Nature Friday from the Birthday Boy

Er yes, since you ask, it is in fact my twelfth birthday today. Gail seems even more thrilled about this than I am, and rest assured, we'll be telling you all about my birthday celebrations in my next post.

Meanwhile, I have some Nature Friday pictures to show you from last week's trip to Forvie Nature reserve.

I expect you are wondering what the fluffy off-white stuff is between the clumps of heather in the picture above?

Let's have a closer look.

And even closer.

Cool, huh? 

A google search suggested that this bleached green springy moss-like growth is in fact a lichen of the genus Cladonia. Further consultation with Gail's friend Carol confirmed this diagnosis and narrowed it down to the species Cladonia portentosa, common name reindeer lichen.

There are no reindeer to chomp away at the lichen in Forvie, but on the wildlife front I can offer you swans in the Sand Loch, noisily cackling geese overhead, wigeon on nearby tidal mudflats and evidence of an active mole population in a field just outside of the nature reserve boundary.

And finally, just in case you ever doubted the fact that Scotland's coastal areas can be a tad breezy...

Happy Nature Friday friends! Now I'm off to look for my birthday treats...

What, no logs?

Just because it's a dreary day, that doesn't mean one has to stay indoors does it?

Gail and I were thrilled to once again join our friends M and J for a walk on Sunday.  We went to the Forvie National Nature Reserve.

I did have one moment of panic, when Gail made me stop and pose for some photos and I feared we might lose sight of M and J. Past experience has taught me that it is important in particular to keep track of the pink jacket, one pocket of which often contains generously sized dog treats...

Oh. Gail is questioning my commitment to staying with our little group, noting how at one point in the walk I set off at pace down a different track in pursuit of a lone jogger. 

Obviously, I only did this in my capacity as Gail's personal trainer, making sure her teenage sprinting skills had not been totally forgotten*. 

I'm afraid we didn't manage to add to the 'M and J sitting on a log' series on this particular walk, as the Nature Reserve is by the sea and comprises dunes and coastal heathland, with only a few low shrubs scattered thereabouts.

 
But I can offer some pictures of the coastline, dramatic even in the dull February weather.

P.S.  For those of you who can access BBC iPlayer, the Forvie Nature Reserve, long a favourite place of ours, features in this episode of Michael Portillo's 'Great Coastal Railway Journeys'.

*Gail notes: Bertie still has a mind of his own, but as he is now completely deaf, shouting is pointless and the only way I can retrieve him is to give chase! 

The clue is in the jumper

Hmmm, Gail, I see from the messages and photos on your phone that our friend Muriel is now in Tenerife, on a month long walking and cycling holiday spanning Christmas and New Year. 

That's correct Bertie. And your point is?

Well Gail, I'm just wondering why she would fly all that way when she could be here in Aberdeenshire enjoying lovely walks in the sunshine on nearly deserted beaches with her favourite wire-haired fox terrier? 

Bertie I cannot begin to imagine. OK, perhaps I can try. Could it be at least in part because the sun barely rises above the horizon here in Northern Scotland in mid-December, and it is dark most of the time. I would note that the photo above was taken just before midday and look at the length of your shadow. 

Oh and the fact that you are all rugged up in your Nordic snowflake sweater is perhaps a clue as to the chilly air temperature right now, even on a bright and (all too rare) wind free day?

I rather like the low sun and long shadows Gail. After all, one can't have enough WFT, don't you think? And surely there is no beachwear more stylish than a cosy and Christmassy red sweater? 

OK, Bertie, you win. I have absolutely no idea why Muriel would want to winter on a subtropical island 2000 miles south of Aberdeen and where Nordic-style knitwear might seem inappropriate. 

It's a complete mystery.

(Last two photos courtesy of Muriel, who seems to be bearing up fine under the rigours of a Tenerife December...)

And then it was autumn

A treat most unexpected,

But welcome as a bone,

A week of sun, blue skies, still air,

When summer should be gone.

It could not last, it felt

So undeserved. And yet

When normal service weatherwise

Resumed today, and wet,

Cool, blustery, and dour,

The world o'ernight transformed,

I thought it quite unfair,

And for the sunshine mourned.

Then Gail cried "Chin up Bertie,

Remember what they say,

There's no bad weather just bad clothes.

Put on your coat, and seize the day!"

The right decision

Us dogs get to know our humans pretty well don't we?

So I think you can trust me to give you an accurate report of Gail's thought processes first thing Saturday morning. Here goes:

"Hmmm, I suppose I really should go Christmas shopping today, so I don't end up rushing around in a last minute panic once again. Oh dear but the shops will be terribly busy and anyway I haven't a clue what to buy, everyone has too many things already don't they? And it would be a shame to waste a nice bright day by being indoors. One needs to soak up every possible ray of sun at this time of year -  they say rickets is on the increase 'cos folk stay inside too much. Plus Darren Bett on the BBC forecast heavy rain for Scotland tomorrow. And then there's Bertie. I really owe him a good long walk, after sending him off to kennels last weekend. See him sat there looking at me with that adorable, optimistic, trusting little face. Yes, the Christmas stuff can wait. But where to go? It's so muddy everywhere at the moment...(thinks for a minute or two).  I know, we'll visit the Forvie Nature Reserve. The ground by the coast is sandy and well drained. And the terns aren't nesting at this time of year, so the dune area won't be closed off. The wind today is light, so no danger of Bertie getting sand grains blown in his eyes on the beach. If we complete the circuit of the Reserve - estuary, dunes, beach, cliff path and back - that's at least seven miles, so Bertie might even be a bit tired by the end. Yes that's what we'll do, better get going, it's a thirty minute drive and we've only a few hours before it's dark again..."

All in all, I think we can congratulate Gail on a good decision. As for presents, there's always Amazon gift vouchers.

But I must say she was wrong about the (lack of) mud.