Port Charlotte this morning

For those who may not be familiar with the village, the INHT Field Centre is the ground floor of the big white building at the top right of the picture.  The Scottish Youth Hostel Association is our landlord, and occupies the first floor.  The building was originally a whisky bond which was used by the now defunct Loch Indaal Distillery in Port Charlotte which, along with the Free Church now housing the Museum of Islay Life, was an early  casualty of the 1929 stock market crash.  The rather scruffy low-rise building to the immediate left of the Field Centre is another whisky bond, the roof of which blew off in a gale in 1997.  It has never been replaced.

The calm before the storm

We had a lovely calm morning here on Islay this morning - but the weather forecast is for things to build up throughout the day until the winds reach above 50mph this evening, accompanied by very heavy rain.  I thought it might be interesting to take a little bit of "before and after" video of the burn that flows down the glen from the Gearach, down through Bruaich Jerich and past the Wildlife Centre.  The clips above show it at fairly normal autumn levels - but we would expect to see a significant rise over the next 24 hours if the forecast is correct - and it usually is....

I will try and get up into Bruaich Jerich again around lunchtime tomorrow and see what it looks like then....

Severe gales of the type that are forecast for this evening are completely normal for this time of year here.

Gruinart Flats

The area pictured above is known as Gruinart Flats, a key part of the RSPB's reserve at Loch Gruinart. These fields are managed heavily all year round, in order to create different habitat for a variety of visiting and resident birds.

The vertical lines you can see on the fields are small drains that carry water off into the larger ditches that run horizontally across the picture, which direct the water into Loch Gruinart itself. The water levels are controlled by a network of pipes and sluices, which at this time of year are set to allow water to run off of the flats as quickly as possible, to provide good grazing for the thousands of geese currently on the reserve. In Spring, the water levels are raised and the flats are flooded, which provides excellent habitat for a variety of waders such as Redshank and Lapwing. 

Scientific bird names

Carl's post about the Red-breasted Mergansers reminded me of this great book I saw advertised in some learned magazine. The Mergus serrator (I think) is so named because of its 'sawbill' or serrated edged bill. I think that's pretty interesting and for lots more such interesting facts I believe this book could be the source. I for one am adding it to my wish list this Christmas. (Hope it's OK to advertise on this site!)

Becky

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Helm-Dictionary-Scientific-Bird-Names/dp/1408125013/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289074148&sr=8-2-fkmr0

Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)

Taken from the hide at Gruinart.

Happy as pigs in, well, mud mostly...

Piglets at Lyrabus Croft earlier today.
Carl

Red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator)

A group were displaying in Loch Indaal earlier today.  There was a Slavonian grebe (Podiceps auritus) much further out in the Loch, but it must have dived when I took this shot - its a grebe thing...
Carl

Aberdeen Angus Bull

One of the great pleasures of living on an island that produced beef as its main agricultural crop is that we have lots of magnificent bulls to look at.  Beef bulls, like this Aberdeen Angus that was looking over the fence at me as I pedalled past Craigens at lunchtime today, are a fairly docile lot.  At least they are compared to some of the dairy chaps that I have met, several of which have been complete nutters.  This huge fellow is currently sharing a field with half a dozen of his men-friends, a mixture of Angus and Charolais.  There are no girls about, so things are fairly tranquil.

Don't stand under a flock of Barnacle geese when they take off

It was a grey, unispiring day today, or at least it was by the time I managed to get out and onto the bike.  A big flock af Barnacle geese were on a field high above a rough bank near Lyrabus Croft, and this meant that I could get up quite close, creeping up the bank before they saw me.  Its best not to be directly under a flock of geese when they take off though - the wee black sausages flying through the air in the photos are goose droppings - released to lighten their take-off weight.  It can be quite a shower...
Carl

Beinn tart a'Mhill

Earlier this evening

European Wildlife Photographer of the Year

BBC Earth

Earth News is produced by the acclaimed BBC Natural History Unit based in Bristol.

