Beetle duo

It's wonderful to see beetles again after such a long time without them! Lorna and I saw these two on a trip to Bunnahabhain yesterday (where we also collected caterpillars - hurray!)
Becky

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris)

Red-breasted Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma thoracicum)

Iceland Gull - Peter Roberts

Two good shots of the Iceland Gull which is a regular visitor to Bunahabhain.  It was spotted for the first time this winter by Peter Clements. 

Ramble at Bunnahabhain

The rain held off for our ramble this afternoon. Five of us were present and whilst Ben showed us his photos of otters, we scoured the coastline trying to make every lump of seaweed or rock into an otter for Scott, who has never seen one before; alas, we scoured in vain. We may not have seen otters, but we saw plenty of other things. Highlights were Whinchat, clusters of Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock caterpillars (some of which we have acquired for the Visitor Centre), Redpoll and a Nursery Wep Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
with a huge egg sac.

I found some information about the Nursery Web Spider from the British Arachnological Society's webpage as follows:

A female carries her large eggs sac beneath her body, held in the jaws. Prior to the spiderlings hatching she fixes it to some plants and spins a silken tent around it and then stands guard. It is the distinctive tents that give her away. She guards the eggs and spiderlings, giving rise to the English name of Nursery Web Spider.

I have submitted our record to the BAS as the distribution maps showed the species has not been recorded on Islay before. It is, however, a fairly widely distributed species, suggesting that, as with many other genera, it is under-recorded, rather than rare!

Thanks everyone for your enthusiastic contributions today.
Becky

BIRDS
Lesser Redpoll, Whinchat, Stonechat, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Whitethroat, Swallow, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Blackbird, Willow Warbler, Wren, Shag, Great Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Rock Pipit, Linnet

FLORA
Tormentil, Butterwort, Milkwort, Foxglove, Honeysuckle, Silverweed, Meadow Buttercup, Common Nettle, Broad-leaved Dock, Sheep Sorrel, Heath Bedstraw, Round-leaved Sundew, White Clover, Red Clover, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Bracken, Common Cottongrass, Lousewort, Bell Heather, Rhododendron, Bog Asphodel, Bramble, Hard Fern, Cleavers, Bilberry, Heath-spotted Orchid

AMPHIBIANS AND MAMMALS
Common Frog, Common Toad, Common Lizard, Common Seal

INSECTS AND SPIDERS
Small Heath Butterfly, Red Admiral Butterfly, Brown-eye Silver-Line, Clouded Buff, grasshopper sp., froghopper sp., Small Tortoiseshell Caterpillars, Peacock Caterpillars, Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis ), Stenodema holsata (Mirid bug), Common carder bee (Bombus pascuorum), White-tailed bumblebee (Bombus lucorum)



Mirid Bug - Stenodema holsata



Common Sandpiper (Photo: Mark Nelson)



Nursery Web Spider, (Pisaura mirabilis)
(Photo: MN)



Whinchat (Photo: MN)

Small Tortoiseshell caterpillars (Photo: Lorna)

Peacock Caterpillars (Photo: Lorna)

INHT Wildlife Centre is now open in Port Charlotte

Our Natural History Centre in Port Charlotte is now open from 10.30am-4.30pm Monday - Friday.  A warm welcome to Lorna Williamson who is joining our Centre manager Becky Williamson for the season.  They will be busy getting the displays and tanks up and running this week.

Our program of natural history rambles starts on June 1st.  These are short and very informal and easy going 'Rambles' (as opposed to 'Walks') led by Becky at a series of different locations around the island.  As the name suggests, they involve a great deal of stopping to peer at and identify all sorts of plants, birds, bugs, beetles, lichens and liverworts.  They are very easy going, a perfect day out for all ages, abilities and levels of natural history knowledge.  One of the fun things that Becky hopes that you will help her with is to create lists of all the different species that you find - which is actually great fun.

