WWF - New Species in the Amazon

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/amazon/the_area/wildlife_amazon/new_species/

Dune Storksbill ((Erodium dunense)

Thanks Malcolm - ref post below - suggest this other photo strongly suggests the above?

Cheers
Carl

Argyll Bird Club News

http://www.argyllbirdclub.org/bird_reports/latest_report.asp

Satellite tracking of Golden Eagles in Sweden

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101025101828.htm

A Power Buzzard

Taken at Aoradh earlier today.  There were two buzzards on the pole when I first saw them - but I missed the shot....  Pah!!
Carl

Unidentified flower

This small flower, about an inch across, was growing on the short turf of Ardnave.  There were single blooms, quite widely spread.  No idea what it is.  Can anyone help?
Cheers
Carl

Sanderling (Calidris alba)

This flock of around 100 birds (not all in the photo!) was at Ardnave a week or so ago.  There are a few Dunlin (Calidris alpina) in amongst...

Cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo) and Killinallan

Taken from the Ardnave shore using a Canon 400mm F5.6 on a 20D.  Only the farm buildings are now used, the house is derelict.

Dun Nosebridge

Took a walk up to Dun Nosebridge this afternoon.  The (probably) Iron Age hill fort is situated 1km ESE of Neriby farmhouse and is accessed quite easily from a gate near the bridge at Mulindry.  It is on a ridge, around 15m high, overlooking the upper reaches of the River Laggan

 

The fort has three impressive tiered ramparts enclosing two major ditches which together 'defend' the summit which is an area of around 25m by 15m.   On the SE-facing slope of the ridge which extends to the NE of the fort there are the turf-covered founations of several buildings of late 18th- or 19th-century date (clearances in Nosebridge and other townships in 'The Glen' took place between 1848 and 1853, when the sequestrated Islay estate was being administered by a receiver, James Brown of Edinburgh [Storrie 1981]. Traces of fairly extensive rig-cultivation are also visible on the sloping ground immediately to the SW of the main ditch-system.

There has never, to my knowledge, been an excavation at Nosebridge, and the site has therefore never been accurately dated.  It is assumed to be 'iron age' in origin, which would put it, on Islay, at somewhere between 1,000BC and 1,000AD.  The site is likely to have also been occupied both before and after those dates, but to have operated in forms that approximate to the hill-fort type sometime between those dates.

There are around 80 'duns', what may be loosely described as fortified hills or forts,  on Islay, of which Dun Nosebridge is certainly one of the most impressive.  The truth is however that very little is known about these structures, either who built them or why they were built.  It seems likely, but my no means certain that they were defensive structures, but it is not really understood who or what they were defending against.  The landscape may have been parceled up between warring families/groups who were enough of a threat to one another to justify the construction of these elaborate and massive structures, or there may have been a threat, perceived or real, from some external source.   The best known external source were the vikings of course, but these structures almost certainly pre-date the vikings by a very long time, although they could latterly have been used as defensive structures against them.  The name Nosebridge is thought to have a Norse origin.

There are alternative views as to their purpose - they could have been iron age stately homes, status symbols to demonstrate wealth and power, but there is little hard evidence to back this up.

Nosebridge is a spectacular site, easy to get to (please avoid lambing time if you have a dog) and well worth the visit.  Access is via an easy track through some attractive woodland, mostly sessile oak and hazel.  While we were there this afternoon a small child was being shown how to hunt for hazel nuts by her grandmother, which was rather excellent.  They were just about to climb up through the wood to see if the particularly good nut trees that the lady could remember from her childhood were still there.  The girl showed me some she had collected..

Carl

RCAHMS 1984.

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) - Loch Indaal

Black Guillemot in winter plumage on Loch Indaal near Bruichladdich Pier. A pair successfully raised 2 young here this year.

Patterns of the shore

Taken in this afternoon's glorious sunshine
Malcolm

Yeo!!

British Wildlife Photography Awards

Marcin Zagorski - Mountain Hare

Young Grey Seal - Ardnave

Minke Whale near Lunga

Picture:  http://www.ilskipper.blogspot.com/

British Wildlife Photography Awards

James Yaxley - Frogs in Spring

Guga is served by an Aberdeen restaurant

Story from 'Hebrides Today'

Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) at Lorgba

This Buzzard was sitting in the trees this morning and stayed long enough to have its photograph taken - even though it was a little dark.
Carl

Cheers Mark!!

Today is the last day at the Centre for our manager Mark Shields who is going back to the RSPB at Loch Gruinart as a volunteer.  Even though he is not being lost to Islay, and we hope he will still be lending us a hand now and then, he will be sorely missed. 
You have been a great presence about the place...
Many thanks Mark...
Cheers
Carl

INHT Wildlife Photography Competition - Vanessa Fuery

There is just over a week left for you to send in your entries to the INHT Wildlife Photography Competition, which will be judged by Lord George Robertson of Port Ellen.  We have had a good number of really excellent and interesting submissions so far and we really hope that you will contribute.

This is a lovely shot of some Brown Hares sent in by Vanessa - many thanks...!