Sweet Gale Moth

Things have been pretty slow recently with regards to moth-trapping – for almost all of the last month there has been some north in the wind making it pretty cold.

Just 7 Hebrew Characters and 3 Red Chestnuts plus we were very happy to find the nationally scarce Sweet Gale Moth in the trap – a moth we haven’t seen before. The County Moth Recorder tells us that it is only the second location here in the hebrides that the moth has been recorded at.

Sweet Gale Moth

Our first Lapwing chicks of the year seen at Stoneybridge this morning  and we managed to catch and ring them. There were also 22 Whimbrel between Stoneybridge and Howbeg. The King Eider was not at Rubha Ardvule first thing this morning but there were still 23 pale-bellied Brents still on the beach plus our first Arctic Tern of the summer.

A quick walk around at North Locheynort and we found an ant that we hope our friend Rhian can identify. Rhian is currently doing her PhD on ants see this article about her work with ants and their connection with the endangered Large Blue Butterfly: http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1176&cookieConsent=A also more on this fascinating subject at http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/text.asp?PageId=363

Unidentified ant (Myrmica spp.)

The Herons are busy nesting in the area as well, this youngster was seen skulking around in the vegetation – it seems to be old enough to go walkabout but not yet big enough to be able to fly.

Young Grey Heron

Adult Grey Heron

There was also a small flock of 8 Siskins, quite a few Willow Warblers and a Chiffchaff around the wooded area.

We counted quite a few Green-veined White butterflies that were in the warmer, more sheltered areas.

Green-veined White butterfly