Islay in the Sun
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- No Sea Eagles, but a beautiful morning.
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- The dunes by Killinallan
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- The island of Oronsay is an RSPB reserve
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- Looking west along the beach at Killinallan towards Loch Gruinart
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- David finally becomes a victim of the late night Christmas party antics
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- Maybe I’ve posted this pic too many times, but every new sunrise seems better than the last
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- The sun rising behind some cows on a hill
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- Beyond Islay, to the North, is Jura, and then the mainland, just visible through the haze
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- Gleann Leora
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- As I’m leaving Ardtala a group of stags cross my path
The Loch Gruinart Christmas party (and the Paps of Jura)
The last couple of days work include removing a fence, repairing a gravel woodland path with disabled access, painting signs, checking a deer fence and repairing a dry stone wall. Pretty much all with great views, and in cold but clear weather, around Loch Gruinart.
In between jobs we’ve managed some time to check out the flooded fields by the hide, and the mud flats on the loch. Plenty of Pintail and Shelduck about, in addition to the regulars. And loads of waders, such as Bar Tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Curlew, Redshank, Sanderling, Oysterchatcher, Turnstone, Heron and Ringed Plovers. And maybe some other stuff that we couldn’t pick out. Apparently there have been some Black Tailed Godwits about, for example, but we didn’t knowingly see any.
This afternoon we receive a call, from Louise, a local warden, to say that a Sea Eagle is hanging around Loch Gorm. So we (myself and David) jump into the Landrover and Twitch our way over there at high speed. Even though it had apparently been there for an hour, and we pass by a couple of cars containing local bird spotters, we do not see it while we are there. We curse Louise and head home to cook roast potatoes.
Things are still rather messy on the house sale front. I was expecting exchange today, but the buyers solicitor has gone on holiday without exchanging. If you are the buyers solicitor, I hope you have a very pleasant holiday.
With that in mind I have a Christmas party to go to tonight. Myself and David have been tasked with taking along Roast Potatoes. Not much that can go wrong there, you might think. And with some justification. We mix it up, pretty much half peeled, and half unpeeled, and they all seem to go down well. Other people have brought along soup, vegetables, turkey, lots of great cakes, and cheese and biscuits. I have a few drinks, eat well, and talk to the nice people working for the RSPB, and their partners. When I leave, at just gone midnight, there are a select few making their way through a bottle of Tobermory Malt. Apparently it’s rough, but getting better…
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- A little bit of mist hangs over the fields by the farm as the sun rises
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- This is typical of the landscape on this part of the island. Looking South East towards Loch Indaal
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- Especially for Mike Baker – a picture of the Paps of Jura (seen here from near the deer fence, looking East towards Gruinart), so named because they resemble, um, paps. Really, look it up!
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- Our wall. In the distance (to the left) it is just about possible to make out Colonsay and, further still, the taller hills of Mull.
Down at the Oa
The last couple of days have been spent down at The Oa reserve on the South of the island. Yesterday the wind was strong and was occasionally accompanied by stinging rain. We managed a limited FBS, although it was not a day for birds to be out in the open. However, we still saw a pair of Peregrine and a hardy flock of Reed Bunting/Twite/with some possible Linnet. I wonder how David can tell the difference, even more so after I check my bird book. He also thinks we saw a Tree Sparrow in amongst them, quite a rarity.
Later, whilst shopping in the Co-op in Bowmore, there was a House Sparrow flying about inside the shop. I nailed the id on that one.
Anyway, today the weather was fine. Still a bit of wind, but mostly blue skies. We finish the FBS, as well as a WEBS (wetland bird survey) of the Astle Lochs. On the loch there are Tufted Ducks and Goldeneye, and what looks very much like a Scaup. We see plenty of Buzzards, a Kestrel, and then I see an Otter. It seems big to me, and is moving from the shore up a burn on the Eastern side of the loch. I give David a shout but by the time he looks it’s gone.
Then we see a Golden Eagle, pretty close, fly over the loch.
