The Pinkie Shore

Another glorious day, almost windless and with a totally cloudless sky. We had  a short walk  on account of the heat (18.5c) and went down the braes from Braco Park to the Pouk and over to the Pinkie Shore. We had been told that the cliffs at Crovie are currently carpeted with primroses and mindful of the pinkie buds Dr. Anne found at Portsoy in January, expected the Pinkie shore to be a mass of pale yellow.

There were superb views from the cliff top above the Pinkie Shore, here looking towards Rosehearty. The grass is not yet greening up and we found only  a few patches of scurvy grass and very few primroses in bloom. By the style at the Pouk we saw red beads of buds appearing on a cushion of thrift. This suntrap is always where the first thrift flowers appear.There are fulmars and gulls starting to nest on the cliffs.



The Pouk has shifted course slightly over the winter and has spread over the old delta.. There were already some marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) in flower and the first of the mare's tails emerging from the mud of the delta.

One of the few patches of primrose (Primula vulgaris) in flower on the Pinkie Braes

Scurvy grass is just starting to flower.

Rufus is having winter coat removed later this week and is feeling the heat. He fell into the Pouk but scrambled out happily, no doubt feeling cooler, and lay down in the sun to dry off.