For over fifty years, the NHU has produced award-winning wildlife films and documentaries, including landmark series such as Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Natural World, Life In Cold Blood, Nature's Great Events, Yellowstone and Springwatch.
Each year, up to seventy NHU expedition teams travel the world, visiting the most remote and inspiring locations, filming, reporting and celebrating life on Earth.

Earth News is here to bring that world to you and to tell the greatest story of all. The story of life.

Earth News is edited by Matt Walker, an author of natural history news, books and scientific papers.



Community Of Arran Seabed Trust

About Community of Arran Seabed Trust

COAST is a not for profit, voluntary community group which recognises and values the amazing marine biodiversity right on our shoreline and the need to protect it.

COAST's vision: That the No Take Zone (NTZ) will protect Maerl beds and other seabed habitats, regenerate fish and scallop populations and enhance the marine biodiversity in Lamlash Bay.

COAST also endeavers to:
Educate others, especially children, on the need for marine conservation through local, national and international events.
Improve the marine environment in our own "backyard" and determine success through monitoring.
Help sustain the livelihood of those dependant on fishing and tourism.
Increase the popularity of the area as both a diving site and tourist destination.
Reverse the dramatic decline of local fish stocks.

What is a No Take Zone?
A NTZ is an area of sea and seabed from which no marine life can be removed by any method.
The NTZ was established in the autumn of 2008 to protect Maerl beds and to promote natural regeneration of all marine life. It benifits the local economy by attracting visitors and divers to Arran. Eventually commercial fishermen gain with bigger and better catches in the neighbouring overspill areas.
Scientific evidence from New Zealand show that NTZ's do work, so the future looks positive for Lamlash Bay.
C.O.A.S.T.

Rooks in Port Charlotte

Thanks to Jan for this shot of Rooks in Sycamores next to the whisky bonds in Port Charlotte

What's your favourite gatepost?

Here's a photo of mine:

 Being a goosecounter on Islay means you get plenty of opportunity to closely inspect gates and fences and, to make the job even more enjoyable, you can make a shortlist of your favourite ones! There are about 23 gates to open and shut and open and shut again on the Oa route and, after a great deal of deliberation, I have chosen this one as my favourite. All I'll say is that it's somewhere on that route - to avoid a mad rush! My reason for choosing it as number one is the plethora of mosses and lichens adorning it. I wish I knew the name of all the species thereon, but one I am (pretty) certain about is the tiny red-headed one - Cladonia floerkeane. You see this often on peaty moorland, often at high altitudes. Here's a close-up of the top of the fencepost with aforementioned lichen:

admittedly not a good picture, so here's another of Cladonia floerkeane at a different location:

so just when you think there's nothing to see in this awful weather, you can go and inspect gateposts and come up with a shortlist of your own!

Becky

Canada goose (Branta canadensis sp.) feeding with Barnacle geese at Gruinart

The Cackling Goose was originally considered to be the same species or a subspecies of the Canada Goose, but in July 2004 the American Ornithologists' Union's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature split the two into two species, making Cackling Goose into a full species with the scientific name Branta hutchinsii. The British Ornithologists' Union followed suit in June 2005.

The AOU has divided the many subspecies between the two animals. To the present species were assigned:

Atlantic Canada Goose, Branta canadensis canadensis

Interior Canada Goose, Branta canadensis interior
Giant Canada Goose, Branta canadensis maxima

Moffitt's Canada Goose, Branta canadensis moffitti

Vancouver Canada Goose, Branta canadensis fulva

Dusky Canada Goose, Branta canadensis occidentalis

part of "Lesser complex", Branta canadensis parvipes

The distinctions between the two geese have led to confusion and debate among ornithologists. This has been aggravated by the overlap between the small types of Canada Goose and larger types of Cackling Goose. The old "Lesser Canada Goose" was believed to be a partly hybrid population, with the birds named taverneri considered a mixture of minima, occidentalis and parvipes. In addition, it has been determined that the Barnacle Goose is a derivative of the Cackling Goose lineage, whereas the Hawaiian Goose is an insular representative of the Canada.

(Wikipedia)

Barnacle geese and Bowmore

The Barn Owl Trust

The Barn Owl Trust

Fin Whale spotted off Gairloch - HWDT

The world's second largest mammal, the Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalusis) has been seen off the Hebrides.

For report, follow link below

Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust

The fin is the second largest whale and the second largest living animal after the blue whale, growing to nearly 27 meters (88 ft) long.
Long and slender, the fin whale's body is brownish-grey with a paler underside. There are at least two distinct subspecies: the Northern fin whale of the North Atlantic, and the larger Antarctic fin whale of the Southern Ocean. It is found in all the world's major oceans, from polar to tropical waters. It is absent only from waters close to the ice pack at both the north and south poles and relatively small areas of water away from the open ocean. The highest population density occurs in temperate and cool waters. Its food consists of small schooling fish, squid, and crustaceans including mysids and krill.

Like all other large whales, the fin whale was heavily hunted during the twentieth century and is an endangered species. Almost 750,000 fin whales were taken from the Southern Hemisphere alone between 1904 and 1979 and less than 3,000 currently remain in that region. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has issued a moratorium on commercial hunting of this whale, although Iceland and Japan have resumed hunting: in 2009, Iceland took 125 fin whales during its whaling season, and Japan took 1 fin whale in its 2008-2009 Antarctic season. The species is also hunted by Greenlanders under the Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling provisions of the IWC. Collisions with ships and noise from human activity also significantly threaten recovery. (Wikipedia)

Bird Atlas

One of the most ambitious scientific surveys ever launched by ornithologists is reaching its last lap – and amateur bird watchers are being invited to help fill in the final data.

Three years ago, the British Trust for Ornithology launched its programme to chart the whereabouts of all Britain’s birds to create the Bird Atlas 2007-11, which will give the UK the most accurate and detailed map of bird life of any country in the world.
In that time, almost 15,000 bird watchers have recorded no fewer than 5.6 million sightings in the UK and the Irish Republic, all of which have been logged onto the BTO’s huge data base.
To finish the project, the records must cover the coming winter, when bird movements can include inward migrants and departing natives – some robins, for instance, are known to spend winter on the European mainland and many thousands more migrate south within the UK.
The trust is advising enthusiasts that the last winter count has now started. Says Dawn Balmer, Atlas Coordinator: “The finish line is now in sight and we are in a fantastic position as we enter the final year.
“The gaps in coverage are mostly in remote places, or areas with a low population (so not many birdwatchers!) but there are a few surprises, such as north-east Yorkshire and Dorset, where we need to pull out all the stops to ensure complete coverage.
“Volunteers have enjoyed atlas fieldwork and especially visiting new areas close to home and discovering what is breeding and wintering there.”

To find out how to help in this the final winter for the Bird Atlas, visit http://www.birdatlas.net/

Saving Species - BBC Radio featuring Islay's geese

Link to BBC iPlayer of Radio 4 programme featuring Morven Laurie (SNH), Craig Archibald from Craigens, James How (RSPB, Loch Gruinart) and Malcolm Ogilvie of the INHT.

Saving Species - featuring Islay's Geese

Thanks Dickie!

Wildlife photographer Dickie Duckett FRPS, who was on a visit to Islay along with his friends in the Royal Air Force Ornithological Society (RAFOS) gave a mesmerising photographic tour of the Falkland Islands to a large audience at the Field Centre on Tuesday evening. 

Many thanks Dickie - please hurry back!!

http://www.dickieduckett.com/

Scotland to fine and jail landowners that allow illegal killing of birds of prey

Guardian article

Sea Eagles breed on Islay for first time

A pair of Sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) successfully bred on Islay during 2010.  The birds, both of which were four years old  and had themselves been raised on Mull, raised two young.  Four years old is very young for Sea eagles to successfully breed as it is more usual for a young bird of either sex to pair up with a more experienced older partner.  Fledging two youngsters in these circustances is quite remarkable.

