Ramble at Killinallan, 12th August 2013

Just two for today's ramble and it would appear I arrived five minutes too late because I'd just missed the female hen harrier and, more importantly the juvenile White-tailed Eagle which was fishing on Loch Gruinart prior to my arrival. Just the way it goes I suppose. We nearly missed being rained upon today, but not quite. The wonder of Killinallan is that from May through to September there is a splendid, ever-changing floral carpet. The predominant colour today was blue with a gorgeous array of Devil's-bit Scabious and Harebells adorning the dunes, providing much food for the bumble bees which were also in abundance today - hurray!
Becky

BIRDS
Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eider, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Oystercatcher

MAMMALS
Grey Seal

INSECTS
Green-veined White, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Common Blue, Carabus Clatratus, Tachina Grossa, Common Darter

FLORA
Grass of Parnassus, Black Bog Rush, Self-heal, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Cat's-ear, Eyebright, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Lady's Bedstraw, Red Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Marsh Pennywort,  Lesser Meadow Rue, Northern Marsh Orchid, Frog Orchid, Field Gentian, Ragged Robin, Iris, Meadowsweet, Yorkshire Fog, Soft Rush, Sea Spurrey, Thrift (only just), Harebell, Tufted Vetch, Fairy Flax, Water Mint,  Marram Grass, Yarrow, Common Knapweed, Devil's-bit Scabious, Burnet Rose, Autumn Gentian, Devil's-bit Scabious, Autumn Gentian

Autumn Gentians

Shaggy Ink-caps

Small Copper

Tachina grossa

Autumn Gentian

Pauline Yates has sent this lovely photo taken at Ardnave yesterday. This delightful late-flowering plant grows in short turf in several parts of the island, especially on the dunes, but also on some limestone sites.
Thanks Pauline.
Malcolm

Nature Ramble at Killinallan - Friday 21st September 2012

I was pleased to have a ramble on the first day of autumn, and that the weather was so favourable. For once the seals weren't singing, but there was still a wealth of floral bounty to enjoy. Thanks to Rosie, Marion and Laurie for coming and for being so enthusiastic.
Becky

BIRDS
Curlew, Oystercatcher, Grey Heron, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Bar-tailed Godwit, Rock Dove, Starling

FLORA
Autumn Gentian, Daisy, Ragged Robin, Flag Iris (leaves), Frog Orchid, Tormentil, Marsh Pennywort, Tufted Vetch (leaves), Marsh Lousewort, Grass of Parnassus, Devil's-bit Scabious, Black Bog Rush, Self-heal, Marsh Thistle, Red Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Burnet Rose (leaves), Yarrow, Meadowsweet, Thrift, Harebell, Water Mint

LICHEN
Fruitose sp (Ramalina), Crustose sp (Lecanora), Foliose sp (Xanthoria parietina)

INSECTS AND SPIDERS
Bombus lucorum (White-tailed Bumble Bee), Orb Weaver Spider

SHORE CREATURES
Shore Crab

Autumn Gentian

Bombus lucorum (White-tailed Bumble Bee) on Devil's-bit Scabious

Unknown insects on Grass of Parnassus

Compare this to last Friday's seascape!

Rosie watches a compliant bumble bee (closer photo above)

Flora and Fauna at Killinallan 25th July 2011

Six of us enjoyed our ramble at Killinallan this afternoon. What the bird list lacked in quantity, it gained in quality. I was delighted to see so many butterflies around and thrilled with our flower list - the highlight being the Marsh Helleborine, which is flourishing this year, along with all the other orchid species on Islay it seems. So encouraging to see. Thank you to all for making it such an enjoyable ramble.
Becky

BIRDS
Whinchat, Whimbrel, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wheatear, Meadow Pipit, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Oystercatcher, Starling, Eider

INSECTS AND SPIDERS
Meadow Grasshopper, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Common Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Green-veined White, Small Tortoiseshell, Common Carder Bee, Highland Darter (f), Spider sp

LICHENS AND FUNGI
Xanthoria parietina, Lecanora gangloides, Ramalina sp., Puffball, Shaggy Ink Cap

MAMMALS
Grey Seal

FLORA
Daisy, Meadow Buttercup, Grass of Parnassus, Black Bog Rush, Self-heal, Cross-leaved heath, Heath Milkwort, Bog Asphodel, Bog Myrtle, Tormentil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lesser Spearwort, Cat's-ear, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Lady's Bedstraw, White Clover, Red Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Marsh Pennywort, Silverweed, Lesser Meadow Rue, Pyramidal Orchid, Northern Marsh Orchid, Marsh Helleborine, Common Twayblade, Frog Orchid, Autumn Gentian, Purple Loosestrife, Forget-me-not sp., Cuckoo Flower, Marsh Marigold (leaves), Ragged Robin, Iris (leaves), Common Sorrel, Dock sp., Meadowsweet, Yorkshire Fog, Common Rush, Jointed Rush, Sweet Vernal Grass, Lesser Sea Spurrey, Thrift (only just), Harebell, Tufted Vetch, Pignut, Sea Milkwort, Fairy Flax, Water Mint, Hawkweed sp., Marram Grass, Goat Willow, Marsh Bedstraw, Yarrow, Common Scurvy Grass, Ray's Knotgrass, Black Knapweed, Devil's-bit Scabious

Autumn Gentian - Gentianella amarella

Common Carder Bee - Bombus pascourum

Female Highland Darter - Sympetrum nigrescens



Marsh Helleborine - Epipactis palustris

Killinallan ramblers - whatever are we so absorbed in looking at?