South Gower Coast Walk- Part II

After walking from Scurlage to Port Eynon to Horton, I proceeded to Oxwich and Oxwich Burrows.

On arriving at the reserve I went to check the small group of bee orchids I had found near to the entrance last year. While an individual had been sadly grazed the number of flowering spikes had increased to 4 from 2 last year.

The first group of bee orchids (Ophrys apifera). From left to right: a fully 'out' flowering spike, a unopened small spike, a bursting open spike with pale sepals and a grazed flowering spike. 

 Bee orchids weren't the only orchids at the site though. There were plenty of early marsh orchids and some southern marsh orchids. The pyramidal orchids were just spikes, not yet fully blooming, with the bottom 'rung' of flowers out- there was a single fully flowering specimen. By some early marsh orchids there was a very prominent common twayblade.

Common Twayblade, Marsh Orchid Sp. and Pyramidal.

Around the plentiful floral meadows there were lots of butterflies. While there were no marbled whites, there were many small blues and the odd brown argus thrown in as well. 

From left to right: small blue, small blue, common blue and brown argus. 

 As I was leaving Oxwich Burrows to enter Nicholaston Burrows I came across a phenomenal sight. In a single dune slack there was over 35 bee orchids.  I've never seen such a density of bee orchids, many of them with one or more flowers out, on the flowering spike.

Some of the many flowering spikes. 

A single orchid with two fresh flowers. 

Some oddities: left: an oddity yet to fully open, middle: a faded flower and right: a flower missing the central lobe. 

The dune slack containing all of the orchids. 

In Nicholaston Burrows, I then came across an adult slow worm. This has to be the largest slow worm I've seen: an estimated 50cm in length!

Jura's coral beaches round walk

After a 'bumpy' ferry across to Jura we did our usual walk up to Inver cottage and then along track under the flanks of the Paps before descending to the coral beaches. I still enjoy finding cowries! Lovely and dry as we returned hugging the coast along the beaches and cliff tops.

A good current was running in the Sound of Jura.

Splendid views ...and cattle.

Given we had the dog with us I was glad to be able to take photos through the fence, given previous experiences! 

Small coppers.

Sandpiper and cowries.

The Paps over the beach and raised beach - on the way back. 

South Gower Coast Walk- Part I

While we're up on Islay, Tom's been enjoying the sun on the south Gower coast:

After getting the bus to Scurlage I walked through the inland footpaths and tracks filled with butterflies. While it was early in the morning, there were plenty of speckled wood, common blues and dingy skippers. 

Speckled Wood and Brown Argus 

 On reaching the coast at Port Eynon the clouds rolled in, as forecast, I went to look for the Long Horned Bee (Eucera longicornis) a rare, UK priority species.

Male Long horned bees and the habitat. 

 Long horned bees breed in the soft rock cliffs of the south Gower peninsula, first emerging in mid-May. The males are the first to emerge and hence, I only saw around half a dozen males, and no females on the wing.

Three species of Broomrape, left to right: Common, Knapweed/Common usual colour form and Ivy Broomrape

 Throughout the walk I went through many different habitats, from deciduous woodland, yellow dunes and mature dunes. In all these habitats there were many broomrapes, proudly standing in the vegetation.

Orchids and Yellowflag

 There were also many orchids, mostly early and southern marsh orchids, as well as yellow flag iris.
On the cliff-sides of Port--Eynon Bay, near The Cove, there is also some fantastic limestone grassland. Full of rockrose and knapweed, this mixed grassland was full of life- especially butterflies.

Bolsa caves, Islay

A good stretch out yesterday! We parked up as usual at Killinallan and then along to Gortantoid farmstead and along the coast to the caves up at Bolsa. There is clearly a problem with rhododendron at Gortantoid! On the return we came down Killinallan beach. Plenty of deer, good views across to Colonsay and Mull. Perhaps the most unusual sighting was the barn owl that flew out of one of the caves giving us an excellent view. Plenty of small heath butterflies on the wing and lots of heath-spotted orchids.

Gortantoid rhododendron on the march!

Views; golden rod; deer; plenty of moths including latticed heaths - this one yet to be identified; heath-spotted orchid and yellow hammer.

Dykes and arches......

Beach debris..........

Lichens on the raised beach pebbles.

The shags made all sorts of noises as we found them on the nest in the caves.

Small heath butterflies.

Back along the shore of Gruinart. 

Ardnave Point circular walk

It's good  to be back on Islay for the week and as tradition has it we went round Ardnave Point for our first walk. Also the weather wasn't up to much so it's a short walk. As we went round the sun actually came out a few minutes - and what a different day that made it. The best bit thought was finding the 1280 BC pieces of bronze age pottery - including the rim of a pot.

Bogbean - my favourite!

Lousewort; 'eggs and bacon'; marsh orchid sp and eider duck 

Thrift; oystercatcher eggs; marsh marigold; yellow flag iris; marsh orchid sp; milkwort; stonecrop and butterwort....
and bronze age pottery.

Clyne Valley

In this glorious weather Tom too has been out and about!

In the Clyne Valley, small glades have been cleared of wood providing sunny clearings full of life. The vegetation is a mixture of bluebells, bracken with low shrub, limestone grassland as well as small birch, aspen and buckthorn trees.

In the sunny glade there were many male brimstone butterflies, and a few females laying their eggs on buckthorn as well as common hawker dragonflies and broad-bodied chasers. Further along the cycle path there is a second clearing which had been planted. Here as well as the ubiquitous brimstones, there were around half a dozen small pearl-bordered fritillaries. 

Top: Female Brimstone (left: laying eggs), bottom left: small pearl-bordered fritillary and bottom right: broad-bodied chaser. 

 I then went to Mumbles hill in search of brown argus', but to no avail. However, there were plenty of common blues, dingy skippers and speckled woods. Coming back along Swansea bay there were also plenty of common blues, a single holly blue and plenty of sandpit mining bees.

Swansea Bay

Eskdale Art Show and Great Gable

Tonight I dropped off 8 paintings, 20 prints, 80 cards and a glass wave for the forthcoming weekend's art show at St Bega's Primary School in Eskdale. It was such a beautiful evening I couldn't resist a detour and a very hasty field sketch!

Wastwater, Kirk Fell and Great Gable.

Herdies.

The screes...

The screes bathed in evening light.

The hasty field sketch! 

Borneo ...part 2 of a few!

Following on from the previous post click here,  about Tom's Borneo trip - a few more 'bug' pictures for your delectation!

Solway sunset

A short evening walk - playing around with photos through the winter barley.

View through the hedge.

Clematis and hawthorn in an evening light.

Criffel.

Through the barley .....in increasing levels of abstraction............