Ramble at Killinallan, 12th August 2013

Just two for today's ramble and it would appear I arrived five minutes too late because I'd just missed the female hen harrier and, more importantly the juvenile White-tailed Eagle which was fishing on Loch Gruinart prior to my arrival. Just the way it goes I suppose. We nearly missed being rained upon today, but not quite. The wonder of Killinallan is that from May through to September there is a splendid, ever-changing floral carpet. The predominant colour today was blue with a gorgeous array of Devil's-bit Scabious and Harebells adorning the dunes, providing much food for the bumble bees which were also in abundance today - hurray!
Becky

BIRDS
Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eider, Curlew, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Oystercatcher

MAMMALS
Grey Seal

INSECTS
Green-veined White, Dark Green Fritillary, Small Copper, Common Blue, Carabus Clatratus, Tachina Grossa, Common Darter

FLORA
Grass of Parnassus, Black Bog Rush, Self-heal, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Cat's-ear, Eyebright, Spear Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Lady's Bedstraw, Red Clover, Bracken, Wild Thyme, Marsh Pennywort,  Lesser Meadow Rue, Northern Marsh Orchid, Frog Orchid, Field Gentian, Ragged Robin, Iris, Meadowsweet, Yorkshire Fog, Soft Rush, Sea Spurrey, Thrift (only just), Harebell, Tufted Vetch, Fairy Flax, Water Mint,  Marram Grass, Yarrow, Common Knapweed, Devil's-bit Scabious, Burnet Rose, Autumn Gentian, Devil's-bit Scabious, Autumn Gentian

Autumn Gentians

Shaggy Ink-caps

Small Copper

Tachina grossa

A walk to Proaig

Last Tuesday several of us ventured to the east of the island for a walk from Ardtalla to Proaig. We saw lots of wildlife en route.
Becky

Emperor Moth caterpillar - 1st instar

Herb Robert (Robertiella robertiana)

Peacock Caterpillars near Proaig

Reed Bunting

Six-spot Burnet moths mating

Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary - an unusual sighting for Islay

Small Copper

Walk to Rubh' a' Mhail

Yesterday six of us set off for the long, boggy walk to Rubh' a' Mhail lighthouse looking for adders, Basking Sharks and Otters. We saw Lizards, Red-breasted Carrion Beetles and Small Coppers instead but never mind. We nearly didn't set off in the first place because, despite the forecast, it started off so drizzly and overcast that we didn't see much point in going. Within half an hour, however, the cloud had lifted and the sun blazed down on us for the rest of the day. Falling asleep in the back of the car on the way home I opened my eyes just long enough to see the Osprey (at last!) fishing on Loch Indaal. This was very exciting but we couldn't stop to take a photo because it's the bit of road where's there's nowhere to pull over. What a fantastic day!
Becky

BIRDS: Yellowhammer, Kestrel, Hen Harrier, Great Black-backed Gull, Stonechat, Whinchat, Meadow Pipit, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Curlew, Grey Heron, Willow Warbler, Shag, Gannet, Wren, Manx Shearwater, (Osprey)

FLORA: Heather, Bell Heather, Bog Myrtle, Eyebright, Bog Asphodel, Milkwort, Round-leaved Sundew, Long-leaved Sundew, Cottongrass and probably loads more

INSECTS AND INVERTEBRAE: Red-breasted Carrion Beetle, Peacock Butterfly, Small Copper, Grayling Butterfly, Meadow Brown, Keeled Skimmer, Common Darter, Common Hawker, Wolf Spider, Small Heath

REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS AND MAMMALS: Common Lizard, Common Frog, Red Deer, Grey Seal

