So far as June starts we have had glorious weather, day seven of the month and everyday the temperature has gone up above twenty degrees C , the night temps have still been cold , but days like these are great. Garden is suffering but when you are on private water supply you just do not know just how much water to use on plants as one of these days with global warning we may not be able to cope.
2nd.
Got the moth trap out last night and it was very successful, had a load of small brown jobbies that are a job to identify, so I tend to just set them free and concentrate on the larger more easier to identify. So here are a few of what I caught. The above is a White Ermine.
These two are probably the most attractive I get regularly in the trap, they are Small Elephant Hawk moths.
When I let them go one settled on this plant, look how well they blend in so well camouflaged if it wasn’t for the white legs and antennae you would have a job to see it.
These two, as much as I looked through my book and on an app, I could not identify them, maybe one of you can help me out here?
7th.
Went for a walk today beside Loch Moraig, parked my car above the main car park which is hidden in the dip below these walkers. I took the shot as I presumed with an instructor they were going to climb the Munro Carn Liath (which is the distant path in front of them) and some of them were thinking “that looks a long hike to me in this heat, shall I make it?”
Plenty of birds in and around the Loch, just captured these Geese above the cows, coming into land.
Spotted this baby Pied Wagtail on the rocks , had to keep low to avoid it flying off, hence the blurred vegetation in front of it.
Of course not far away was one of the parents keeping a close eye on me and the youngster.
Not a great shot of a flying Heron , but the shot is a hard crop as it was a long way off.
8th.
For three days now we have had Army Air Corp Apache helicopters out of Leuchars airfield make low level flying over us. First day I didn’t have my camera set up for such an event, second day I was ready and got the first image, third day I was out in the garden with my camera on the back door step and achieved the shot I wanted (the second shot). on the last two occasions we actually got the guy in the back to wave at us and so low we could see him laughing. Hope you enjoy, I certainly did.
10th.
Okay, I have shown you plenty of Pine Martin shots, but this is a first. Actually managed to not take a shot through the double glazing of the living room window. It came at seven forty five in the morning and though I was still in my dressing gown I got the camera and sneaked out the back door and slowly advanced towards the feeding box. The first shot was taken through the garden flowers from a distance of twelve yards and well crouched down. I slowly advanced every time it put it’s head into the box until I got to within six yards and took the second shot, which I am well pleased with.
11th
I thought this might become a pattern for the pine martin so I set up my portable hide and got up bright and early, sat in the hide for an hour, no sign of the beast so took a few of our garden birds close up instead.
Collard Dove
Hen Sparrow.
Female chaffinch
Male Chaffinch.
To complete the trio one of their babies.
Male Blackbird
Baby Blackbird
All taken from this hide.
15th.
Had an interesting week with the people staying in the self catering let next door to us, four men staying in the cottage and another four or six within the group staying in motor homes in the lay-by close by. They were from a group of enthusiast amateur gold prospectors, going each day to separate known streams that gold had been found in before and either snorkelling and fanning and turning over rocks, or actually panning for gold. So far most have found gold in one form or another, some just dust or flour as they call it as in shot one. Or the champion of the week this guy (in shot two) who has found nuggets by just diving/snorkelling and fanning the water, as he puts not disturbing nature to much. in the file is gold and believe it or not silver. He got the silver out of a fairly local river and two fairly big nuggets within the Cairngorms. The gold and silver weighed in at seven grams and is worth one hundred pounds per gram,so not a bad weeks pleasure.
and here is his pot of gold, plus the silver.
One of the guys has made a You Tube treasure hunt. He has hidden pots of gold throughout Scotland and with clues people are finding them, there are at least two in this area one in Glen Coe and the other on Schiehallion, so that could be fun for younger visitors to the area, his sight is Faeriegold.