The rambles must be booked in advance, by phoning either the Centre (01496 850288) or mobile (07967 205229) at any time up to 1.00pm on the day.  Each ramble starts at 2.00pm and lasts for around two hours.  There is nothing strenuous involved, but please come prepared with waterproof footwear and clothing to suit the weather.

At Bunnahabhain: we meet beside the road before it turns down to the distillery.
At Kilchiaran: we meet by the chapel.  There is plenty of parking in the laybys.
At Sanaigmore: there's plenty of parking at the end of the road.
At Killinallan: meet where the road ends in a (usually) locked gate.
At Ardnave: beside the loch where the track turns left towards the farm.
At Kintra: in the signposted car park through the gate out of the farm yard.

Prices for the Rambles are the same as admission to the Centre - Adult £3, Concession £2, Child £1.50, Family £7.50

Next Geology Field Trip on Tuesday 20th March

Yesterday's geology field trip with Prof Skelton was a great success.  The format of the next proposed trip is to be the same on 20th March, with visits to both Bunnahabhain and Port Ellen proposed.  We still have some places left so if you would like to join us then please either call the centre on 01496 850288 and leave a message, or contact us via email on manager@islaynaturalhistory.org

Geology Field Trip Report

Fourteen of us joined Professor Alasdair Skelton and his post-grad student Vincent for a Geology trip based around two sites, the first being a location just south of Bunnahabhain.

We enjoyed a fascinating overview of both first principles of geological classification, and also a truly memorable demonstration of how the eastern half of Islay was formed, using a set of coloured rubber mats and a map.

We had a close look at the remains of the Wyre Majestic, the Fleetwood trawler that ran onto the rocks here back in 1973.

The weather was kind overall, and we enjoyed some spectacular views down the Sound of Islay

One of the many highlights of the day were these fossil stromatolites, some of the most ancient (and successful) living things on the planet.

Our second location was the Ard near Port Ellen where Alasdair had conducted the research for his pHD.

This was an exploration of how carbon dioxide, formed from the remains of organisms that lived around 700 million ago years, became trapped in rock 30kms below the earths surface and then escaped.  Or something like that..!!  - Carl

Otter at Bunnahabhain

Thanks to James Deane for sending us these three lovely shots of an otter at Bunnahabhain.  They were taken by James' friend Paul Murphy who is visiting Islay...

Flora and Fauna at Bunnahabhain, 8th August 2011

"We'll not see many insects today," I foolishly began today's ramble, my words carried away instantly by the strong wind that blowed at Bunnahabhain. I say 'foolishly' because of course we did see lots of insects and now I'm thinking of beginning every ramble by saying, "We'll not see any Golden Eagles/Red Deer/Otters or Basking Sharks today," and see if that has the same effect!

These rambles really are great fun - at least I enjoy them. If you've not been on one yet, consider joining us before the end of the season. Today's highlight has to be the Oystercatcher because it was regarded with such enthusiasm by at least one member of the party who had never seen one before and was enthralled. It made me look at and appreciate this wader again.
Becky

BIRDS
Oystercatcher, Kittiwake, Gannet, Herring Gull, Meadow Pipit, Swallow, Great Tit, Common Gull

LICHEN

Usnea sp. (bushy, beard-like species hanging from trees), Ramalina sp. (Fruitose grey/green species on rocks), Cladonia floerkaena ('matchstick' lichen), Anaptychia runsinata (bronzey seaweed on rocks), Xanthoria parietina (yellow on rocks)

INSECTS
Dor Beetle, Bombus pascuorum (Common Carder Bee), Bombus lucorum (White-tailed Bumble Bee), Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Peacock Butterfly, Small Tortoiseshell, Grasshopper sp., Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Diving Beetle, Eristalis pertinax (hoverfly)

