Ramble at Sanaigmore, 26th August 2013

Every ramble is special and unique with its own blend of personalities and sightings, none of which is really within anybody's control and it is this element of surprise which is so exciting about our nature rambles. Today's was so full of wonder and excitement that it has definitely made it into my own personal top five in the INHT ramble charts! Thanks to all who came. A special mention should be made of the inexhaustible Whitney who had asked me to make her a chart to tick off everything she saw. This I did, complete with a points system (which, it has to be said, was revised en route - the harebell obviously getting more points than anything else!) She managed to clock up 1333 points by the end of the ramble and hopefully learnt something as she went! Well done, Whitney! Thanks too to Ann who gave an impromptu geology lesson and pointed out the differences between phyllite ("a type of foliated metamorphic rock created from slate that is further metamorphosed so that very fine grained white mica achieves a preferred orientation." Wikipedia) and greywacke ("a variety of sandstone generally characterized by its hardness, dark color, and poorly sorted angular grains of quartz, feldspar and small rock fragments." Wikipedia) Other highlights were the otter (a first for 8 out of our 13 ramblers), a slime mould and a Painted Lady butterfly. Something for everyone then! (Except for the elusive Chough!)
Becky

BIRDS
Common Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Starling, Swallow, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Oystercatcher, Shag, Linnet

FLORA
Bird's-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Silverweed (leaves),Common Storksbill, Monkey Flower, 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, Common Ragwort, Autumn Gentian, Common Centaury, Self-heal, Wild Thyme, Pineapple Mayweed,  Red Bartsia, Marsh Willowherb, Yorkshire Fog, Fairy Flax, Harebell, Yarrow, Curled Dock, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Water Mint, Harebell, Purple Loosestrife, Cat's-ear

INSECTS AND INVERTEBRAE
Painted Lady, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Green-veined White, Harvestman, Cranefly, Large Yellow Underwing

MAMMALS
Otter

LICHEN AND FUNGI
Xanthoria parietina, Red Waxcap, Yellow Waxcap, Slime Mould sp

Red Waxcap

Slime Mould