Big Butterfly Count and 'Flower Power' at Killinallan

Twenty enthusiastic youngsters and about twelve adults met at Killinallan yesterday to take part in our Big Butterfly Count. This was for Butterfly Conservation which encourages people to count butterflies anywhere on a sunny day for fifteen minutes at a time and submit their results online. We spent two blocks of fifteen minutes counting butterflies as we walked through the long grass to the dunes. Niall Oliver was in charge of records and reported that the Common Blue was the winner. Other species were Green-veined White, Meadow Brown, Ringlet and Dark Green Fritillary.

Fiona MacGillivray of Green Bug Productions then explained 'flower power' to us and we had great fun matching leaves and petals to the colours on her rainbow charts. Michael spotted an adder (much to my surprise as the noise level was phenomenal!) and frogs and grasshoppers were regularly hopping from beneath our feet, resulting in squeals of either delight or horror from the children! We finished off the afternoon by counting the number of species of flower seen in a 3 foot square of ground. It was a most enjoyable way to spend an afternoon and a grand finale to our successful butterfly fun day. Thanks to Fiona and to all who helped or turned up to support us throughout the day.

Becky

Dark Green Fritillary - Argynnis aglaja - it came bottom of our count

Counting flowers in a square

A beautiful Frog Orchid - Coeloglossum viride

John demonstrates the height of a Marsh Thistle

Fragrant Orchid - Gymnadenia conopsea

Rainbow Colours

One of many frogs

Ramble at Sanaigmore, 30th July 2012

What a glorious afternoon for a ramble! Nine of us set out at Sanaigmore today and what a treat was in store for us in the form of the spectacular floral carpet that surpassed any such displays that we saw here last year. What our list lacked in birds or insects, it more than made up for in flora today. The highlights were definitely Sanaigmore's first recorded Frog and Pyramidal Orchids. After finding the Frog Orchid I joked that all that now remained was for someone to find a Pyramidal Orchid - and lo and behold - minutes later Anne called us over to examine an orchid she'd found - none other than the Pyramidal Orchid itself. I was delighted! Thanks Anne and to everyone for a most enjoyable ramble.
Becky

BIRDS
Gannet, Herring Gull, Rock Dove, Meadow Pipit, Reed Bunting, Swallow, Starling, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Dunlin, Wheatear, Chough, Raven, Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail

FLORA
Bird's-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Marsh Marigold (leaves), Silverweed (leaves),Common Storksbill, Monkey Flower, Water Cress, Water Forget-me-not, White Clover, Red Clover, Lady's Bedstraw, Daisy, Mouse-ear Chickweed, Common Hawkbit, Eyebright, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Lesser Burdock, Common Nettle, Yellow Iris (leaves), Common Ragwort, Autumn Gentian, Common Centaury, Self-heal, Wild Thyme, Pineapple Mayweed, Prickly Sow Thistle, Yellow Rattle, Red Bartsia, Marsh Willowherb, Yorkshire Fog, Fairy Flax, Harebell, Yarrow, Common Sorrel, Frog Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Sea Milkwort, Thrift, Broad-leaved Dock, Curled Dock, Brooklime, Wall Speedwell, Germander Speedwell, Carnation Sedge, Ragwort, Field Gentian, Common Milkwort, Sea Plantain, Buck's-horn Plantain

INSECTS
Common Blue Butterfly, Ringlet, Small White

MAMMALS
Rabbit

LICHEN
Xanthoria parietina (foliose; bright yellow on rocks and wall), Parmelia saxatilis (foliose; grey), Anaptychia runcinata (foliose; brown/bronzey patches on wall), Ramalina sp., (fruitose; grey/green bushy patches on wall), Physcia adscendens (whitish with 'eyelashes')

Carpet of Eyebright



Dunlin




Frog Orchid - Coeloglossum viride




Examining flora




Pyramidal Orchid - Anacamptis pyramidalis




Common Centaury - Centauruim erythraea




Examining a Mermaid's Purse