English stonecrop

Ragged Robin

Two Orchids

Heath Spotted Orchid

Northern Marsh Orchid

Wild mint identification required

This lovely, fragrant mint is growing in a big lush bed in the Shjorefield, but I am not at all sure what species it might be - it is not yet in flower as you can see.  Any ideas?
Carl

Orchids - Shorefield

Two spectacular orchid spikes from the Shorefield near Bruichladdich.  The cattle have been taken off for the summer and the vegetation is very lush at the moment.  These two spikes could be hybrids between the Northern marsh and Common spotted orchids as they are unusually large.

Flowers of the Shorefield

English stonecrop (Sedum anglicum)

Water Avens (Geum rivale)



Ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi)




Spotted orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) with meadow buttercups (Ranunculus acris)

 Flowers pictured during a ramble through the Shorefield on Sunday afternoon.  Bird species that we saw appearing to hold territory included Whitethroats (feeding young), Oystercatchers, Lapwing, Common Gull and a pair of Arctic terns.  We also saw Eider, Redshanks, Rock and Meadow pipits, Goldfinches and Linnets.
Carl

Roe Deer and Fawn - Gordon Yates

Thanks to Gordon for sending us this lovely picture of the Roe doe with her fawn at Shorefield.

Greater Butterfly Orchid - (Platanthera chlorantha)

Shorefield - Bruichladdich.

Northern marsh orchids (Dactylorhiza purpurella)

Orchid identification is not straightforward - and it is complicated by their ability to hybridise.  These are, I believe, Northern marsh orchids growing on a bank behind Shorefield.
Carl

Roe Deer with fawn at the Shorefield

George has sent in this rather touching photo of a Roe deer doe with her fawn at the Shorefield.  Nice one!!
Carl

Heron behind Shorefield

Thanks to George Jackson for these fine photos of a heron at the pond he excavated behind his house at Shorefield.

A green marine algae 'Enteromorpha intestinalis'

Shorefield.  Thanks to Malcolm for identification!!

Ivy-leaved Crowfoot (Ranunculus hederaceus )

Shorefield, Bruichladdich

Dung Beetle Aphodius fimetarius - Shorefield

In a cow pat at the Shorefield

Moving the Shorefield Bullocks

George decided that it would be best to move the Highland bullocks from the Shorefield for a few months to give the plant life chance to recover and flower and the birds the opportunity to nest in peace.  This is absolutely the correct thing to do when grazing animals are on environmentally 'sensitive' land, and often forms part of farmers' management agreements with, for example, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

We have therefore moved them a few yards across the road to a field behind George and Megan's house.

Moving them across the road



Up George and Megan's drive



And out into a new home for them.  A bit of a change of scene for a few months.  We will probably move them back to the Shorefield at the end of July or beginning of August.

King Cups or Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris)

Apparently one of the most ancient native British plants, there is evidence of Kingcups surviving several ice ages.  They thrive in boggy places - so the Shorefield is perfect for them.  They are poisonous, even the sap can be irritating to some people.  King cups are a member of the buttercup family.

Ground poached by the Shorefield bullocks

The Shorefield is a large area of ground, I have estimated it (unnofficially) to be around 20 acres.  We have just five bullocks on it, but they have already done a surprising amount of 'damage' over much of the area.  Here you can see the effects of 'poaching' by their hooves in a fairly soft patch close to a phragmites reed bed.  The green spear-like shoots you can see are young Yellow Flag Irises (Iris pseudocorus).

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)

Blackthorn is in flower at the Shorefield. 

The bark is black with long, quite vicious spines and the small leaves are serrated and dull green in colour and measure from 2 to 4 cm in length. The leaves provide food for the larvae of Black and Brown Hairstreak butterflies. The tree is also the food plant for the caterpillars of the following moths - March, Common Emerald, Little Emerald, Mottle Pug, Feathered Thorn, Orange, Scalloped Hazel, Scalloped Oak, Swallowtailed, Brimstone, August Thorn, Early Thorn, Pale Brindled Beauty, Blue Bordered Carpet, Broken Barred Carpet, November, Pale November, Winter, Sloe Pug, Green Pug, Sharp Angled Peacock and The Magpie.

http://hedgerowmobile.com/blackthorn.html

What a difference a week makes...

I have been away a week and at this time of year that means you notice big changes when you return.  Over on the mainland there were singing Chiffchaffs and Willow warblers everywhere, and I had heard neither on Islay before I left - although others had picked up the odd one or two.  I saw my first Sand martin at Lochwinnoch RSPB reserve where I stopped to drip dry for a few minutes on my way down to Prestwick.
Back on Islay now and there are Willow warblers all over the place, and I heard a Blackcap singing as I pedalled past Bridgend woods yesterday.  A big skein of around 120 grey geese, probably Pinkfeet, flew very high over Bruichladdich Distillery the day before yesterday, all neatly arranged in an almost perfect V formation and heading purposefully north.

The bullocks were pictured yesterday crossing a section of marshy ground in the centre of the Shorefield.

One of the Shorefield bullocks has been a bit naughty recently - jumping the fence on a number of occasions.  This is always a bit of a worry as bullocks and roads are not an ideal combination. Even though there are lots of unfenced roads on Islay and meeting cattle while driving is quite a regular event, we still want to keep them in if at all possible.  Cattle will challenge fences though, for all sorts of reasons, most of which are quite unfathomable - particularly in this instance as there is no shortage of really good grazing in the Shorefield.  The grass is fairly flying up at the moment.

The whin too is coming into full bloom - although it is not quite at its dazzling best yet.

There are lots of primroses out now too - this clump was snapped in the roadside ditch opposite the Shorefield yesterday.

Three otters at the Shorefield

Alan and Linda, whose house overlooks the Shorefield, told us they were watching three, maybe four, otters this morning for around 15 minutes.  Just before we arrived to feed the beasts... 
Carl