Sheshkinmore: Orchids

One of the main aims of our walk was to try and find the Dense-flowered Orchid. Also known as the Irish Orchid, it is classed as Near Threatened in the Red Data List of Vascular Plants. Its flowers form a dense, cylindrical spike and are small! It actually has a Mediterranean distribution, but has a rather unusual UK distribution - below, with its 'stronghold' being the Burren. 

https://bsbi.org/taxa/2cd4p9h.vyf/neotinea-maculata

Tom and I...

Dense=flowered Orchid....

And the Early Purple Orchids...

And a pale Early Purple Orchid, with one of the many Burnet Moth caterpillars we saw. 

Sheshkinmore: before it rained

The first of last weekend's walks out, whilst in Northern Ireland, with Tom and Natalie, was to Sheskinmore, in Co Donegal This large area was very reminiscent of Islay and  included beach, dunes, dune slacks, craggy 'lumps' and machair. Unsurprisingly this is the first of several blogs for the day, as not only was the flora stunning, the light was too. We keep saying 'you don't get the light without the rain' and my did it rain! So this blog gives an introduction to the day - before it rained!

Primroses in the dunes.

There were lots of Early Purple Orchids...

...and the rare and hard to find, Dense-flowered Orchid. 

Dune slacks...

One of the hilly 'lumps'.

It was nice to see so much Juniper.

...and Mountain Everlasting.

The Willow was certainly pollen-laden!

Dramatic scenery along the coast.

A summit of sorts.

Another area where there were several Dense-flowered Orchids.

The aptly named Bog Bean was perfect.

Then down to the beach...

With rumbles of thunder....

A hasty lunch, keeping an eye on the weather....
Then it rained....

Wood of Cree

The Wood of Cree is the largest ancient woodland in southern Scotland and provided a delightful stop off on the way to the Stranraer ferry.  The short signed walk leads you up by a series of waterfalls and back down through Bluebell woods. Pied Flycatchers and Cuckoos were calling.

Photos of many photographable and sketchable/paintable waterfalls! :

'White' Bluebells.

Moss growing up the saplings.

Further along the valley, we drove past vast expanses of Bluebell woodland.