The Garvellachs

The Garvellachs form a small archipelago to the north of Scarba.  They have been uninhabited for hundreds of years, although there are sheep.  There is a ruined monastery and some beehive huts where the monks used to live in what must have been conditions of considerable privation. 
This picture was taken last Friday, a glorious day with tremendous visibility.  Even in this phone snap it is just about possible to make out a snow capped Ben Nevis in the distance.
Carl

Bay of Pigs - Jura

The 'Bay of Pigs' as it is known in some circles, is an anchorage at the western end of the Gulf of Corrievreckan, between Jura and Scarba.  There were two large Canada geese here looking extremely domestic, which is a bit worrying...   Carl

Common Toad

Rather a nice picture of an obliging Common Toad - actually taken on a path on Easdale, but hey....

Landslip!

There's been a landslip from the bank behind the Uiskentuie Strand. This bank is comprised mainly of morainal material (sand and stones) left behind by a glacier and it was then cut back by the sea to the familiar steep slope. It rises at its highest point to about 90 feet, but most of it is about half that, including where the landslip has occurred.
Malcolm

Green-veined White butterflies

There have been a number of these flying around in the last couple of weeks and here's a pair making sure there will be some in the future.
Malcolm

Three Islay Lochs

A day dropped from heaven and it was Tuesday. Oh that such a day would return next week for my brother's Colonsay wedding! Anyway, I visited three Islay lochs on that heavenly day, two of which I'd never seen before in all my 8 and a half years on the island. Considering all the lochs I've visited, many of them some distance from the road, it is perhaps surprising that I'd never seen these two which are relatively close to the road. However, unless you make a special effort to do so, you're just not going to see Lochs Staoisha and Loch nam Ban, both near Bunnahabhain.
Becky

Loch Staoisha

Loch nam Ban

Ardnahoe Loch

A lichen tree

I think there's a small conifer underneath the lichen, unless the lichen has grown like that all by itself!
Malcolm

Blaeberry

What a delightful little flower on this familiar plant!
Becky

Blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)

Brent Geese on the move

The last couple of days have seen a flock of Brent Geese (76 on 28th and 87 on 29th) feeding on green algae in front of Gortan School, just along the road from Bruichladdich. Peter Roberts managed to read five colour rings the first day, and I added a couple more the next day.
The photograph shows one with a 3 engraved on a blue ring, while another has an X on a blue ring. The other leg of both birds also carried a ring, and with this information, we have now been told where they were originally ringed.
Blue 3 was caught at Sandyford, just outside Dublin, Ireland, on 2nd February 2012. It was last seen in the Dublin area on 8th April 2012 and turned up again on 8th October. It stayed there throughout this last winter, being last seen on 24th April, just four days before it was seen here on Islay.
Blue X was caught in Co. Wicklow, Ireland, south of Dublin, on 8th February 2012. It paid a quick visit to Dublin in February and then was back on the Wicklow coast until 22nd April 2012. It was seen at Dublin on 22nd November 2012 and either there or Wicklow until 3rd March.
We've had colour-ringed Brent, which winter in Ireland, passing through here in past springs. It always surprises me that these birds, which are setting off on a journey of 4000–5000 km (c.2500–3000 miles) to breed on islands in the Canadian Arctic, should stop after covering no more than the first 250 km (175 miles)! 
Malcolm

A small plant with a very long name

I don't know what this small, close-to-the-ground spring-flowering plant has done to deserve its names, but as if its vernacular name, Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, wasn't enough, its scientific name is Chrysosplenium oppositifolium. It has a close relative, Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysosplenium alternifolium, which is less widespread and hasn't (yet) been found on Islay or any other of the Inner Hebrides. However, it is found in north Argyll and at two localities on Kintyre, and it often grows in damp woodlands together with its relative, so it might be here. You can rely on the names if you want to know how to tell the two species apart!
Malcolm

Barnacle Geese - Octomore Farm

Primroses

It must be spring, at last!
Malcolm

Beinn a' Chaolais with Walk Islay

We couldn't have asked for better weather. I was so excited about the prospect of finally getting up my second Pap - and this time it was cloud, precipitation and wind free - the exact opposite of my last experience. Yippee!! What a great day (except for my vertigo going up the scree). We saw Mountain Hare still in its white plumage, Short-eared Owl, Dung Beetle and Raven, and of course fantastic views. Thanks to Donald Ewen Darroch for taking us up there!
Becky

Mountain Hare (poor photo)

View north-east towards Beinn an Oir and Beinn Shiantaidh from summit of Beinn a' Chaolais

View south-east from summit of Beinn a' Chaolais

The Secret Life of Rockpools

An excellent programme available on iplayer, all about Britain's rockpools:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01rtdr4/The_Secret_Life_of_Rock_Pools/

Beinn Bheigier (2)

