the wooded area at the far end of the car park at Scotch Corner, mid morning for an early lunch. We then walked to an M and S outlet, buying far too many goodies and to-night's meal - for the exercise!
A short splodgy shower heralded our approach to the white cross on dark blue background Saltire, which marks the Scottish border. Then, our first one of those lit-up motorway signs saying 'Snow forecast'......
North Berwick is our first birding stop. A short one to-day as it wasn't productive. Close diving, Gannet torpedos from the white-dashed but distant Bass Rock, a few Greater Black-backed Gulls and no sign of any auks. More light showers now, other parts dry as we approached Cove.
Cove is a very small settlement, hugging the clifftop high above a rocky inlet. Apart from a pair of Fulmar snuggling together on the cliff and a few sparrows, nothing to see to-day - we always have to check.
Skatteraw is even smaller. The road is first right off the A9 after Torness Power Station, then another right past a small group of houses which includes a large aviary from which a Snowy Owl surveys cars passing by. There are also Tree Sparrows in the bushes here.
The bay is horseshoe shaped, rugged rock enclosed with a small mud/sand beach. The power station, high on the clifftop, looms over it, making Sizewell look positively elegant. It's a known birding site, the wooded gully a migrant hotspot.
Part of the John Muir Coastal Trail, a few rucksack clad, bed-rolls dangling, walkers were sat at the lone picnic bench in the rain smatter. Pam and I walked up the grassy path towards the power station until we got to a large and heavily fenced area. It turned out to be the site of an old lime kiln, the remaining brick clad shaft even more securely fenced. A good view from here but no shelter from the, becoming more persistent and icy, rain. Back to the car for a hot drink. Pam then returned to the enclosure with my camera as well as hers, to photograph the bay and the large clump of Primroses in flower. These are her photos.
Birds? We saw: Whimbrel, Wheatear, Curlew, Gannet, Shag, Red Breasted Merganser, Eider, White and Pied Wagtail, Willow Warbler and Meadow Pipits.
Time to leave the A9 for the coastal trail to Edinburgh . First stop North Berwick, the mass of white-dashed Bass Rock with its summit of swirling Gannets dominating the eastern view. That was all to-day. A group of close Gannets torpedo diving, almost splashless, into the near sea, the highlight.
Well....... hey've made Longniddry Bents car park into a P and D and bulldozed earth banks preventing us from parking near the edge as we used to. More and more thuis is happening. We risked the £60 no ticket fine to scope the mouth of the Forth with its waiting cargo ships. Lovely. Several flotillas of delightful Long-tailed Ducks in breeding plumage, a few Scoter further out. Three Sandwich Terns at last.
Edinburgh traffic is horrendous - especially during the evening rush hour. On the bypass too. It took an eon to get as far as the Forth road bridge crossing. I attempted to photograph the new Queensferry road bridge under construction, through the mass of struts and stancions. We were horrified when we heard on the news last night that a 60 year old man had died in an accident on the bridge that morning. No wonder it was deserted.
New Queensferry Forth Road Bridge
We were very tired when we arrived at Glenrothes Premier Inn. We usually stay in Travelodges but this Premier Inn was cheaper and in the right location. In bed before 10, I had a good night's sleep in a very comfortable bed.
Although we'd had to de-ice the car before leaving, the sun shone out of a cloudless sky - until we hit several patches of fog - suddenly leaving them for clear blue again. As we drove north, the cloud thickened. The first longish stop was near the wooded area at the far end of the car park at Scotch Corner, mid morning for an early lunch. We then walked to an M and S outlet, buying far too many goodies and to-night's meal - for the exercise!
A short splodgy shower heralded our approach to the white cross on dark blue background Saltire, which marks the Scottish border. Then, our first one of those lit-up motorway signs saying 'Snow forecast'......
North Berwick is our first birding stop. A short one to-day as it wasn't productive. Close diving, Gannet torpedos from the white-dashed but distant Bass Rock, a few Greater Black-backed Gulls and no sign of any auks. More light showers now, other parts dry as we approached Cove.
Cove is a very small settlement, hugging the clifftop high above a rocky inlet. Apart from a pair of Fulmar snuggling together on the cliff and a few sparrows, nothing to see to-day - we always have to check.
Skatteraw is even smaller. The road is first right off the A9 after Torness Power Station, then another right past a small group of houses which includes a large aviary from which a Snowy Owl surveys cars passing by. There are also Tree Sparrows in the bushes here.
The bay is horseshoe shaped, rugged rock enclosed with a small mud/sand beach. The power station, high on the clifftop, looms over it, making Sizewell look positively elegant. It's a known birding site, the wooded gully a migrant hotspot.
Part of the John Muir Coastal Trail, a few rucksack clad, bed-rolls dangling, walkers were sat at the lone picnic bench in the rain smatter. Pam and I walked up the grassy path towards the power station until we got to a large and heavily fenced area. It turned out to be the site of an old lime kiln, the remaining brick clad shaft even more securely fenced. A good view from here but no shelter from the, becoming more persistent and icy, rain. Back to the car for a hot drink. Pam then returned to the enclosure with my camera as well as hers, to photograph the bay and the large clump of Primroses in flower. These are her photos.
Time to leave the A9 for the coastal trail to Edinburgh . First stop North Berwick, the mass of white-dashed Bass Rock with its summit of swirling Gannets dominating the eastern view. That was all to-day. A group of close Gannets torpedo diving, almost splashless, into the near sea, the highlight.
Well....... hey've made Longniddry Bents car park into a P and D and bulldozed earth banks preventing us from parking near the edge as we used to. More and more thuis is happening. We risked the £60 no ticket fine to scope the mouth of the Forth with its waiting cargo ships. Lovely. Several flotillas of delightful Long-tailed Ducks in breeding plumage, a few Scoter further out. Three Sandwich Terns at last.
Edinburgh traffic is horrendous - especially during the evening rush hour. On the bypass too. It took an eon to get as far as the Forth road bridge crossing. I attempted to photograph the new Queensferry road bridge under construction, through the mass of struts and stancions. We were horrified when we heard on the news last night that a 60 year old man had died in an accident on the bridge that morning. No wonder it was deserted.
New Queensferry Forth Road Bridge
We were very tired when we arrived at Glenrothes Premier Inn. We usually stay in Travelodges but this Premier Inn was cheaper and in the right location. In bed before 10, I had a good night's sleep in a very comfortable bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment