Photos from Peter Faulkner and bros

Many thanks to Peter Faulkner who sent us some photos and information about his recent time on Islay with his brothers. He's asked for help identifying the orchids, which I like to leave to Malcolm! Thanks Peter,
Becky

Cowberry

Dung Beetle

Butterfly Orchid

Early Marsh Orchid?

Prickly Saltwort Salsola kali

Barnhill, Jura

I was fortunate enough to be able to spend a few days at Barnhill, Jura last week. I walked across to Glengarrisdale on the west coast on one day and up to Corryvreckan Whirlpool on another. It was a fantastic opportunity to explore a part of Jura I'd not really seen before and I saw lots of flora and fauna as follows:
Becky

BIRDS
Lesser Redpoll, Yellowhammer, Swallow, Dunnock, Shag, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Gannet, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Grey Heron, Tree Pipit, Willow Warbler, Great Tit, Herring Gull, Guillemot, Pied Wagtail, Raven, Siskin, Great Northern Diver, Red-throated Diver, Song Thrush, Oystercatcher, Common Sandpiper, Peregrine, Buzzard, Grasshopper Warbler, Whinchat, Stonechat, Whitethroat, Blackbird, Linnet, Robin, Common Gull, Black Guillemot, Woodcock, Wren, Hooded Crow

FLORA
Heath-spotted Orchid, Common Sorrel, Broad-leaved Dock, White Clover, Red clover, Tormentil, Bir's-foot Trefoil, English Stonecrop, Thrift, Common Scurvy Grass, Yorkshire Fog, Crested Dog's Tail, Lesser Spearwort, Bracken, Marsh Lousewort, Bell Heather, Meadow Buttercup, Marsh Bedstraw, Round-leaved sundew, Butterwort, Foxglove, Lousewort, Eyebright, purple Loosestrife, Milkwort, Water Lily, Bog Asphodel, Common Cotton Grass, Hare's Tail, Cross-leaved Heath, Sycamore, Bog Myrtle, Bluebell, Primrose, Marsh Cinquefoil, Cow Wheat, Forget-me-not sp., Germander Speedwell, Selfheal, Scots Pine, Vetch sp., Dwarf Willow, Alder, Honeysuckle, Birch, Marsh Thistle, Cleavers, Cuckoo Flower, Bog Pimpernel, Bilberry, Skullcap, Ragged Robin, Herb Robert, Red Campion, Greater Stitchwort, Sea Plantain, Daisy, Flag iris, Common Rush, Purple Moor Grass, Meadow Grass

BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS
Ringlet, Dark Green Fritillary, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Common Blue, Chimney Sweep, Silver Y, Emperor Moth larva

DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES
Golden-ringed Dragonfly, Four-spotted Chaser, Common Blue Damselfly

BEETLES
Carabus Glabratus, Carabus clatratus, Dung Beetle, Green Tiger Beetle, Silpha atrata, Tabanus sudeticus (male)

AMPHIBIANS AND REPTILES
Common Frog, Common Toad, Common Lizard, Adder, Common Seal, Otter

Adder near Barnhill

Emperor Moth larva (5th instar)

Glengarrisdale bothy

Tabanus sudeticus (male) - Horsefly

Silpha atrata - Snail-killer I'm afraid

Common Toad

Corryvreckan Whirlpool



Bruichladdich Rockpooling Galore 5 July 2012

Niall, Lynda, Isi and I had a fantastic time wandering the shallows and turning over rocks at Bruichladdich on Thursday. Niall particulary enjoyed chasing after Common gobies while encountering countless Hermit Crabs, while Lynda, Isi and I discovered lots of mysterious creatures under rocks, many a challenge to identify. We spent the lowest part of the tide at Bruichladdich before continuing to Port Mor.



Hymeniacidon perleve - often found alongside Breadcrumb sponge.





Ascidiella aspersa - sea squirt




Corella parallelogramma - sea squirt




The star ascidian - our most beautiful species of sea squirt.




Eggs of the Nucella lapillus (pictured next to edible periwinkle.)




My favourite - the Breadcrumb sponge! There is something about its little craters and squidgy texture I find endearing.



Complete Species List

Common starfish, 15 spined stickleback, paddle worm, ragworm, lugworm, chiton, common limpet, periwinkle, flat winkle, rough winkle, dog whelk, common mussel, sandhopper, common acorn barnacle, butterfish, common goby, worm pipefish, flatfish, sprat, shore crab, snakeslock anemone, beadlet anemone, breadcrumb sponge, common prawn, common shrimp, oppossum shrimp, common hermit crab, common jellyfish, coiled tube worm, keel worm, star ascidian, nucella lapillus (eggs), corella paralellogramma, ascidiella aspersa, common saddle oyster (empty).

