Nature Notes from Skye
(and occasionally other places)

Sun 9 - Mon 10 May 2004 - Inverness

Starling on a roadside bank, Mute Swan on the canal. 

Two plants much easier to find in Inverness than on Skye, the Sweet Cicely (above left) and Dog's Mercury (right)

On the whole the Inverness vegetation seemed to be at exactly the same state of advancement as Skye, whereas back on 31 March Inverness had been ahead.

Tue 11 May 2004 - Back home

Found this dead Emperor Moth on the pavement, probably hit by a car.  The bee on the right is one of the two common species around at present, the other being the White-tailed Bumblebee which we've featured.  This one is much more difficult to photograph than the White-tailed one, as it always seems to be upside-down.  I think it's the Carder Bee, Bombus pascuorum.

The Lady's Mantle is flowering now (below left).  Much more colourful than its flowers are those leaves which are covered on the underside by the rust fungus Trachyspora intrusa (below right).

Three plants that have just come into flower, from left to right: Wild Strawberry, Bush Vetch and Pignut