Wednesday 16 January 2013

Lacy patterns in icy puddles

I went birdwatching along the River Esk and the John Muir Walkway in Musselburgh today. it was very cold and I was very impressed by the beautiful patterns in the icy puddles.






There were a lot of birds along the river and the coast. I particularly enjoyed watching a group of turnstones, scurrying around, doing what they're meant to do (turning stones to find the food hidden underneath). I was very impressed by the size of the some of the stones they were turning! Plus the noise, quite a clatter as the stones turned and fell.

Then I saw a curlew in the water, digging around to find food. A black headed gull was following it and picking at the surface of the water every time the curlew stopped digging. Definitely seemed as though the gull was taking advantage of the little bits of food that were floating away from the curlew.

This more than made up for the fact that on the three lagoons, I saw no birds at all apart from a solitary carrion crow. The lagoons can be a wonderful place for birdwatching or totally empty as they were today.Even without birds, they did look beautiful in the cold winter light.

As did the boating pond.






Lovely wander and I hardly felt the cold once I had been walking for a while....

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12 comments:

Kerri Farley said...

Cool Puddle Patterns :)

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I love how you find beauty in the icy puddles. Mother Nature is filled with such beauty.

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

I remember I stopped on that beach trying to take a photograph but I couldn't, I had to walk to get warm and the wind was almost literally lifting me up. My eyes watering for its force. Then I sent you a Sms when I saw three mute swans flying by.
I imagine now it might be even colder!

Ms Sparrow said...

It's wonderful that no matter how bad the weather, the birds endure.

eileeninmd said...

Cool captures of the icy patterns. And I love the lagoon scenery, it is very pretty. Will there be more birds there in the spring?

bunnits said...

The icy puddles remind me of fractals. I like the other photos, too.

The Weaver of Grass said...

I love those lacy patterns Juliet - we have plenty round here at present. The farmer saw 12 waxwings a couple of days ago - any up your way>

Crafty Green Poet said...

Hi Weaver, always lovely to see waxwings, I had a wonderful sighting of a group of them early in the winter but haven't seen any this year, though they're still round in Edinburgh apparently

Crafty Green Poet said...

Eileen - there are usually lots of birds there, it's a tidal thing more than a seasonal thing.

Bill said...

turnstones . . .
I used to know the meaning
of my name

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

I find it interesting how nature makes the most incredible patterns for us to use in other forms of art.

Geraldine said...

Thanks for sharing a part of your world. How cool are these!!!