Short-eared owls in the North Sea - Neil Brown

These amazing pictures of Short-eared owls were taken on the Helideck of Diving support vessel Rockwater 1 in Dutch sector of North sea by Neil Brown of Port Charlotte.  They have been feeding on the numbers of small birds which also inhabit the ship...  Many thanks Neil....

We believe they are all Short eared, although they do have very long ear-tufts.  Long eared owls have orange eyes (Short eared have yellow...).  The tufts on Long eared are also set wider apart.  The smaller birds are probably males.

More pictures from Ardnave

Paps of Jura

Ragged Robin

Ardnave Loch

Chough flock

Choughs at Ardnave today

Chough pictures taken during a walk down to Ardnave Point earlier this afternoon - in perfect weather...
Carl

The Lily Loch - brian palmer

Two shots of the Lily Loch near Ballygrant taken in yesterday's calm conditions by brian.  Many thanks...

Whooper Swans and Barnacle Geese - Armin Grewe

Lovely shot from Armin of Whooper swans and Barnacle geese, taken last week I believe, on the fields of barley stubble between Sunderland and Rockside Farms on the Rhinns.  Many thanks Armin...

Peacock Butterfly in November - Jenni Minto

Thanks to Jenni for this shot of a Peacock taken outside Port Charlotte yesterday...

Islay on TV on Sunday!

Islay's exposure via television is coming thick and fast. As well as the two programmes tonight (see below), Islay is the subject of the BBC1 programme "Country Tracks" to be broadcast this Sunday 6th November, at 11.00 am. Wildlife does not really figure all that much – the items covered include shipwrecks, Heather Dewar (and her cow, again!), Finlaggan, one of our hotel chef's cooking Islay's food, and Islay's fine Gaelic Choir (Còisir Ghàidhlig Ìle) – but there's little doubt that the island will also star.


See http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0172226

Islay on TV twice tonight!

As well as "Am Boireannach a Dh'ith Bo (The Woman Who Ate a Cow)" on BBC Alba tonight at 9.00 pm, see last but one blog entry, Islay is also featuring in 'Autumnwatch' on BBC1 at 8.30 pm tonight. The programme lasts until 9.30 pm so the film that has been taken on Islay in the last few days - Barnacle Geese and other wildlife - may well overlap with the BBC Alba broadcast. Those with recording facilities will be OK, while Autumnwatch will be available on BBC iPlayer for the next 7 days.

New nature grants system launched by SNH

Organisations and community groups across Scotland, who are running projects to do with managing and enjoying nature, are to benefit from a new online grants service.
The service, launched this week, is available on the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) website where customers can apply for a grant and access grant information and advice.
Projects will be given priority if they help engage people with nature, improve the management of nature and landscape, or create better places in the Central Scotland Green Network area.
Another priority is to improve the management of wildlife; for example, tackling problems of invasive non-native species before they get established will help Scotland to save money in the long-term.
Andrew Bachell, director of operations at SNH, said: “The natural environment is Scotland's most valuable asset. We need to look after it so that it helps to improve our health and quality of life as well as our economic prosperity.
“Supporting projects that help deliver as many of these opportunities as we can is an essential part of this work. We're keen to back projects that are innovative, targeted at key groups, such as young people, people with poor health and people on low incomes, and which address barriers to participation, such as poor health, age and lack of confidence.”
Environment Minister, Stewart Stevenson, welcomed the new service. He said: "Scotland's nature and landscapes make a significant contribution to people's livelihoods, as well as their health and education. We are very keen to encourage more people and communities to become actively involved in looking after it. I very much welcome this new service which will make it easier for groups to apply for SNH funding, with a clear understanding of what the priorities are."
There are two types of grants available. Natural Project Grants are aimed at larger scale, longer term projects, of £10,000 and over. The deadline for these is 30 November 2011, with decisions by end of February 2012.
Community Action Grants will open for applications early in 2012. These grants are aimed at projects of 12 months or less, and between £1,000 and £20,000, that help get more people and communities involved in outdoor recreation, volunteering, outdoor learning, recording nature and biodiversity work. There will be no deadline for these applications as they can be received at any time.
The SNH grants service web page can be found at http://www.snh.gov.uk/funding/our-grants/

Am Boireannach a Dh'ith Bò (The Woman Who Ate A Cow)

Transmission 4th November 9pm, BBC Alba and repeated 6th November 10pm

Watch a clip here:  http://www.caledonia.tv/productions/full-catalogue/video.aspx?id=1530

Short-tailed Field Vole (Microtus agrestis)

This rather confused young chap was picked up wandering about on Octomore Farm near Port Charlotte on the Rhinns.
Carl

Contractor appointed for new Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage

