WINTER HOLDING ON

Winter prevails on the lower hills

The cold Arctic airflow of this week continues. Some strong winds thrown in making it true winter conditions up high. Even down in the Straths and glens it has been Winter like this week. Many areas in The Highlands seeing snow falling to low levels and below freezing overnight. It is not unusual, of course, to have snow and cold weather up on the hills this time of year. To have snow lying in the garden is I suppose. This is the beauty of living in The Highlands. If I had my way I would have Winter 6 months of the year :)

Today I bring you a belated Easter Bunny, or two.

Another cold one

I took a wander up to my usual Mountain Hare photography area in the Monadhliath. A much calmer day of late with the winds light at Aviemore and moderate above about 700m. Still the air mass is from the Arctic so cold. Temperatures at Aviemore this morning around minus 2 C.

Mountain Hare tracks in the fresh snow

With the winds from a NW direction I went around the lee side of the hills to see my Mountain Hares. Just like us humans, they don't really want to be facing a cold, strong wind if they can avoid it.

Deep drifts in places

With the high winds the last few days the snow has been drifting about a fair bit. In this area I frequent all of the old snow melted away a while back. The new snowfalls of the last few days has no base and therefore the wind scoured areas are bare heather. The lee sides there were some sizeable drifts above 700m.

Pleasent spells in the sunshine

Better conditions to photograph wildlife today. Good visibility with the cloud high and there were only a few very brief snow flurries. I soon spotted a few hares. One chap quite happily roaming in his wee area munching away.

Having a nibble of the new grasses

He's not quite seen me yet

Not sure

One of the many pleasures associated with photographing the beautiful Mountain Hares is observing the transformation of their pelage (fur) throughout the seasons.

They are just transitioning from Winter to Spring at the moment. Today was mostly dull and flat light. You get to see how wonderfully well camouflaged they are when there is mixed terrain of snow, rock and bare heather.

Well camouflaged

Improving visibility on the high Cairngorms in the afternoon

The light kept coming and going with a few bright spells. By mid afternoon it was flat and dull. I started heading back down the hill. Always the case that I seem to get the better shots in the afternoon when the hares are a bit more relaxed. After 3 hours or so of concentration you can get a bit fuzzy. The hares are so well camouflaged. They know it too! This particular hare I had seen a few times today, he seemed to be following me!

Posing or just staying camouflaged?

Off again

Great camouflage

It was still cold lower down the hill, the ice still intact at 400m! More cold and wind today. A bit rough up on the high tops on Thursday I would think today. Staying below freezing on Cairngorm summits for some time to come! Winter continues.....

Afternoon ice

Even at Aviemore level the snow lingering on