The feat was not achieved without a little bit of assistance however.  The nest built by the birds was, according to an RSPB source, 'a bit of a shambles', and one of the young eaglets fell out of it at one point.  He/she was however picked up and returned from whence they came and all was well.

Sea eagles have done well in Scotland since their re-introduction on the Isle of Rum some 34 years ago.  52 pairs were recorded in 2010 raising 46 young.

Nineteen birds were released in Fife this year as part of a scheme to re-introduce them to the east coast.

Sea eagles released in Fife

Photographs of Islay Sea eagles - Ron Steenvorden

Young Sea Eagle numbers soaring in Scotland

BBC News

Surfbirds news

Photo of Sea eagle on Jura - James Deane

Two decades of bird persecution in the UK

http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/
Published on 02 November 2010 by Roger in News and comment

According to the RSPB’s 20th annual Birdcrime report, 2009 was another shocking year for the persecution of birds of prey in the UK, with incidents of shooting, trapping and poisoning. With 384 reported persecution incidents involving raptors (224 in England, 123 in Scotland, 17 in Wales, 11 in Northern Ireland and 9 unassigned), 2009 was the second-worst year for these crimes in the last decade. Only 2007, with 389 cases, was worse.
Twenty years of reporting in Birdcrime has revealed that several police-force areas suffer higher levels of bird-of-prey persecution. In England, top of the league is North Yorkshire (with 64 confirmed incidents since 1990), followed by West Mercia (61), Northumbria (58), Devon & Cornwall (57) and Cumbria (47). Dr Mark Avery, the RSPB’s Conservation Director, said: ‘Wildlife crimes are an abhorrent feature of our countryside. Over time, egg-collecting has diminished, but the killing of birds of prey is as big a threat today as it was two decades ago. Earlier this year, the former Wildlife Minister – Huw Irranca-Davies – was one of more than 210,000 people to sign a pledge to protect birds of prey. This is a powerful voice and we will not rest until their cries have been heard by Government.’
In 2009, the Labour Government announced that bird-of-prey persecution was one of the top wildlife crime priorities. In the light of the current spending review by the coalition government, the RSPB is concerned that resources to tackle wildlife crime will be seen as a soft option. The RSPB wants to see a commitment from the present Government to tackling these crimes, as well as long-term funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit and a full wildlife crime review in England.
The conflict with land managed for the shooting of gamebirds remains the main problem for birds of prey, particularly the upland grouse-shooting estates in northern England and Scotland. The RSPB is concerned that the shooting industry appears unable to self-police this problem and the Society believes that new legislation is required to make the managers and employers of those committing these crimes legally accountable. Options such as vicarious liability – that holds these people accountable for crimes committed by their staff – and removing the shooting rights for individuals and errant estates need to be considered. These measures would provide a significant deterrent without imposing a burden on legitimate shooting interests.

British Wildlife Photography Awards - Danny Green

Grey Seal Pup - Danny Green

Sanaigmore

Getting enthusiastic about moths

Mothscount

Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust

HWDT Newsletter

Argyll and Bute Council says "GET STUCK IN WITH A WEE GREEN GRANT!"

Got a great, green idea to improve your local environment? Need help to get it off the ground? Lower Clyde Greenspace is offering grants to groups to help them improve their local environment and support sustainability.
Wee Green Grants of up to £500 are available to voluntary or community groups in Argyll and Bute to help with environmental activities that encourage wildlife, support biodiversity and reduce waste.
Councillor Robert Macintyre, Argyll and Bute’s spokesperson for Economy, Environment and Rural Affairs, is delighted by the new initiative.

“Wee Green Grants are a great idea, and I would encourage local groups to get involved,” he said.
“Whether they want to develop a wildlife garden, plant native trees or reduce the energy use of their scout hut, the grants are here to help.”

