Natural highs and lows

In a week when researchers at Cambridge University have found promising hints of life on an exo-planet 124 light years away, plenty of us are wondering when there might be the possibility of detecting signs of some humanity here on Earth. "Humanity" 🙄 We're gonna need a bigger microscope to unearth any evidence of compassion and benevolence around these parts. [Presses button for some Nature therapy] Feels like it's on speed-dial these days. Megan discovered this caterpillar in the garden. Our best guess is Angle Shades moth. April seems early for Mayflies. Apparently this is a Baetis sp which must've found its way to the house wall from the burn in the valley.   Two Common Cranes which recently spent some time in the county, specifically this ploughed field in the parish of Birsay. Whilst twitching the above cranes, we popped into the hide at the Marwick Loons on the off-chance that a Bittern might show. It didn't, but here's a very confiding Redshank (p...

Here we are on a Friday afternoon, enjoying the fifth consecutive day of sunshine in a row. Yes, I'm still in Orkney. Let's pretend there's not a bitter easterly breeze, eh? It has been so sunny and dry and [sighs] breezy, that we have run out of things to launder: bedding; towels; and so much clothing we can actually see the bottom of the laundry basket. Unprecedented times, I tell you. Monday saw work begin on the new pond location (a subject for a future blogpost). Tuesday, a second day of sunshine, and the insects were beginning to believe in Spring! Several White-legged Snake Millipedes put in an appearance and the first hoverfly of the year was spotted, possibly Eristalis pertinax . At lunchtime, we headed out to Yesnaby on the west coast to set up a transect to monitor Plantain Leaf Beetles for the Species on the Edge Project. It was so peachy, we did two! A Yellow Dung Fly joined me for lunch, which doesn't say much about my sandwiches We saw about 40 beetles an...