Author: David Miller

Not quiet over the frost stage up here in the frozen North, but it is getting warmer & I am starting to look forward to summer. Cut the lawn for the first time today, so now it will be the never ending task of it’s weekly trim, weather permitting of course. So that is a first for 2018.

Another first & it is normally our near tame Blackbirds, but this year it’s the Thrush. The discovery of a nest with young in it, so first of the season for that. We know somewhere there are baby Blackbirds as well as the parents are wondering around with a mouthful of worms. To add to the excitement this is the first year since we moved here that the Thrush has actually nested in our garden, we feed them all year round & up until this year they have always nested in the surrounding shrubs & we have never seen the babes fledge, hopefully this year we will.

Shall have to continue todays theme, the first time I have managed to get a photo of young Thrushes on the nest, a shot that was hard to get as there was a lot of foliage in front of the nest, as you can see from the first shot of Mum on the nest. If you can see her as she was so well camouflaged sitting there.

Hence in the second shot of the babes there are a lot of out of focus twigs around them, but I had no intention of disturbing them more than I had to to get the shot.

My biggest worry is that the Sparrowhawk must also have wee ones as it is catching a fair few birds on my feeders on a very regular basis at the moment & small near helpless baby Thrushes would be an easy target for them.

 

 

 

 

 

My last post I was praising the fact that Spring was here, I guess that jumped the gun a bit with that comment.  The reason being as I drew the curtains back this morning I was greeted with fresh snow on the distant hills, as you can see in my first photo, but the sky was clear & the sun was shining, so partial Spring maybe.

The next shot I would like to have had on here for Easter, but even the Mallards are later than most places for having their ducklings. This Mum was proud of her youngster, but the sad fact is she most probably started of with six or eight babes & the Crows & Jackdaws, that we have in abundance, have taken the others.

Just to show that the Hares of the other day were not just a freak & that they really are staying with us, the next shot shows they were there first thing this morning, though just two now, guess three is a crowd.

Lastly to cheer us all up as we go out on to our drive we are greeted by proper Spring flowers giving us a bounty of colour that will put a smile on any frozen face.

 

 

 

 

The winter was a loooong long one, then last week the weather brightened up, got a bit warmer & everything started to move. Did not have it anywhere near as warm as down south, but not bad for us. Though it has once again turned cold, the flowers in the garden brighten the day. One consolation, if it is not to hot & sunny, then the spring flowers will last longer.

Do not expect me to name half the flowers as that is the wife’s department not mine, though I can tell you the first two are Daffodils, first a miniature the second a double. the next is a pretty star like thing, followed by a Pom Pom Primula type.

Then we have a Primrose, another Pom thing & I do know the last plant a Heather, looking splendid on the edge of the drive.

As for the last two shots, for a couple of days we have had 3 Hares in the field directly in front of the house. They have been displaying for us with some boxing & chasing around, movements associated with breeding & mad March Hares, except up here it is a bit later so we get their antics in April. We have permission from our part-time neighbour to have a bonfire in their large field/ garden & was watching the Hares perform, not one bit worried about us working 100 yards away. Of course I had to stop & go & get the camera, my wife reckoned I would just get into their field before they bolted, as I was in light clothing & the camera on a tripod making me fairly bulky.

But they were not bothered, just enjoying themselves in the sunshine. So I was able to get to within 50 yards of them before they got a bit twitchy, didn’t run but very alert, but it did give me the best opportunity to photograph them. Somewhat chuffed with the results. Enjoy.

 

 

Due to the unfortunate death of a hard working local councillor our ward had to have a by-election yesterday. For nearly 20 years now I have always worked in the polling stations (or as they are known now polling place). So yesterday saw me going over to Tummell Bridge to work. Although just outside The Park I thought it would be worth telling you what actually goes into being a member of staff. Yes we do get paid as officials of the council, but when you work out the hours involved it is not a large sum. Before each election you attend a training session to update you on how the election will be run. I have to pick up the box the day before & check I have all the necessary paperwork.Then on the day staff have to be in place for  6.20am, to enable to set the paperwork, ballot box, booths in the right place & according to the rules laid out for us.

