Natural highs and lows

We had planned a Sunday trip to Hoy, not work-related, not wildlife survey-related, just Megan and I losing ourselves in Nature. Because it was mid-June, the obvious hope was for dragonflies, but the temperature was barely into double figures Celsius, with low cloud, rain showers and a chilly northerly breeze. As we drove off the ferry, most of the other passengers were either headed for the Scapa Flow Museum and its naval memorabilia or to Rackwick Bay and the scenic path to the Old Man of Hoy. This was our cue to take the quieter road in the opposite direction for a circumnavigation of South Walls, birding from the car whilst the weather did its worst. An hour and a picnic stop later, we finally headed back north with the bird list on 40 species and a pleasant Coronation Chicken aroma in the car. Despite the meteorological evidence to the contrary, we thought we would have a look at the pools near to Rackwick, just in case any damselflies were braving the conditions. They weren't...

After the excitement of a weekend of dragon hunting, things have cooled down over the last few days. There's been a chilly northerly breeze, some welcome rain and a lot of fog. Wildlife watching has been mainly confined to the garden, with a bit of photography possible between the precipitation. Spring's verdant flourish is long gone, Summer's blousy burgeoning is looking a little weary and there's had to be a concerted effort to tackle thistles and docks. Weirdly, those two absolute thugs of a plant do give some architectural structure to wherever they happen to be growing, trouble is, it's everywhere. Perhaps due to the drought conditions, everything is rushing to seed, so that it does feel as though a corner has been turned and Summer's wane is underway. However, there is still plenty of colour to appreciate amongst the unruly wildness of this small plot. Crocosmia 'Lucifer', Mallow and Yellow Loosestrife Crocosmia 'Lucifer' There are very few...

Another year, another National Dragonfly Week, yet they always find a way to be different. For 2021, NDW straddles the change in Covid levels, but here in Orkney we were already in Level 0 and the chances of more than 15 people turning up for a dragonfly walk on a small island are fairly minimal. No, what we're contending with are the effects of a cold Spring and a dry Summer (not hot, you may note, but definitely dry). A graphic produced by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency last week, showed Orkney with the lowest soil moisture reading in the country. Orkney?! Dry?! What the actual?! To compound matters, rather than start the week with a bang, I was working. Admittedly on the correct island for maximum chances of dragonflies (Hoy), but working nevertheless. Kindly, my partner was more than happy to wander off searching for dragons and damsels on my behalf (into 40+mph winds), and found a very respectable six species, including the first Common Hawker and Black Darters of ...

Saturday - a pair of Linnets appeared on the lawn, and proceeded to munch their way through some Dandelion seed heads. Sunday - very early o'clock, I was woken by a Willow Warbler singing from the top of a tree in the garden. Excuse the odd angle of the movie clip, but I was dangling my camera out of the top light of a window, all the while trying to ensure that my dressing gown remained the correct side of decent. Monday - an oddly-familiar caterpillar appeared on the wall of the house, its markings were fascinating. I didn't immediately recognise it, so had to ask for help from local experts, who informed me that it was the larva of a Magpie Moth. The adult insect has the same colours, which explained the 'oddly-familiar' vibe. Tuesday - a trip to the Wideford Burn to look for any early damselflies was a bit of a damp squib. But there was plenty else to see. Here's a smattering: Grey Wagtail; Garden Tiger Moth larva; hoverfly of the genus Eristalis; Green Dock Bee...