Saturday 21 May 2016

Saturday 21 May

Two days ago, I returned to Holland for a visit of several weeks. The journey was slightly delayed and diverted due to a cancellation at Stornoway, but I was only about 1 hour and 40 minutes late coming into Amsterdam. I was very tired on Friday, and have to readjust quite a bit. My dad and I went for a walk round the village yesterday, and around the Castle Country Park today.

I cannot get over the huge contrast in the progression of spring here, as compared to that in the Outer Hebrides. Over in Stornoway, spring is getting along only slowly, impeded by a harsh, cold spring. In Holland, the trees are in leaf, flowers are out in abundance and the birds are nesting happily. I am watching a family of great tits in a nestbox, just across the window, fluttering back and forth with grubs and insects for their greedily squawking young.

I am not going to make entries each day, but will share some pics every now and again.

P5210956 The feature after which this blog is named: The Shell Gallery
P5210954 P5210939 P5210938 Young of moorhen on nest
P5210934 Neptunus
P5210928 P5210924 P5210913 P5210908 P5210903 P5210904