25th June 2020 #30DaysWild

Treshnish escaped the worst of the thunder storms, thankfully, and it has been sunny most of the day in spite of the forecast.  We had errands to do this morning which took us over the hill road to Dervaig and down to Croig. Farmer went to the Post Office, first time he has been to the shop in 3 months, while I went egg-dumping*.  I have only been once in that time too.  We are so lucky having all our food shopping delivered to the road end. *New hens laying now so whilst we have no guests we have a surplus of tiny eggs! 

We walked the dogs on to the Point, leaving Jan behind this time, so it was a lot more relaxing.  The field beyond the Haunn Cottage, imaginatively named 'Beyond Haunn' is mainly traditional unimproved grassland and poorer ground.   The poorer ground is a strange mixture of dry areas on top of rocky outcrops and damp almost boggy patches so there is a good mix of plants.  Bog asphodel everywhere, huge swathes of it, and on the edges of the rocks Stonecrop, Mountain everlasting, Thyme, Birds foot trefoil and lots of grasses going to seed.  

We haven't seen Six spot Burnet moths for several years at Treshnish until I saw one fleetingly a week or so ago, so it was very exciting to see LOTS of them today, in this field and on the Point itself.   

The steep south facing bank (cliff) used to be a carpet of Heather but something changed and the heather died back, we think possibly a beetle.  The last time we walked there we were glad to see that it seemed to be regenerating from the bottom and coming back, but the dying back process has allowed lots of pollen rich plants to move in, like the Bedstraw and Birds food trefoil and huge patches of Bloody cranesbill interspersed with Fragrant orchids.

.  

The warm still air was heavily scented with Lady's bedstraw and Fragrant orchids, and there were so many Butterflies.  As well as the Six spots, we saw numerous Dark green fritillaries, Meadow browns, Common blues, Small heaths, a white one I didn't identify, a Snout moth and a couple of Chimney sweeper moths.  It was a magical sight - everywhere we looked there was something flying around! 

I walked home and Farmer went off to put two lamb escapees back on the other side of the deer fence so they could be reunited with their mother. 

East and the foxgloves 

Beyond Haunn, rocky outcrop

Bog asphodel

Mountain everlasting

Wetland area and bottom of Haunn field

So very glad to see these again!  On Thyme and Milkwort 

Lots of Fragrant orchids

Tormentil, Milkwort, Thyme

Fairy flax

Bloody cranesbill

Well camouflaged grasshopper

Melancholy thistle

Dead Heather

First Goldenrod

First Harebell

Bloody cranesbill

Dark green fritillary

Not easy to see in a small file size, but areas of Bloody cranesbill

Carpet of Bog asphodel 

Shags

Common blue

You can see why its called Stonecrop

Snout moth

St Johns Wort

Fragrants again

Wetland and Haunn again

Dark green fritillary on Red clover

Will have to ask Prasad

Meadow brown 

A day to remember

I managed to fit in 4 wild flower wanders in one day, and each one was magical in a different way. 

Walk number one was arranged by the Ranger Service, with Rachel their seasonal ranger  taking the lead.  She brought books and ID charts, she talked about the Big Butterfly Count which Butterfly Conservation organise and which starts any day now, it only takes 15 minutes - why not have a go?

Lovely to have children with us this year, and the deep sward in the Coronation Meadow was a great hiding place. (making sure there were no orchids first of course).

Prasad had found Moonwort in the Toechtamhor garden on a bank which is normally strimmed!  This is a first record for Treshnish, so a great find. 

There may not have been as many Greater Butterfly orchids this year, but some of them were enormous!  Walk number two was enchanted, with Fife based artist and poet. We found a huge patch of Marsh Lousewort in the Black Park. 

The Slender St John's wort is flowering. 

So is the Wood sage.

We stood on the edge of the field by the house, looking over the field below where the cows have been. 

Walk number 3 was the family dog walk in the late afternoon.  The cows have been in this field for nearly 2 weeks, and it was really interesting to see that there were still dozens of flowers.  They do not target them, in the way that the sheep do.

They have had access to the Graveyard field, and there were literally hundreds of Common spotted orchids.  An amazing sight. 

Walk number 4 was in the evening.  We walked through and around the neighbours fields looking back into the Haunn field/Coronation Meadow.  It was pure magic. 

A glorious end to a stunning day.  I feel so blessed. 

However... the day didnt end there, but I will save that for another blog post.  (and link back to it).