Sunday 10 April 2011

Pentland Hills

Yesterday, the weather was wonderful and we had a lovely walk in the Pentland Hills. We started just outside Bonaly, where the house sparrows were busily collecting nesting materials and shouting at each other. We walked up a vertiginous woodland path along the Bonaly Burn.


There was wood sorrel everywhere (see below) and the trees were full of chaffinches singing.


Then we came onto the open moorland where the sky was full of singing skylarks, meadow pipits were fluttering round in the scrub and the heather was full of insects and spiders.


There were spider webs everywhere and lots of ladybirds and a huge number of small shiny green beetles. We also saw a number of different species of rove beetles and some ground beetles of different types. Plus a good number of bumble bees. Two buzzards were soaring on the thermals, a pair of peregrines chased each other above our heads and a kestrel hovered over the heathland on the other side of the burn.






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15 comments:

PurestGreen said...

I think I will never tire of seeing all of thise lovely green. I love the wood sorrel - saw loads during a recent walk through Roslin Glen. I love the wide open space feeling in the Pentlands. :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Juliet - it was that kind of day. The amount of bird song is suddenly amazing and they are all so busy nesting.

Howard of Belvedere Mountain Express said...

At the same time, I was getting sunburned (in Scotland! in early April!) on a 14 km circular walk from Nine Mile Burn, via the Kips and Scald Law. In that part of the Pentlands there were skylarks aplenty, and the sound of the odd curlew here and there.

Anonymous said...

The perfect walk, exercise, birds, flowers and green grass.

Sam Pennington said...

I haven't walked in the Pentlands since I was a child. Now I'm exiled south of the border, this made me feel really homesick! A gorgeous, vivid piece as always, Juliet xxx

Wild_Bill said...

You do live in a beautiful place don't you? It was nice to be reminded how beautiful Scotland is! Although I spent much of my time in the north, it seems like it is gorgeous almost everywhere in your fine country.

Anonymous said...

Sounds absolutely wonderful :)

Dr. Cheryl Carvajal said...

Wow... So lovely

Here it is also beautiful, but already hot and humid, and the gnats are beginning to take over.

It looks good from my windows, but not as fine as the pictures you've taken!

Oh said...

The kestrel! what a fine name - I love the word - somehow evokes something of your amazing country to me....thanks for the links! Off to explore, more.

Thomma Lyn said...

Oooh, sounds like such a lovely walk! Beautiful pictures, and I could almost hear the birdsong, the way you described it. :) I adore being out in nature.

Magyar said...

Juliet, a fine collage, this early spring walk; your words too, all of them... seen or heard.
_m

RG said...

Spring has sprung !

none said...

Wonderful observations and photos! Yay for spring and walks through nature. :)

Nicole said...

Beautiful place too!
I love the last shot with the mountain views!

Arija said...

What a lovely scenic walk you had with the birds making hay while the sun shines and singing their little hearts out. Lovely post!