Natural highs and lows

The past week has seen me on a bit of a thrash around the isles, with work on Eday, Stronsay and Westray. Only Stronsay provided any time for nature-watching, although my 'office' for the day on Eday had calling Red-throated Divers flying overhead. Arctic Tern, Stronsay Green-veined White butterfly, Stronsay Swallow, Stronsay By way of relaxation, on Saturday I helped out at an event for the Orkney Nature Festival, as the Orkney Field Club had organised a walk through Russadale. We had Hen Harriers and Redpolls to watch, whilst the air was filled with the sounds of Cuckoo, Willow Warbler, Wren, Blackbird and Stonechat.   Common Heath moth, Russadale Redpoll of some stripe, Russadale Dog violet, Russadale Millipede, Russadale Red Admiral butterfly, Russadale Sunday's meteorology wasn't particularly conducive to going outdoors, but we made the most of a short weather window (too short, as it turned out) to walk a little of the west coast of West Mainland. There are many m

When there are still ducks over-Wintering in Kirkwall, I think it's fair to say that the temperature has not yet reached the dictionary definition of 'warm'. Well, that's my excuse for still being in fleecy trousers. We have edged imperceptibly into double figures, as long as you forget to take into account the windchill. I do not forget. Long-tailed Ducks Yesterday we popped into Kirkwall to visit the supermarket to do our weekly food shopping. At least that was the official reason. In reality, we were headed to the Peedie Sea aka the town duck pond, just across the road from the supermarket, where a Red-rumped Swallow had been seen over the two previous days. This would be a lifer, so there was an edge to the occasion. I think the above photo of some ducks tells you all you need to know about a failed twitch. We didn't see it, and to ramp up the frustration further, later that day another rare species was seen in the same area - a Grey-headed Wagtail - again it wo

(This post was mostly written during a not so brief stopover at a regional transport hub) The pause in bloggage has been due to a trip south to visit family. How does that prevent post output I hear you ponder? Well, it was too hot, hot enough at least for a denizen of the Northern Isles experiencing mid May in central England. And when it wasn’t hot, there was so much more wildlife to see and hear. This is a known ecological phenomenon, (not the whinging about the heat, although that could be argued, eh?), the fact that larger islands have more biodiversity than smaller ones. And despite Bedfordshire seemingly being somewhere very near the Equator, there was quite a lot of biodiversity. It did take me while to find a House Sparrow, mind, as well as any Swallows, and of Swifts there was nary a sniff. But my bird list for the year went stratospheric, up by 16 in three days, and I managed 9 species of butterfly in the same timeframe. There were wildflowers aplenty and, glory be, a fe