After finishing the surveys we go to hang a gate, and watch a Hen Harrier fly up to and swoop down through the field we’re about to work in. The gate hangs, and works (!) after only a little adjustment. A fine achievement given the slope we’re on.
So that’s six different types of bird of prey in just four days. Woaw, that’s special. Even more so as I’ve not knowingly seen a Merlin or Hen Harrier before coming to Islay.
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- Sunrise on what is due to be day 1 at the Oa. Red sky in the morning, yes, the weather was shit, so no more photos from day 1 I’m afraid.
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- I’m fairly confident these are otter tracks…
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- …as is this.
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- Part of FBS field 49a. From here we could see Northern Ireland to the South (my camera, which is a phone remember, won’t stretch to capturing things that far away), and I received a text from Vodafone Ireland welcoming me to their service.
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- The view of Loch Kinnabus, near the RSPB farm on the Oa, from where we sat and ate our lunch on day 2 at the Oa…
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- Taking Pip, James’ dog for a quick walk after lunch
Chough Count
Islay is home to a significant proportion of the UK’s Chough population. The Chough is a charismatic bird with a distinctive call. Rare in this country, maybe 10% or more of the 4 to 500 breeding pairs in the UK live here on, or around, the island. So I was very pleased to find out that we’d be counting Choughs on my first day of ‘work’ on the island.
David turned up late last night, from his stag weekend in Edinburgh, but is up in time for sunrise this morning, as am I.
Catherine pops in to inform us of our jobs for the day, and then we’re on our way for 8.30. We spend the day performing a Farmland Bird Survey (FBS) at Ardnave, the peninsula North of where I’m staying, and finding Choughs to identify.
Most of the 29 Choughs we see have rings, and we manage to identify colours in a number of cases. These will be reported back to a special Chough watch information centre by the RSPB, to provide information on their movement.
We then count 26 of them into their roost, although one flies off as it gets dark, and, as far as we can tell, doesn’t come back!
We also see a good many birds on the Loch at Ardnave, and by the sea (where the Choughs were feeding), including Goldeneye, Hooper Swan, Bar Tailed Godwit, etc, and plenty of Twite and Reed Bunting around the farm. By 4.30 I’m tired, and I nearly fall asleep in the passenger seat of the Landrover on the way back to the bothy. Later I write up our results for the day and eat, before going to bed. What a great way to start my stay.
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- The track down to the sea at Ardnave
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- The view across the loch where some Goldeneye, Hooper and Mute Swan, and Little Grebe were swimming about.
So many birds! It’s like being 10 all over again.
When I was 10 or 11 I was in something called the YOC. Martin Andrews used to take a whole bunch of us out to see birds. I can remember fairly well a trip to Pembrey where we got very excited about seeing Widgeons. Since then I’ve not spent a huge amount of time bird spotting. I see birds like Crossbills and Ospreys when I’m working in the Highlands, but I’ve not been in an environment where I’ve been able to relearn some proper id skills.
So, yesterday, my first full day here at Loch Gruinart, I went out for a look around, and to spend some time in the hide down by the loch. And I saw Widgeon and Teal, and a Little Grebe, and a Shoveler, and thousands of Barnacle and White Fronted geese, and some Greylag geese, and that’s not to mention a whole bunch of other birds, like Heron, Mallard, Mute Swan, a Little Egret (yes, this far North!) and Pied Wagtails, that I see more regularly. And to finish off my day, I saw (although I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, having not knowingly seen one before) a female Merlin flying low over the site.
As you can imagine, I was very excited.
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- The hide as seen from near the Farm yard, with Loch Gruinart behind
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- The view from one of the hide windows
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- That’ll be the wagon, with the RSPB visitor’s centre the white building across the farm yard
Islay
I’m up and away by 8am, after making Jane, who’s sleeping on the living room floor, with Steve (a dog), a cup of tea. She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to drink it, but then it was pretty cold, and dark…
The drive to Kennacraig goes well. Kennacraig is, literally, just a ferry terminal. Although it does seem to be relatively busy. When I initially park up the van, in one of the car parks, I notice some movement in the, initially seemingly empty car, parked next to mine. Closer inspection determines that a Robin is flying about inside the car. Is it possible to accidentally shut a bird in your car without noticing?
