Berneray

After visiting Clachan Sands we headed up to Berneray - again beautiful flowers and beaches! Corn Marigolds and Poppies - beautiful! 

... and a random Red Deer stag ...on the roadside on the way back.

Clachan Sands (2) In search of the Hebridean Marsh-Orchid

Apart from the beach at Clachan Sands being beautiful, I wanted to go and see if I could find the Hebridean Marsh-orchid. Now, that may sound simple, but it is the nomenclature of this orchid that makes it hard! To quote from the Wild Guides Britain's Orchids book by Sean Cole and Mike Waller (which is an absolutely superb book and highly recommended):

I quote, 'Hebridean Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza ebudensis. In 2000, a small population of stocky, richly coloured marsh-orchids on the machair of North Uist (Outer Hebrides) were assigned species rank as Hebridean Marsh-orchid D. ebudensis. However, Bateman (2012) reclassified these orchids as Pugsley's Marsh-orchid D. traunsteinerioides' ssp francis-drucei vaar edudensis.'

The book then goes into further detail, but I'll leave that for now. So armed with said book and various photos of what is apparently the Hebridean Marsh-orchid we headed off into a superb area where there were abundant orchids of many kinds and undoubtedly their hybrids. I found two likely candidates which have since been given the thumbs up as probably Hebridean Marsh-orchids. 

..and specimen 2....

Clachan Sands (I)

A glorious start to the day, with good views of three different Short-eared Owls on the way over the Committee Road. We then parked up and headed for beach at Clachan Sands. Wow!

Abundant Frog Orchids.

Happy Rocky!

More machair.

Patterns in the sand...

It's amazing how nature creates such beautiful art that we have no chance of repeating ...a wind blown spot - as I found out when I sat down to paint!

 

North Uist Machair

A walk on North Uist. We drove to Greinetobht and the picnic area where we walked out onto the saltmarsh - an unprepossessing day by the looks of it weather -wise! We started in light drizzle walking along the saltmarsh, with Sea Aster just coming into flower, before spotting lots of orchids just behind the saltmarsh - I'll identify them later! But then the drizzle stopped, the sun came out, as did those fabulous Hebridean colours. We looked over the dunes to the beach, beautiful, but chose to walk along the track behind the main dune ridge - and oh, the flowers! Sadly, no Great Yellow Bumblebees, I think that we were a bit early for them, but the yellow of the flowers with the indigo skies was amazing! We found the Wheel House and the Round House, before returning along the coast. Just stunning...

A drizzly start.

A selection of orchids - the first one is very loose flowered! The middle one is mainly Northern Marsh and the right hand one is mainly Early Marsh - I think!

Frog Orchid.

And wow!....

Female Common Blue.

Wheel House.

Male Common Blue.

Dune Pansy field...

Benbecula

A circular walk on Benbecula, began with a lovely view of a male Hen Harrier. We then parked up at Lionacleit, by  the community buildings, before taking the signed path to the beach. As we passed  the community playing field there were many orchids and hybrids between: Common Spotted, Early Marsh and probably Northern Marsh, together with a couple of Pyramidal Orchids. Passing through the dunes the ground was carpeted with Dune Pansies and Stork's-bill. On the beach it  banged it down, so it was heads down, for a Cowrie hunt (productive). A mown path led round the back of the beach, with lots more orchids. We then headed inland through the most stunning field of Daisies and Pansies to the road, past the 'Space for Red-necked Phalarope' pond and on towards Griminis. A gorgeous footpath took us back to Torlum and then to the car. 

Hen Harrier.

Early Marsh (Dune form coccinea); Common-spotted probably var Hebridensis and Pyramidal. 

Dune Pansy.

The beach.

Cowrie hunting....

Ragged Robin in amongst the Buttercups.

A 'tideline' of Starlings.

Beautiful...

Boggy ...

Marsh Cinquefoil.

Damp...

It's nice to see new thatch ...

Rocky...

Drinker Moth.