No, I've not been up a second time (phew!), but these are two more photos from that trip. I love going up high for many reasons, but I always look forward to seeing this delightful little moss (which has the appearance of a tiny conifer). Naturally I use any excuse to include a photo of my favourite lichen as well! Again, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a flower, it is so red.
Becky

Fir Club moss - Huperzia selago

Cladonia bellidiflora

Adder Skin

In all my walks on Islay I had never found a shed adder skin and I'd said as much to Lorna and James on our Beinn Bheigier walk. Two days later five of us were walking from Gortantoid to Finlaggan and what was the first thing we discovered? A recently shed adder skin. I was beside myself with excitement. It was still moist and so able to fit without breaking into a tupperware box. Hardly able to wait until we got home (a weary 7 miles later!) we retrieved the now brittle skin and did some research. Here's what we found out:

Male adders emerge first from the hibernacula (place of hibernation) about March. They're pretty docile, basking in the sun when possible. In April they shed their skin and the male then goes looking for females, sniffing them out! The female sheds its skin about a month later than the male. The average adult male adder grows to 65 cm. This skin measured 64 cm.

Becky

The adder skin as we found it.

Close up of eyes and mouth

The skin measured 64 cm

Detail of skin

Looking through the hand lens when the skin was still fresh

Jane Dawson

Jane Dawson, who founded the Islay Natural History Trust in 1984, in memory of her husband, Rod, died last night after a brief illness. Rod and Jane, who farmed in Lincolnshire, came to Islay in 1971 when Rod, a farmer and conservationist, purchased the Ellister Estate so that not only could they outwinter their cattle here but there was ample room for the growing captive wildfowl collection which they had established on their farm. Rod died six years later of a particularly aggressive form of cancer. He was just 34 years old. Jane stayed on at Easter Ellister and persuaded her trustees that the tenant farmers, crofters and householders could buy their properties on generous terms. She continued and developed the wildfowl collection and became a leading aviculturist, breeding such difficult species as King Eider and Long-tailed Duck. In recent years, she established a very well-regarded Highland Pony stud. We send our condolencies to her daughters, Heather and Lucy.
Malcolm

Common Gulls - Coull Farm

Andrew Jones of Coull drilling malting barley on Ballinaby fields.

'Welcome to Islay' evenings in the Laddieshop at Bruichladdich Distillery.

We are pleased to be able to able to announce another series of six monthly 'Welcome to Islay' evenings courtesy of Bruichladdich Distillery.  The first will be held on April 15th to co-incide with Walkislay Week and will feature an array of local talent including pipers, highland dancers, singers and local musicians.  There will also be lots of information about the natural history of the island from both the Islay Natural History Trust and the RSPB. 
We are once again indebted to Bruichladdich Distillery for their support of these events - and look forward to seeing you there!.

Mark French ploughing the Minister's Field - Rockside Farm

Mackerel Sky - Rockside farm

Drilling barley at Rockside

Mark French ploughing at Rockside Farm

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Oil tanker Keewhit at Bruichladdich Pier last week

We have had a month of cold dry weather with an easterly airstream giving good visibility.  The ground is very dry for the time of year and there is little water in the burns.

Highland Bullocks from Octomore - Lighthouse Field, Port Charlotte

They are being fed a supplementary diet of draff mixed with silage and barley straw as the cold weather has badly retarded growth of just about everything....

Ploughing at Octomore Farm

John MacPherson and his new friends yesterday...

Beinn Bheigier

For a very brief moment I was the tallest person on Islay on Thursday - and then my son stood next to me on the summit of Beinn Bheigier. What a joy it was to have him there with us. Lorna usually accompanies me, but James' presence made it even more special. It was James that spotted the White-tailed Eagle rising up from just in front of us with wings that seemed to go on forever and James who managed to get closest to the Red Deer. I was thrilled when Lorna exclaimed, "Marsh Fritillary caterpillars!" and we watched these tiny, but growing creatures emerging from hibernation to bask in the afternoon sun. What a wonderful day! I shall remember it always.
Becky (text) Lorna (photos)

Buzzard 

White-tailed Eagle

Marsh Fritillary caterpillars 

Raven 

James and the Red Deer

Spider

Larch buds

Spring is very slowly arriving - there was no frost last night for the first time for several nights. Larch trees are coming into bud as these two images show.
Malcolm

Loch Càm and Loch Drolsay

These are seldom visited lochs in the centre of the island. The sunshine had enticed my first butterfly of 2013 out to bask. A little tattered after its hibernation it still seemed to be enjoying the sun's warm rays. A fantastic walk.
Becky

Peacock Butterfly

Pied Wagtail and Reed Bunting at Loch Càm

Standing Stone on Beinn Chàm

Red Deer (44 of them actually) on Carn nan Gillean

Loch Leathann

Old shielings near Loch Drolsay

Loch Drolsay

Spider - lots of them around

As you can see, the recent spell of dry weather has made walking a lot easier!