my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

Seen at the coast yesterday was a Ruff.



Several Curlew.



A group of Oyster Catchers.



Four Guillemot.



Also a couple of Cornflowers, possibly garden throw-outs.

[ian mcdonald]

A walk along the river the other day to check on the patch of Broad-leaved Ragwort.



They are a food source for Peacock butterflies.



Also seen was a Small Copper.



A juvenile Goldeneye was taking no notice of nearby fishermen.



I saw Spearmint on a small island.

[ian mcdonald]

Fox and Cubs were growing by a track.



A Common Darter was resting on a Mole hill.



I saw Hops growing over a fence, once used to flavour Beer.



Harebells are still flowering here.


   

 Hoof fungus.

[ian mcdonald]

It was a quiet day along the river yesterday. Three Herons were fishing. I had not noticed this one until I was very close.



I noticed wasps flying low above the grass by the river. Closer inspection (not too close) revealed a hole in the bank where wasps were coming and going. I think they must have a nest there.



At the waters edge I saw a fisherman who seemed to have caught a fish. As I watched he landed a good sized Salmon. After removing the hook he held the fish in the river until it got its strength back, then let it swim off.

[ian mcdonald]

A sad week this week. Someone in the village got a rescue dog last Sunday. The dog escaped after only one hour and search parties were out looking for it. I saw the dog in a field on Wednesday but it ran away. The owner said it was timid. Then I saw it run onto the main road, a local race track, and it was hit by a car. The dog was bowled over several times but got up and ran into woodland. It has not been seen since, despite searches and a drone. Yesterday I went looking for the dog again but no luck. I did find a large fungus which a colleague suggested may be Dyers Polypore? An up-date on the missing dog. Food was put out for it in areas where it had been seen. After many days of freedom it was caught in a cage put out for it and is back with the owner.



Another fungus growing on a dead tree may be Chicken-in-the-woods?



In a ditch on moorland I saw Climbing Corydalis.



A feather on a track in pine woodland looks like a Buzzards.



It was sunny and warm yesterday and a number of Speckled Woods were on the wing, also a single Red Admiral, feeding on heather.

[MarcR]

Ian,

I really enjoy your photography; and your very beautiful location

[ian mcdonald]

I joined a Botanical search for un-common wetland plants yesterday. The small Loch we went to is short of its normal water levels, making it easier to find smaller plants. The shores of the Loch are fringed with many boulders.



It was a hot and sunny day, much the same today. An early find was a tiny fertile hybrid Spearwort.



Quite a few Small water-pepper were found. The leaves of this plant are not as strong tasting as its common relative.



There were many Shoreweed plants in the shallow water. Not usually flowering under water we found one on the shore in flower.



We looked in a nearby cemetery for plants but the grass was well kept. A few Scotch Argos butterflies were feeding on Devils-bit Scabious. They were quite faded.

[ian mcdonald]

A friend came up for the week-end. We decided to visit a pine forest. Most of the "specialist" plants were well over. We did manage to find Moneses with the remnants of a flower.



Martin saw a Common Lizard by one of the paths.



At another pine forest there were many people around and a car park charge. It was like Blackpool on a sunny Bank Holiday. We decided there was too much disturbance for the chance of seeing wildlife so we moved along the coast. Waders were seen among the rocks by the shore. Turnstones were looking for a meal among sea-weed.



In the small harbour was a Grey Seal, perhaps hoping for fish scraps to be thrown from one of the boats.



A fisherman told us he had been harassed by a young Gannet so we went to look for it. It was on the harbour wall and seemed un-able to fly.

[ian mcdonald]

Near the Harbour were two patches of Soapwort, Saponaria officinalis. Some think this is a species introduced to Britain by the Romans as a hand cleanser.

[ian mcdonald]

In the harbour were a few Guillemot.


A Curlew was looking in pools and eventually caught a small Crab.


A few Knot flew in and we had good views of them.

[ian mcdonald]

Yesterday turned cold and windy. We paid a visit to Spey Bay, a good site for bird watching. We were rewarded with two Little Stints feeding by a pool.



A Dunlin was seen blending in with pebbles.



After a while we decided to move further West, to Lossiemouth where there is a small marsh and river estuary. We saw quite a few birds, including a Bar Tailed Godwit.



A few patches of Hares-tail Clover were growing by a path.

[ruweiss]

Ian, thank you so much for showing us the fauna and flora of your so interesting
region. It is incredible, how many species of sea birds are existing there and it is always
a pleasure to see them in your photos.

[ian mcdonald]

On a short walk I saw a Treecreeper in a pine wood.



By the river is a small patch of Colchicum.



A view of the river.



Dead fish are being found in the river, as yet the cause is unknown. A Sea Trout.



Fresh water Mussels are not as common as in the past.

[ian mcdonald]

Following several days of rain I went to look at fungi in a local pine wood. I don,t know the names of most of the ones I saw and there are probably duplicates.

[ian mcdonald]