Suddenly it Might be Summer

Reluctantly, gradually, and then spectacularly, the weather has changed.  Almost as soon as we returned from our tramp up Hill 403 on Sunday, the sun broke through, and since then we've had cloudless days and increasingly cold nights.  This picture shows last night's sunset, seen from Kilchoan, the big lump of a hill on the right being Maol Buidhe at the end of Ormsaigbeg.

This superb picture of Sunday night's sky comes from Stewart Pote at Achnaha, and looks northwards towards the northern rim of the Ardnamurchan volcano, with the highest peaks Meall Clach an Daraich and Sgurr nan Gobhar.  We had a frost both Sunday night and this morning: this morning's left a white rime across the grass and heather, and the thermometer showing a low of -1C.

Both yesterday's and today's sunrises were spectacular.  This picture was taken at exactly 7.47 this morning, with the Raasay, the morning ferry from Tobermory, approaching Mingary Pier.  The wispy clouds soon dispersed, and we haven't see another all day.

Here's a bonus to go with the fine weather - the first goldfinch we've seen in weeks, his colours glowing in the early morning light.  We have plenty of small birds visiting us but a limited range of species.  Other people in the village have the siskins and greenfinches which usually flock around our bird table.

In anticipation of summer, the scallop boat Pegasus, OB216, which is based in Tobermory, was checking the moorings ready for summer.  West Ardnamurchan Jetty Association maintains four buoys in Kilchoan Bay for visitors' use.

Pegasus then moved out into the bay, sailing slowly across Caribbean-blue waters, and dropped her diver to do a bit of scallop collecting.  The diver's head can be seen in the water to the right of the boat.

Many thanks to Stewart Pote for the photograph.