Stacking...

...at the Turret.

Do try viewing in Large. Just taken with a Sony point and shoot!

Some days are all about balance. You get it right and the day is fine, you get it wrong and woops! Today teetered from one to the other and back again!

I chose to drive up to the Turret reservoir this morning as I thought the dogs would love a good run and I might get a chance of a blip. As I drove higher I realised that the hills would be covered in cloud at worst, but at best their tops might be peeking out above the cloud. They were covered! Notwithstanding, I decided to stay and put extra clothing on as I got out of the car and let the two dogs out. In the past, when I have let them off the lead here they run towards the dam - not today - they ran back towards the road where a cattle grid was supposed to act as a barrier to all animals. Again ... not today. I don't know if she took it in one leap or whether she was just fortunate not to catch her leg in the grid but somehow Cara was on the other side, rapidly disappearing from view into a field where I (and obviously so had she)been aware of grazing sheep. To be honest, Bruce would have followed but thankfully he could not master the cattle grid! Once I had leashed him up and put him back in the car I hot-footed it down and into the field, whistling and calling Cara, all to no avail. I had often wondered how she would react to sheep - now I knew but wished I hadn't had to find out! Anyway when I eventually found her she had rounded a sheep up against a fence and as it lunged defensively at her she barked to back it off, and so it continued until at last she saw, and probably heard, me as I stumbled my way down the grassy and muddy slope shouting at her to "leave". Thankfully she decided that obedience was the best way forward. Once back at the car I gave Bruce a short walk , on the lead, and then returned them both to the car while I walked up to the reservoir dam as much to cool myself down as anything. All thought of blipping had dissipated in the steam of the moment!

Once on my own I began to calm down and gradually became aware that the stillness surrounding the dam and the shrouded hills was occasionally being pierced by the unmistakable cry of the oyster catcher. I then noticed that the moss covered wall (here) had been disturbed by something root-ling about probably looking for insects or tiny worms, and then I saw two oyster catchers at a distance from me on top of the wall doing exactly that. The zoom on my wee camera was just not strong enough to pick them out from the background, but I continued to watch and noticed that a couple of others were perched on a stone dyke promontory which extended quite a way into the water. I wondered if they were considering using this dyke as a potential nesting ground. I took a couple of shots and then was lucky enough to have the camera ready as these two queued up (stacking) as if for landing on an aircraft carrier at sea.

Balance restored, I returned to the car ready to face the remains of the day!