Moon, Venus and Jupiter

16:52hrs 2nd December 2008.
from Benderloch
Latitude 56.492 Longitude 5.404

Winter birds - Waxwings arrive in Benderloch

Most winters Waxwings arrive in the UK from northern European areas such as Russia. Some years there are very large numbers (known as a waxwing irruption) and 2008 appears to be one of these years. We've been seeing the birds around the village for some days - they like to eat the remaining berries from trees like the rowans - and this picture is of a group in our garden. My photo doesn't show them particularly well but they are quite colourful birds with a distinctive crest.
See a better image here from the RSPB website.

Nov 08 - Latest news

I have changed the method for keeping readers updated on new posts to this blog.

Simply enter your email under "Never miss a new posting from the Benderloch Blog!" in the panel on the right.
After you confirm your subscription you will receive email notices of new content posted to this site. Never miss another picture!
(If you subscribed previously you should still get notices in the old way but as that service is undergoing changes I would recommend you to sign-up for the new service.)
Steve, 15 Nov 2008.

Autumn Loch Creran

Various scenes taken in and from the Sealife Sanctuary.

(My apologies - for some reason the "enlarge-image" click doesn't always work for this set of pictures)

Autmn colours in Barcaldine forest reflected in Loch Creran

Loch Creran

Loch Creran.

Canadian otter at the Sealife Sanctuary.

Common seal.

Loch Creran.

Loch Creran.

Connel Bridge

A bit of nostalgia. This is from an old picture of Connel Bridge in the days when steam trains still ran on the Ballachulish branch line. The line Connected with the Oban to Glasgow line at Connel Ferry and went north through Benderloch to Ballachulish near Glencoe.

Otter poses

At the Sealife Sanctuary today. An otter poses for me.

Loch Creran

The early autumn grasses add a nice touch to this view.

Unusual colour combinations.

Looking over St.Modan's Church. The sunset reflecting on the underside of the cloud.

No, its not a blue butterfly - its a mussel shell down on edge of the beach.

Loch Etive sunset

A beautiful evening in August.

This was taken by the Connel Bridge, which is behind me and looks over the entrance to Loch Etive. The distant hills on the left are on the Isle of Mull.

Rhododendrons

Sail up Loch Etive May 08

A friend kindly invited us to come for a sail up Loch Etive last evening. It had been a beautiful, sunny day but it clouded over as evening came! This view is looking towards the Buchaille mountains at the head of Glen Etive.


From the same area looking south we see the north side of Ben Cruachan still with patches of snow - unusual this late in spring.


As dusk fell the evening ended with a wonderful sunset!

Sunset towards the Isle of Mull from Connel Bridge

Taken from the north end of the bridge. The trees are at North Connel. On the darker land centre left is the site of Dunstaffnage Castle. The distant hills are the Isle of Mull.


I walked to the centre of the bridge for this shot. The sun is setting up the Sound of Mull (hidden behind the south end of the Isle of Lismore) which is the major sea route between Mull and the mainland.


Standing on the opposite side of the road for the same view as above but including some of the bridge structure. Connel Bridge was built as a railway bridge in 1903 but these days is a single-track road on the main route between Oban and Fort William.


Same picture as above with the colour saturation increased.

Sunset and snow

Standing on Connel Bridge at the entrance to Loch Etive looking east with the sunset now behind me. Ben Cruachan is about five miles away.

Same image but with slight blue cast removed.

April 11 snow on Ben Cruachan

Taken by camera phone from the road on the north shore of Loch Etive at North Connel.

March snow

Throughout March there have been many days with snow on the mountains.


Isle of Mull in the distance. From below Connel Bridge March 1st. Crocuses in bloom. Daffodils in bud - they flowered a couple of days later.


Loch Creran, March 16th


Looking over Keil Crofts, Benderloch to the Morvern Hills March 24th.

Barn at Selma, Benderloch

This Barn is at Selma, Benderloch, by the track leading down from the church to the beach. I painted it in Feb07 as part of an internet art group challenge. The setting is in summer with a bit of artistic licence.
Details: Painted in acrylics on heavy paper 16"x12".
I mainly used a knife with some finishing and glazing using brushes.