It's turned colder. Much colder. This morning the windscreen on the Volvo covered with a layer of something that wants to be frost but hasn't quite managed it. The wipers deal with it quickly. There's a weather warning out for snow on higher ground. Out here on the coast it's calm , the skies are clear and the sunrise that golden colour only seen in the North. Snow, for those of us who live right on the coastal fringes, is a rare thing. It may , however, be time to invest in a bag or two of salt just in case. The Filipino cabbage pickers show up at first light. Today they're turning their attention to the field on the waters edge. What a marketing point that could be - Cabbages grown on Scotlands coastal fringes.
A thousand crows busy gleaning the barley field. The crows have been here for two weeks now and seem to have opted to make this their winter home. When they all take to the air it's like the first shots of a Hitchcock movie. The braver of the crows venture down to the waters edge where they peck at the seaweed and coexist, more or less peacefully, with the curlews and cormorants . The curlews are back in greater numbers than last year. Avian flu has not defeated them. The cormorants also seem to be doing well although they rarely stray from the rocks far out in the water which makes any finer judgement on their numbers difficult.
Snatches of a tune issuing from the music centre. Some eager medical students practising before a lunchtime concert. It's not every day you hear a brass band and its most certainly not every day you hear a snippet of this :https://youtu.be/3cXJJlf3l-s?t=20 . A very Yorkshire sound and one which makes us smile. Student towns offer an eclectic choice of music. Victoriana like this is strangely unexpected and out of time.
The baker now well and truly in the Christmas groove. The reindeer biscuits are displayed at toddler eye height.
A walk back through the university medical buildings to the car. Some views haven't changed at all in 150 years. It looks peaceful but there are Russian aircraft heading down from Norway to Scotland and the boys in blue are out in squadron force. The sound of the students musicians soon lost in the roar of after burners.
5 comments:
The Christmoose biscuits are very jolly, and how interesting to learn about 'Bird Day'. Good to hear the curlews are back in strength in your part of Fife.
Hari OM
Winter must surely bite eventually - we've had a good run! Thank you for the post on Bird Day; I joined the Young Ornithologists Club of the RSPB back in school and have remained a keen birder all my years. I think there should be a world movement, not just a Stateside one! YAM xx
I like the Rudolph biscuits. I hope avian flu has now declined.
I resist being hurried into Christmas in the middle of November (for all the good that does me). I'd like to see your curlews and thousand crows; their numbers are encouraging.
A nice view, many nice views. Thanks for taking us along today.
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