The crossing is smooth, and Islay alternates between looking sunny and brooding. I pick up some food in Bowmore and then find the reserve. my home for the next two weeks. The RSPB reserve at Loch Gruinart. Yes, indeed, we have a winner! Hopefully.
Eion, the farm manager (cattle and sheep are kept on the reserve to maintain habitat for various birds, which I’ll probably mention over the course of the next couple of weeks), shows me the bothy, where there is a kitchen living area, a number of bedrooms and a couple of toilets/washrooms. No one else is about until Catherine, the warden, shows up to give me an induction.
I carefully choose the bedroom that doesn’t overlook the cow shed. There is a room upstairs which is already occupied by David, another volunteer, who’s away for the weekend. He will be my house (bothy) mate for the next two weeks. Apparently, he’s nice.
First impressions are good. If I have a gripe, and it would be a small one, it’s that everything seems to smell ever so slightly of cow shit.
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- I’ve been driving in rain all morning, but there’s some sunshine coming in from the South
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- The ferry to Islay. And some other ferries.
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- Leaving Kennacraig. If there’s a ferry terminal there then apparently you have to give it a name. Although, on the way, one of the road signs did aptly state “Islay Ferry 19”
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- We’re on the way…
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- Islay on the left, Jura on the right.
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- Port Askaig.
Last day at Dundreggan, for this year.
Davy (a Focaliser for TFL, who I’ve met at a couple of changeovers), has been staying at the Cottage for a couple of days. He’s been practising his chainsaw skills to remove the Leylandi next to the cottage. which has made the area outside the door seem much less claustrophobic, especially after dark. Myself and Derek help to tidy up the brash.
Davy pointed out that we act a bit like those lizards that are shown on the TV, that live in the desert, having to raise one foot off the kitchen floor, and then the other, whilst cooking. Unlike the lizards, we do this to keep our feet from getting too cold.
Anyway, today I’m on my own again, for most of the day. Steve’s router turns up and I set it up as a wireless gateway. This may require further testing, but I have another job to do. I get a pair of secateurs, and a bag, and walk over to the East side of the estate to find some greenery for the Christmas dinner.
I walk up the burn on the South East part of the estate. It’s beautiful. In fact it may be my favourite part of the estate, and I’ve only explored it for the first time today, on my last day! There are masses of Juniper, holly bushes, and several places where the water cascades over steps of exposed rock. By the time I have enough greenery it’s getting dark, so I hurry down to give my findings to Elaine, and then go back to the cottage to pack up my stuff.
I’m honoured to spend the evening with the TFL crowd at their annual Christmas dinner. Every one is on good form and the conversation flows easily. The night finishes with a giant game of untangle, which doesn’t quite work out, with two connected circles, but is hilarious. By the time I get to bed it’s half 12. I have to be up shortly for the next adventure…
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- Davy, with saw, and Derek, working behind the cottage. The light was fading so the picture is poor, but still gives a good indication of how much was cleared
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- There was a beautiful misty light in the Glen this afternoon
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- The view down into the Glen as the evening mists gather
A proper winter’s morning.
It’s been a glorious -5 overnight. When I get up and head down to the kitchen I find that it’s just 2 degrees in there. I turn on the hot tap and a blob of icy sludge falls out. A tiny trickle of water follows. Thankfully, after leaving the trickle running for a minute or so, the flow returns, as hot water runs through the system. The kitchen heater is not working again, but at least the one in the living room is.
Outside everything is white. The couple of pictures that I’ve taken don’t really do it justice. It’s stunning.
So, IT work in the office today. Now we’re talking. I install ArcView (GIS) onto Steve’s laptop. That seems to go well. Then I order a wireless router for the Lodge. Not totally sure how this setup is going to work yet, especially as the current router doesn’t seem to be acting as a DHCP server (fascinating stuff, I’m sure you’ll agree)…
The view from the gate in front of the lodge, looking down past the Dundreggan Lodge 'pond', to the river Moriston.
