I went, with a dog, to Kirkconnel Flow for inspiration for World Wetlands Day. The National Nature reserve noticeboard had just one message. Yofi and I took note.
From the start, Yofi was not sure about this venture, following me closely and not leaving the path. Odd behaviour, for a young dog.
But going through healthy blaeberry bushes, we found something that interested us both. What is “N31” – a Peatland Action?
Yofi was uninterested by Sphagnum, though I was trying out a new Moss app.
We progressed towards a drain blocked as part of the peatland restoration programme.
This open water harboured Feathery Bog-Moss:
Yofi (who loves to swim) hung back: No go. No way.
I tried another path by the uncleared Scots pines, that were part of the plantation that almost destroyed Kirkconnel Flow). Yofi still was unimpressed.
A fallen tree made me very curious – but no dog followed me to the pool that had formed where it had stood.
I meanwhile, found much to distract me.
I wandered to the crater edge – more Feathery Bog-Moss.
Yofi withdrew to a safe distance and kept an eye on me.
I finally twigged, walking back to our starting point. Perhaps for a dog on a peat bog, the earth literally shakes? With all four feet on a quaking bog and a water level only just below the surface, she was certainly right to be very cautious.
Back at the carpark, I found myself compelled to conduct a litter pick.
An empty bottle of Vimto. Fruit juices, I learnt, make up of 5% of its ingredients – so the other 95% is water.
Just like Kirkconnel Flow! The peat bog is a liquid lens of water and moss atop a foundation of glacial boulder clay. Long and well may it quake.
drawing in the field 