Life after the freeze

After recording a temperature of -15°C at 7am the day before yesterday, the big thaw has now begun. I'll post some pictures of the snow later, but this morning I went out on my cross-country skis to the park by our house and was amazed at the number of small creatures walking around on the snow. These included spiders, flies, springtails and a froghopper. I imagine that the sudden rise in temperature must have caused the eggs to hatch. Below are a selection.

November snow

It began to snow on Friday night, and by this morning we had about 12cm. I don't remember ever having so much snow here in Glasgow so early in the season. It seems hardly any time since the end of last winter's snow.

The park next to our house was busy with children sledging, though I was out before them when I took this picture.

Our cotoneaster berries were shining brightly in the sun. The birds haven't managed to eat them all yet.

This afternoon there were no signs of any road-clearing.

Even the main road at the back of our house was covered in snow, with traffic slowed to a crawl.

Back in the park, some old seed heads were catching the evening light.

Large clouds were building up, threatening a further fall of snow, though this did not materialise.

Eigg - The Giant's Footstep

In this picture, looking north over the Giant's Footstep to Laig Bay beyond, it's easy to see how this loch got its nickname.

Tucked in a hollow below inland cliffs, it is being encroached upon by vegetation and supports a wide variety of wetland plants.

From the lochside, there is a view to Laig Farm and the island of Rum beyond.

Two of the commonest aquatic plants growing in the loch are Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata - named after its three-lobed leaves) and the delicate strands of Lesser Bladderwort (Utricularia minor) for which this is one of the best sites on the island.

In the picture below, you can just see the bladders like pinheads.