We've had some good sightings reported to us at the Centre today, a couple of visitors reported an Orange Tip butterfly on the Mulindry road and a Small Copper up at Gearach whilst a visiting wildlife photographer reported seeing a Turtle Dove from the high road coming out of Port Ellen at the weekend. A call to the centre from Mrs Logan this morning described a very similar-sounding bird that has been perched on her window ledge the past two mornings, she is going to try and get a photo next time!

Not a fritillary

When Becky and I were coming back from visiting the Narrow-leaved Helleborine site last week, what at first sight looked like a small fritillary butterfly got up in front of us. When it settled, we realised it was not a Marsh Fritillary, as it had the wrong pattern and was also a bit small. A very poor photograph (it kept settling the other side of grasses!) enabled me to identify it, once I got home, as a Common Heath Moth Ematurga atomaria. It is a regular daytime flier in grasslands and heaths and has been recorded a few times from Islay before, but, like so many species, is certainly under-recorded.
The one we saw was similar to the one in the accompanying photograph, but it is amazingly variable as can be seen at http://www.eol.org/pages/315665.
Malcolm

Excitement at the Natural History Trust

There's been a rush of excitement at the Centre over the past couple of days what with the emergence of one owl chick, the Gaelic nursery visit and the arrival of lots of new sea creatures for our tanks.

Both tanks are gradually being filled with Spider Crabs, Velvet Crabs, Shore Crabs, echinoderms (the posh word for starfish and sea urchins), shellfish and gobies. There's a massive spiny starfish (shown here), a beautiful purple starfish, and the biggest Common Whelk I've ever seen. We also have a small lobster in its own tank for the fourth year running.

A gargantuan Spider Crab (shown above) has been given B & B for one night only as it is too big to keep for the whole season.

Many thanks to the fishermen who have caught these creatures for us and to Ian and Morven Laurie for providing temporary accommodation for some of them and then bringing them over to Port Charlotte.

Now would be a great time to come and visit the Centre as there's plenty to see and remember we're open on Saturdays in addition to weekdays
(10.00 am to 4.00 pm) throughout June, July and August.

Marsh Thistle (Cirsium Palustre)

This was nearish to the stream at Tormisdale. Thistle classification is not one of my strong suits - so I hope I have the identification correct?

Carl

Hitting the books I am now less than convinced that this is a Marsh thistle - this plant had very woolly stems (thick white hairs) and Marsh thistle stems seem to be smooth as the proverbial... Which leaves me at a loss - Milk thistle ((Silybum marianum) perhaps?

Malcolm assures me that it is indeed a Marsh thistle...

The woolliness or otherwise of the stem is not a key ID feature (Malcolm)

Barn Owl Birthday?

Apparently one of our chicks has hatched - it was reported late last night and again this morning, but I've been watching all day so far and not caught a glimpse of a furry ball yet. Mum Owl is sitting tight! Watch this space . . .

Marsh Fritillaries

Several sightings of Marsh Fritiallary have now been reported. They seem to be emerging a little later (like everything else) this year. Gordon Yates sent us this photo. It was one of many he saw at Ardnave.

South of Tormisdale - sea cliffs

Took a walk from the Tormisdale road end down the burn to the sea. It was a perfect day with very litttle wind however there was a thick clammy haar which kept coming in from Northern Ireland. It never made it more than a couple of hundred yards inland.

The sea birds were all present in their usual numbers, on exactly the same ledges as always. I have made a habit of coming down at least once a year to check them out - and as a result may well have photographs of exactly the same birds on exactly the same ledges going back a number of years.

Carl

Kilnaughton

Walking between Kilnaughton and Port an Eas yesterday, we saw Small Copper and this Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

Later, at Kilnaughton we saw a Common Blue butterfly, which is one of my favourites. I thought it was early for this species, but I see someone else has already seen it this year (also noticed Marsh Fritillaries have been seen already too).

Becky

Of dragon and damselflies

Also at Coul on this beautiful, stillest of days were some beautiful specimens of dragon and damselflies. These creatures are just gorgeous. If you get really close to them you can see the detail in their wings and they are amazing to watch. Look for marshy patches and pools of water at this time of year on a still day and you're almost certain to see something hovering swiftly over the water.

Pictured are the Large Red Damselfly, Four-spotted Chaser and Blue-tailed Damselfly.

Becky

In search of the Spring Squill

At last!

