Spring!!!

It's so exciting when you see your first caterpillar and beetle at the beginning of a new year. On various walks last week, Paul and I saw quite a few Drinker Moth caterpillars and this large chrysalis which we later identified as an Emperor Moth chrysalis. Why haven't I seen them before? The moth itself will emerge probably later this month. Of course lichens are here all year round, which makes them extra delightful, so I've included a sample of just some that we saw on our Islay travels!
Becky
PS The beetle got away photoless!

Drinker Moth caterpillar

Emperor Moth chrysalis

Cladonia floerkeana

Cladonia sp

Fuscidea cyathoides

Downy moss?

Corra-ghoirtein and Coille Mhòr

Two more old Islay farmsteads. Corra Ghoirtein translates as Corncrake and is evocative of a time when this now rare farmland bird once inhabited our land in dense numbers.

Coille Mhòr (Big Woodland) is another poignant title as it suggests a time when woodland was more extensive than it is today, although I was encouraged to see evidence of the Rhododendron eradication/native woodland regeneration project at Coill' a Chorra Ghoirtein.

Fiona and I saw a quality total of 7 species of birds today: Golden Eagle (fantastic - never tire of it!), Hen Harrier, Buzzard, Teal, Twite, Meadow Pipit and Common Gull. We saw a plethora of unknown lichens though on the old walls and an interesting pellet.

My only regret (and some would say I was being petty) is that we chose the one dull day sandwiched between two glorious days. Still, it was a joy to explore territory neither of us had really seen before - and that's saying something! Thanks for the company, Fiona - and the excellent map reading!
Becky

Coille Mhòr (Big Woodland)

Regenerating woodland at Bun an Uillt

Interesting pellet

Lichen at Corra Ghoirtein

Corra Ghoirtein

Fuscidea Cyathoides

Loch a' Chnuic Bhric

Sornasairidh - possibly the marshiest ground on Islay!

Those of you who know me know I've crossed some pretty dodgy ground before in my traverses of Islay's lesser known terrain! Well, to reintroduce my daughter to the joys of Islay walking, we did a walk on Monday to surpass them all! Normally we count potential obstacles en route - rivers, fences, bogs - anything that poses a potential problem to the facility of the walk. We gave up counting on this occasion - but I might just be telling you that to deter you from finding one of Islay's lesser known jewels - viz a viz the delightful little ruin at Sornasairidh, which nestles unassumingly beneath another of Islay's lesser known jewels - Beinn nam Fitheach (appropriately named Mountain of the Ravens).

We climbed a deer fence, marched through marsh, managed (just!) to negotiate the widest ditch on Islay AND find my fallen-out-of-pocket GPS in the bracken. Was it worth it! Anyone else who was out on Monday will know it was!
Becky

BIRDS: Fieldfare, Raven, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Twite, Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Starling, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Grey Heron, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Redshank, Curlew, Buzzard, Rock Dove, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail

OTHER: Red Deer, Fox Moth caterpillar, Rhizocarpon geographicum, Fuscidea cyathoides (both lichens)

Loch a' Mhala and Beinn nam Fitheach

Sornasairidh and Beinn nam Fitheach

Buzzard

Fungi at Killinallan

Fuscidea cyathoides

Sheep and Robin at Killinallan

Starlings at Craigens

Flock of Twite at Killinallan

More Photos from Storakaig

More photos from our walk to Storakaig last Saturday.

Young male adder

Cladonia community

Fuscidea cyathoides

Red Deer Stag

Unusual pellet on the Sound of Islay