Snow trees

As Carl has already said, we had snow all day Friday which was horizontal in the easterly gale, and sticky, resulting in trees caked with snow on their east sides. These photos were taken yesterday, Sunday, with the snow just beginning to fall off in large chunks with little warning!
Malcolm

Snow on Islay

We have had a small but significant fall of snow on Islay that is persisting on the high ground.  High pressure over Scandinavia seems to have dropped anchor and we have had a long period of very cold easterly winds.  The snow is of the unpleasnt icy variety that arrives in horizontal bursts and freezes into sold blocks.  Hopeless for snowball or snowmen.  This was the view out over Foreland Estate this morning.

Snow on the hills

The hills behind Bowmore this afternoon with the first substantial covering of the winter. If at least some forecasts are to be believed, it could be the last, too. Or not!
Malcolm

Snow showers

It has been a bitterly cold day with a fresh northerly breeze.  The sleet of the morning has given way to an afternoon of snow showers and sunshine.

Snow back on the Paps of Jura

Snow has returned to cap the Paps of Jura (and some of the higher ground on Islay too) over the past couple of days.

Tracks

Tracks of Brown Hares in the snow above Port Charlotte

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris)

A couple of shots of a Fieldfare that has been feeding on the rotting windfall apples in Sally's orchard.  I had scraped the snow off some of them to see if it would attract them down - and it worked...
Carl

The Shorefield Project - feeding in the snow

The Highlanders are being fed barley straw, which was baled earlier in the year after the grain had been harvested for Bruichladdich Distillery.  It is loaded onto the feed trailers using a telehandler.

The bale then has to be broken open and is soaked with molasses.  The Highlanders are happy with the low nutrient content of the barley straw, it provides the bulk to fill their stomachs, and the molasses adds the sweetness while also having a high calorific value.

The feed trailer is then towed up to the hill by James in h is shiny new Massey Ferguson.

The Highlanders come swiftly when called. 

They really do look magnificent in the snow, and give the impression of positively enjoying the cold weather, snug inside their thick coats.

Thaw is well under way

The thaw seems to be well under way this morning in Port Charlotte.  It is now extremely treacherous underfoot with ice under meltwater.  Nearly came to grief more than once on the way up to the chickens this morning.  This photo was actually taken near Loch Cam a few years ago during a previous cold snap.

A light dusting of snow has continued to lie here in Port Charlotte - I understand it is heavier elsewhere.  The skies are clear however, and it will surely freeze if this remains the case.

The 'Flying Flock'

reception@swt.org.uk

Snow in Port Charlotte

Suddenly we have snow.  Below the apple trees in the foreground, the blackbirds are trying to find sustenance by eating the windfalls.  I hear that traffic is at a standstill in Ballygrant and that conditions are difficult even in Bowmore.

Paps of Jura in the snow this morning

Cycled down to Port Askaig this morning in the most perfect weather imaginable for December, past fields studded with sparkling geese.  Only small amounts of slush on the roads - the Council boys had done a good job.  This must be THE classic shot of the Paps of Jura at the moment - I wonded how many people have snapped this view recently?  There was a flock of probably around thirty Golden Plover in the shoreside fields opposite Bry Bruaich farm, along with a scattering of Lapwings.
Carl

Snow on the Paps from Blackrock

The weather on Islay has been glorious this past couple of days.  The temperature has hardly risen above freezing and the ice on the puddles has not melted - but we have had lots of lovely crisp sunshine.  There is no snow lying at sea level - we have only been troubled by the odd flurry so far - and yet we have some rather splendid views of the white stuff on the higher ground.  This is a shot from Blackrock up at the head of Loch Indaal showing the Paps of Jura in the distance.

Snow shower over Loch Indaal

Actually it was more like hail, but we will call it snow...  It was a dramatic day for weather here on Islay.

The hills behind Storakaig had a bit of a dusting