BASKING IN THEIR GLORY

A superb 2.5 hour Wildlife Tour this evening included views of Corncrake, lots of Gannets and Manx Shearwaters, a plethora of orchids, a breaching Minke Whale and a juvenile Cuckoo being fed by a Twite at the side of the road. But it was Basking Sharks that stole the show, with 21 off Cliad, 1 from Hogh and a further 10 at Crossapol. Awesome views of some huge 8m long males and family parties.

Basking Shark at Crossapol



Basking Shark at Crossapol



Basking Sharks at Crossapol



juvenile Cuckoo

1ST-3RD JULY

It's been a busy few days for wildlife tours and there have been some superb sightings. Highlights have been 20+ Basking Sharks, Grey & Common Seals, Otter, Corncrake, Red-throated Diver, Hen Harrier, breeding Shags and Fulmars,  a host of machair wildflowers and an impossible number and variety of orchids.

Basking Shark

Hen Harrier







Best bits of an evening session at Cliad included a breaching Minke Whale, Basking Shark, Moss Carder and Red-shanked Carder Bees, a pair of beautiful Hebridean x Early Marsh coccinea hybrids and the first Grass of Parnassus of the summer.

Shag on nest

Hebridean x Early Marsh coccinea hybrids

30TH JUNE ORCHIDS EVERYWHERE

Went on a lovely walk this afternoon looking at the bounty of orchids on the RSPB reserve near Feall. Orchids included Heath Spotted, Common Spotted, Hebridean Spotted, Early Marsh subspecies incarnata and coccinea, Heath Fragrant, Lesser Butterfly, Frog, Pyramidal, and Common Twayblade.

Common Spotted

Hebridean Spotted

Lesser Butterfly

Frog

Common Twayblade

In addition there were a number of hybrids including this superb Heath x Common Spotted. Masses of Kidney Vetch covered the machair along with Frog and Hebridean Spotted Orchids, Wild Thyme and Fairy Flax.

Heath x Common Spotted

Kidney Vetch

The wetter areas had both incarnata and coccinea subspecies of Early Marsh Orchid and hundreds of Common Blue Damselflies, in addition to Marsh Cinquefoil and Ragged Robin in profusion.

Early Marsh incarnata

Common Blue Damselfly