SNOW WILL COME

 

Always an eye on you

It has been a glorious blue skies and sunshine day here in Strathspey and the Cairngorms. The temperatures creept up in the warm sunshine. Although I love high pressure systems they obviously don't bring any weather fronts, more importantly no snow. The colder temperatures are great but we certainly need a few good stormy days to get the hills looking more like mid winter and not early winter. Spare a thought to our beautiful wildlife though. While mountaineers and skiers grumble about the lack of the white stuff, our precious wildlife rely on snowcover for camouflage. For Ptarmigan and Mountain Hare it could mean a matter of life or death for them. Thankfully these species are resourceful and intelligent enough to know they need to become inconspicuous to predators so will do their best to blend in with whatever snow cover is available. In the case of these two high mountain species they will take cover in rocks and boulder fields of which the Cairngorms has in abundance. 

Some fresh snow and fresh Hare prints 

Blue skies and atmospheric clouds

I was out photographing our beautiful Mountain Hares today. Below 800m there is only very small stretches of old snow. Sny fresh snow from yesterday's colder and snowier weather was melting away in the direct sunlight.  It was a lovely day to be out with camera and Hares.

Well camouflaged 

Beautiful in sun, but no snow

My friend is still curious

The hares where I photograph have some decent boulders scattered about the area. These are some of their Forms so very convenient. The lichen streaked rocks superb hideaways for these beautiful animals. 

There is also a reason why they are our fastest mammal

Blue skies

More rocks

Relaxed but always an eye on you

A beautiful day and some more fime moments with these guys. The days so much longer now. I cycled home without the need for lifts this afternoon. 

Snow will come.......soon.