Spring edges slowly forward

Here's a quick round-up of the last few days, beginning with a 5 mile walk around Mull Head in Deerness, across in East Mainland.

Half a dozen pairs of Eider Ducks were loafing at the top of a beach.

Amongst the Creeping Willow, my first Great Yellow Bumblebee of the year, a rather unregal-looking queen.

The local flora continues to change the yellow hue from yellow to pink and blue, with the latest additions being Heath Lousewort and Spring Squill.

A somewhat bare-crested Shag peered at us from a cliff edge.

A couple of days later, and Spring turned up for 24 hours. Whilst sat in the garden, several spiders were basking on the south side of the house, including this female with a lovely blue egg sac. It isn't too much of a stretch of the imagination to think of the sac as Planet Earth, although that does mean it's a huge spider!

A male of the same species was feeling quite amorous, cautiously approaching the female, whilst signalling frantically with his palps. Here's a short video of the encounter. He didn't convince her of his good intentions, but then again, he didn't end up as lunch either.

Yesterday, a dull day was enlivened by a walk in the Scorradale hills, where this strange structure was spotted on a sprig of Heather. I wasn't sure at the time, but did wonder if it might be a cocoon for an Emperor Moth pupa. This was confirmed later by those who know such things. Although I have seen several adult moths this Spring, they have all been fluttering busily across the moors, so have not had a chance to see one at rest or at close quarters.

As if to rub salt into that particular wound, we then found some wings, all that remained of an adult moth.

With little new growth on the Heather, any colour on the moors was limited to mosses and lichens. Here's several species of moss with some lichen and a couple of tiny fungi.

Walking back to the car, the verge of the hillside road was peppered with fresh blooms of Cuckooflower (Lady's Smock).

Hopefully, soon, I will see or hear an actual Cuckoo, but I haven't even heard a Chiffchaff yet. They could be here already, but not singing, I suppose.