Lorna

Festival of the Sea

Lorna and I had a fabulous time at the Festival of the Sea today. The rain seemed to drive everyone into the tent we shared with the RSPB and our ready band of volunteers were ready to greet them with a great choice of crafts, shop items and face painting. It was virtually non-stop all the wet day. Despite the weather, there were plenty of takers for our 'Exploring Sandy Shores' session. Many thanks to Fiona MacGillivray of Green Bug Productions and to Dave, Lynda, Niall, Isi and Riona for their assistance. We couldn't have done it without you. Thanks too to Ardbeg for the bottle of Whisky (won by Janice from Port Ellen) and to Emma McGeachy and Kirsten Laurie for arranging the marquee for us. We definitely needed it! The Brierton family won the Shark Quiz and Ellie from Port Ellen won the Paint the Stone competition. I'll post a link to more photos when I've finished uploading them. Well done to all! Here's to next year!
Becky

Anna with her mermaid's purse mobile and painted Shark face

Becky the 'Octopus'

Under the Sea

Seahorse and Starfish

Face painting in action

The face-painted 'twins'

Father Lasher

The biggest prawn we'd ever seen

Jellyfish face

Kate and Ben and their Basking Sharks

Lobster face

Kilchiaran ramble

Three of us had a gentle walk this afternoon at Kilchiaran, stopping to look at the Sand Martin colony before walking down on to the beach, across the burn and then along the south side of the bay. The weather was warm and still, the threatened raining slipping to the south of us.

Birds
Eider Duck (with 4 small ducklings), Herring Gull, Common Gull, Arctic Tern, Ringed Plover, Common Sandpiper, Oystercatcher, Rock Pipit, Black Guillemot, Rock Pigeon, Sand Martin, Swallow

Flowers
Thyme, Water Mint, Creeping Buttercup, Lesser Spearwort, Marsh Marigold, Cuckoo Flower, Common Milkwort, Ragged Robin, White Clover, Red Clover, Tufted Vetch, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Water Dropwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Heath Bedstraw, Eyebright, Pineapple Weed, Stinging Nettle, Bracken, Common Burdock, Creeping Thistle, Marsh Thistle, Common Cat's-ear, Daisy, Water Forget-me-not, Foxglove, Field Speedwell, Selfheal, Sea Plantain, Crown Plantain, Common Rush, Marram Grass, Carnation Sedge, Crested Dog's-tail

Mammals
Rabbit

Algae
Enteromorpha intestinalis

Invertebrates
Small Tortoiseshell butterfly, Large Yellow Underwing moth


Malcolm

Kilchiaran Bay

Waterfall at Kilchiaran Bay

Very scruffy Large Yellow Underwing

Lilac Beauty

Regular visitors to the island are doing some moth trapping at Bridgend Woods and phoned me this morning to say 'Come and see our Lilac Beauty - a first for Islay!" Naturally I couldn't resist and was delighted to find Nyree and her parents all busying themselves round a home made garden moth trap lab. I was sorry I only had time to photograph this Lilac Beauty and not stop to admire the many other specimens they had already put in tubs. Thanks Nyree!
Becky

Lilac Beauty

Forester Moths

Last year I seem to remember we had Islay's first two records of Forester Moth at Gearach and Port Charlotte. Josie from the RSPB has just sent us this photo of our third record. Actually she saw two so we now have 4 records of this beautiful moth for Islay. Thanks Josie!

Forester Moth

Becky

Peacock Caterpillar weaves its chrysalis

MVI_0256 a video by Sgeir Mhor on Flickr.

A snippet of yesterday's caterpillar in action, including the decapitation of itself!

Lorna

Butterfly Update

Shortly after arriving for another day at the visitor centre this morning, I began doing the rounds, checking all the creatures were alright. I was so excited when I noticed this Peacock Butterfly caterpillar beginning its transformation into a chrysalis, having missed the other 5 or so. For the next 8 minutes (9.38 am -9.46 am) I keenly watched  the fat caterpillar get shorter and shorter, squashing itself into its shiny green tent. I have captured the action in this sequence of photos as best I could amongst a maze of fellow chrysalises! The final stage was for the hard worked caterpillar to decapitate itself (almost). You will see this in a video to follow.

9.38am

9.38am

9.41am

9.44am: It looked like a real struggle!