Five years ago, when doing my Islay coastal walk, I came across the Spring Squill at Coul. Not realising then that it hadn't been recorded there before, I didn't take much notice of its location. Since then I have returned every year at this time to try to relocate it, but have been unsuccessful until now. I finally found it again on Saturday when walking with John from Saligo to Machir Bay. I was beside myself with excitement! Mission accomplished.

Please take care if walking at Coul as there are cattle with young at the moment.

Becky

Small copper (Lycaena phlaeas)

This Small copper butterfly was at Tormisdale this afternoon. I also saw one Common Blue and four Marsh Fritillaries. Green-veined White and Small Heath were very numerous.

Woodland Walk

Last Friday Fiona MacGillivray of Green Bug Productions joined up with Mary and the RSPB and led a woodland safari at Gruinart. Quite a few families turned up on what was a dry, but windy afternoon. I was supposed to be 'helping', but ended up learning quite a bit about identifying trees and had great fun matching up the colours of petals, leaves and stems of plants to Fiona's rainbow chart. I thoroughly recommend her new Woodland Discovery pack - it's great for adults as well as kids! (Unless I'm the only one over, cough, 30, that wasn't too sure about identifying an alder tree before!)

Favourite species today were Yellow Pimpernel and Fumitory. A Willow Warbler was heard above the rustling of the leaves, but little else due to it being quite breezy, but great fun was had by all. Thanks Fiona! Take a look at Fiona's website at www.green-bug-productions.co.uk.
Becky

Gordon Yates, wildlife photographer, filmaker and INHT member, is visiting and took this photo of an adder found on the the Rhinns this weekend

Northern marsh orchid - Dactylorhiza majalis purpurella

Growing in the short mown grass outside the Gleaner Oil Depot in Bruichladdich.

Saltwort - Glaux Maritima

We were at Saligo on another glorious afternoon today. This Saltwort was growing quite profusely at the edge of the beach - at the transition between beach and machair, mostly in cracks in the rocks. The leaves are fleshy and a deep rich green, the flowers a delicate pinkish red.

Also called Sea milkwort

Carl

Minke Whale

We have the partial skeleton of a Minke whale down at the Field Centre. The Minke is probably commoner around Islay than a lot of people realise - and May/June/July is certainly the best time to see them.

If it is a reasonably calm day, the calmer the better, your chances of seeing one from the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry coming to Islay are very high indeed during those months - you simply have to sit out on deck and watch. Binoculars are handy - but not essential. I dont think I have ever systematically watched for sea mammals from the ferry on a good day in the summer and seen nothing - even if it is only a few porpoises.

Minkes are unmistakeable - they are usually 20-30 feet long with a slightly hooked dorsal fin. I once even saw one porpoiseing - repeatedly jumping completely clear of the water on ten separate occasions, one after the other. An amazing spectacle. That was off the north end of Gigha, which seems to an optimum place for some reason.

Another excellent whalewatching trip is the Colonsay ferry from Islay on Wednesdays - the north end of Jura is a real hotspot. I remember sitting on the cliffs above the Gulf of Corryvreckan eating my sandwiches, with a Minke whale slipping through the crystal clear water, really close to shore below me. A good day out.

Carl

Microscope

One of the many great things we have down at the Field Centre are microscopes that can be connected to monitors. We have one set up at the moment (seen here looking at a piece of skin that has been shed by an adder), with another one to be set up soon.

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale)

The flowers can be cream coloured as well as purple. This was by the Sorn - but it is very common - usually in wet areas.

Owl TV - Still waiting for a happy event

The Barn owl on Owl TV laid her first egg on 29th April - now 36 days ago. The usual incubation period is around 32 days - so this is a bit of a worry as we do not seem to have had a happy event as yet.

It is however extremely difficult to really see what is going on, and it is possible that a chick has hatched but we are just not able to see it on the camera.

She has four eggs and starts to incubate as soon as the first one is laid - laying the rest of the clutch at two day intervals. This means that, all things being equal, the chicks hatch at two day intervals - which gives the first born a significant advantage over its siblings - with the last born at a significant disadvantage - particularly if food is short.

It is not at all unusual for one or more of the clutch of eggs to be infertile. We obviously hope that this is not the case in this instance.

Bugle (Aluga Reptans)

This is a common flower, usually in wet ground. This one was by the banks of the Sorn near Bridgend
Carl