The wildlife refers to creatures that surround us not our life’s. Maybe if I had wrote this forty years ago the wildlife connection would have referred to my life and the creatures that surround us. Even as a kid I was always out playing across the fields and not stuck indoors. My mum only seeing me when I was hungry. My life was also pretty wild but that’s another story for another day.

I have already told you about the deer on site and the once I saw a pine Martin and was hoping to see a Red squirrel. Well the red squirrel is a regular to my bird feeder now. He loves the peanuts in the feeder and hangs on to it upside down trying to get the nuts out, then sits on the branch it’s attached to while eating them all the time looking out for anyone who might want to harm in.

We actually got two days off with good weather so went for a drive up towards the Ben Lawers dam and on further to Glenlyon post office which is now a tea room. The drive is stunning and it was Nikki’s first time up that road which she loved but was a little anxious about the road edges being a single track road. She calmed down by the time we got to the cafe and enjoyed her bacon roll and coffee while sat out side looking at the river view with the mountains as a backdrop. What’s not to like.

And right behind us in the covered part of the cafe was a Thrush nest. The female sitting on the eggs and the male flying off and bringing her back some food. They were not bothered at all with all the coming and going of peaple.

As I said I love the wildlife and I have put four bird feeders up with different things in them to attract different birds and a squirrel. The amount of different birds visiting the feeders is fantastic. We do have some very pretty birds in the U.K.

The birds visiting the feeders are Blue tits, coal tits, Great tits, chaffinch, nuthatch, Siskin, Green finch, Great spotted woodpecker. There are also so many other birds around the site.

I lifted a manhole cover on site the other day to unblock it from leaves etc and there sat on a pipe was a smooth newt. I just froze still because I did not want to disturb him. I reached for my camera hoping he would stay still for me and I started to take his picture. He never moved at all and I got one of the best photos I have ever taken for me. The smooth newt looking at his reflection in the water with the sky reflecting in the water also. All the colours were just right. I replaced the manhole cover gently and went on my way with a very big grin on my face.

Don’t you just love wildlife. Another day off and we headed out on A85 towards Tyndrum then we would turn off onto the A82 and head for Glencoe. This road I have wanted to drive for years. The weather was fine, not the hottest of days and not a lot of blue sky but then clouds look nice on the photos also. At this time of year there is a lot less traffic about also which is a good point.

The road from Killin to Glencoe is 51 miles of stunning scenery with mountains, open moorland, and Lochs. With snow still on the tops of the mountains. It takes an hour to drive this route unless your me, then you have to keep stopping to take photos or just pull over into a lay-by or viewing point just to soak up the stunning scenery. And listen to the silence only interrupted by a car going by. Some photos from that road trip below. You have to do it to really appreciate it.

I could post so many more photos of that trip. So if you ever meet me be warned you might see a few more photos. And to the peaple that know me, don’t hide I know where you are.

Glencoe is such a big name name in Scotland, everyone has heard of it but in reality there is not a lot there but you just have to go and have a look. Sit beside Loch Leven and just stare at the mountains in the distance. I could have sat there for hours but I was getting hungry.

We then drove just around the corner to a small village called Ballachulish where we had some lunch. After lunch I wanted to look at the old slate quarry there which was just across the road from where we had lunch. As you walk in you can imagine all the workers hammering away at the slate and the noise and dust. Their lives would have been shorter then and it would have been a tuff life. Now the old quarry sits there all quiet and the only noise is birdsong. It’s a wildlife heaven with some nice walks around the old quarry pools.

It was now time to drive back home along the same road we came up on seeing it all again in a different light from a different angle. But I had a little stop planned. Turning off the A82 towards the Glencoe mountain centre which is where I hope to go for some mountain biking. There is an old cottage called Black rock cottage and it must be one of the most photographed cottages in Scotland. Well as I was passing I could not give up this opportunity to take my own photo of this cottage.

Last week I actually went out on my mountain bike for the first time in eight months after my injury, which is still not right but then it never will be now at my age so I just have to get on with life and suffer the pain and limited movement. I only went about ten miles around the back roads just to see how it felt. It was ok but I don’t think my shoulder would stand up to a bike park yet. But it felt so good to be out on my bike again so more rides planned. And yesterday I went for more physio.

So that’s up to date with our wildlife and adventures. For the last week I have heard a cuckoo daily which is nice. Today we are off and going to walk into Killin across the fields and there just maybe time for a pint or two.