A Snow Dipper

The footbridge across the Golspie Burn just below our house is becoming a prime location for watching....

....dippers at work, even on a day which is giving us a biting northwester gusting to gale force along with frequent snowshowers broken by occasional bright, sunny intervals. Today's dipper was totally unafraid of us, going about its business within ten metres of where we stood on the bridge overlooking it.

The bird sticks its head under the water and then launches itself into the current, strong as it is, completely disappearing for several seconds and often bobbing up to swim on the surface to the next exposed rock.

Most of today's walk was through woodland where we were out of the wind, a silent, slippery world. where little moved - except here where, had I taken the picture a few seconds later, I would have caught a roe deer hurrying across the path.

By the time we crossed the A9 the snow was a little more serious, though it started melting again as soon as the sun came out. Being a bank holiday here in Scotland, the roads were quiet, and judging by the empty car park at the Golspie Inn many people are opting to stay at home in this weather.