Sea thrift, rotten teeth, bluebells and full tummies

The in-bye ewes finished lambing quite quickly, and the hill ewes don't seem to have produced any lambs for a few days now, so Jamie has started coming every other day, and in between Farmer is getting out with Cap and Jan to check the hill for trouble in between Jamie's visits. We are still having pretty good (i.e dry) weather, but it hasn't warmed up, so the grass has not really started to come yet. At this time of year, in a season like this, Farmer wishes he didn't have the Cheviots and the Zwartbles on the in-bye as they are munching grass which the cows could be eating! With the SRDP grazing management in place, it is a question of juggling the grazing to make sure there is enough grass for everyone as well as meeting the criteria contained in the management agreement so that we are keeping on the right side of the law, as it were.

For those of you who haven't done the stunning Treshnish headland walk, this open sided enclosure (above) is at the bottom of the path leading down from the Wooden Gate just beyond the Haunn Cottages. It is a useful place to leave a ewe and her lamb if you need to keep an eye on them. You can put a hurdle across the front easily enough and then you have got a wee pen ready to use.

If you are squeamish you may want to look away from the next photo - fish skull found at Port Haunn, showing a fine set of fine teeth.

It has been a while since we have dropped down onto sea level at Port Haunn, to check out the driftwood and sit in the sun a while. It was lovely to see that some anonymous walkers have been gathering up some of the plastic on the beach, and hiding it from further winds in another stone enclosure. Gone are the days when beach combing meant lovely worn wooden fishboxes.

Looking down to Gometra.

Looking over to Tiree.

Rock rose.

And towards Gometra again.

No 216. The calves are growing well.

Full tummies for the lambs.

Through the Atlantic Hazel woodland. Looking for fungus. Finding bluebells.

And wood anemone.

And water avens.

Clever upcycling. Nut store.

Glorious bluebells.

And Cap enjoying a day off.

Time of regeneration and new generation.

Walking on Treshnish at this time of year is particularly exciting for us. Looking to see the old favourites, like the carpets of pink thrift, or giant clumps of marsh marigold, or clinging orchids on cliff tops, and discovering new waves of wind blown natural regeneration.

Early purple orchid and primrose.

Sea thrift and lichens.

Sea campion.

Farmer could not find Brownie yesterday and I went with him to look. Thankfully we found him safe and sound in with the cheviots and the other zwarties, having clearly decided that he had had enough of being with the rest of the tups. This is definitely the time of year to spot the natural regeneration. The freshly unfurled leaves seem to light up in the sun. And it was really nice to see how well keeping the stock out of the various areas was working and that the young trees were beginning to attain a mass of their own as they spread out from the seed source.

The foreground of this photograph is bracken coming through (unfortunately) but the mid height fresh green on either side of the older trees are young native broadleaf trees. Successful natural regeneration!

Farmer built this wooden tree guard a few years ago, having seen a tiny birch appear in the Black Park field. I am sure all this time people walking by have wondered what on earth it was doing - but this spring finally it has reached enough size, and the protected tree can be seen.

The barn owl box, with natural regeneration appearing beyond the fence.

Shelter for the sheep in winter, not much regeneration here!

Lichen like blossom on blackthorn trees.

Looking down into sheltered gully between the farmhouse and the sea. Bluebells.

Blackthorn blossom. And lichens.

Young self sown rowan tree appearing above the heather.

Early purple orchid.

These lonely isolated trees, clinging on - holding up against the winds in the winter. For how much longer is any one's guess. But in the distance you can make out the new growth appearing in areas fenced off for natural regeneration.

I love the shape of these trees silhouetted against the sea - up near the cattle shed. Regeneration is appearing here too, which is fine to see, for the health of the woodland but I will miss the shapes the older trees had created.

A new generation. Bottle fed lambs.

Sunset two nights ago. The wall of our office is painted white, so the yellow glow is from the sun, which then did this to the sitting room window.

Rocky walls of climbing thrift, down near the Ensay Burn mouth. Curlews calling. And an oystercatcher.

It was difficult to photograph this to show what a huge clump of marsh marigold this was, down by the boathouse beach.

Beltane and the Bull; leaping lambs, patches of primroses with wall to wall sunshine

Been catching up with what has been happening whilst I was away. Lots of lambs everywhere, and now 3 bottle reared ones. (called Kitcat, Shortbread and Twix - guess the theme this year?)

Today is May 1st. Beltane. The day the bull goes out. Hard to keep up with him along the track as he ran to meet up with the cows.

Here he is re-acquainting himself with the cows.

The calves, his calves, are more interested in the dogs sitting on the buggy on the other side of the fence.

Wood anemone.

Jan and Cap playing in a primrose filled gully, above the landslip on the north side of the Point.

Looking north.

Primroses in foreground with Rum in the distance.

Farmer securing the gate open so the cattle can range the fields.

Love these violets.

Marsh marigolds.

More primroses.

The cheviots down by the boathouse, a good place for watching out for otters.

No not triplets. Somebody else's lamb following a set of twins!