Wee Green Charter Grants are funded by Lower Clyde Greenspace and the Argyll and Islands LEADER programme. Grant-funded projects should benefit a range of people and contribute to local environments or green facilities.

Councillor Macintyre said: “The Wee Green Grants are a fantastic opportunity for groups to make a significant impact on their local environment, improve the quality of life for fellow residents and enhance the area’s biodiversity. Funding is limited so I would urge groups to apply for a grant without delay.”

Islay's geese on Radio 4

Last week, a BBC producer was on the island recording an item on Greenland Whitefronted and Barnacle Geese for a Radio 4 series called "Saving Species". The producer promised to let me know when it was on and I have just learned that the broadcast was this morning and finished a few minutes ago!
However, the programme is being repeated at 9.00 pm on Thursday (11th Nov). The producer interviewed Morven Laurie (SNH), Craig Archibald (farms at Craigens and has a lot of geese on his land), James How (RSPB, Loch Gruinart) and myself. How much is included in the programme, I don't (yet) know, but I think it was only a 10-12 minute slot so doubtless everything we said will be heavily compressed. The programme may also appear on BBC iPlayer in due course.
Depending on lots of things outside this producer's decisions, or so he said, there are two more programmes involving me that may, or may not, appear on the radio in due course about which he may, or may not, fulfil his promise to let me know when they are on! One was a Living World programme, the other an item for the Open University.
Malcolm

"We've been conned. The deal to save the natural world never happened" - George Monbiot

"As soon as something is measurable it becomes negotiable. Subject the natural world to cost-benefit analysis and accountants and statisticians will decide which parts of it we can do without. All that now needs to be done to demonstrate that an ecosystem can be junked is to show that the money to be made from trashing it exceeds the money to be made from preserving it. That, in the weird world of environmental economics, isn't hard: ask the right statistician and he'll give you any number you want."

Guardian Article on 'result' of Japanese Summit

Dickie Duckett - Tonight

Just a reminder that we have a talk and presentation tonight from wildlife photographer Dickie Duckett FRPS.

http://www.dickieduckett.com/

The Field Centre, Port Charlotte, 7.30pm.  Members FOC - non members £2.50   Entrance includes refreshments.

Nature bigs it up in Lochgilphead

Giant caterpillars and enormous snails will be on show in Lochgilphead town centre in November, the latest results of a nature project between local school pupils and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).
The larger-than-life pictures of wildlife will be projected on to the side of a building in the town as part of the annual Lantern Procession on Saturday 6 November.
Taken by fourth year pupils from Lochgilphead High School, they show the wonderful wildlife found at Moine Mhor National Nature Reserve, an ancient peat bog that lies to the north of the town.
The outdoor projection is the latest step in a two year-long photography project with Lochgilphead High School, called Snapberry Take II. Based around nature reserves in mid Argyll, the project finds novel ways to put young people in touch with nature. In mid September an exhibition of their photographs in the Archway Gallery in Lochgilphead raised almost £1000 for the Red Cross Pakistan Appeal.
Snapberry Take II is run by Caroline Anderson from SNH, with hands-on help and advice from SNH photographer Lorne Gill.
Caroline said: “The teenagers have really captured the essence of Moine Mhor – their pictures are stunning. But seeing them projected on to a building 30 foot high gives them real impact! We hope people will enjoy seeing them and that it will inspire them to go and visit Argyll’s nature reserves – they are great places to discover the wildlife on your doorstep.”
The outdoor projection will be shown on Colchester Square in Lochgilphead from 5.30pm on Saturday 6 November. For more information on nature reserves in Argyll and other parts of Scotland, go to:

