Flower Power at Killinallan

It seems that every time I turn up at Killinallan it starts raining, and yesterday was no exception for our flower power session in which we learned all about pollination. We counted 15 species of flower in a metre square including Frog Orchid and Autumn Gentian and discussed how important scent and colour is to bees and other pollinating insects.
Becky

Maisie takes a diversion from butterflies and holds a tiny Shore Crab

Goldspot moth - note its curled proboscis - on Devil's-bit Scabious

Dark Green Fritillary - this butterfly was very obliging and stayed for ages on this Scabious, displaying the green sheen on the underside of its hind wings which give this species its name.

Ramble at Kilchiaran, 19th August 2013

We had a great turn out for today's ramble, with all ages and interests represented. It was a welcome challenge to keep being asked about Islay's geology and to have various types of rock pointed out to us by our younger ramblers who repeatedly showed up my lack of knowledge on the subject! Thanks to all for such enthusiasm!
Becky

BIRDS
Herring Gull, Common Gull, Hooded Crow, Buzzard, Rock Pipit, Pied Wagtail, Rock Dove, Sand Martin

FLORA
Marsh Woundwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Harebell, Tormentil, Bird's-foot Trefoil, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Water Mint, Meadow Buttercup, Lesser Spearwort, White Clover, Red Clover, Common Milkwort, Self-heal, Pineapple Mayweed, Mayweed, Eyebright, Red Bartsia, Common Nettle, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Hawkweed, Daisy, Forget-me-not sp, Foxglove, Marram Grass, Curled Dock, Thrift, Mouse-ear Chickweed, Meadow Vetchling, Butterwort, Common Centaury

INSECTS
Green-veined White, Small Copper, Small Tortoiseshell, Bombus pascourum (Common Carder Bee), Bombus lucorum (White-tailed Bumble-bee), hoverfly spp, 

LICHENS
Xanthoria sp, Anaptychia runsinata, Ramalina sp, Ochrolechia parella

Marsh Woundwort

Malcolm tells us about geese and their droppings

We listen avidly

Brilliant Butterfish

What a contrast we are noticing between our Butterfish residents of this year and those of last year! We currently have 3 individuals all as bold as each other. During the touch tank demonstrations, they are sure to be nearby; watch out, you may feel them as they peck your hand looking for their next meal! I've also included a couple of photos of two of our other creatures.

One of our 3 Butterfish. There are 2 smaller ones and one big one.

Whoever said Prawns aren't pretty?

 

 

 

Boss of the big tank!

Lorna

More Record Breakers at the Centre

Some of our quizzes can be quite challenging at the Centre but this did not deter Robyn, Tabby and Islay from giving many of them their best shot. Avid followers of our blog, Robyn (16) became our youngest person to correctly answer the very difficult butterfly quiz; Tabby (7) became our youngest person to complete the brainy numbers quiz and Islay (9) became the youngest person to work out the weights quiz. Well done to all of them - and not forgetting Cath who worked diligently at most of the quizzes in the age 10 - 110  pack, determined to become our oldest Wildlife Explorer of the Year (she's somewhere in the middle of that age bracket!) See you on the ramble on Monday!
Becky

Tabby with her completed numbers quiz

Islay weighing sand for the weights quiz

Robyn with her butterfly quiz

Beachcombing Treasures

  Here is the result of a fun filled family activity session beachcombing on Uiskentuie Strand yesterday - Geeves the Jellyfish! Thanks for joining us everyone. The next family activity session is Tuesday 20 August meeting at Killinallan gate for some Flower Power.

Record breakers at the centre!

I am writing today feeling enthralled after another busy afternoon at the Visitor Centre yesterday. The animals had the busiest feeding time EVER with 20+ people crowding round the tanks as they helped drop the frozen prawns. The lobster wasn't his usual shy self either, putting on a show as he sped to his lunch before gracing us with claws and antennae, peering at us as he munched. Once again, I was amazed by the creative genius of one of our younger visitors who having discovered a lack of pipecleaners to make a lobster, took matters into his own hands, creating a fabulous Oystercatcher (the very first in INHT craft records)!

