my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

Common Sandpipers are back along the river.



Marsh Marigolds are in flower.



Siskins were seen on the bird feeders.



A Hare was on the road, as I approached it ran into a field.



Squirrels are regular visitors to the bird feeders.

[ian mcdonald]

My first sighting of an Osprey this year, I only noticed it because noisy gulls were mobbing it.

[ian mcdonald]

After months of cold and wet weather we have had a couple of sunny warm days. The last week has brought a good number of Spring flowers along the river, many of them are invasive, non-native species.



Leopards Bane.



Tuberous Comfrey.



Bird Cherry.



Sand Martins are back for the Summer, along with House Martins and Swallows. No sign of Swifts yet.

[ian mcdonald]

The last two days have been hot and dry after 6 months of rain. Lousewort is flowering on a local golf course.



Milkwort is also in flower.



Sea Campion.



Gorse is full of flower, perhaps due to the wet conditions.



This is what it looks like without the rain.

[ian mcdonald]

Last week I went with a group of Botanists to look for Knotted Clover. It,s thought that the local site is the most Northerly in the UK for the species. After a short search we found it.



Today I went for a walk past the golf course. The temperature was low, more like March. This must be the coldest June on record. Several plants of Chickweed Wintergreen were in flower.



A Jay visited the bird feeders in the wood but did not stay long.



Three Red Squirrels came to the feeders.



Someone has put a cartoon at the feeders which shows squirrels stealing a sack of food with the text....."it,s not personal-we just decided it was time to hit the supply chain.

I saw a Pebble Hook Tip moth resting on grass.

[ian mcdonald]

Back to Winter weather, with people wearing Winter clothes and the central heating turned on again. I found 14 Northern Marsh Orchids in a new site.



Hay Rattle is in flower along the river.



A couple of Wrens were churring at me, I think they must have a nest or young nearby.



Dog Daisies are just starting to flower.



A view of the river with impending rain.

[Yann]

Ian where your last photos were taken? I collected seeds on Gagea lutea 2 months ago which is late for us, yours are still blooming incredible.

[ian mcdonald]

Yann, the Gagea were flowering at the end of March/early April.

[ian mcdonald]

We went to Loch Ness last week. On the first morning the Loch was covered in mist.





In a small blanket bog were Fragrant Orchids.



A few Bogbean were still in flower in a Lochan.



A couple of Red Kite were seen.

[ian mcdonald]

Butterwort were in the Bog.



Four-spot Chasers were on the wing.



Urquhart Castle.



Boats and the wind etc. were making waves.

[ian mcdonald]

Some of the Melancholy Thistles are in flower.



A few Dotted Loosestrife were seen in flower by the river.



Common Valerian is showing in wet areas.



Campanula latifolia is in flower by the river, in both blue and white forms.



Several examples of the gall Puccinia urticata? were found on Nettles.

[ian mcdonald]

A few pink forms of Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) are by the river.



A white form of Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) was found by the river.



A fungus on the old railway has been identified as The Blusher (Amanita rubescens).



Also on the railway were several garden throw-outs, including Crown Daisy and Gilia capitata.

[ian mcdonald]

I have another camera and have been trying it out. I still haven,t got used to it but taken a few photos. I was at the bird feeders when a male Sparrowhawk flew in, scattering the squirrels and birds.



Corn Marigold is now a rare plant, due to seed cleaning but still pops up from time to time.



Driving down a small road with large Ash trees on either side I noticed large Fungi on one tree. I have been told they are Inonotus hispidus, Shaggy Bracket.



I went to a site where Osprey are regularly seen by the coast. Between 11.15 and 12.35 I saw a bird four times. The tide was going out and I did not see any Osprey after that. Perhaps they mainly fish on an incoming tide?



Common Valerian, V. officinalis, is plentiful just now. Maybe due to the wet weather we have had since last Autumn. The flowers have a distinct smell.

[ian mcdonald]

Yesterday I went to a limestone area to see the Broad-leaved Helleborines. I also saw Dark Red Helleborine. There was a Northern Brown Argus butterfly as well.



Many plants of Wild Marjoram were there.



A few Yellow Saxifrage were growing on shingle by the river. No doubt washed down from the distant hills.



By the side of the road grew Rock Rose. A food plant of the Northern Brown Argus.



In several places by the roadside were stands of Common blue-sow-thistle, Cicerbita macrophylla, an introduced plant.

[ian mcdonald]

Dark Red Helleborine.



The road to the Helleborine site has collapsed.



Also seen were several large hybrid? orchids, perhaps Northern Marsh x ? Any suggestions?



A larva of the Miller moth on crack willow.



A trip to the coast today and two Ospreys and a Red Kite were seen. Also seen were Common and Sandwich Terns, about 50 Curlew, a flock of Lapwings and Goosanders resting on a shingle bank.