Tummell Bridge is a small village & roughly a third of the people work away, so have postal votes, others come to vote from over a vast area with most probably 8 miles away being the furthest one has to travel. So as we have to be there until 10pm it is a long day. Throughout the day you have party representatives coming to find out the percentage of those that have voted & also an inspector (appointed by the council) comes round at least 3 times during the day. His job is to check that all the correct procedures are being carried out, help with any crisis that may have arisen & check that we are all fine. They have the training, so if anyone is taken ill, they can step in the breach until a relief person can take over.

Of course we as polling staff have to stay within the perimeter of the polling place, but when it is as nice a day as yesterday we can sit outside & await the next voter. with toilet & meal breaks you can often be left to deal with voters, but me & my poll clerk are always aware of the sound of approaching cars & will normally be manning our desk by the time anyone enters. Having worked at Tummell for a fair few elections now we get to know most voters & have a good relationship with them, it might have something to do with the bowl of sweets I provide for them though.

At 10pm there are some 15 envelopes that I have to fill with all the different paperwork & make sure the accounts of voters balances, then take that all into Pitlochry where a council van collects all of it up from the area before taking it to the count. Then home to a hot bath relax for half an hour & crash out in bed.

During one of my breaks I took a few photos of the perimeter of the hall to show you what a lovely spot it is to work.

First is the hall itself, then the entrance.

Then to the side of the hall is the upper part of the River Tummell before it goes into the Loch, this is a very dangerous part of the river as it’s level is controlled by the hydro electric schemes & if water is discharged from the power station the water can rise really rapidly. In fact at this very spot a fisherman was drowned when the river rose & he got swept away by the current.

The next shot is one of the two power stations in the village. And finally, it wouldn’t be me if I did not include a bird in the post, so a very obliging Robin sitting waiting to have it’s photo taken.

 

        

 

No photos on todays blog, just a report on last nights Wildlife Trust talk in the village hall that I had arranged. The speaker was David Hethrington, an ecologist & author of a book on the reintroduction of Lynx to Scotland. The book is called The Lynx & Us, which was naturally the title of the talk, an interesting book with some wonderful photographs of Lynx in many areas of Europe. With facts & figures to back up the argument for their reintroduction.

A record attendance for a local branch talk with over 80 people attending, many coming for the first time & fairly anti attitude, but I must say that David put over such a convincing argument for them that many went away now converted, or at least with a different attitude towards Lynx.

The fear that they would dine on the many sheep we have up here was proven not to be true as their main prey was Roe Deer, which up here are very common. Lynx tend to live in woodland areas & though in some European countries it is normal for sheep to be in woods, ours tend to be out in the open on moorland or fields. Pheasants were another concern as shooting game birds is a huge part of the rural economy, but this was also been debunked by a leading person in Europe who has been studying their behaviour for years.

When it came to questions at the end of the talk I thought (as we are a rural farming community) that David would get a hard time, but no, he answered the questions well & without anyone going totally against what he had said. I do not think I will see or hear of Lynx in Glen Tilt or Glen Fender in my lifetime, if a book like this & an enthusiastic speaker like David can win over the sceptics. Then who knows, maybe one day.

Sorry been away in New York visiting family, will start writing again when over jet lag. For locals, do not forget Monday night in the village hall, with a Wildlife Trust talk on re-introducing the Lynx.

Twice a year the hall committee organise a tidy up for the village hall, both inside & out. After most events the hall gets a sweep round & a tidy, but on these occasions we tend to go to town & spruce the place up. This being the Spring clean up makes it looks good for all our summer visitors, who tend to photograph the detail in the buildings at this end of the village.Nine of us turned out this year which was a bit lower than normal, but it is a beautiful day & some may have gone off for the week leading up to Easter. As you arrive you are greeted by a table with a list of jobs required to be done & you just pick what you fancy. I, being the nosey one, picked cleaning out cupboards, obviously you never know what is at the back of cupboards, hidden away.

Some of the other jobs can be seen in the photos.

Firstly Rami picked cleaning windows, hid his face for the shot, such a shy person. 🙂

Alistair & Neil on tidying the car park & entrance.

Ron swept leaves & cleared up down the side of the hall.

