Do starfish have eyes?

An eager Angus ran into the Centre this morning with a burning question which he said he was asking for his friend - Do Starfish have eyes? Hmmm, do they indeed? I didn't know. We looked it up on the internet and discovered that yes, starfish (or, to be more precise, sea stars) DO have eyes, one on the end of each arm. They are known as eye spots, are red, and visible to the naked eye if examined closely (and carefully). This from the marine life website:

"A starfish's eye spots lie underneath its skin, but you can see them. If you get a chance to gently hold a starfish, often it will tilt the end of its arms upward. Look at the very tip, and you might see a black, or red dot. That's the eye spot."

Thanks for the question Angus and friend - I'm away to change our wildlife quiz questions!
Becky

Nyree's footbridge

On my recent walk to Proaig, Jim (and Lorna with her leaky wellies) got their feet wet crossing the River Proaig just before the bothy. If we'd looked closer, however, we'd have seen Nyree's footbridge. I saw her name in the bothy visitor book and emailed her to say so (she has been in touch reguarly with various moth lists since their visit). This is part of her reply, together with a photo of them 'constructing' the bridge:

"With regards to Proaig we all walked from Ardtalla, but only my dad & 
I went right to Proaig, only to find that we couldn't cross the 
heavily swollen river. However we found a large plank on the shore and 
made our own bridge. Did you use our bridge!!"

Thanks Nyree - all I can say is you're braver than me!
Becky

Angus's Caterpillar

Angus has been in to visit us most days this week and spent time making a caterpillar in the Wildlife Den. Here he is with the finished article. Watch this space for more of Angus and his questions!
Becky

Lobster Display

Today, I've been adding to our lobster display, which includes this wee fellow - the latest in our Make Your Own series! The lobster enjoyed being fed his mussels and prawns today, under the gaze of a keen audience.

Lorna

Hedgehog

In wet weather (over an inch of rain since yesterday evening), what else is there to do except curl up and hope it stops. I was out because my dog needed his walk, but it was good to get back in the warm and the dry, especially after I discovered, as I waded through a foot of water where there is normally about an inch or two in a burn which crosses the track I was on, that one of my wellies has sprung a leak :-(
As The Times newspaper put it  yesterday: "There has been an Arab Spring. Now we must have a British Summer". Yes, please.
Malcolm

Walk to McArthur's Head

Lorna, Jim McNulty and I  had a fantastic walk on Saturday to Proaig and then on to McArthur's Head. The weather was brilliant and we saw lots of wildlife (except, surprisingly, otter). We also saw many types of sea-faring vessels including a newly built naval destroyer, the 0945 ferry, the 1530 ferry and the 1800 ferry (which tells you how long our walk was!) As well as sea-faring vessels we saw plenty of air activity too with it being the Airport Show Day. Our attention was on natural history, however and on enjoying the scenery. This was one of the first walks I did when I came to Islay in 2004 and I said then it was my favourite walk so far; I still say it's hard to beat!
Becky

BIRDS:Wheatear, Stonechat, Willow Warbler, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Blackbird, Wren, Guillemot, Razorbill, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Gannet, Shag, Rock Pipit, Meadow Pipit, Whitethroat, Hen Harrier, Grey Heron, Mute Swan, Mallard, Hooded Crow, Swallow, Curlew, Greylag Goose, Common Sandpiper, Rock Dove, Pied Wagtail, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Linnet, Twite, Lesser Redpoll, Reed Bunting

INSECTS: Ringlet, Meadow Brown, Small Copper (1), Common Blue (3 or 4), Large Red Damselfly, Common Hawker (1), Small Tortoiseshell, Fox Moth larva, Galeruca tanaceti

OTHER: Adder, Bluefire Jellyfish, Lion's Mane Jellyfish, Hermit Crabs, Fallow Deer, Common Seal

Fox Moth Caterpillar - 1st instar

Galeruca tanaceti - a type of leaf beetle

Common Hawker (f)

Bluefire Jellyfish or Cyanea lamarckii (we think)

Reed Bunting (f) at Proaig

Common-spotted Orchid

Stonechat (m)

Fallow Deer with Sgarbh Breac in background

The 'Finlaggan' goes past McArthur's Head lighthouse.

