No pictures, I’m afraid. They were too far out and I didn’t have the camera with me anyway.

Yesterday myself and the good lady were strolling along the prom (prom, prom) at Kirkcaldy and our attention was attracted by raised voices and pointed arms to the Forth estuary.

Leaping and sporting out of the water some distance from shore was a pod of dolphins. It’s the first time both of us have ever seen any in real life as opposed to on TV.

The prom at Kirkcaldy, by the way, lacks anything that you might expect a prom to have. Certainly no brass bands playing (no bandstand) but also no shops selling candy floss or postcards or rock or kiss-me-quick hats. No shops period! It used to house the bus station before they moved that up into the town.

The prom is over a mile long and is more or less just a dual carriageway with a pedestrian walkway between it and the sea. A lost opportunity I’ve always thought.

Fine for a walk, though, if you don’t mind wind blown spume and seas fountaining up like fireworks from (and over) the sea-wall when the tide’s in and there’s a swell on.

After the game on Saturday I took a trip down to the quay at Dumbarton. I’ve always liked the fact there are loads of swans on the river there.

I’d never seen a black one before, though. It was swimming all on its own.

Black Swan in River Leven

The good lady said it had flown in from Russia or somewhere and wouldn’t find a mate as it’s a different species from the white ones.

It’s actually more of a deep brown colour than black. It’s a beautiful thing with a red beak and striking red eyes.

Last week I took a trip “Doon The Watter” (except I went by road rather than boat.)

Birds on foreshore at Greenock

On the shore at Greenock were these birds which at first I thought were oystercatchers but the plumage isn’t quite right and the beaks are too orange. Does anyone have any idea what they are?

No, I don’t mean those who frequent the pubs and clubs.

It being a nice day* I and the good lady took a stroll along the shore path from Kirkcaldy to Kinghorn. Along the way we spotted some seals basking in the sun. I had the camera!

First attempt. The seals were too far away really. I don’t have much of an adjustable lens.

One of the seals was in the water. I think you can just about make it out in this photo. The previous ones are still perched on their rocks to the left of shot.

Just to left of centre in this picture (it’s the shiny bit) is a seal who’d dragged him or herself out of the water.

This is probably the best shot. A longer ridge of rock with several basking seals.

*I think I might have used the Ablative Absolute (see this post) in this phrase.