All hands on deck for the Touch tank feeding! I couldn't fit everyone in the photo.

The very first INHT Oystercatcher!

Lorna

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

Islay Show

It was another fun-filled and busy day at the Islay Show and we made an extra special effort to sell every one of our otter squares at this event - no-one was safe walking past our tent at 3.55 pm! Many thanks to Neil and Fiona MacGillivray who loaned their gazebo and provided the fishing game and presence throughout the day. Also to David and Jane Griffiths for helping out. We raised £228 altogether so well worth it!
Becky

The completed otter board

Fiona, face painting and fishing

Lobster face!

Busy Centre!

I am pleased to report that the visitor centre has been bustling with people the past 2 weeks. There has been many a touch tank demonstration and make your own lobsters, as well as lots of sightings being added to our map. It's always a delight to see the support of not just holiday makers, but locals too. If you are planning a visit soon, please bring along your milk bottle lids -  so many caterpillars have been made we have ran out!

One of the busiest days ever, last week.

Our first ever green lobster, complete with purple tail!

This year we have 3 Butterfish living in the touch tank, one of which has taken up residence in this old dog whelk shell.

Lorna

Festival of the Sea 2013

We had great fun at this year's Festival of the Sea. We sold nearly all our popular 'otter squares' and holiday maker Andy from Bowmore won a bottle of Ardbeg whisky. Lorna was busy painting many faces as dolphins, mermaids, octopods . . . Becky and Jane assisted in the making of toilet roll lobsters and our collage picture and we sold lots of things in the shop. Thanks to Kirsten Laurie and all the organisers of this popular event for another fun-filled day. For more photos, visit our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.535510936514397.1073741829.129850690413759&type=1
Becky

Festival of the Sea - 3rd August 2013

 

Come and join us tomorrow in Port Ellen for the Festival of the Sea from 10 am. We'll be exploring sandy shores, face painting and making lobsters - and lots more!

Butterfly Fun day - Big Butterfly Count

Niall Oliver led the butterfly count again at Killinallan. It was part of Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count. The winner for the second year running was Common Blue, with a count of 9 butterflies. We were mildly distracted by the observation of an Emperor Moth caterpillar, a frog and several grasshoppers. We went on to discover the power of flowers and their importance to insects. Unfortunately we also discovered the power of the rain in putting a dampener on things. It held off until near the end of our activity, however, so a fun time was had by all. Thanks to everyone for coming and to Niall for leading the count.
Becky

Sheltering from the rain

Common Blue female

Emperor Moth Caterpillar

Grasshopper

Butterfly Fun Day - at the Centre

The Centre was full of caterpillars and butterflies yesterday, some living, some edible and some eaten! Don't panic, the 'eaten' variety were the butterfly cakes and the edible variety were the much healthier carrot and cucumber caterpillars which, for some reason, were easier to resist! Fraser won the caterpillar competition. It was a fun-filled day. Niall Oliver took folk out for the big butterfly count and Amory found some Cinnabar moth caterpillars which are now resident in the centre. Thanks to Niall, Jane and Lorna for their time and to Lynda for providing materials for the butterfly cakes - and to everyone who came for making it such a fun day.
Becky

Icing butterfly cakes

Cucumber and carrot caterpillars

Isi with her carrot caterpillar

icing butterfly cakes

Keira with her painted face

Face painting

Charlotte with her butterfly cake

Cinnabar moth caterpillars in the centre

Islay with her lobster (a diversion from butterflies!)

Fraser the champion caterpillar maker with his prize!

Marsh Helleborines

For several species of orchids, this seems to be an exceptional flowering year. I visited the two Marsh Helleborine sites near Killinallan yesterday and found over 300 and over 200 flowering spikes, respectively, both easily record numbers (about double past highest counts in both cases). Considering that, in some years, I have found fewer than 50 spikes all told, there's little doubt both sites are flourishing. Although reasonably widespread in southern Britain, there are only three other localities in Scotland for this species.
Malcolm