Stones

A bit hard up for a shot today- not helped by its being very grey and murky.

Reading that someone had heard a cuckoo yesterday, I headed up to the hide at Cottascarth in Rendall where I have often heard them. It was pretty quiet, though I was glad to see a pair of stonechats which may have been nesting just below the hide in heather by a stream. It is a species which practically disappeared from Orkney after two (unusually) very snowy winters. It seems to be making a comeback now. I hadn't seen them at Cottascarth before so that is a good sign. I couldn't get a decent shot- this is just stone facing the hide. As I left I decided to detour a little to a ruined cottage with a large tree beside it. As I approached, a cuckoo flew out and down to another tree. Still no call, though!