Seals On The Nith

Following the discussion about the possibility or otherwise of a seal being sighted in the Nith after my most recent post, there is now conclusive proof in the form of a photo taken by a chap called Keith Gallie. This clearly shows a seal and the bottom of the caul in the centre of Dumfries in the background.

Thanks to Rohan Kleem, wicketkeeper-batsman of Sydney Australia, for finding this conclusive evidence!

Skunk Cabbage

Meanwhile I have been slow to update my latest activities, which anyway have been restricted to one bike ride to Crocketford last Wednesday, when not much was noticed. In fact the most remarkable nature sighting was a display of skunk cabbage a mile or so north of Crocketford. I must have cycled and driven past this spot many times without ever noticing it before. Apparently it is an import which doesn't grow naturally.

Otherwise there were a couple of great-crested grebes on Lochrutton.  For a time I thought they were going to go into display mode, but in the end they contented themselves with whingeing at each other as lovers do.  But there weren't even any goldfinches at Lochfoot and every virtually woodland bird sighted turned out to be a chaffinch.  Did get a couple of good close-up views of pipits over the Glenkilns, but there wasn no black swan on the reservoir.

Other notable non-sightings were wheatear, swallow and stonechat. And of course skylark.

Meanwhile white wagtails have been spotted on the coast, so must keep an eye out for them.  I did wonder about a rather pale-looking wagtail I saw a couple of weeks ago but thought no more of it.