Natural highs and lows

Here we are, galloping through the year as though we're living in a microwave oven... that analogy might be too close to the truth for comfort. Anyway, let's have a late August round-up. I often help out KH with her bumblebee surveys at Skaill Bay. August's trip wasn't in ideal conditions as there was a cold north westerly breeze coming off the Atlantic Ocean, coupled with the fact that many species of wildflowers had now set seed. The first transect was saved by swathes of Red Clover in the beach car park and the rare sighting of a Great Yellow Bumblebee (the project's target bee species). The second transect began even worse, nary a buzzy thing in sight: cattle had grazed a field; contractors had mowed Skara Brae; and the final section was just Ragwort as far as the eye could see. However, when we reached said Ragwort, it was heaving with bumblebees, mostly face-planted into a flower, mainlining nectar to fuel their way through such a cold day. Totals for the day ...

Late September in Orkney and we're still enjoying blue skies, sunshine and modest breezes. Typically, I had managed to tweak my lower back, one of those annoying muscular twinges that benefits from keeping moving rather than remaining motionless, so walking was a good remedy. Fortuitously, we were due to carry out our Autumn vole transects, monitoring activity for the Orkney Native Wildlife Project. The drive to Mull Head, even as a passenger, wasn't pleasant, but once out on the moorland, my spirits raised and we set about the first transect, recording any signs of chewed bits of grass and the digestive results of said chewing. As ever, on the march between the two transects, we stopped for lunch and some scenic views. No voles here, but there is a Harbour Seal... Also between the transects, we happened upon some ONWP staff out testing their latest bit of Stoat-spotting gadgetry, a drone with a thermal camera. Never mind invasive mammals, even during the day, with this technol...

A recent repair job took me to the island of North Ronaldsay, a fifteen minute flight from the Orkney mainland aboard a small eight-seater plane. For our landing in North Ronaldsay, there was a bit of a crosswind, but nothing too severe or requiring the pilot to hold the aircraft at right angles to our direction of travel as he approached the runway. Once the repair, at the north end of the island, was successfully completed, there were a few hours to wile away before the return journey, so wildlife-watching mode was engaged. We bumped into one of the staff from the Bird Observatory and he suggested trying a sea-watch for Sooty and Manx Shearwaters, and pointed in the direction of the Old Beacon on Dennis Head as a good vantage point.  En route to the Beacon, we scored a bonus Hen Harrier hunting over the small fields The Old Beacon Tucked down out of the wind, on the shore below the Beacon, binoculars were steadied and trained on a patch of sea about halfway to the horizon. It too...

Stronsay, one of the islands on the eastern side of the Orkney archipelago, recently hosted a Citizen Science Festival. The Orkney Field Club were invited along to an informal discussion on wildlife recording, which was held at The Fishmart, a local cafe. As I have been to Stronsay several times with work this year, I was 'selected' as the designated diner. The meeting lasted a little over an hour, time for a general wildlifey chat, thoughts about what the islanders might want to record, plus sandwiches, cake, tea and coffee. What's not to love? Due to the ferry timetable, either side of the meeting was free time to nature watch and Stronsay did not disappoint. Several days of easterly winds meant that there was plenty to see in the form of birds migrating south which had been 'diverted' across the North Sea. But first, the beach... A pair of Dunlin A Carder Bee, possibly Moss Carder, on Sea Rocket A hoverfly of the Genus Eristalis , on Sea Mayweed A hoverfly, Scaev...