Donald (walking through the next shot) along with Eric loaded a trailer full of rubbish & cleared up the boiler room.

Elspeth cleaned all the chairs & benches, then with my help mopped the whole of the hall floor.

While Heather tidied up the small hall & provided the wonderful spread you can see in the last shot. What more could you want for a coffee break than homemade fruit scones, a choice of ( also homemade) raspberry or strawberry jam, followed by yummee flapjack. Made all the hard work worth it & those who didn’t come, you missed out.

I am very busy for the next couple of weeks, so don’t expect much on here from me.

 

I have suddenly realised that after 70 odd posts in the last 8 months, I have never shown you around the different landmarks of the village. So as the sun was shining this morning (even though it was below zero C) I decided to go out & take some shots within the village. The village is divided by the River Tilt, the south end called Bridge of Tilt & North of the river which has the older buildings is Blair Atholl.

So the first three shots are Tilt end, with the main street first, showing the snow covered Ben-e-Vrackie hills in the distance that are above Pitlochry. The Tilt stores is on the right in the foreground & where all the cars are lined up on the left is where the garage (in the second picture) is.

Number 3 is the village Primary School, last time I asked there were just about 30 pupils, got a bit embarrassed taking this shot as it was a school & did not want the public to get the wrong impression of me, hence it does not show the real extent of the buildings.

Shot 4 is the single track railway that goes through the village, believe it or not, this is the main line between Inverness & Edinburgh, Glasgow & London, with night sleepers & all mainline trains. Everyday we have going up & coming back an Eddie Stobart train carrying Tesco containers travelling from Glasgow (I believe) to Inverness saving at least 20 lorries from being on the A9 daily.

The greenery to the right of that shot is what is to the left of the next shot of our golf course, in the distance is a huge quarry, that. When the A9 is upgraded to dual carriageway will play a vital role in providing materials.

Next is the village hall a lovely old building that we as villagers are trying to get upgraded with a series of grants. It was very busy today as it was the last of the soup lunches that have happened every other Monday throughout the winter.

Following that is The Atholl Arms hotel a very popular watering hole, they are connected to the Moulin Hotel in Pitlochry where they have their own micro brewery, Braveheart beer is my favourite tipple.

Atholl Estate provide a Tourist information center which is well laid out with things to do & interactive nature things for children to play with.

Last shot is one of two churches in the village, this being the Church of Scotland the other is the Episcopal Church which is on the Tilt side of the village.

 

 

 

 

I am on the committee of the local branch of the Scottish Wildlife Trust & I have organised a talk that a few of you might be interested in , details are all around the village on the notice boards, but in case you have missed it here is the posters. Should be a good, but controversial talk.

 

Yes it’s here at last, no not the long awaited spring weather, they say we are going to get more snow this weekend. No not the long awaited Lottery win, or even Premium Bonds. No something far more important than all of those.

Yes my new camera has arrived, so I have now got a much improved one, the same as my nephew’s & youngest son’s (don’t you just hate it when these youngsters know the one you want & purchase it before you). It is the all singing & dancing Canon 7d Mark 2, been out a few years now but was always the camera of my dreams since I started taking my hobby a bit serious.

As per usual could have done with it on our weekend away, as visited some great wildlife reserves in Yorkshire, but it is here now. Have rebuilt my little hide in the garden & first thing this morning I was out in it to capture the usual suspects near the feeder.

First the very colourful Male Chaffinch, starting to look good in it’s breeding colours. Second a Male House Sparrow, again looking good. We had in the first five years of living here no Sparrows nesting in the garden, so I made two Sparrow hotels for them (just 3 boxes in one block as they like to live in colonies) & it seems to have worked as the population has shot up, with up to ten coming to the feeders. they have also taken over a Blue Tit box & each year attempt to take on the House Martin pots before the Martins return, I now have to fill the pots with rags until I see the first Martin flying around.

The last one is of a Female Chaffinch, isn’t it strange that birds are the exact opposite to humans, with the males always the brighter coloured birds, where the human “birds” are always way prettier than us drab fellas.

Hope you can see the difference in the quality of these shots, as SWMBO states she can see no difference, married to a peasant me.