Christmas photos

Timber operations in Ben Lora forest have stopped for the holiday and judging by the snow cover on Dec 27th I'm sure the guys are happier to be indoors for a few days.

November cold

At the end of November we've had a prolonged spell of cold weather with windless days. These photos were taken from outside Dunstaffnage Castle just north of Oban over several days.

Looking over the bay at Dunstaffnage marina Connel Bridge marks the entrance to Loch Etive and the distant mountain is Ben Cruachan.

Rainbow

A rainbow above St Modan's church Benderloch

Migrating birds

Over the past week there's been a huge increase in the number of small birds migrating through the area. Of particular interest has been watching fieldfares (and others) stripping Rowan (mountain ash) trees of their berries in a matter of hours.

Rowan tree full of berries at Connel Bridge
prior to the irruption.

Fieldfare on Rowan

Starlings on Rowan

Aurora Benderloch

9th Oct 2012
Not the best aurora I've seen from Benderloch
but still worth looking at.

Autumn scenes - October 2012

Thistles Loch creran

Connel Bridge

Ben Lora forest and the old smithy

Sunset over north Shian, Loch Creran

Sunset from the road bridge over Loch Creran

Upper Loch Creran

Sunbeam over the Isle of Mull

Double rainbow over Benderloch

Autumn colours at the old smithy, Benderlcoh

Pictures from Sept 2012

Ardchattan Kirk on Loch Etive
at Harvest Festival

Harvest festival in the Kirk

Sunset over Loch Etive from the Kirk

Heather blooming on the moss
looking to the Morvern hills

Sunset over Mull from the viewpoint
at the south end of Benderloch

Summer - August 2012

From the road to the Isle of Eriska, Benderloch

Cycling around Loch Creran

Rowan (mountain ash) berries by the roadside

Small copper butterfly near the beach

Sea mayweed on the shingle part of the beach

Summer pictures - July 2012

Telephoto shot of the Isle of Mull
ferry seen from Tralee beach

Unlike most of the country its been
very dry around here and the ponds
behind the beach have grown a grand
crop of grasses

Marsh orchid neat the beach

Red poppy

Purple thistle flowers

Afternoon sun on Ben Lora forest

Ben Lora Forest evening light

Orchids

At the rear of Tralee beach in Benderloch (behind the shingle area) is always a good spot for seeing Marsh Orchids at this time of year. The group in the picture are in the middle of a (usually) boggy area on a raised "island". With this year's lack of rain the bog is pretty dry and it was easy to walk to get this shot.

Sutherland's Grove 19 June 2012

Afternoon sun through the forest at
Sutherland's Grove trail, Barcaldine.

There's not been much rain recently so the
water level is low in the stream at
Sutherland's Grove.

Roe deer

Roe deer are a common sight in the area, varying from fleeting glimpses of a disappearing rear-end as the deer scamper into the undregrowth to longer views as they contentedly nibble in our gardens during winter and spring (and frustratingly for us remove the flower heads from our prize blooms). But I think most who saw this pair close to the main road were suitably enchanted. The fawn was just a few hours old and still a bit uncertain on its feet but instinctively knew how to suckle. The doe seemed to feel fairly safe as there's a high wall between herself and where I was standing and the pair returned to this spot for several days.

Bluebells

Bluebells at sunset in the wood near Letterwalton at the north end of Benderloch

Spring sunset

Looking towards Mull

This view is from the layby/viewpoint at the south end of Benderloch. Looking across Ardmucknish Bay to the hills of the Isle of Mull in the Inner Hebrides.You can make out the cliffs of the south-east coast. The darker spit on the right is the opposite side of the bay to the south of Lochnell Castle.

Early spring photos

Some photos taken in the past week around Benderloch. Weather has varied from very warm to freezing.

Easter daffodils at St Modan's Church, Benderloch

Raindrops and feed search on daffodil

View east from South Shian

Willow catkins and yellow gorse catch the low afternoon sun

HDR close-up of willow catkins

Rushing water at Sutherlands Grove, Barcaldine.
Time lapse + HDR.