Terminal fragments from 2014

November 2014

To restart this blog, which has not been updated for many months I thought I'd just put in a few odds and odds from the end of 2014. These are not particularly naturey in nature but at least it will get things going.

 Joy's image from near the top of the descent to Rhubha Hunish, looking out to Lord McDonald's Table (Am Bord), Gearran Island, The Cleats, and Fladaigh Chuain, with the Outer Hebrides in the distance.

Rubha Hunish, the nothernmost point on Skye. 

 A Little Grebe on Loch Portree (Tachybaptus ruficollis) in winter plumage.

 Buzzard (Buteo buteo) departs the garden fence.

 The settlement of Borve and the southern Trotternish Hills bathed in the red glow of the setting sun.

 Looking down on Portree (the "capital city" of Skye), with the Northern slopes of Ben Tianavaig on the right and the island of Raasay in the eastern distance. Just south east of centre is Portree Hospital, which is schedule for closure, much to the consternation of the people of northern Skye.

 The Lump, Portree (sight of the local highland games).

 Looking north to Storr.

Spectrum at Lealt.

We weren't sure whether this was a volcanic dyke or a dry stone wall on the Trotternish Hills at Lealt.

December 2014

 Christmas Day

 Looking out on a planet in the outer suburbs of the Milky Way.

 I'd like to think this was a Brown Hare (Lepus europaeus) spending its winter vacation in the garden but someone's bound to say its ears aren't big enough so it's "just a Rabbit" (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

It's feet look quite large though.

Getting soaked at Ardtrek Point

23rd August 2014

 Is this an albino Suzi Quatro (Devilsbit Scabious, Succisa pratensis) or maybe a Small Teasel (Dipsacus pilosus)?

 Red Hemp Nettle (Galeopsis angustifolia)?

 Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

 Peacock Butterfly (Inachis io)

 Near and right is the southern edge of the island of Wiay, in the middle of Loch Bracadale; slightly left of this and further away is Idrigill Point on the far side of Loch Bracadale; just to the left of that area are the sea stacks Macleod's Maidens, and in the distance Hoe Point.

 Difficult to say what this is.

 Identified by Steve as Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis). It doesn't look anything like the eyebright I know but Steve says it comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

 Another Peacock.

 Fox Moth caterpillar (Macrothylacia rubi). Thanks to iSpot.

 Tentatively identified as Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica) (iSpot).

 As yet unidentified gall thing. This was spotted by Steve. A comment on iSpot was "It would be nice if you can say the tree - might it be apple I wonder? I see you live on Skye so it won't be difficult to track down again and watch it through a season next July. Many of these tissue galls are caused by Sawflies (........) and they usually stick to one species of plant or tree.

There are people who come here and may well give you an answer. Good photo and potentially a valuable record".
 Another comment: "Given the location and your description John, it sounds like it might be a dwarf or creeping willow (Salix repens). They have petiole galls similar to this caused by the larvae of flies such as Rabdophaga salicis. I'm afraid down here in Sussex I'm not familiar with either creeping willows or these fly species so I'm not going to take a punt on it, but it might be something to investigate".

 Flower thing on a grass thing,

 Common Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)

 Big grey clouds approach from the west and soon we are scurrying for non-existent shelter and then getting very wet and retreating back to the car with dampened spirits.

Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glanulifera). Exploding the seed pods when they become ripe is great fun.

 Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) at Uigshader, 9th August.

Leitir Fura, October 2014, fungi, lichen, and broken seats

29th October

 Looking east to the mainland of Scotland; the combined peaks of Beinn a'Chapuill (742 m) and Creag Bealach na h'Oidhche (755 m) in the centre (I think but I'm not sure) and just to the right of them Beinn Sgritheall (928 m, making it a Munro, over 3000 feet or 914.4 metres; pronounced Ben Sgreehell).

 Steve claimed that the dark areas were a fungal infection. We wondered if this could be ergot (Claviceps purpurea) which produces alkaloids that cause Saint Anthony's Fire (ergotism) when ingested. The symptoms include convulsions, hallucinations and irrational behaviour which at one time, apparently, could brand you as a witch and get you into big trouble. We asked Gill if, in the interests of medical research and to generate more publicity for the Skye U3A blog, she could take a lick but she refused.

 Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum); I think this is the only honeysuckle species on Skye.

What happened next was something of a confused blur. We were about to take a break on a public bench when without warning someone or something rushed out from behind us and commenced to smash up the said seating ....

.... before finally posturing atop the now defunct bench like a beast marking its territory, 

issuing base unearthly sounds, as from some unfathomable black abyss. Despite being a bit put out we acted as would any upstanding member of society and attempted to apprehend this abomination and make a citizen's arrest. Yet its bizarre loping gate left us far behind as it ran screaming into the local woods. A cursory search revealed nothing and we though it wise not to stray further into the twilight domain of this alien creature.

Some amongst us speculated that it might be the mate of the infamous leopard man, known to stalk the southern regions of Skye in a state of foul nakedness. Indeed, the outdoor wear being sported by the creature might well have been a gift from the leopard man, removed from the body of one of his many victims.

In all the excitement, none of us had noticed that Gill had disappeared, but she soon turned up further along the path skirting the woods, albeit seeming slightly confused. So all was well in the end and we were already looking forward to future adventures with the redoubtable Isle of Skye U3A nature group.

Greshornish 2014

15th September 2014

 Near the Greshornish Hotel we found a host of mushrooms which, if they were of the same species, were at very different stages of growth. Awaiting an iSpot ID.

 They had a very noticeable yellow ring.

 No ID yet.

 The dreaded Sheep Tick (Ixodes ricinus), one of two photographed on my trousers as we sat on the grass for a rest. Before 2014 I'd never encountered a tick, but now they seem to be everywhere. Apparently one in four of these guys is infected with Borrelia type bacteria so, given the number of times I've been bitten, the chances are I should have Lyme disease, but I probably wouldn't know the difference between that and normal everyday life!

 Looking north east across Loch Snizort over Eilean Mor and Eilean Beag (little island and big island) to Trotternish.

 A broken Sea Urchin shell.

 Looking south, back down the Greshornish Peninsula.

 And to the north.

 Looking for basking sharks, but with Linda hanging around they don't stand a chance.

North Trotternish in the distance.

The walk was terminated prematurely as the rest claimed they had to go home and feed their dogs or something, but I'm pretty sure it was because they were terrified of facing the Path of Death - the great softies!