Northernlights

Wind has got up again and its dulling over at 16c. Fire was just smouldering this morning but seems to have flared up again this afternoonn with the wind

Shower of drizzle so far overnight and cooler at 10c.Currently cloudy,dry and calm

No sign yet of forecast rain for today and the rain has been downgraded to very little in the next few days for our area.Local dairy farm now into fifth field of grass cutting to feed immediately to housed cows with almost a month before proper silage season as last years stocks were exhausted. Still signs of impending drought as water tables in this area are very low.We too just got the beef cows and calves out in time to grass as we were down to the last wrapped silage bale. Possibly no relief for firefighters.

Fire service have just said the Knockando fire is one of the largest the UK has seen for years.Will be on site for a few more days. Two helicopters now deployed to douse flames in inaccessible areas. A bit of good news Forres firefighters went into local Tesco to fill up with drinks for colleagues and Tesco donated the trolley load in recognition of their efforts. Fire engines have been coming from as far away as Balintore to provide relief crews. Satellite image of the fire

Best day of the year when the cows and calves turned out full time onto the grass to feed themselves A smoky sunrise yesterday. First swallow arrived today even though it was cooler at 15c maximum.

Have been watching for rain supposed to be coming today for about four days and just like on numerous occasions in the last year as we get nearer to seeing it fall it loses intensity or fails to materialise. Was hoping the wildfire to our SE would get significant rain today to help put it out and help reduce the fire risk elsewhere but it seems we"ll be lucky to catch a shower and the wind has got up again fanning the flames and drying everthing out even more.One of the drivers of all this dried out countryside here is the very low humidity air usually under 25%RH this spring so any rain that falls is quickly dried up again when the wind returns.

Its the sheer speed of movement of the fire that is so impressive. Actually the farm and steading are surrounded by fairly bare or green fields so really not to close to any vulnerable woodland.which borders most of the fields

Some farms have been evacuated near Dallas for safety reasons so only about 8 miles to the east of us now. I suspect the big concern is if it gets into the forests surrounding us before tomorrows rain. Can now see the orange glow of the fire to the SE of us when I let dog out and we still have a fresh wind at 11c

The strong wind this morning must really have made it spread. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-48030091

This afternoon has been a once in a lfetime experience for me with density of smoke having driven me inside to do paperwork.There are no sign of any swallows despite the warmth and the resident birds have left the feeders and are silent even the cattle are restless. Not a good experience

Wind has round more to the SE and we are now enveloped in blue coloured smoke. Roll on the rain tomorrow. Currently 20c

A taste of armageddon this morning with a smoke filled sky to the east and the fire most definitely not out.Breeze getting up too which won"t be helping. Currently bright/hazy and 18c

Not such a small fire https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-48017104 Knockando is nearly 40 miles away and the smoke this evening is still billowing up from the horizon. Still warm and breezy at

Blue skies fresh southerly wind, RH of 24% and 21c here this afternoon spoilt only by a moderate moorland fire to the SE which created a bank of smoke to the east. Everything is tinder dry again so the rain at the end of this week will be welcome

Barley and grass just jumping out of the ground today after yesterdays rain. Been busy power washing domestic paths while it is so warm. Currently a bit breezy and 16c so finally 24 hour growth.

Nice drop of misty rain just now just what the farmer ordered. Currently 16c

Still not enough grass in fields for cattle to go out full time although its taken off a bit today in the warmth so domestic grasses will have to wait another week. Basically when cattle are out and feeding themselves I have time to cut grasses . Also cutting grass acts as a stimulant to faster growth which requires even more frequent cutting. The problem we have with field grass is we have wintering sheep until 1st of April and so the grass has to start from scratch at that point and since it was fairly cool then growth has been slow up till yesterday. Spring barley jumping up to today as well and brown fields turning green .Beech trees now bursting into leaf as well. No swallows as yet.

Same through a good part of eastern Scorland too,all the wind this spring keeps on drying up any rain we get especially at 20% RH. Farming on the eastern side of the UK already suffering.https://www.fwi.co.uk/arable/essex-and-suffolk-growers-hope-for-rain-in-very-dry-spring Local dairy farm up here ran out of silage a few weeks ago and is cutting short grass to feed their 1000"s of cows on a daily basis . Remember this is next winters fodder which would normally be ensiled at the end of May so they are already short for next year and with all the competition from anerobic digesters for grass things will only get worse Even at home the surface is very dry again

Its looks like we are in for a milder night as its still 13c and everything has greened up a bit more today.Have also lost the nagging wind. This side of the Firth still very dry as can be seen as young Mr. Northernlights rolls the second last field of spring barley tonight. Horse Chestnut tree in photos rapidly coming into leaf today.

As above but with a lot of dust blowing about, a very disagreeable day. Looking for some warmth now to get grass growing and cattle out. Last field after neeps sown to spring barley today in a dust storm. Never cut domestic grasses till cattle are out no matter how untidy it looks. Grass actually wilting today in the strong wind at 25% RH.

Just thinking today in spite of the sunshine the wind was very chilly and night time temperatures are still too low for sustained growth.In fact night time temperatures for the next two weeks are low. I often think spring is the one season not to succumb to the warming trend with its tendancy to give winter a second chance in most years. This habit of keeping cold outbreaks going is one of the biggest handicaps for agriculture in the north of Scotland and this year coming on top of three very dry preceding seasons is putting a lot of pressure on farmers. Thankfully we had a good crop of swedes (turnips) which provide a lot of energy to the cattle while we are waiting for the proper energy giving grass to grow. Also cattle rely on bugs in their stomachs to digest their food and it takes up to six weeks to change to new bugs to specifically to break down fresh green grass so today the cows went out to a little fresh grass as part of the process in changing from a winter diet to a spring one. Currenty clear and 5c

Speaking from another very dry area we have a strong SE wind this morning at 20% RH so the heavy rain we had a week ago has all but disappeared and the field drains have stopped running.Another dry summer is the last thing we need with a local dairy farm already cutting grass to direct feed to the cows. Next years forage already being consumed.

.Ewe and lamb moved closer to farm for observation. Local gamekeeper informed.

Not so cold this morning at 5c after yesterdays start at -1c but with more cloud cover but dry and calm. Still sowing yesterday but down to last field.Barley sown in the last week of March is just emerging in spite of the cold soaking it got last week. Power of maternal love was demonstrated by a Blackface ewe on the farm where young Mr Northernlights is working just now when a neighbour sitting in his house watched her defend her lamb by repeatedly head butting a big dog fox and driving it away. Even I am wary of a Blackface sheep with large horns!!!!

Looks like the normal April cold snap is on its way for about the 21st of the month our average cattle turnout date. On numerous occasions over the last 50 years I have turned cattle out in warm conditions only for snow to fall three days later.