Ambitious plans to create a multi-million pound marine science park in Argyll have taken a step forward following a European-wide procurement process.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has appointed the infrastructure, support services and construction group, Robertson to deliver phase one of the European Marine Science Park at Dunstaffnage, near Oban.
Frank Reid, Regional Managing Director for Robertson said “Robertson are delighted to have been awarded the contract to build this prestigious Science Park building, and we look forward to working in partnership with HIE over the next year.”
The development will include 20,000 sq ft of laboratory and office space in a high-specification sustainable building in a stunning location, aimed at supporting Scotland’s growing Life Science sector and supporting up to around 125 jobs.
Situated adjacent to the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), it is anticipated that the Science Park will be particularly attractive to start-up businesses, spin-outs and SMEs interested in the combination of an outstanding marine environment and world-class scientific expertise on hand. First-class business support will be available to tenants from HIE and Scottish Development International (SDI).
Douglas Cowan, Area Manager for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, said “HIE is delighted that work is set to begin on the site. Argyll and the Islands already has a strong reputation in the Life Sciences sector, with businesses such as GlycoMar Ltd and Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd, occupying laboratory space at Dunstaffnage and achieving international recognition for cutting edge research and development work."
“The Scottish Association for Marine Science at Dunstaffnage is one of the UK’s leading marine research institutes with around 140 staff, and is a founding partner of the University of the Highlands and Islands. Existing and new businesses located in the Science Park will benefit from the proximity of world leading research and facilities on their doorstep, together with tailored business support from both HIE and SDI.”
“Argyll’s marine resource is a fantastic asset, and is particularly well placed to exploit once in a generation opportunities in marine life science activity and in renewable energy. The construction of the Science Park is designed to act as a catalyst for these growing sectoral opportunities.”
In August 2010, the HIE Board approved an investment of £7.5m to create the first phase of the Science Park on the site next to SAMS at Dunstaffnage. HIE will contribute £4.5m of its own grant-in-aid budget from the Scottish Government, and has attracted the remaining £3m towards this first phase from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Computer generated graphic of Marine Science Park

Puffballs and Fencepost at Knockdon

Puffballs do not have an open cap with spore-bearing gills. Instead, spores are produced internally in a sort of stomach which then explodes (to use the scientific term!) to release the spores and hence reproduce.

Puffball - pre-explosion

Puffballs - post-explosion

I also thought I'd add a photo of another amusing fencepost I saw today at Knockdon. I wish the lichenologists were around to identify the lichens!
Becky

Basking Sharks off Ellister - Jane Dawson

Many thanks to Jane Dawson for these photos of Basking sharks taken in Loch Indaal back in the summer.  Jane said: "I counted 23 sharks from my office window on 26th August and more at Wester Ellister and Rhinns Point (along with a Minke); most of the photos were taken from the boat on 31st August when we estimated there were at least forty in Lochindaal.

"The one that came closest had a malformed dorsal fin and was not far off the same length as the boat which is more than 7 metres long."

Dew Moth - Andrew Greenwood

Dwe Moth - Dew Moth Setina irrorella and Caterpillar. Taken in May 2010 below the American monument, on narrow ridge south of monument.

Dew moth caterpillar

Many to Andrew for these shots...

Hector lands a fine Sorn Salmon

Watched by his sister Emily, Hector Inglis hooked his first salmon while fishing the picturesque lower Sorn near Bridgend yesterday.

After an exciting struggle lasting around 15 minutes the fish was finally netted by Hector's father Willy, prompting a quick celebratory text to alert the world...

The fish was a handsome cock salmon of 4 to five pounds in weight.  It was well coloured, indicating that it had been in the river for a week or more.  Fresh run salmon are silver.

Willy informed me that it has been an excellent salmon fishing season, probably because of the high levels of rainfall.  The Sorn, like Islay's other salmon river the Laggan, are spate rivers, with the fish only running when the water is high enough . 
Islay Estates have a catch and release policy, with over 90% of fish returned to the water.  This handsome fellow lived to fight another day and hopefully beget more of his kind.

Coprinus comatus, the shaggy ink cap, lawyer's wig, or shaggy mane

On the footpath alongside the road through Bridgend Woods today.
Carl

Keppols to Bunnahabhain

Fiona MacGillivray and I went for a long walk today. We were celebrating the long-awaited return of that warm, yellow ball in the sky. It made a welcome appearance yesterday to remind us what it looked like and today it teased the cumulus clouds (yes, I know you've all missed my cloud naming!), casting wonderful shadows and fantastic light on the autumnal colours of our landscape which I have so missed in recent weeks. We breathed in deeply of this rich air for, I don't want to depress you, but . . . . well, let's just make the most of it while it lasts!

We saw some fantastic things, starting with an otter which disappeared into the grass next to a passing place which we pulled into to allow a huge lorry to pass (we might not otherwise have seen it). We also saw male and female Bullfinches from the same passing place. Other highlights include Barn Owl at Staoisha Eararach and Crossbill in that woodland and male Blackcap near the military bridge at Bunnahabhain. Here's our list:

Buzzard, Kestrel, Raven, Hooded Crow, Blackbird, Dunnock, Coal Tit, Goldcrest, Blackcap, Rock Dove, Song Thrush, Barn Owl, Crossbill, Pheasant, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Meadow Pipit, Barnacle Goose, White-fronted Goose

Lots of fungi and lichen

Otter, Red Deer

Fox Moth Caterpillars (galore!)

Two fenceposts which caught my eye

Becky

Record Wildlife on Islay, Jura and Colonsay

While many of the different kinds of the abundant and varied wildlife of Islay, Jura and Colonsay are well recorded - as a look at our online database will confirm - just as many are poorly recorded, including some of the commoner species of birds. Thus, we have over 50% more records for Golden Eagle than we do for Robin!
In order to improve the recording of the commoner small birds, as well as some other groups that are relatively easy to see and identify, the INHT, with a gratefully acknowledged grant from SNH, have published this new (free) 12-page booklet, which is being distributed in shops, schools and other outlets around the islands. It includes colour photos and brief descriptions of the small birds of gardens, farmland and woods, as well as all the mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and dragonflies that you are likely to see on Islay, Jura and Colonsay. It also includes a form for you to fill in and send us your records; further forms can be downloaded from the database website.
Below are a couple of pages from the booklet. You can download the whole booklet as a PDF file by clicking on the header "Download Recording Wildlife booklet" at the top of the page.
Becky and Malcolm

New book from Tristan ap Rheinallt

Available from C&E Roy in Bowmore