Gourmet gorging

During our April holiday in Perthshire, we also revisited the town of Alyth and its eponymous Den. This steep-sided valley is an absolute joy to wander around, with its Ash and Beech trees, and fast-flowing burn. Sadly, due to the wet Winter, several landslides had closed some of the paths. However, we were able to navigate the remaining paths in a convoluted route to make the most of the site's wonderful wildlife.

Blue, Great and Coal Tits sang as they foraged through the canopy. Nuthatches and Treecreepers called from boughs and trunks. Wood Anemone and Wood Sorrel coated the valley floor, along with Lesser Celandine and Greater Stitchwort. Dippers and Grey Wagtails frequented the burn, whilst Green-veined White, Comma and Speckled Wood butterflies basked in sunny glades.

At the lower end of the Den, is an open area where the base of a low cliff is fringed with wildflowers. Here were more species of insect: Orange Tip, Peacock and Red Admiral butterflies, Dark-edged Bee-flies and my only ode of the trip, a recently-emerged Large Red Damselfly.

Walking back into the town for a spot of lunch, we happened upon Alyth Cyclery, an independent bike shop located in an old church. It contained all manner of bicycles for sale, excellent workshop facilities and a small cafe. No prizes for guessing why we went in. The food was fabulous.

Dipper

Another Dipper, this one under a footbridge in the town

A female Orange Tip butterfly on Cuckooflower

Large Red Damselfly, my first ode of the year

Comma butterfly basking on fallen Beech leaves

Green-veined White butterlfy

Wood Sorrel growing on a fallen log

Turkey Tail fungus, also on a fallen log

Cheilosia illustrata, a bee-mimic hoverfly (sat on Megan's mum's hat)

Whilst entomologists don't consider the above hoverfly to be a particularly good bee-mimic, that reddish tinge to its bum was quite apt, as we encountered several species of red-tailed bumblebees during the holiday. Which, if the point requires illustrating once again, proves that wildlife doesn't pay any attention to wildlife ID guides.