Ardnave Ramble 8th July

A small but keen group of five enjoyed a ramble at Ardnave in warm (even hot) sunny conditions on a day when the temperature at the airport met station reached a massive 22 degrees C! Ardnave Loch held the family of Mute Swans (4 cygnets) and Tufted Duck (c.9 ducklings) and after finding a few plants growing round the edge we walked over the grassy ridge and down to the shore of Loch Gruinart, finding Becky's favourite plant (the Harebell) on the way, except that she wasn't there to enjoy it! Several Six-spot Burnet moths showed off their red spots and red underwing and gave rise to a discussion about the difference between moths and butterflies, the clubbed antennae of the latter being a main distinguishing feature, except for those species which don't have them, not forgetting that the burnet moths have clubbed antennae! And, of course, butterflies fly during the day, and moths at night, except for those, like the burnets, which fly during the day. Hmm, perhaps the burnets are really butterflies! Passing the rocky islet on the shore brought three or four Arctic Terns into the air which from their angry calls must have had young to protect. A Redshank similarly showed its displeasure at our (brief) proximity to where it, too, must have had its young. Bog Pimpernel was admired by all on the edge of the marshy ground, but despite quite extensive searching no orchids could be found.

Mammals
Hare, Grey Seal

Birds
Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Eider Duck, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Arctic Tern, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Wheatear, Swallow

Flowers
Lesser Spearwort, Marsh Marigold, Meadow Buttercup, Bulbous Buttercup, Lady's Smock, Water-cress, Common Milkwort, Ragged Robin, Common Mouse-ear, Sea Spurrey, Yellow Meadow Vetchling, Black Medick, White Clover, Red Clover, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Lady's Bedstraw, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Thyme, Daisy, Thrift, Cat's-ear, Hawkbit, Harebell, Bog Pimpernel, Water Forget-me-not, Germander Speedwell, Eyebright, Water Mint, Sheep's Sorrel, Yellow Flag, Common Reed, Common Butterwort, Common Nettle, Bracken, Soft Rush, Black Bog-rush, Star Sedge, Common Cotton-grass, Common Spike-rush

Butterfly and moth
Small Heath, Six-spot Burnet

Malcolm

Bog Pimpernel

Six-spot Burnet

Sanaigmore ramble

SAeA cool but dry afternoon, after light rain in the morning, saw six of us rambling at Sanaigmore. The cool northerly wind meant we didn't see a single butterfly - but then it seems to be a very poor summer for them so far. However, the flowers were good, while the birds were rather scarce.

Wild flowers
Creeping Buttercup, Meadow Buttercup, Marsh Marigold, Water-cress, Hairy Bitter-cress, Cuckoo-flower, Common Milkwort, Ragged Robin, Procumbent Pearlwort, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Red Clover, White Clover, Marsh Pennywort, Parsley Water-dropwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Marsh Bedstraw, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Common Burdock, Ragwort, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Hawkbit, Common Centaury, Field Felwort, Water Forget-me-not, Field Speedwell, Sea Plantain, Northern Marsh Orchid, Yellow Flag, Marram Grass, Sea Milkwort, Bog Pimpernel, Monkeyflower, Common Cottongrass

Birds
Herring Gull, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Hooded Crow, Wheatear, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Swallow

Mammals
Rabbit


Inverts
Bumblebee (probably Bombus lucorum)

Malcolm

Bumblebee (probably Bombus lucorum)

Common Cottongrass

Common Milkwort

Photos from Robert Mill

Thanks to Robert Mill for sending us these photos as well as an extensive list of his sightings whilst on holiday on Islay and Colonsay.
Becky

Anagallis tenella - Bog Pimpernel

Macrothylacia rubi - Fox Moth

Polygonum raii -  Ray’s Knotgrass

Neottia ovata - Common Twayblade 

Flora and fauna at Ardnave 27th June 2011

We had a record number of 13 people on today's ramble and here is the list:

BIRDS
Meadow Pipit, Grey Heron, Sand Martin, Swallow, Ringed Plover, Redshank, Oystercatcher, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Common Gull, Mute Swan (and two cygnets), Tufted Duck, Lapwing, Whimbrel, Wheatear, Eider, Chough, Jackdaw, Linnet, Rock Dove, Herring Gull, Mallard, House Sparrow, Starling, Arctic Tern

MAMMALS
Rabbit, Grey Seal

LICHEN
Xanthoria parietina, Lecanora gangloides, ramalina sp.

INSECTS
Small Heath

FLORA
Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Bulbous Buttercup, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, Water Mint, Brooklime, Forget-me-not sp., Lady’s Bedstraw, Marsh Marigold, Silverweed, Germander Speedwell,
White Clover, Red Clover, Lesser Trefoil, Daisy, Mouse-ear sp., Early Marsh Orchid, Eyebright,
Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Marsh Lousewort, Cuckoo Flower, Lesser Spearwort,
Ragged Robin, Crested Dog's Tail, Common Nettle, Yellow Iris, Common Storksbill, Bracken, Cat’s-ear,
Butterwort, Chalk Milkwort, Marsh Horsetail, Hare’s-tail Cottongrass, Star Sedge, Tormentil, Bog Pimpernel, Meadowsweet, Wild Thyme, Water Cress, Tufted Vetch, Fairy Flax, Self-heal, Yellow Rattle, Dandelion, Yorkshire Fog

Bog Pimpernel - Anagallis tenella

Becky