A bit of snow and I’m like a kid at Christmas
I’m still at Dundreggan. It’s still cold. And there’s been some snow at river level in the glen. Today Steve and Allan are busy so I get the opportunity to take a walk in the morning sun. Even though there is just a very light covering of snow, everywhere looks beautiful. I walk up the Red Burn, then cut across the hillside towards Binnilidh Bheag, before walking down past the wild boar enclosure. The boar are nowhere to be seen, but there are deer on the hillside, and I spend a few minutes watching a Red Admiral trying out it’s wings and sunning itself on a rock.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon walking the riparian planting area; a joint project between TFL and the Forestry Commission Scotland. I found some Alder that I’d planted in May in the FCS area, all looking very healthy, and some of the Aspen and Birch that I’d planted three weeks ago in the TFL area.
That was after Marion had left yesterday morning, and today I still have some of her squash soup to finish. It’s good soup. Almost too good. I know about the squash, the chillies, and some of the other veg that’s in there, but I can’t quite work out how she’s managed to get it to taste like a cross between soup and jam.
This evening I go and check out the wild boar, after dark but before tea. It’s below freezing and vegetation crunches under every footfall. I walk up the side of the enclosure, and eventually hear some low level grunts. I keep going a little way and then stop. I can hear one of the pigs walking down to where I’ve just been. In the dark it’s easy to imagine that there is no fence between us. As the two larger boar walk about looking for me, one above me on the slope, and one below, sniffing the air and sending out short deep grunts to each other, I get just a small taster of what it might be like to meet a potentially dangerous animal in the wild. It’s a buzz. Of course I’m safely behind a fence, but I feel sorry that in Britain we’ve pretty much eradicated this kind of experience from our lives.
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- A small family of fungi in the raparian planting area
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- Yellow Stagshorn Fungus. I think.
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- Allt Ruadh, the Red Burn.
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- It’s pretty late in the year for old Red to be out, but on a day like today, who can blame him
Time for my annual trip up Carn Ghluasaid
I’m away for half 9, and have climbed Carn Ghluasaid by midday. As I’m walking up I first of all see ice, then light settled snow, then big snow. Woohoo! The sun is shining, and it doesn’t look like snow will fall today, but there is light cloud around the tops of the mountains, which is preventing a view.
Aside from the fact that it’s mighty cold, the snow is fantastic. It’s at least 18inches deep in places, and maybe a lot more in others. I eat my lunch in it until I can no longer keep my gloves off, then sip hot Ginger, Lime and Apple from my flask. I wait about a long time, to see if I can spot any Ptarmigan. I have done on my previous two visits, in 2006, and last year, although both were a couple of weeks earlier in the year. But this time they are away. Maybe doing the walk on a Saturday, with too many other people about (6), is a mistake.
On the way down I pass someone who looks remarkably like Jonny Lee Miller. I step to one side, and say, “Hi”. He quietly says “Thank you”, as he walks by at a fair pace. The sun is already dropping. I wonder why he’s started so late in the day. Maybe there is a better chance of seeing Ptarmigan at night…
A day off, and some Boar spotting.
Actually six sows. Apparently a mother and Auntie, and 4 youngsters (ish). Anyway, they’re not about when I walk up past the enclosure. I carry on, walking up Binnilidh Bheag, and see a couple of grouse (look like red), and something fast under foot, amongst other things. The Sun comes out, and I take a couple of pictures looking down the Glen.
On the way down I catch up with the pigs. One of the older sows charges me, but there’s a fence between me and her. The picture is not good enough to upload. Yes, I bottled it slightly…
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- Looking down over the estate from Binnilidh Bheag. Dundreggan Farm is everything this side of the river. The wild boar enclosure is in the woods directly below.
Wild Boar, Bison and mass media coverage.
Wow, what a day. We’re on the road just after half 6. Surprisingly, it’s raining. In fact everywhere between Glen Moriston and Kincraig looks very wet. It’s also cold, the temp doesn’t get much over 4 degrees outside while we’re in the car.
