Burning

This was taken last night, but I couldn't resist blipping an actual heath fire at close quarters, if only to illustrate the damage it was likely to do.

One of our neighbours texted us to say that there were two fires on the hillside across Loch Riddon and we walked round to see them - they weren't visible from our house because of the hill between us and that part of the loch.

I don't know if they had been set deliberately for muirburn - falaisg as it is called in Gaelic - but if so it was the height of folly, as the ground cover is tinder dry.   The season is meant to conclude on the 15th of April but that date now strikes many as too late particularly if there is any threat to nesting or other environmental sites. 

This one is very close to a known eagles' nest and not far from where a pair of ospreys have established themselves in previous seasons.   It shouldn't be burning and if it was set alight then the individual responsible needs to be called to account. 

I have added three extra photos to give some other views of it and a fourth one illustrates the effect of another fire , burning today at the north end of Bute ,  The smoke is lying all along Loch Riddon .