Natural highs and lows

One of the bloggers I follow is B of Coastal Ripples from Jersey, the largest of the Channels Islands. At a rough guestimate, that's about 675 miles (over 1000km) south of Orkney, so from a seasonal perspective it is always interesting to see what's happening nearer the Equator. B's photos of the landscapes, architecture and wildlife around her are wonderful, not least when she and her husband go on holiday to other scenic places. I don't know where B finds the time, but she partakes in several blog series each year, a skill requiring a great deal of dedication and stamina, especially where there's one post a day for a whole month. I could not possibly hope to emulate this, but am very much in awe of her perseverance and inventiveness. B is also part of the monthly "Through The Garden Gate" series begun by S of Down By The Sea. Once a month, we are treated to what's happening in the garden, what's blooming and how vistas are changing. Now, I'm ...

The Orcadian weather continues to exhibit bi-polar qualities, or at least on some days it is very North Polar. Which just means one has to look harder for some wildlife. For instance, here's a micro moth on a potato leaf in the veg bed. I am reliably informed that this is A ncylis badiana (thanks, NC). At the weekend it was rather windy. Exhibit A is my neighbour's dressing gown. Exhibits B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V and W are all the clothes pegs he used to keep it on the washing line. Another moth, of whose ID I can't be sure, possibly one of the numerous species of Arches. It was roosting on a door frame, where I didn't notice it until I opened the door and it fluttered on to a wall. It is a very characterful door, and proving to be quite the insect magnet, possibly due to a combination of being in a sheltered location, facing the sunrise, and handy for a nectar hit. This next moth is a Common Marbled Carpet. An early evening walk in ...