Well that's our last week's holiday of 2013 finished. We have been up to Allt Beithe, Arevegaig near the Ardnamurchan peninsula for the week.
The weather was mainly good with sunny,clear days except for Wednesday and Thursday when overcast skies and rain took over. Our time was spent exploring the area, a place we know quite well now, this being our third visit since 2007 and just getting into a relaxed mood away from it all.
When avoiding the omni present scottish midgies, I was on the look out for the usual specialities of the region and trying to get an introduction to the fungi, something that is quite new to me. A few were identified but many more were admired and left unnamed. Highlights of the week included a young
White tailed Eagle on the Morvern peninsula that soared from cloud height all the way down to eventually land on the hill opposite us giving great scope views. Two
Golden Eagles gave similar views near the Ardnamurchan Lighthouse, both showed similarly well, perched yards apart on a rock not too far from the road ( well scope range anyway).
An
Otter fed in the bright sunlit, oily calm, waters of Loch Sunart one day, but our garden Pine Martens refused to play ball. They came each night and cleared the food, once while we were watching TV, but we didn't see them. 35
Red Deer hinds and calves were on the mire outside the garden gate. A group of
Bottle nosed Dolphins were off Kilchoan shop one day, while later a group of
Porpoises, 4 adults and 4 young fed in a bay more suited to otters than cetaceans well up into the loch.
These plus
Rock Doves that looked just like a Rock dove should, daily
Ravens, Buzzards and Hoodies,
Common and Grey Seals, flower dotted verges and damp, ancient oak woods made for an excellent trip.
The moth trap came with us, the results of which go into detail
here.
So, now back home and work, its time to get back out to see if I can add to the patch list, autumn is racing away now...
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| Our cottage, Allt Beithe nestled in the trees with no neighbours. Excellent! |
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| View from the drive. |
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| Our nearest neighbour..what a landscape. |
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| The Lochaline Ferry to Mull. We visited from Kilchoan. |
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| Trapoleum or something, a climbing nasturtium in the garden. |
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| Highland Darter, a lifer or maybe not... |
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| Peacock on Devils Bit Scabious |
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| Tree Lungwort, Lobaria pulmonaria, a scarce epiphyte covered the Sunart Oak trees. |
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| Plums and Custard |
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| Hoof Fungus |
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| Angels Wings |
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| Common Lizard with two Ticks under its foreleg |
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| Flat calm sea across on the ferry to Mull |
6 comments:
Looks like a cracking area, Stewart.
Oh...how i long to go to Scotland, again.
Great place Dean we like to go every year to varying spots. You would have a field day in some of the habitats we visited...
We stayed just up the road at Goteneorn a couple of years ago - saw three Sea Eagles from the track to Arivegaig in Kentra Bay...Lovely
Nice fungi there Stew. Like the Hoof fungus. The ice man (5300 years old)found in the Austrian alps in the 90's was carrying Hoof fungus when he died. It was used for lighting fires.
Cheers Nige, I believe Hoof is scarce in Northumbs, I think I have one in Howick Long Walk but its quite hight up to get a good view?
Yes, your red flower is Tropaeolum speciosus. My in-laws used to have a neighbour at Billy Mill, Tyneside, who's overgrown garden (heaven for wildlife!) was covered in the flowers in the summer.
http://www.aberdeengardening.co.uk/diary/2011/09/tropaeolum-speciosum/
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