As a local to RAF Lossiemouth, exercise Joint Warrior signifies a time where there are increased activity levels and a wider variety of types to capture.  Exercise Joint Warrior 12-1 is no different and has attracted some very nice participants, most notable of which is the Boeing P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy's VX-1 from NAS Patuxent River.  The individual aircraft BuNo 167956 is the sixth and final test squadron P-8A, the six aircraft are spread over two squadrons, VX-1 "Pioneers" and VX-20 "Force".  Recently the first in-service P-8A was delivered to NAS Jacksonville's VP-30 "Pro's nest" in March 2012.  The deployment marks the first time the US Navy has deployed a P-8A Poseidon for an exercise outside the USA and is possibly even the first time a P-8A has landed outside the USA.

Also participating from the US Navy are three P-3C Orions which the P-8As will eventually replace.  The three aircraft came from two units, two aircraft from VP-10 "Red Lancers" of NAS Jacksonville and one from VP-47 "Golden Swordsmen" of MCAS Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii.  (These squadrons are derived from the callsigns each aircraft arrived using.)

The Canadian Armed Forces also brought over three of their CP-140 Auroras, which are very similar to P-3C Orions externally - the main notable difference if that CP-140s have pods on their wingtips.  Two of the three aircraft come from  from CFB Greenwood's 14 Wing, one from 405 MPS (Maritime Patrol Squadron) and one from the MP&EU (Maritime Proving and Evaluation Unit) whilst the third is operated by 407 LRPS (Long Range Patrol Squadron) from CFB Comox's 19 Wing.

The French Navy also brought along one of their Breguet Atlatiques of 23 Flottille and is based at BAN Lann-Bihoué and it is the last of 9 MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) at RAF Lossiemouth for the exercise.

Also present are four Hawk T1s of the Royal Navy and six Dassault Falcon 20s of Cobham aviation.  Three HH-60Gs of 56 RQS (Rescue Squadron) from RAF Lakenheath are expected to take part in the exercise but have not arrived yet.

A variety of C-130, C-160, C-9 and C-40 aircraft have provided the support for these aircraft.  The C-* is a general prefix for cargo/transport aircraft.

So, as per my previous blogpost my thoughts on snow in April were that it was nothing particularly uncommon.  But when you wake up to about 6 inches of the stuff barely 12 hours after it first started you begin to think it was somewhat of a rare occurrence.

So instead of walking around town where all the snow would already have been melted and trampled to slush I decided to head out towards the countryside towards Brumley Brae. First up I found a pair of Moray Council vans sitting next to a fallen tree on Hamilton Drive where they were removing it so the road could re-open.  Having left straight after a snow shower ended I knew I wasn't going to have long till another one arrived and sure enough I had about 10 minutes of sunshine at Brumley Brae to get the photos before heading back.

I went back through the Quarrelwoods for some different photos and to try and seek shelter.  This worked against me because every few trees the melted snow fell from the top hitting lower branches and tumbling snow down on me - brilliant.

Read more: It's April, snow what?

It was only a week ago that I was outside in a tee shirt, at the beach reading news that March's highest temperature had been passed by nearby Aboyne with 23.6°C.  Tonight I'm sitting staring out the window from my cosy room at a white garden.  Yes, it's been snowing.  It's not just a little bit of snow either, in the four hours since it first started tumbling from the heavens there is about a 2 inch accumulation all over and even the roads have a fresh white covering.

The reason?  The previous high pressure weather system strong holding above the United Kingdom gave us lovely clear sky days with high temperatures.  Now this region has been taken over by low pressures and a waving front has passed along the north of Scotland turning the weather miserable causing the 20 degree plummet in temperature and out of season Wintery showers.

This isn't the first time though, about 6/7 years ago there was an evening in May which had a few snow showers and in 2010, on the 31st of March when RAF Kinloss' Nimrod MR2s were to undertake their final operational sorties we were hit by similar weather 'causing a disappointing ending to their service life when all sorties had to be cancelled.

So in summary, freak weather - yes.  However, it's not something that's never happened before and besides it is Scotland, we had some great weather and now the weather Gods are trying to even out the balance.

This photo was taken an hour after it started snowing, it's now completely white!

Fourth place Elgin City played host to second place Stranraer in a key game for the play offs.  With Elgin City nine points clear of fifth place Annan Athletic but due to face a challenging run of fixtures it was important to keep that gap and get closer to Stranraer (second) and Queen's Park (third).

The first few minutes of the game were contained in the middle of the park but before long Stranraer took a firm hold on the game and had a few very good opportunities which Elgin City's goalkeeper Zander Clark did a superb job at keeping out, another opportunity was headed onto the post from a cross.  Elgin looked less threatening but weren't without chances, the best a rebound from a corner stabbed at goal, unfortunately straight to the Stranraer keeper.  It stayed 0-0 till half time, a good scoreline for Elgin.

The second half was very similar to the first half, with Stranraer creating the bulk of chances.  A penalty shout for Elgin was dismissed which looked to have been a stone wall penalty and then a second penalty shout was given, this one less definite.  Archie McPhee stepped up for Elgin, his initial kick was saved my the Stranraer goalkeeper but McPhee pounced on the rebound to push Elgin into a good lead against the run of play.  The lead did not last too long when Michael Moore put a well hit strike into the fair corner giving the Elgin keeper no chance.  Minutes later it was Stranraer in the lead when Steve Stirling weaved through the Elgin defence and slotted home from inside the box.

A deserved victory for Stranraer, now it's up to Elgin City to fight for the play off place they have worked tirelessly for and fend off close runners Annan.

Read more: Elgin City vs. Stranraer

All pupils of Elgin Academy were given a tour of the new building on Monday/Tuesday, so I decided to take my camera along on the tour to show what it is like inside.  On walking through the main entrance you arrive at the canteen looking towards the amphitheatre on the other side of the large glass walls.  We then walked into the corridors on the ground level - the blue floor - where Modern Languages, Social Subjects, RMPS, Art & Design, Business Educations & Computing, PSE and Drama are all taught on this floor.  The carpet and classroom doors are actually colour co-ordinated to the floor.  The Blue floor also has the new assembly hall, admin office, community room and medical suite.

We went downstairs to the yellow floor next, which houses the Music, Physical Education and Design & Technology departments.  There is also a separate smaller reception that is used when there are afterschool clubs on in the Physical Education department which has an abundance of new equipment including a dance studio, a fitness suite and two large halls.  As per the blue floor, the carpet and classroom doors were colour co-ordinated.

We then went up to the top floor, the green floor, this is where English, Maths, the Sciences and Home Economics departments are.  It is also where the guidance base, library and staff room are.  It is also colour co-ordinated with green carpets and classroom doors.  The walkway goes over the canteen and gives you a good view out to the amphitheatre.  The staff room and library both sit above the main entrance and with their glass windows have a good view onto morriston road and allow a lot of light into the room.

Outside there is the amphitheatre with a small garden at the bottom.  It is very neat and has a great arrangement.  One of my personal favourite areas of the new school.

On the tour, I couldn't help but think that the school looked more like a block of offices as everything was so similar and it didn't really feel much like a school at all.  However, the facilities are fantastic and I'm sure after I leave in a few weeks time that it will feel more like a school to those who are still there.  The old school building closed to pupils on the 28th March for the last time.

Read more: New Elgin Academy