Scotland's National Nature Reserves

Scottish Invertebrate Conservation

"No forest sale" says Scottish Government

Media reports claiming that the majority of Britain's national forests are to be sold off are "total nonsense and wide of the mark" Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham said today.
Speaking at the annual Scottish Forestry Forum in Battleby, she said:
"These reports show a very clear misunderstanding of the devolved nature of forestry across Britain.
"Forestry policy has been a devolved matter since April 2003. It is quite clearly a matter for Scottish Ministers to determine the future of Forestry Commission Scotland and the national forest estate in Scotland - it is certainly not a decision for Westminster.
"There may be a review of forestry in England but that does not include Scotland. This review has no remit whatsoever north of the border.
"We are certainly living in very difficult and challenging times and with swingeing cuts being imposed on Scotland we need to plan carefully for this.
"The Scottish Government is continuing to look for opportunities to simplify and streamline public bodies in Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland, along with other public bodies, will be part of that ongoing process.
"However, let me be quite clear, we have no plans to dispose of the national forest estate in Scotland and there is no review of Forestry Commission Scotland being undertaken.
"I do have considerable concerns over the review of Forestry Commission England and its potential impact in Scotland therefore I have written to my counterparts in England and Wales to suggest a meeting to discuss issues surrounding forestry.
"The Scottish Government views Scotland's forests as a source of national pride and an important public asset which can help deliver many benefits in economic, environmental and social terms."

Danny Arnold on Leaf-mining Micro moths

Inspired by Danny's talk last week, Mark headed out into the wilds of Gruinart Wood, peering at bramble leaves until he found evidence of the legendary leaf-mining micromoth 'Stigmella aurella' - specifically the tell-tale track made by the larvae in the leaf.

This is the adult moth - you can see the evidence for the larvae that Mark found at

Moth Hunting

Mark's record of this moth is a first for Islay.

This weekend, Pat Roy (who had also been at Danny's talk)  found evidence of a further leaf miner -  this time on Hazel at Dun Nosebridge.

We reported this to Danny who replied as follows:

"Hazel is one of those ubiquitous host plants that a great many moths feed on BUT Stigmella aurella is not on the list......(as far as I know)
However, it is likely to be one of two other possible Stigmella species.....

either 75 Stigmella floslactella
or 111 Stigmella microtheriella .

........ if you want to get ‘into it’ a bit more......the S. floslactella has a mine very similar to the S. aurella....the mine getting wider and wider as the larvae tracks through the leaf.

The microtheriella has the same sort of track mine too, but the mine, once widened out....tends to stay the same width for most of its length......very subtle differences.

Both mines are very similar and around at the same time of the year ie now...

.....so it isn’t conclusive really for either and shouldn’t be considered as a species ‘record’ just from the mine......

You could of course, check the mine against the light and see if the larvae is still in the mine. If it is, then you could put the twig with the leaf on in a glass jar and store in a cool place over winter and see what emerges next spring....that would be conclusive."

Also keep an eye out for the other Bramble miner......Emmetia marginea. This produces this funnel shaped mine on Bramble....

This is the adult moth 'Emmetia marginea' - could we produce another first for Islay?

Leaf miner is a term used to describe the larvae of many different species of insect which live in and eat the leaf tissue of plants. The vast majority of leaf-mining insects are moths (Lepidoptera), sawflies (Symphyta) and flies (Diptera), though some beetles and wasps also exhibit this behavior.

Like Woodboring beetles, leaf miners are protected from many predators and plant defenses by feeding within the tissues of the leaves themselves, selectively eating only the layers that have the least amount of cellulose. When attacking Quercus robur (English oak), they also selectively feed on tissues containing lower levels of tannin, a deterrent chemical produced in great abundance by the tree.

The precise pattern formed by the feeding tunnel is very often diagnostic for which kind of insect is responsible, sometimes even to genus level. The mine often contains frass, or droppings, and the pattern of frass deposition, mine shape and host plant identity are useful to determine the species of leaf miner. A few mining insects utilise other parts of a plant, such as the surface of a fruit.

Some patterns of leaf variegation are part of a defense strategy employed by plants to deceive adult leaf miners into thinking that the leaf has already been predated. (Wikipedia)

Wildlife Photography Competition - A huge Thank You to all who have entered!!

