Natural highs and lows

One day last week, we went along on a trip to the island of Wyre organised by the Orkney Field Club. We caught the ferry from Tingwall in West Mainland to Rousay and then on to Wyre. This is a place that I had not previously visited, a small island with a population of less than ten, featuring some 12th Century ruins, farming on a less industrial scale than normal and, consequently, more wildlife. We spent the day pottering the length of the place and back, exploring road verges, field edges, abandoned gardens, an old cemetery wall at St Mary's Chapel and the remains of Cubbie Roo's castle. Photographing insects and wildflowers was a little tricky due to a stiff westerly breeze (or perhaps I just couldn't see what I was focussing on due to the bright sunlight), but I have managed to salvage some crisper shots from the day. The view across Wyre Sound to Rousay An ichneumon wasp from the Genus Ophion on a Hogweed umbel We found several species of Fumitory growing in the field...

Firstly, a photo from the day after the last post. It had rained overnight and on going to check if the Grey Dagger and Poplar Hawk-moth caterpillars had survived the hours of darkness, we discovered this... I have no idea what criteria were used to decide that this was the place to be, but they all seemed to agree on it! Later that day, we ventured across to the East Mainland to stroll around Mull Head. The weather was kind (Summer actually showed up for a week and a half at the end of August) so, in a bohemian spirit, we walked the route clockwise as opposed to the usual widdershins direction. Corn Spurrey growing at the edge of a field Twite Wild Angelica Towards the end of the week, I had to venture to the Scottish mainland for a job in Thurso. Afterwards, there was an hour to spare before the ferry home, so I visited a woodland which I had driven by countless times but never stopped to explore. The information board at the car park hinted at several ponds alongside some of the man...