We get to Highland Wildlife park at 8.30am. Alan Watson Featherstone is already doing a radio interview for the BBC.
Myself, Kate and Kevin are given a Landrover tour of the park. Elk, Bison and a family of Amur Tiger, are the highlights.
I also spend a fair bit of time watching the wolf that keeps trotting around their enclosure. Wolves are a beautiful and misunderstood animal. As a predator to Deer they play a key role in European ecosystems, and their extirpation from Britain, through hunting, is an important reason why the Caledonian forest is unable to regenerate naturally, without human intervention.
We struggle to get the trailer to the pigs, in the mud (they are surely going to love their new home). But we’re on our way before 11, and when we make it back to Dundreggan, there are a number of people having tea and cakes in the cottage.
After another brief inspection by a vet and the dangerous animals inspector, the release goes very smoothly. The 6 sows trot off into the woods, curiously exploring their new surroundings. It’s very cool to see.
There must have been a good 25 people to see the release, including representation from BBC Scotland, STV and Gaelic television. I’ve managed to locate the following articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8370348.stm
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/wild-boar-our-new-eco-warriors-1.986562
http://news.scotsman.com/odd/Boars-to-return-to-the.5858725.jp
http://www.biodiversityscotland.gov.uk/library/Issue%2032%20final%20version.pdf
It is possible to find more articles by googling “Dundreggan boar” and any other words you think might help. I believe there is also a clip on bbc iplayer, but my internet connection is not going to be up for finding that.
Apologies for the terrible state of my pics. My camera and bad weather don’t mix (it’s not completely recovered from the soaking it received on Skye), and the light was poor and there was water on the lens. Really, there was…
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- The wild boar in their old home.
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- It’s a bit hard to see, but there is a wolf in the picture somewhere
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- When can we get some of these Steve?
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- They’re probably thinking they’ve had better days
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- Kate and Colin are clearly very excited
More wild boar prep
Today was pretty much all about getting ready for tomorrow’s arrivals. Myself and Steve started by checking out the electric fence. Unfortunately, after wondering why the ‘tester’ wasn’t working, we noticed that it was only meant to work to a max of 4 amps, whereas our battery was 75. Oops. “Guess we’ll need to use our hands then”, says Steve grabbing the fence…
We put signs and locks on the gates and Steve shows around the dangerous animals inspector, and a member of the local constabulary. Obviously word of the pigs is getting about.
Marion, the long term French volunteer, turned up today. She had been staying out in the bothy at Corrimony, but the weather had been crap. The last straw came when wind kept blowing the smoke from the fire she had lit down into the bothy.
Steve informs (asks) me that I’ll be travelling to pick up the pigs with him tomorrow. They are to be collected from Highland Wildlife Park. We’ll leave at half 6 in the morning. I need to go to bed early. So Steve brings round a bottle of wine…
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- Doesn’t it look cosy?!
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- The three gate system at the lower end of the enclosure. Surely no pig can escape from such a system
Life at Dundreggan – cold and wet.
It’s cold in the cottage and I wake in the night sure there is someone first in the room with me, and then just outside my bedroom door. I get up; nobody. The place is full of unusual noises and, almost certainly, a number of rodents.
In the morning Steve (Dundreggan Project Manager) comes round when I’m in the shower. He asks me to check the wild boar enclosure and add some fencing to the gates. It rains all day. I go back to the cottage to eat at 2.30pm. I’ve managed to sort one of the 6 gates. I’m wet, even with a full set of waterproofs on. The heater in the cottage kitchen is broken.
Half an hour later I find that Allan Common has taken the tools I’m using – I think that I’ve seen him drive off in the tractor, but eventually find him up by the enclosure gates. He’s working on the second gate, with a bloodied hand. It’s raining harder. I help him and, without much talking, we manage to finish two other gates in the remaining hour before it gets too dark.
I get in and make some food, then just about manage to pick up a couple of emails on my very flaky internet connection. They’re not the best part of my day. Solicitors and girls – I thought things had been going ok, but apparently not.
