Yesterday took advantage of some dry if overcast and misty weather to cycle down past Caerlaverock and the Nith estuary. I was looking for egrets or hopefully a salmon going over the caul in Dumfries, but saw neither. It's a pity about the salmon. After thirty years plus living in the town, I still haven't seen them leap the caul. I've seen them resting further upstream and splashing around waiting for the chance to go up, but haven't seem them jump. It's possibly too late this year and maybe altogether. I may not be here next year at this time.
One the way down to Caerlaverock there was a goldcrest playing in one of the roadside trees though I never got to see the head stripe in the dull light. At the estuary there was the statutory flock of barnacle geese, proving you don't have to go to a reserve to see them. I also saw a few curlew and lapwing wading at low tide.
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| Distant Barnacle Geese |
Then I saw some much larger waders with the curlew-shaped beak, which puzzled a bit as they could have been nothing else but curlew. The beak shape was unmistakeable so I suppose it's possible the first couple were whimbrel. That would seem a bit unlikely as they are only passage birds but it is the right time of year.
The usual goosanders were busy fishing at the caul.
Once home there was a red admiral flying over the patio. More remarkable was what made it's way into the house on the cat's back on Friday. This fellow (below) is definitely the smallest garden snail I've ever seen. I assume that all baby snails start off that small!
Snail
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