Natural highs and lows

Here at Natural Highs and Lows, the blogposts are currently about a fortnight behind real time, though 'real time' hasn't got a lot to write home about, thank you very much. What with expensive energy prices, cost of living increases, a looming recession and, generally, all the other wonderful benefits of the much-vaunted sunlit uplands of Brexit... well then, real time can go stick its head in a sewage outflow. Rant over, back to the past wildlife, and the last day of the long weekend in Hoy and South Walls from mid month. As was becoming customary, the day began with thick fog, so we reasoned that looking for dragons or birds would be a tough gig. Instead, we visited a Scottish Wildlife Trust site at the Hill of the White Hamars, which has a lovely walk along the Pentland Firth coast of South Walls. With our focus narrowed down to our immediate environs, we were able to bask in the glow of a multitude of wildflowers. We began a species list and, in a very short time, it ...

The following day dawned... foggy... not ideal for a dragonfly walk. But, by the time we arrived at Lyness to meet the ferry and six folk keen to see dragons, the cloud had lifted sufficiently that we could at least discern the outline of the hillside for which we were headed. Phew. I explained to everyone that this year's walk was three weeks later than normal, so I couldn't really predict what we would find. And then there was the weather... no sun, no heat, but at least there was almost no breeze. A perfect combo for insects, as long as those insects were midges. Climbing up the gentle slope from Lyness onto the hill of Wee Fea, there was plenty of wildlife to see, which was most pleasing and a huge relief. Whilst the event was free, there's always a bit of performance anxiety!  Fly Agaric. "Just needs a wee door in the front" quipped one of our number A caterpillar of the Northern Eggar moth A male Black Darter It's not often that we see ants swarming, but...

Friday saw the first of three days spent across in Hoy and South Walls, a short 30 minute ferry journey from home. Low cloud and rain made for challenging wildlife watching, but the mission was to explore some pools which were new to me. Usually when visiting Wee Fea, the hill to the west of Lyness, it is to the southern slopes and some very accessible pools alongside a track. However, I knew from a few islanders that there were other pools at the top of the hill, so we set off into the low cloud, limited in visibility but buoyant of mood. Trudging off piste through the heather and peat cuttings was more aerobic exercise than I have been used to of late, but it wasn't as if I was going to overheat. The first few bog pools we found were bereft of dragons, though populated by plenty of pond skaters. Is that a thing? Could there be a negative correlation between skaters and dragons? A project for next year perhaps. Once we reached the the ridge at the top of the hill, the pools began ...

So far this year there have been wildfires around most of the world, in Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australia. The only reason there hasn't been wildfires in Antarctica is that we haven't yet perfected the art of burning snow, but you can bet your bottom dollar that some eejit is working on that. Some habitats and environments, and the life which lives there, have evolved to cope with wildfires. There are landscapes where fire is a natural part of the order, where certain plants will only set seed or release spores after a blaze. In these areas, fire helps to maintain a wider diversity of micro-habitats which will support a greater diversity of life. But this year there have been conflagrations in places where this is not the norm. It is traumatic to think of the loss of human life and damage to property, but we mustn't forget that fires engulf all life that can't outrun or fly from the flames. We have burnt the past with our reliance on fossil fue...