Storakaig to An Cladach

In glorious weather Lorna and I walked from Storakaig to An Cladach bothy via Gleann Choireadail and back to Storakaig via Gleann Logain on Saturday. It was a fantastic walk with lots of wildlife, though few birds. Highlights of the day were the otter, adders and dragonflies. Here's our list:

BIRDS
Twite, Rock Pipit, Raven, Meadow Pipit, Chaffinch, Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Gannet, Cormorant, Red-throated Diver, Linnet, Rock Dove, Stonechat

INSECTS AND SPIDERS
Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Dark Green Fritillary, Common Hawker, Black Darter, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, 4spot Orb Weaver Spider, Wolf Spider, Craneflies, Pond Skater, Whirlygig Beetle, Common Green Grasshopper, Harvestmen, Dor Beetle

REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS AND MAMMALS
Adder, Common Frog, , Common Lizard, Otter

FLORA
Skullcap, Devil's-bit Scabious, Cross-leaved Heath, Hawkbit, Bell Heather, Marsh Thistle, Heather, Marsh Lousewort, Long-leaved Sundew, Round-leaved Sundew, Butterwort, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Eyebright, Milkwort, Bracken, Heath-spotted Orchid, Tormentil, Rowan, Common Nettle, Bramble, Bilberry, Bog Myrtle, Cotton Grass, Juncus sp.

Four-spotted Orb Weaver Spider

Black Darter (male) - obelisk position - tail raised (to allow air to circulate better round the body and thus cool down on a hot day)

Common Hawker - male

Common Green Grasshopper

Furrow Spider -  larinioides cornutus

Golden-ringed Dragonfly ovipositing

The moorland pool where we saw all the dragonflies

Orb-weaver Spider - Larinioides cornutus

The Larinioides cornutus  is an orb-weaver spider found in moist areas. We found quite a few of its silken retreats on today's ramble at Killinallan. The web is built between grass or in low shrubbery. The spiders hide during the day in a silken retreat that opens at the bottom (as shown) and disguised by plants or animal matter. They leave their retreat during the night to remake their web. A nocturnal spider!
Becky