Frog Season
7th April 2018
Another mild, damp and breezy day, but with more cloud than yesterday as you will see from the photos below. Early pm temperatures: 11C at sea level, 7C at 300m, 5C at 600m and 3C at 800m. The snowpack is moist, generally well consolidated with good stability, particularly the old snowpack. Some pockets of moist windslab exists at higher elevations. Good snow cover remains above 700m, but becoming very patchy at lower levels.
This frog was just shy of 600m and given time, will top out in a few days time! Looks like a female full of spawn.
Looking into the northern Fannaich mountains. Not much of a view with the cloud base around 700m.
As good as it got. the North-East face of the North top Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich. A stable looking spring snowpack. Some glide cracks becoming more obvious in steep locations.
The lower slopes of An Teallach.
For 10 points, name that bird silhouette. I spent too much time chasing a pair of these trying to get a decent photo! Eat your heart out Bruce Kerr…. But not a bad photo at distance with a phone camera?
The bare summit of Meall Leacachain (618m) with the patchy lower slopes of Beinn Dearg behind.
The Torridon Hotel has a live Webcam directed onto Liathach and the summit of Mullach an Rathain above Torridon village. This screenshot is of early afternoon today. Nice website – check it out at ‘thetorridon.com’
The bird is one of my favourite mountain/moorland visitors. I have mentioned it in an earlier post with its lovely distinctive and haunting whistling call. They overwinter at the seaside, mainly on estuaries and mudflats and sometimes in large numbers.
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Lenny Cowieson
7th April 2018 7:44 pm
Curlew !
torridonadmin
8th April 2018 1:19 pm
Hi Lenny. A bit smaller than a Curlew, it’s a Golden Plover. They will be looking for nest sites on the high moorland now that the snow has gone and it’s milder. I look forward to hearing the Curlew soon. Saw some Peewits today doing their aerobatics! Thanks for the reply.
Mick Bailes
10th April 2018 7:38 am
Just returned home to the Peak District after a great couple of days Winter Climbing. Many thanks for the acurate summary of conditions which helped us avoid a serious avalanche on Liathach. Excellent blog… interesting and informative. Cheers
torridonadmin
10th April 2018 1:49 pm
Hi Mick. Thanks for your comments. Glad to be of service!