LICHEN: Fuscidea cyathoides, Usnea sp

SEA CREATURES: Butterfish, Beadlet Anemone, Butterfish, Limpets, Acorn Barnacle

Common Darters mating

Grayling

Grey Heron

Red Deer

Red-breasted Carrion Beetle

Small Copper

Nature Ramble at Kilchiaran

Yesterday we had our first ramble of the season and the first one ever at Kilchiaran. What a spot and what a day! We've made a great start to the season's list of flora and fauna. The place was alive with birdsong and alarm calls. There are at least two pairs of Ringed Plover nesting on this beach so we didn't venture onto the beach itself and would ask walkers to take great care on this site for the same reason. Here's our list (I so love doing this!):
Birds
Meadow Pipit (obviously feeding young), Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail (family), Ringed Plover (nesting), Gannet, Fulmar, Chough, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wheatear (family), Snipe, Common Sandpiper (pair), Oystercatcher, Rock Dove, Sand Martin (nesting), Swallow, Eider (nursery of 15 young)
Flora
Butterwort, Lesser Celandine, Primrose, Foxglove, Scaly Male Fern, Water Mint, Common Scurvy Grass, Forget-me-not sp., Germander Speedwell, Yellow Pimpernel, Knotted Pearlwort, Marsh Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Tormentil, Thrift, Silverweed, Common Nettle, Broad-leaved Dock, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Yellow Flag, Marsh Marigold, Meadow Buttercup, Daisy, White Clover, Dog Violet, Ragged Robin, Cuckoo Flower
Mammals and Insects
Grey Seal, Blue-tailed Damselfly, Small Heath Butterfly, Small Copper Butterfly, Small White Butterfly
Lichens
Xanthoria sp, Anaptychia runsinata, ramalina sp, Ochrolechia parella

Our next ramble is on Friday, at Bunnahabhain at 2 pm. Phone 01496 850 288 or 07967 205229 to book.
Becky

Eider Nursery

Xanthoria aureola (used to be Xanthoria ectaneoides)

Ringed Plover on watch

Small Copper

Small Copper (underside)

Blue-tailed Damselfly

Flora and Fauna at Kintra 5th August 2011

It was an energetic ramble today with one family with three children and two others joining us. The river was crossable this time and the highlights were the Red-throated Divers and Merlin. The Wild Thyme was also a favourite, reminding us of the stuffing we eat with chicken!
Becky

BIRDS
Pied Wagtail, Starling, Swallow, Hooded Crow, Meadow Pipit, Greylag Goose, Herring Gull, Sand Martin, Twite, Oystercatcher, Common Gull, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Eider, Chough, Shag, Black Guillemot, Red-throated Diver, Raven, Greenfinch, Wheatear, Chaffinch, Merlin, Linnet, Great-black-backed Gull, Reed Bunting, Redpoll, Mistle Thrush, Gannet

FUNGI
Trichoglossum hirsutum (in spaghnum), Panaeolus semiovatus (in cow dung)

INSECTS
Dor Beetle, Leaf Hopper, Meadow Brown, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Copper, Green-veined White, Bombus muscorum, Small Heath, Golden-ringed Dragonfly, grasshopper sp., Soldier Beetle

FLORA

Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Forget-me-not sp., Lady’s Bedstraw, Silverweed, White Clover, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Lousewort, Lesser Spearwort, Ragged Robin, Cat’s-ear, Common Cottongrass, Tormentil, Wild Thyme, Self-heal, Yellow Rattle, Red Bartsia, English Stonecrop, Ivy-leaved Crowfoot, Marsh Pennywort, Bell Heather, Cross-leaved Heath, Daisy, Hard Fern, Common Sorrel, Bog Asphodel, Angelica, Yarrow, Sea Plantain, Heather, Water Cress, Goat Willow, Bog Myrtle, Round-leaved Sundew, Redshank, Bracken, Common Nettle, Harebell, Common Scurvy Grass, Lesser Burdock, Red Clover, Milkwort sp., Yorkshire Fog, Fox-tail, Perennial Rye Grass, Marsh Willowherb, Marsh Bedstraw, Devil's-bit Scabious, Thrift, Reed, Black Knapweed, Jointed Rush, Carnation Sedge, Marsh Speedwell

Yarrow - Achillea millefolium- pink variety



Yarrow - Achillea millefolium - white variety

Small Copper - Lycaena phlaeas

Trichoglossum hirsutum

 

We managed to herd our ramblers together for the photo!

 

 

 

 

 
 

Small Copper and Six-spot Burnet moth

Thanks to two of our regular visitors for these lovely photos of a Small Copper and a Six-spot Burnet Moth.

Becky