Thankfully Steve comes round for a chat, so I don’t get too much time to think on things, before tiredness catches up with me and I fall into a deep and relatively untroubled sleep…
Off to Dundreggan, and a quick liaison with Calum
Today I handed over the web site reigns to Jane, who’s back from holiday, and Claire, a volunteer who is spending a fair bit of time in the TFL office. Then I wished Craig good luck (it’s his last week in the office), before heading off to the highlands proper, at the end of the working day.
As I was driving towards Inverness I remembered that Calum was working on the Black Isle packing Christmas trees. A phone call later and a small wait while he did some food shopping, and we met up before picking up some chips. We drove them back to Drynie, where Calum lives in a caravan, parked next to a whole bunch of other caravans, all occupied by the other Christmas tree workers. The caravan was warm, and the chips were a bit of a treat (although perhaps not the best chips in the world), and it was good to catch up.
At 9.30 I had to be going, as Calum has to be up and packing trees for 7 in the morning. I put a Jody Wisternoff mix on in the van, and drove to Dundreggan with a smile on my face. When I got there it was a beautiful, clear starry night.
The Drynie Christmas Tree Factory. At night.
In the TFL office.
Actually, it didn’t turn out to be that cold. Some clouds came by and the temperature probably stayed over 5 degrees. And I had enough food for a decent breakfast, which I ate whilst sat next to the sea, watching a Tornado doing a near vertical take off over Kinloss.
And Jock was around on Monday, with a key, which he’s very kindly lent me for the week, as well as cooking me a meal on Monday night! So I have a bed for the next few days.
Ok, I’m working in the TFL office for the week, updating the soon to be published, new web site. It’s a beautifully relaxed place to work. So long as you don’t mind jets performing numerous thunderous take offs nearby. I managed to get a pic of Craig and his replacement, Colin. And, in exchange for a free meal, which I’m always on the look out for, myself and Colin painted a couple of rooms in Craig’s new place last night…
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- Craig looks on as Mick explains to Colin what the work week co-ordinator really does
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- Working with MACs. If anyone can tell me the keyboard shortcut to rename a file (F2 in Windows) I’d be very grateful..?
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- Another large jet engined plane flies past the TFL window
It’s a bit cold tonight…
After I drove away from Findhorn, I ended up in Roseisle FCS car park. It’s ok, lot’s of Pine trees, not all “Sylvestris”, but I’m sure I can see a red squirrel running about a few yards into the trees at one point. As it happened, it’s where I ended up spending the night, as the key I was promised, to stay over in a house in Findhorn, does not appear to be where I expect it to be.
This morning, I woke to sunshine, and a short walk through the woods brought me out to Burghead bay, which Roseisle Forest lines a good proportion of. The beach stretches for miles in either direction, to Findhorn in the West, and Burghead in the East. Last night it was windy, and the surf had been up. This morning the seas are calm as there is almost no wind.
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Ok, it’s now evening and still no key. Apparently, Jane, the TFL Marketing Manager, thought Jock would be leaving out a key, whilst Jock, who’s very kindly agreed to let me stay in his house, thought Jane would be giving me her key, while she is on holiday. Jane rents a room from Jock, but is on holiday for the next week.
Anyway, although it’s been a bright sunny day, the cloudless sky is letting the heat out. I’m parked up near Findhorn beach car park (away from the “No overnight parking…” signs). It’s cold. Due to the unexpected turn of events I’m low on water. I make up some rice, and chopped veg, the hob taking the chill off the air inside the van. I take a few sips of water. Then apply a few layers of thermals, before climbing into my sleeping bag. The sleeping bag should be able to cope with temperatures of 5 below freezing, but it’s cold… so very cold…
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- Looking West to Findhorn from the spot where I walked out of Roseisle forest, near the car park. I assume the concrete blocks are to prevent erosion
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- Roseisle Forest
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- Findhorn beach.
Trees For Life (or more importantly, me!) in The Ecologist.