9.46am: Once the major transformation was complete, there was much writhing, squirming and twitching. The chrysalis gradually darkened to brown.

The 'Big Question' in July's BBC Wildlife Magazine is all about how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. In my reading, I have discovered that a caterpillar's juvenile hormone 'slows progress towards adulthood', keeping it a larva while the hormone's levels are high. Gradually the juvenile hormone slows down and falls below a critical level, triggering the final moult into a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is basically recycled, and adult features finally develop!

Lorna

Woodland Wonders

There were 12 people on the first family activity this year, woodland wonders. Nobody minded getting their hands dirty (or a spot of rain) to find little bits of nature of every colour of the rainbow. We also found lots of slugs, worms and woodlice, and made a fantastic impression of a squirrel from things collected on the scavenger hunt. Thanks everyone for coming. I hope you enjoyed it! Next week we'll be heading to the beach for some beachcombing adventures!

Lorna

Ramble around Ardnave - Monday 2nd July

I was joined by six ramblers for today's excursion starting at the 'car park' next to the Loch at Ardnave.  We did what I call the short circuit, setting off through the dunes and then turning right down to the beach and right along the shore to Tayvullin before following the burn back up to the big open silage shed and along the track by the Loch to the cars (or bike in my case!).   

Devilsbit scabious

Brooklime

Flowers included Lady's Bedstraw, Daisy, White Clover, Dove's foot cranesbill, Eyebright, stinging nettle, dandelion, Silverweed, Meadow buttercup, birds foot trefoil, Shepherd's purse, Watercress, Flag Iris, Lesser spearwort, Lady's smock, sea pinks, Ragged Robin, Cotton grass, marsh thistle, Self Heal, Germander speedwell, Wild Thyme, Milkwort, Tormentil, Pineapple maywed, Northern marsh orchid, Devilsbit scabious, Brooklime, Bogbean, Bog pimpernel

Birds were: Starling, Rock Dove, Hooded Crow, Raven, Chough, Jackdaw, Common Gull, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Herring Gull, Eider, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Ringed plover, Lapwing, Linnet, Skylark, Oystercatcher, Wheatear, Pied wagtail, Redshank, Sand Martin, Mute Swan

Beetle sp.

Also seen: Rabbits, Brown Hare, Grey seal, Yellow dung fly, Beetle sp,  bluebottles, Small tortoiseshell and Field mushroom.
Carl

Sunny Loch Gruinart

I'm sure you'll agree the weather hasn't known what to do with itself this past week! It was delightful to wake up to the sun shining yesterday, which meant Mark and I's proposed cycle there and back to the RSPB Loch Gruinart reserve had the thumbs up. Even if it had rained, our spirits couldn't have been dampened. We saw a wide range of wonderful wildlife, with some highlights being young pied wagtails and shoveler (so cute), 7 spot ladybird, and rook (I know..) Here's a handful of the photos that Mark took. It was hard narrowing it down to the final six!

This small tortoiseshell landed after the planned fox glove shot was set up - lucky us!

Willow warbler - a photo tick for Mark

Both there and back, this spotted flycatcher and chaffinch were perched on the fence by the track to the new hide.

Seven spot ladybird, of which I counted 10.

This is my first rook this summer, so I was quite excited!

Cycling back, I spotted this baby hedgehog by the side of the road. I looked back when a tractor passed once we'd set off again. I think it was ok.

Bird Species List 

buzzard, hen harrier, grey heron, twite, spotted flycatcher, blackbird, great tit, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, linnet, lesser redpoll, pied wagtail, robin, wren, lapwing, starling, raven, rook, song thrush, house sparrow, corncrake (heard) common gull, woodpigeon, rockdove, black headed gull, shoveler, mallard, moorhen, swallow, house martin, sand martin, whitethroat, sedge warbler, snipe, willow warbler, dunnock, meadow pipit, skylark, shelduck, oystercatcher, mute swan, herring gull, pheasant

Lorna

Woodland Wonders

family activities poster

I will be heading to Bridgend woods tomorrow at 2pm for the Woodland Wonders activity. It's going to be great fun, with woodland bingo, nature's rainbow (Thanks to Fiona) and lots more. Spread the word!

Lorna

Welcome to Islay Evening - Monday 2nd July!

We have lots of great guest artists  for our monthly Monday evening extravaganza including piper James McEachern, The Ella Edgar Highland Dancers, vocalist Grahame Allison, Malcolm Ogilvie from the INHT and a very special guest in traditional musician Mairi McGillivray.  We hope to see you there....