wildlife

[Tristan_He]

On the other side of the world - here is the webcam for one of our northern  royal albatross chicks.   It is the only mainland colony in the Southern Hemisphere.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/royalcam

Susan

Cool Susan, you don't get many of those at the bird table! That chick has quite a view.

I don't think there are any albatrosses of any kind in the northern hemisphere, so presumably that also makes this the only mainland albatross colony in the world.

[Susan]

Tristan, they are an awe inspiring sight on a windy day when the adults are flying. 

Apparently a lot of people have become 'hooked' on the webcam, especially in working hours.  Not sure it is good for productivity!

Susan

[ian mcdonald]

Just looked at the bird. It,s dark there just now but the bird looks bigger than my garden let alone the bird table.

[Anthony Darby]

One did turn up on the Bass Rock a few years ago.

[Steve Garvie]

One did turn up on the Bass Rock a few years ago.

That was a Black-browed Albatross. There have been a few (? same bird) at various Scottish Gannet colonies over the years but never more than one at a time sadly.

[Karaba]

I don't know if Albert is still alive but there's still some sighting of Albatross in northern Atlantic. Last year, there was an "Albert" at Helgoland in Germany
http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/placestovisit/minsmere/b/minsmere-blog/archive/2015/07/13/albatross-ahoy.aspx
http://www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Finders_in_the_Field_Black-browed_Albatross_Minsmere.aspx?s_id=690019373

[Chris Johnson]

Common Starfish (Asterias-rubens).

Two washed up on a Harris beach on Thursday. They hadn't been there long as the tide was just ebbing - they were returned to the sea.

Although very common around our coast these are the first I've seen.

[ian mcdonald]

A 7 armed variety, Luidia ciliaris? img. 2560.

[Chris Johnson]

A 7 armed variety, Luidia ciliaris? img. 2560.

Yes, Luidia ciliaris. Where did you find it Ian?

[ian mcdonald]

It was on the north west coast some years ago.

[Anthony Darby]

Emperor moth img. 09 143.

August 09? Second brood or very late?

[ian mcdonald]

Early summer some years ago Anthony. Just seen this morning a holly blue. First of the year. Warm and sunny here. They like camellia leaves as well as holly and ivy. Must be something to do with dark green and shiny. img. 1010180.

[Anthony Darby]

Not sure how far holly blues have spread into Scotland. At least their food plants are plentiful - mainly ivy flowers and berries for the overwintering brood which then lays its eggs on holly flowers and berries for the spring brood. Alas, the brimstone will never make it as buckthorn is not a Scottish hedgerow plant.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Anthony, brimstones have been seen in our area already but not by me yet.

[Tristan_He]

Not sure how far holly blues have spread into Scotland. At least their food plants are plentiful - mainly ivy flowers and berries for the overwintering brood which then lays its eggs on holly flowers and berries for the spring brood. Alas, the brimstone will never make it as buckthorn is not a Scottish hedgerow plant.

Brimstone seems to be one of relatively few UK butterflies that have high occupancy on their foodplant (i.e. plant it and they will come. Neither buckthorn or alder buckthorn are that common in Britain, but where they do occur there are nearly always brimstones. Most of our other butterflies seem to have rather more specific requirements or are restricted by parastitic wasps etc.

I guess it would be an interesting experiment for a gardener in Scotland with a large patch to plant a reasonable area with buckthorn or alder buckthorn and see if they colonise.