Did I say that my favourite magazine was the Ecologist (now only available online apparently)? Fame, and surely fortune some time soon, has finally come my way. Check out the following article:
Trees For Life in The Ecologist
Thanks must go out to Eifion, who joined us (on the 24th Oct, Plodda week) for Monday and Tuesday, after the group had already been together since Saturday. Not an easy thing to do, and he was a great sport. He even managed to win at Cheat, if I remember correctly. Hopefully he’ll be back for a full week sometime.
(“Transformative”? Nice one…)
Trees for Life last work week of the season, at Dundreggan
So I’ve just finished the last work week of the season. It was great. My co-focaliser was the TFL legend, Gordon McRuvie, and the group was a great mix of young and experience, local, national and international. Norman had managed to squeeze himself onto the week following our encounter at Dundreggan, and I was glad to spend some time with Bill, given his thoughts for the future.
We spent a couple of days planting 2000 or so trees in the field by the river Moriston. The field had already been planted up during previous weeks and it was a matter of filling in the gaps. The first couple of mornings were crispy white, just as Scottish winter mornings should be.
The rest of our work was spent improving the plantation in the West of the estate for Black Grouse use.
After we dropped the group off in Inverness, myself and Gordon drove back to Findhorn. No change-over today. The last week of the season. It was probably more to do with how much I’d enjoyed the week just gone, as opposed to knowing that I was due a break from work weeks for a while, that made me feel a bit reluctant to say goodbye to Gordon when we dropped off the van. As we had done with all the volunteers, as we left them at the train station, we hugged good bye. Then we shouted “Shabbbroch!” to each other a couple of times, whilst passionately beating our chests with our right hand, as I drove my van out of the car park, with the intention of finding myself a quiet spot to contemplate the finer points of the week…
Anyway, check out these photos. There’ll be a link to more photos, when I have a better internet connection.
Ok, all photos are now uploaded. To view them click this link.
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- As a Focaliser, one of our roles is to work out how to remove the security tags from clothes that volunteers have recently ‘acquired’
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- The group on Sunday morning, looking decidedly happy with each other considering they’ve been together for less than 12 hours
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- Minus 3 on our first morning. These little icicles are created as the ground freezes and the expanding water is forced out
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- Project Manager, Steve Morris gives us a talk about the estate
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- Day 2 in the Trees for Life house and we wake to a picture postcard morning
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- The mighty Gordon celebrates after the last tree is planted. Irene is glad she made the trip from Holland to see this
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- The ‘re-introductory walk’ – we walk out above the trees to see the sun setting. It’s still only 1.30pm…
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- The Woodland Grant Scheme area on Dundreggan. Look at that growth! I nearly had to change my pants
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- Still in the WGS area – signs that the Black Grouse are settling in. Shortly after this, a male took off in front of us and we were able to watch it for a long time as it flew down towards the edge of the plantation below
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- This pot has ended up in my van, only half finished, after I found it in the ‘perishables’ box in the back of the work week van
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- Angela removes another volunteer’s head. Norman’s excuse was that he was checking out a caterpillar
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- Everyone was a star, but my prize for good sport of the week has to go to Lisa. She took a huge amount of ribbing and still smiled her way through every part of the week. She’s great at Pilates and can lop her own body weight’s worth of branches in minutes
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- The group look forward to their last bus tour with Jimmy and Angus
Last briefing of the season, and last briefing with Craig.
It’s almost time for the last work week of the Autumn, and 2009. Craig, the work week/volunteer co-ordinator, leaves at the end of the month, so this is the last time I’ll sit with my co-Focaliser, and listen to the great man’s instructions for the week.
Gordon arrives early afternoon and we get the food order sorted. Then we sit down with Craig – unfortunately I forgot to get a photo of the occasion – who gives us the low down on roughly how many trees we’ll have to plant during the forthcoming week at Dundreggan, where we might be taking out non-native weeds, etc
Afterwards we all go and get food at the Findhorn CC, with Ruth (Craig’s wife) and the kids. Craig brings efficiency, professionalism and good humour to the co-ordinator role, and I’ll miss him doing the job. But there are potential benefits to him moving on, I may finally get to co-lead a work week with him (after two aborted attempts) – we have one planned for the spring.