MAMMALS
Common Seal

FLORA
Rowan, Meadow Buttercup, Creeping Buttercup, Silverweed, White Clover, Lesser Trefoil, Daisy, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Foxtail, Common Nettle, Bracken, Hawkweed sp., Common Milkwort, Common Cottongrass, Tormentil, Meadowsweet, Self-heal, Yellow Rattle, Honeysuckle, Round-leaved Sundew, Cross-leaved Heath, Bell Heather, Gorse, Black Knapweed, Marsh Willowherb, Foxglove, Thrift, Sheep Sorrel, Bog Asphodel, Yorkshire Fog, Sweet Vernal Grass, Rhododendron, Marsh Bedstraw, Bramble, Rosa rugosa, English Stonecrop, Small Red Goosefoot, Bilberry, Prickly Sow Thistle, Redshank, Red Clover, Heather, Jointed Rush, Common Spiked Rush, Yarrow, Sneezewort, Angelica, Devil's-bit Scabious, Ragwort, Hard Fern, Marsh Woundwort, Spaghnum sp., Polytrichum juniperinum

Marsh Woundwort - Stachys palustris

Eristalis pertinax - hoverfly

Polytrichum juniperinum - Juniper Haircap Moss

Photos from Fiona Skinner

Thanks to Fiona for these wonderful photos of a Curled Octopus which she saw at Port Askaig and the fantastic photos of the otter feeding at Bunnahabhain.
Becky

Flora and Fauna at Bunnahabhain 4th July 2011

There were 9 of us for today's ramble at Bunnahabhain - 7 adults and 2 children - it's hard to tell who were the most enthusiastic. It was a very hands on ramble today and I don't think anything went unheeded - as you can see from the photos! Thanks everyone. It was most enjoyable.
Becky


Akemi's turn for the binoculars



Yoshito helps Yvonne identify a Cladonia sp. lichen

BIRDS
Whinchat juv., Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Yellowhammer, Hen Harrier (m.), Buzzard, Lesser Redpoll, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, Cormorant, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Swallow, Wren

LICHEN
Usnea sp., Ramalina sp., Cladonia floerkaena, Anaptychia runsinata

INSECTS
Green Tiger Beetle, Dung Beetle, Bombus Pascourum (Common Carder Bee), Bombus hortorum (Garden Bumble Bee),  Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Dark Green Fritillary, Chimney Sweeper Moth, Fox Moth, Speckled Wood, Grasshopper sp., Golden-ringed Dragonfly and hundreds of Peacock caterpillars in various stages of development.

TREES
Downy Birch (Betula pubescens), Downy Willow (Salix lanata),  Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)

FLORA
Meadow Buttercup, Creeping Buttercup, Silverweed, White Clover, Lesser Trefoil, Daisy, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Marsh Lousewort, Lousewort, Cuckoo Flower, Lesser Spearwort,
Crested Dog's Tail, Common Nettle, Bracken, Hawkweed sp., Common Milkwort, Common Cottongrass, Tormentil, Meadowsweet, Fairy Flax, Self-heal, Yellow Rattle, Honeysuckle, Round-leaved Sundew, Cross-leaved Heath, Bell Heather, Gorse, Black Knapweed (not yet in flower), Marsh Willowherb, Rosebay Willowherb, Foxglove, Cleavers, Thrift, Common Sorrel, Sheep Sorrel, Broad-leaved Dock, Common Skullcap, Common Scurvygrass, Fairy Flax, Slender St. John's Wort, Bog Asphodel, Mouse-ear Chickweed, Yorkshire Fog, Sweet Vernal Grass, Yellow Rattle, Rhododendron, Heath Bedstraw, Bramble, Rosa rugosa, Common Spotted Orchid, Heath-spotted Orchid, Ribwort Plantain, Redshank, English Stonecrop, Small Red Goosefoot, Bilberry, Marsh Stitchwort, Prickly Sow Thistle

INHT "Nature Rambles" programme announced

Bunnahabhain - James Deane

James went up to Bunnahabhain to see the Geminid meteor shower the other night, and although he saw them, he wasn't able to capture them on camera.  What he did get was still pretty impressive mind you...