Flora and fauna at Kintra, 18th July 2011

GrassThere may only have been three of us on today's ramble but we still saw a lot. We were unable to cross the 'trickle of a burn' that I'd warned our Californian ramblers about because it had turned into a veritable Grand Canyon river after the downpours of yesterday. But our detour route meant we saw something that I have never seen before IN MY LIFE! Fanfare please! Quite appropriate really given our forthcoming talk on dragonflies and damselflies next week. We saw an Emerald Damselfly which, according to our records has only been recorded 6 times on Islay before (almost certainly under recorded). It is quite difficult to spot and incredibly difficult to photograph as the camera wants to focus on anything and everything else green except the dameselfly - but I managed it in the end and it is a real beauty. I was beside myself with excitement.

We also saw lots of the delicate Grass of Parnassus and a beautiful male Hen Harrier. Here is the list:

BIRDS
Hen Harrier (m), Redpoll, Chaffinch, Meadow Pipit, Chough, Herring Gull, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Eider, Gannet, Twite, Raven, Hooded Crow, Starling, Swallow, Rock Dove, Pied Wagtail

LICHEN
Peltigera membranacea (Dog Lichen)

FLORA
Self-heal, Heath-spotted Orchid, Heather, Cross-leaved heath, Bell Heather, Grass of Parnassus, Heath Milkwort, Bog Pimpernel, Bog Asphodel, Bog Myrtle, Tormentil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Lesser Spearwort, Lousewort, Marsh Lousewort, Daisy, Cat's-ear, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Red Bartsia, English Stonecrop, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Lady's Bedstraw, White Clover, Red Clover, Bracken, Hard Fern, Wild Thyme, Marsh Pennywort, Silverweed, Yellow Rattle,

INSECTS
Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Emerald Damselfly, Ringlet, Meadow Brown, White sp., Small Heath, Marsh Fritillary caterpillars

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS
Common Frog, Common Toad

Becky

Emerald Damselfly

Grass of Parnassus