Taking my PCV practical test
It’s a gorgeous sunny day when I get up. I stayed the night in the car park at Anam Cara. Check it out, it’s beautiful. I meet Margaret and Alistair, who’ve very kindly let me stay, and use their facilities, simply because Craig (from TFL) asked them if I could.
I go to the VOSA test centre (in Inverness) slowly. I can’t remember being so nervous, although I probably was for my first driving test, but then that was nearly 20 years ago. My instructor for the day, Cameron, tries his best to calm my nerves, and it nearly works until I mess up stopping at a bus stop.
Things get worse when my examiner, Ewen, asks me where the fuel cut off switch is. No one has ever shown me the fuel cut off switch. I explain this to Ewen and tell him, hopefully, that I assume that turning off the ignition is sufficient. Is there a fuel cut off switch on the van?
Then I pull up opposite a junction, do 30 in a 40, drive over a mini roundabout, plough down a man in a teddy bear costume, and swear at a lollipop lady. I’m shocked when Ewen tells me I’ve passed. We debate indicating when pulling away (you shouldn’t do it unless there is no break in the traffic), then I go and tell the TFL office that “I can drive buses!” Woohoo! C’mon! Have that! Get in! BACK!! OF!! THE!!! NET!!!!
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- This building is fantastic, even down to the big wooden door handles.
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- Anam Cara sits on a hill to the South West of Inverness.
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- Thanks to Dave and Cameron and lady luck for getting me through this one…
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- I’m sat, hyper, in the TFL office, following my test, when Alan comes in to tell us there’s a rainbow outside
Driving Lessons and a fine day in the ‘Ness
So, the driving lessons for my minibus licence (D1) could be going better. But at least the weather was fine today (unlike yesterday). Managed to get some pics after finishing my morning’s lesson.
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- Kessock Bridge from Inverness Marina
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- Inverness & Kessock bridge from somewhere a bit further East…
John Garrett accompanies me on a week at Plodda
I had a feeling this was going to be a good week when myself and Sasha met the group in the station. I’d had a call from John at the changeover saying he was just passing Tebay – typically tardy, but hey, Frodsham to Cannich in one day is a bit of a mission.
John eventually turned up at gone 7, by which time the group had already made food and seemed to be getting on rather well. The good food and good laughs continued all week, with games almost every night, lots of hard work, a freelance reporter (Eifion – apparently he’s sold a piece to the Ecologist and the Shooting Times so look out for them) and a swift drink in the Tomich Hotel on Friday.
And, on our day off (Wednesday) we all went on a walk together. It started with a river crossing, shoes and socks off and rolled up trousers – we waded over in threes in an attempt not to lose anybody – and included great views of Glen Affric, dinner by Loch An Ang (I’ll have to check the spelling later), another river crossing, a walk through a field with grass as high as our heads and a look at the Guisachan ruin.
More pictures will follow when I have decent internet access…
Ok, all photos are now uploaded. To view them click this link.
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- Ta daaaa! I’m not sure Mark is happy with the size of the stump though. Do Lizzie and Rachel care?
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- Eifion’s article in the Ecologist should be interesting…
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- The group gathers prior to the walk on the day off.
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- So, if one of us goes over, the others will be able to hold them up? Hmm…
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- Our threesome prepares for the river crossing. I’m fine.
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- Loch An Ang (I still haven’t checked the spelling)
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- Actually, this may have been the best part of my day. Running through a field, with grass as tall as my head, reminded me what it was like to be a child.
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- Mark, Rachel and John rolling up fence wire. Sasha watching, Charlie and Nick attacking a post, Penny checking her hair, and Lizzie, well who knows what Lizzie is doing…
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- Last day, lunch on the bus. John has forgotten his, so is having to eat other people’s offerings
Off to Scotland again…
Time to head North again. An impromptu family lunch is organised and I’m waved off.
I stop at John’s for the night, feeling like I’ve forgotten something. I get to meet Jane, and Stella comes round for dinner. I try to persuade John to come on the forthcoming TFL week…
Life since the office 
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