Family Activity Session - Pond Dipping

I barely thought it worth turning up for today's activity session when the rain started to descend, but how wrong I was. First one car, then another pulled up, all full of eager children dressed in a variety of veritable fishing gear! Then came the minibus and Sheila with her Little Angels. George and Megan donned their waterproofs and joined us up at the ponds where we had a curtailed pond dipping session. We found a dragonfly nymph, a Water Scorpion, Greater and Lesser Water Boatmen and another water beetle - possibly a Diving Beetle, oh and some sort of thin worm too. It was actually difficult to tear the children away from their mud-laden nets after an hour of dredging the pond! Thanks to George and Megan for allowing us the use of their pond and for bringing fresh water when we needed it!
Becky

Catching mud!

Water Scorpion

Looking at our finds

Ramble at Ardnave, 16th July 2012

It's about time I was out on another ramble and Lorna joined me this time, making 7 of us rambling even more slowly than usual at Ardnave this afternoon. Lorna was keen to explore under stones by the shore so our species list was extended to include shore creatures (but no lichens noted today!) Gregor also had great fun chasing butterflies. Many thanks to everyone for a most enjoyable ramble. Here's our list. If I've left anything out (excluding all those skeletons!), please let me know.
Becky

BIRDS
Linnet, Stonechat, Oystercatcher, Chough, Hooded Crow, Whimbrel, Ringed Plover, Eider, Red-breasted Merganser, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Sand Martin, Mallard, Mute Swan, Lapwing, Pied Wagtail, Sedge Warbler, Common Gull, Herring Gull, Starling, Grey Heron, Raven, Rock Pipit, Pheasant

FLORA
Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Meadow Buttercup, Dove’s-foot Cranesbill, Water Cress, Water Mint, Brooklime
Forget-me-not sp., Lady’s Bedstraw, Marsh Marigold, Silverweed, Germander Speedwell, White Clover
Lesser Trefoil, Daisy, Mouse-ear sp., Eyebright, Marsh Thistle, Spear Thistle, Creeping Thistle, Marsh Lousewort, Thrift, Lesser Spearwort, Ragged Robin, Sweet Vernal Grass, Common Nettle, Yellow Iris
Common Storksbill, Ribwort Plantain, Bracken, Cat’s-ear sp., Chalk Milkwort, Marsh Horsetail, Curled Dock, Cotton Grass Multiflora, Hare’s-tail Cottongrass, Wall Speedwell, Red Clover, Harebell, Grass of Parnassus, Bog Pimpernel, Pineapple Mayweed, Self-heal, Wild Thyme, Tormentil, Marsh Bedstraw, Marsh Willowherb, Yorkshire Fog, Purple Loosestrife, Square Stalked St. John's Wort, Sweet Vernal Grass, Lesser Water Plantain, Star Sedge, Tufted Vetch, Blue Water Speedwell, Knotted Pearlwort

INSECTS
(Butterflies) Ringlet, Common Blue, Meadow Brown, Small Heath, Green-veined White
(Other) Cranefly, Beautiful China Mark, Dung Fly (and larvae), Dung Beetle, Blue-tailed Damselfly

SHORE CREATURES
Shore Crab, Acorn Barnacles, Common Whelk shell, Common Cockle, Carpet Shell, Crab sp.,

MAMMALS
Rabbit, Grey Seal

Acorn Barnacles




Crab sp.

 

Green-veined White



Beautiful China Mark



Ramblers at Ardnave

Our new lobster arrives, but what is its name?

