The swallows are back – lining up on the wires outside the house last night – and Paul reports a cuckoo at Arnish:
http://lifeattheendoftheroad.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/woohoo-its-the-cuckoo/
Archive for April, 2011
Spring Birds
April 21, 2011Herons
April 10, 2011There are nine herons on the shore in front of the house. They seem to have been gathering there at low water recently. The heronry is in the forest not far away.
Herons
On Friday I spotted a patch of Veronica filiformis (Slender Speedwell) on the way into Portree. This is not common in these parts but this was close to a site where it had been recorded before.
False Morel and Red-breasted Carrion Beetle
April 8, 2011Annie Bathgate sent me pictures of False Morel (Gyromitra esculenta) from Roskhill on Skye (confirmed by Val Emmet):
False morel
Outside my house today on paving slabs I found this:
Oiceoptoma?
It seems to be Red-breasted Carrion Beetle (Oiceoptoma thoracicum) but it is early in the year for it and an odd place to find it. I have sent the image to Richard Moore, our Raasay beetle guru, and await his judgement. Later: Confirmed by Richard.
