Country view
Of late, there have been several noteworthy yet typically fickle autumnal days.
In the west, dark, almost navy blue clouds often obscure the upland landscape, yet wee breaks allow the sun to create a moving cameo of colourful images. As the clouds travel across the landscape, they illuminate the golden pinnacles of larches and the statuesque beeches, now part gold, part copper.
And how they glow! These passing rays of sunshine throw pools of brilliant, moving beams on to the landscape as if giant spotlights were in action. Yet even when in moments, those rays move on to bathe the surrounding patterned fields, the colours of those larches and beeches persist. Slightly muted, but still strong enough to burnish this November landscape. Simply kaleidoscopic!
The autumn leaves that rain down signify the ending of a cycle. Yet, as they finally come to rest, those same leaves break down and provide the raw materials for the subsequent new life that will emerge. For now, however, we must wait patiently as the trees shut down and take a break until at last daylight hours begin to stretch again.
And then, after the winter solstice, we anticipate the first green shoots of another spring.
I glanced at one of our local osprey eyries the other day and thought of its summer occupants, two parent birds and a single chick. Right now those birds will be diving as spectacularly as they do here, to haul fish from West Africa’s equatorial, fish-rich waters. I doubt those magnificent birds will have even a thought for their Scottish homeland. Nor perhaps would they recognise it in its autumnal garb. It is golden and red, not green as they would remember it. Indeed, the influence of red is very evident. Red-faced goldfinches feed avidly on the proffered seeds, redwings gobble the remaining rowans and indeed have stripped a local holly bush of its bright red berries. Red squirrels scamper to and from their vital winter stores. Redbreast sings his winter anthems.
Yet amid this panoply of rich colour, there appeared from the north a much purer image, for one group of winter visitors stood out simply because they are instead, virginal white. At least, the adult birds are. The young whooper swans in this flock however, betray their youth through those hints of grey or brown in their plumage.
Altogether, there were about a hundred birds feasting upon a field of lush grass. It occurred that whilst those ospreys are sunning themselves under Africa’s burning sun, these birds had recently arrived from the opposite direction, from volcanic, Arctic Iceland!
Theirs can sometimes be a demanding migratory flight from Iceland. Although in good conditions they are thought to generally maintain a low altitude, when adverse weather threatens they may soar close to 30,000 feet where the air is rare and oxygen extremely scarce and where temperatures can drop to 50 below! Yet perhaps with the help of the jet stream, they are thought to maintain a travelling speed in the region of 80mph!
Swans have always been special, often the inspiration for wonderful works of art, including ancient cave art and of course, music. Most