We are pround to announce the arrival of our latest tank resident - a Common European Lobster - seen here, but only just! She's just settling into her new home. We've given it a female name for a change (but assuming it is actually a male!) but are not revealing it. If you guess the name correctly you win a cuddly lobster! Call in at the Centre to see our new resident and enter our 'Guess the name' competition (50p a guess).
Becky

Sea Hares

You'll have to bear with me for indulging yet again in a photo of my favourite tank inhabitants. I just feel they're under admired!
Becky

Feeding time antics

Feeding time in the tank is always a highlight of my day.I couldn't help notice, as I approached with today's breakfast, that the creatures have started to associate my presence with food, particularly the Scorpion Fish, whose eyes are extremely swift to follow the direction of my hand. I now have to be extra aware of this speed of lightning species when lowering my arm in if I want to keep all my fingers! It really is a joy though. I could never get bored of the satisfaction of a Piecrust Crab as they rather clumsily land upon their prize, or the Three -bearded Rockling gently tugging its prey out from my grip. It's fascinating to watch the sea anemones draw their meal (usually defrosted prawns) into their centre, where their stomach lies in wait. The Velvet Crab has been surprisingly tolerant in his bustling community, but sends his paddled legs flying at the sight of his favourite food (again, prawns); surely a contender for the crustacean olympics! Here's some photos from just after today's feed. I still have all my fingers.

"Oi, gimme some mussel!"

Beautiful carapace of one of our 5 Piecrust Crabs. Can you spot the pregnant prawn in the background?

Mr Velvet Crab has nothing to be crabbit about!

A prey's-eye-view: I'm thinking of calling our smallest Long spined Sea Scorpion Dennis the Menace! He's usually the one to greet me first, and steal the other's food.

The touch tank is thriving right now with the likes of this Worm Pipefish, the popular Butterfish, and ever fidgety hermit crabs!

Lorna

Cockchafer Beetle

On Tuesday, someone presented me with an unidentified beetle that appeared to be washed up at Saligo Bay. I'm sorry, I didn't get any pictures (it was very smelly and upon identificaction, was dealt with quickly!), but if that someone sees this entry, then thanks for bringing it in. As I thought at the time, it was a cockchafer beetle.

Lorna

Swallows at Moira's again

Alistair Hutchison reports that once again there are Swallows nesting in Moira Leitch's porch and that once again the front door is permanently kept open for their comings and goings. Thanks for the photo, Alistair.
Becky

Family Activity Session - Beachcombing Treasures

Eight of us had great fun on Uiskentuie Strand yesterday collecting shells of all sorts: mussels, horse mussels, whelks, tellins, carpet shells and periwinkles. We also learnt about whelk eggs and saw a tiny baby Shore Crab. Later we built a picture from our finds.
Becky

The only mermaid we saw!

Sanaigmore ramble

SAeA cool but dry afternoon, after light rain in the morning, saw six of us rambling at Sanaigmore. The cool northerly wind meant we didn't see a single butterfly - but then it seems to be a very poor summer for them so far. However, the flowers were good, while the birds were rather scarce.

Wild flowers
Creeping Buttercup, Meadow Buttercup, Marsh Marigold, Water-cress, Hairy Bitter-cress, Cuckoo-flower, Common Milkwort, Ragged Robin, Procumbent Pearlwort, Dove's-foot Cranesbill, Red Clover, White Clover, Marsh Pennywort, Parsley Water-dropwort, Lady's Bedstraw, Marsh Bedstraw, Wild Thyme, Daisy, Common Burdock, Ragwort, Creeping Thistle, Spear Thistle, Hawkbit, Common Centaury, Field Felwort, Water Forget-me-not, Field Speedwell, Sea Plantain, Northern Marsh Orchid, Yellow Flag, Marram Grass, Sea Milkwort, Bog Pimpernel, Monkeyflower, Common Cottongrass

Birds
Herring Gull, Common Gull, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover, Hooded Crow, Wheatear, Skylark, Pied Wagtail, Swallow

Mammals
Rabbit


Inverts
Bumblebee (probably Bombus lucorum)

Malcolm

Bumblebee (probably Bombus lucorum)

Common Cottongrass

Common Milkwort

Festival of the Sea

Festival of the Sea, a set on Flickr.