The mouth of the Ythan

After a couple of days of blue skies and warmth the weather went back to normal again today - dull and cold.

This was the Northern view at the mouth of the river Ythan in late afternoon. The sand dunes on the other side of the river form part of the Sands of Forvie National Nature Reserve. The dunes are unusual in that they are mobile and gradually move to the North, eventually to be stabilised, first with marram grass and then heath vegetation. The adjacent estuary supports a host of wading birds and duck, including the largest mainland breeding population of Eiders in the British isles. Just out of sight to the right there were over 150 grey seals hauled out on the beach and making one heck of a din.