WARM AND NOW BACK TO WINTER

 

Cairn Gorm & Coire Cas, Monday

The long spell of warm weather brought by the huge High pressure system lingered on into last week. We are now in a run of Atlantic lows crossing Scotland. We've had  some high winds knocking about in Aviemore and on the mountains this week. The temperatures lowering to around average for this time of year. It has been  much cooler at the end of this week and some snow for the high mountains. Yes, Winter hasn't gone away. You knew that though didn't you? 

Here's a catch up over the last few days of my adventures.

SATURDAY 20 MARCH

Braeriach and Loch Coire an Lochain

 With a fine morning forecast I headed back up onto the Sgorans above Glenfeshie. Feeling a bit miffed at missing out on photographing the Ptarmigan we saw last week I decided to see if they were still in the same small area, high up on the plateau. Wishful thinking I know. They are birds and they do move around! I cycled up Glenfeshie from the house. En-route I stopped off to capture this lovely Brown hare.

Well hidden in the log grasses

Brown hare can be a tricky customer to photograph. They hide well in long grass, their preferred habitat. So early Spring can be a good time to see them properly before vegetation starts growing! This wee guy was well hidden though.

Glenfeshie Pines 

Beautiful Glenfeshie 

It was breezier on the tops with winds up to around 35mph by the time I reached Sgor Gaoithe. By mid day high cloud rolled in from the West. I didn't see any Ptarmigan but some cracking views of Braeriach. 

Braeriach and Lurchers Crag to the left

The Ribbon of snow running down is known as 'The Escalator'

High cloud by midday 

I hadn't seen anyone on the hill until on the way down from Sgor Gaoithe. I decided to head back the shortest, quickest way. I saw half a dozen folk by the time I reached the treeline on the excellent path. One couple who had just set out at 2.30pm asked me where the path goes. The carpark had 8 cars there. The hills look like they're starting to get busy again!

Recent path repairs

Lovely bike ride home again

SUNDAY 21 MARCH

Brown Hare, Glenfeshie

Back to beautiful Glenfeshie, third time this week. It is a glorious glen. A special place and one of Europe's largest, most ambitious Rewilding programmes. This is a long term ( we're talking over 50 years) of regeneration and rewilding this enormous area. If your interested in this and lots of details check out the excellent website: Cairngorms Connect

Today my wife and I had a leisurely drive to the area in search of wildlife and birdwatching. I spent a good couple of hours wanting to capture some more images of the beautiful Brown Hare.

Woodland, precious

Sunny and warm by midday 

After a dull start the skies brightened up by midday. Beautiful ad warm and the Brown Hares were showing well. 

Later on in the afternoon we meandered further along Strathspey and found some beautiful quiet spots to do some birdwatching and enjoy the sunshine down by the Spey.

Tree Creeper

Long Tailed Tit

Amongst the many birds we spotted were: Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Grey Heron, Curlew, Great Spotted Woodpecker, tree Creeper, Long Tailed Tit. A glorious end to the day and beautiful sunshine.

Sunshine down on the Spey

Quiet and peaceful 

MONDAY 22 MARCH

One of the few bright spells in the afternoon 

A benign day and quiet dull. There was a stiff wind, even on the lower hills. The mid to late afternoon saw some brightness, just enough to get a few Mountain hare photos. I've found over the years that they tend to eat and more relaxed by around 2 pm this time of year. Perfect timing to coincide with the brighter weather!

Amongst the rocks

Dinner time

Afternoon brightness

There is hardly any snow left below 900m in the high Cairngorms and even less here in the Monadhliath. The Hares are still in their Winter pelage but are starting to morph into their Spring coats. With so little snow they find shelter and camouflage amongst the beautiful lichen and moss covered rocks. The closest to anything 'white' for them.

Well camouflaged

I'm off

What a view for 'home'

WEDNESDAY 24 MARCH

Snow showers over The Cairngorms 

A much cooler day today. With snow showers down to 500m in the Monadhliath and I would say even more on the high Cairngorms. There was a cold, strong wind blowing and definitely a return to March conditions. In other words normal end of Winter weather! I keep banging on about Winter never truly finishes until at least mid April here in the Scottish Mountains. The high tops of the Cairngorms still had huge covering of snow, some aspects frozen snow and ice. Worth checking the latest SAIS blogs and reports which detail these conditions. Today I was back in the Monadhliath with the hares.

Their Spring pelage coming through very clearly

Beautiful colourings amongst the lichens and mosses

A fine, sunny start to the day on my bike ride to the hills from the house. By mid morning the first of the snow showers rattled across the hills. It was a blustery day even at lower 600-700m elevations. I just got the camera out when the visibility dropped and snowing. By mid day some lovely bright spells were enjoyed. Unfortunately these brighter periods were short lived and did not coincide with Mountain Hare moments! You can't always win them all. I did manage to get some images and the showers did ease off in the afternoon.

Shower clouds looking wonderful

Some brighter moments for the Cairngorms too

Great cloudscape photography

Very quiet on the hill. Just 1 person seen all day. The hares were well and truly outnumbering humans, not that I usually see many folk in this area. I also spotted a pair of Golden Plover which was lovely to see again. Looking forward to more birds and wildlife on the hills over the coming weeks, the most important time for ground nesting birds.

Sheltering from the winds

That surprised look!

Shaking off the snow

Flat light

I got a good soaking on the way  home on the bike as the showers merged. More snow and cold temperatures forecast on the high Cairngorms the rest of the week. 

Winter continues......

You can't beat a bit of Duck Tape