Nearly midsummer

As the longest day approaches... I see a primrose flowering in a sheltered spot on the Point, carpets of Bloody Cranesbill, pockets of Northern Marsh Orchids, a solitary Small White Orchid (should be called Tiny White Orchid, if you ask me), the first Bog Asphodel, and so many, but beginning to look tired, Heath Spotted Orchids... flowers we look forward to.. one minute they are here, the next it seems, they are over... I must not succumb to that feeling that summer is over just because the longest day is approaching!

I have been asked by Plantlife for some portrait format photographs of the Coronation Meadow/Haunn field, so I spent a very pleasant few hours out there today, once the sun came out.   There are so many orchids!

I was drawn onto the Point by the silver white carpets of Bog Cotton we could see from the Haunn cottages.

 St John's Wort

All that is left of a ... killed by a bird of prey.

The Bog Cotton is going to seed and drifts of fine silvery white feathery seeds blow across the heath.

I couldn't believe the size of the patches of Bloody Cranesbill, on the side of the Point.  I climbed higher and higher, and then couldn't get any further, so had to go all the way back to the bottom.

Wood Sage, just started to flower.

Stonecrop.

Lots of cruise boats around just now.

Earlier today Farmer had been mowing down at Haunn, and came rushing back to get me, so I could see what he had found.  A wriggling black mass of peacock caterpillars on the nettles.   It was really exciting - precisely why we leave patches of nettles dotted around the farm!

I photographed them up quite close in the dull light of the morning, they were writhing around and really quite 'creepy-crawlie'.

The tall ones and the pollinators

I was away on Sunday taking photographs for some friends on the Isle of Skye.  I left just as IainT got underway shearing our hoggs and the tups.  He and Farmer spent most of the day in the cattle shed, which is in its summer (sheep) configuration at the moment.  This year, there is even a tea table.  Catering staff no longer need to take up flasks of tea.  They have their own kettle and biscuit tin.   

The hoggs (last year's ewe lambs) go into the cattle shed as hoggs and emerge without their fleeces as gimmers. Last year, Farmer marked those ewes which didn't have a lamb (the eild ones) on the horn.  This meant that on Sunday when sorting through this year' eild ewes, he could see that some of them had been eild the year before - so there was clearly something amiss with their fertility.  

I got home last night.   There was a sea fog in places and increasing cloud as we got nearer to Mull.  We woke this morning to thick cloud, whilst the other side of the hill was in blazing sunshine!

This evening Farmer and I went to Haunn so he could check the cows.  All was peaceful and quiet, and the foxgloves were looking amazing in the Haunn garden.  The air was filled with the sound of buzzing bees. It was getting a bit late for taking photographs, but I took some anyway.

Wildflower walking

Two for one on the road to Ulva Ferry this morning, after some heavy rain.

Farmer was busy getting ready for the hoggs shearing tomorrow.  This involves getting the shed ready and moving various lots of sheep around.

I walked with my brother, the dog and the camera. The bog beyond Duill and Shian was looking very oily.

The tide was very low, and the Ragged Robin was out.  Sea Milkwort and Sea Arrow-grass. 

The field below the house was yellow with Yellow Rattle and Buttercup, with Greater Butterfly, Northern Marsh and Fragrant Orchids dotted about the banks and edges.

Later Farmer took a break and joined me on the Point.  The Bloody Cranesbill is looking amazing.

We have a wildlife cameraman here at the moment, hoping to catch some footage of the family of otters living near the Whisky Cave who have been entertaining quite a few of our guests recently, with fishing lessons in rock pools and lots of aquatic comings and goings.    He is working on a wildlife programme for TV, to be shown in 2 years time!

In the end Farmer left me to it, and went back to work.  I had a blissful time on my own, listening to the birds, and looking at the wildflowers..

Shearing the hoggs tomorrow, an early start. And I am deserting the ship, off to Skye to take photographs for a website, leaving my brother to do the shearing catering!

Orchid portraits

The Coronation Meadow at Haunn is blossoming. Shades of yellow across the field studded with these wonderful orchids.  I am in heaven walking carefully along, recording the wild flower arrangements with my camera as I go.  There are Northern Marsh Orchids and lots which I think have hybridised as well as the more subtle Butterfly Orchids and the elegant Fragrant Orchids.  A series of portraits below.. they are all unique in their way. 

More Fragrants every day too.  This one was huge!

Butterfly orchids...

Marsh Cinquefoil..

The first Tufted Vetch..

And finally, a new find for Treshnish - Yellow Eyed Grass - Sisyrinchium californium. I found it growing beside the burn in the Black Park. Couldn't find it in any of the flower books, but Prasad was consulted and very quickly came back with a name and record of it being found near Dervaig in 1972!