Isle of Skye U3A Walking and Nature Groups

Is this a Harbour Seal (Common Seal; Phoca vitulina) or a Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus)? Phil confirmed it was a common seal.

This wee entity triggered a certain amount of discussion on iSpot where it was finally agreed that it was likely to be a Pug Moth but that identification of the actual species was problematic.

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle)

Looking west across Loch Duibaig to Beinn an Sgurr on the Waternish Peninsula.

Our Mam - (Stonechat; Saxicola torquatus)

Our Dad

Our Brian

Twite (Carduelis flavirostris)

Meadow Pipit (Anthus pratensis)

Head of Loch Duibaig, where the Greshornish and Waternish peninsulas meet.

Head of Loch Greshornish and the settlement of Edinbane.

Nice bit of pastel meadow.

Small Heath Butterfly (Coenonympha pamphilus)

Magpie Moth pupa (Abraxas grossulariata)

Male Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

Young Albert Wheatear

Dryad's Saddle ( Polyporus squamosus)

"We" managed to achieve a rather low turn out of one for this U3A event.

1st

Common cuckoo (Cuculus canorum) in the hills behind the Aros Centre.

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

The long and winding road from northern to southern Skye and the mainland, with the twin peaks of Glamaig (one of Skye's two Corbetts) looming in the distance.

Looking towards the north east across Portree Bay, with the island of Raasay in the distance.

A juvenile Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) in Portree Bay.

5th

The local star has set below the Outer Hebrides and fine layers of pink mist or refracting strata of air of different densities settle over the Little Minch.

Highland Midges (Culicoides impunctatus) dancing in the dying solar rays.

9th

Presumably a female Lesser Redpoll (Carduelis caberet).

11th

Is this germ warfare? No, it's an RSPB bird ringing session, with midges playing a major role.

24th

Another unidentified mushroom, at Peiness.

The Monkeyflower triple hybrid (Mimulus guttatus × nummularius × variegatus) at Peiness, identified by Steve with the help of Stephen. I had originally had this plant provisionally identified in i-Spot as Blood-drop Emlets (Mimulus luteus).