The closing date for entries to our competition has now passed, and we are delighted to have received a remarkable total of 157 photographs for consideration.

We will now be presenting them all to our illustrious judge, Lord George Robertson of Port Ellen, who has the frankly impossible job of picking a winner. 

George is of course a very busy man, (the last time I heard from him he was in Moscow before heading for the USA), so we do not have a date for Judgement Day, but as soon as we do we will of course post it here.

We will be putting all the entries up on the net some time soon, and hope to announce a public viewing, probably at one of our winter talks at the Field Centre in Port Charlotte.  Please watch this space!

Once again, a huge thank you to all who have entered.

Carl Reavey

Wildlife Photography Competition - Patricia Ailsa Taylor

Thanks to Patricia Ailsa for this lovely shot of a Grey seal taken down at Portnahaven.  At least I think it is a Grey seal - the nose is a bit long for a common seal.  If it (she) is a Grey then I would suggest a young female....?  Thoughts anyone?

East Coast Thrift

Following our post about autumn Thrift,

 http://islaynaturalhistory.blogspot.com/2010/10/sea-thrift-armeria-maritima.html

Brian Turner has sent us this picture of thrift in full flower in his garden in Dunbar... taken yesterday!

Thanks Brian!!

Seaweed - the Bladderwracks

Seaweeds thrown up onto the shore at this time of year can include Egg wrack, (Ascophyllum nodosum), the green stuff with the large bladders in the photo, and Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) which is the brown one.  Bladderwrack often has its bladders arranged in pairs.

The air bladders allow the seaweed to float upright when underwater. The number of air bladders on each frond depends upon how exposed the shoreline is – on exposed shores bladder wrack has fewer air bladders than on sheltered shores.

For further information on seaweed identification see  Natural History Museum

Uses:   Bladderwrack is used as an additive and flavouring in various food products in Europe. Bladderwrack is commonly found as a component of kelp tablets or powders used as nutritional supplements. It is sometimes loosely called "kelp", but that term technically refers to a different seaweed.

Primary chemical constituents of this plant include mucilage, algin, mannitol, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, iodine, bromine, potassium, volatile oils, and many other minerals. The main use of bladderwrack (and other types of seaweed) in herbal medicine is as a source of iodine, an essential nutrient for the thyroid gland. Bladderwrack has proved most useful in the treatment of underactive thyroid glands (hypothyroidism) and goitre. Through the regulation of thyroid function, there is an improvement in all the associated symptoms. It has a reputation in helping the relief of rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis, both used internally and as an external application upon inflamed joints. 
A chemical constituent of bladderwrack called alginic acid swells upon contact with water; when taken orally, it forms a type of "seal" at the top of the stomach, and for this reason is used in several over-the-counter preparations for heartburn. The same constituent gives bladderwrack laxative properties as well. Other proposed uses of bladderwrack include treating atherosclerosis and strengthening immunity, although there is no scientific evidence at present that it works for these purposes.
Bladderwrack has been shown to help women with abnormal menstrual cycling patterns and/or menstrual-related disease histories. Doses of 700 to 1400mg/day were found to increase the menstrual cycle lengths, decrease the days of menstruation per cycle, and decrease the serum levels of 17B-estradiol while was later carried out and showed similar effects.
Bladderwrack should not be used in cases of hyperthyroidism or cardiac problems, or during pregnancy and lactation. Excessive dosage (many times the recommended dosage) may lead to hyperthyroidism, tremor, increased pulse rate and elevated blood pressure.    (Wikipedia)

The British Dragonfly Society

The aim of the British Dragonfly Society is to promote and encourage the study and conservation of dragonflies and their natural habitats, especially in the United Kingdom.

Dragonfly Society

Cordulegaster boltonii - Golden-ringed Dragonfly - photographed at Lorgba in June 2006 by Jan

What have British birds ever done for us?

Steven Moss takes a look at a bit of ornithological history in the Guardian

Guardian Environment