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Willow Way is one of the best stretches for seeing Birds on this walk.
Bertha
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When you reach Badger's Bend, at the top of Badger's Brae, you get this fine view over the top of the five bar gate into this field.
A little further along, on the other side of the road, you can look back down the hill across Farefield, so called because this is a favourite haunt for passing Fieldfares & Redwings.
The hedges are full of berries in Autumn, like these Brambles, which help to attract the Scandinavian Thrushes later on, in Winter.
Despite the abundance of Haws, they are still much underused today for old recipes like Hawthorn Jelly and Hawthorn Syrup.
As can be seen from these two photos the colour of Haws can vary quite a bit.
This stone has been sitting here since 1954.
What were do doing back then?
Just think too, of all the things you have during that time!
I can think of worse places for a stone to spend its life.
This is a lovely quiet little meadow popular with a variety of small Birds.
On the other side of the road this happy couple survey the scene.
Just past the meadow Rusty checks out the gnarled & mossy trunk of this Goat Willow Tree.
This is the Goat Willow Tree & on this exposed section, we have sheltered beneath it's branches many times, against driving wind & rain & even snow.
On the other side of the road you look up Knocklayd towards Knockans Croft, where folks haven't lived for about 100 years. It must have been a very lonely spot for them.
Looking back along Willow Way where the Goat Willow Tree is the prominent feature, those small trees in the foreground are a Hawthorn, & in front of that, the one & only Birch Tree on the walk.
Here's a closer look at that little Birch Tree with the Hawthorn behind it.
On Willow Way my favourite birds are:
No. 1 - The Grasshopper Warbler
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No. 2 The Meadow Pipit
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No. 3 - The Snipe
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No. 4 - The Buzzard
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Lovely pictures, Ptarmigan. Love to see some more of the dog-walk's wildlife; the hedgerows, wild flowers, etc.
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