Sunday was that sort of day with most of Scotland suffering strong winds and snow on high ground.

Morning was wild and wet here in the sou-west but by lunchtime things changed enough to consider walking in some sheltered spot.

We parked by the not-so-old Anworth church gates and while Blodwyn took my camera and wandered away to photograph flora and fauna I went off chasing rainbows.

The Old Military Road which starts opposite the older ruined church looked like a good bet for such things.

Sure enough the happy snapper caught me there while I was sheepishly looking for my pot of gold.

If only I had thought to bring my spade for —

I’m sure it’s just over that fence.

But – no luck today – maybe next time —

Went off to look for herons instead – a much easier task for there appears to be an abundance of these ancient burrds in this area.

They were everywhere —  In the rivers and ponds —

My passing even disturbed them from their perches in the trees where they sat to watch for prey in the flooded valley bottoms below.

Does the heart good to see those ungainly birds from a forgotten era.

Ungainly until they go fishing that is.

Then that whiplash of a neck and sharp beak work in unison and It takes a quick reacting minnow to escape when a hungry heron is on the prowl.

While I trudged the water-logged glades on the lookout for signs of wildlife  —

the happy snapper was in her element with things aplenty to fill her lens —

Moss and lichen in abundance always seems to catch her eye —

and if that’s your thing we were in the right place —

and even the bare – twisted trees and leaf-strewn waterholes were deemed worthy of a click —

on this lovely soft – end of November afternoon —

when it was well worth the little effort it took to get out there — and —

I did find my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow after all 🙂