Gorse

The gorse has been in flower for weeks now. It's probably the earliest wild shrub here to flower and for ages we wondered why it bothered to start so early as there seemed to be no insects around to show any interest until....

....we finally did find one, solitary bee. It may be that gorse is pollinated by something relatively invisible, like moths at night.

Gorse is very pretty, particularly when in full flower in a year like this one, when it seems to be doing particularly well. Gorse is native to Scotland but had a limited extent. The warming of the climate seems to have been one of the factors in its very rapid spread, so now it is hideously invasive.

Around Golspie, there are large areas of land which are now buried in it, including increasing areas of the links to the south of the golf course. This view of Silver Rock is across the kart track.

It's steadily creeping up Beinn Bhraggie towards the Duke's statue; perhaps it will do us a favour and cover him.