Cairnhill in Spring

A perfect morning on which bird activity, rooks renovating their nests tin the wood by Pitsligo Castle, flocking starlings and geese, yellow hammers on the dyke over the Drybrigs and the sudden vigour of new plant growth, confirmed that Spring is well established. Cheerful splashes of yellow from tiny celandines to bold clumps of daffodils and great seas of gorse spatter the Spring countryside. 

The massive bulk of the 1424 great keep of Pitsligo castle seen behind the trees above which 'speculative rooks' cawed raucously.



Blotched leaves of arum lily, also known as Lords and Ladies or Jack in the pulpit (Arum maculatum) growing on the bank by Barnyards. It is likely that the these plants, highly unusual in this area, arrived as seeds washed out from a cattle float.

Daffodils on the Cairnhill, the War Memorial visible in the background.

Fragrant, coconut scented flowers of gorse (Ulex europaeus)