Annual Pilgrimage

I've not been particularly active of late, usually just quietly chilling in my room between shifts (for which read laying on my bed in stupefied exhaustion) rather than going out and finding stuff. But I have stumbled my way towards freedom on a couple of occasions this month. A few days ago I hit the woods at Leitr Fura which look absolutely glorious now that the Bluebells are out.

Both Speckled Woods and Green-veined Whites were commonplace along the woodland ride and I was pleased to see three Orange-tips fluttering along the grassy margins. I hadn't realised Orange-tip occurs here, it isn't a common species on Skye. A quick check of some Cuckooflower revealed a single egg tucked away on the petiole of an unopened flowerhead.

Green-veined White nectaring at Cuckooflower

Same Green-veined White, but can you spot the Orange-tip egg?

Huge crop of the Orange-tip egg

Weird factoid for you: there isn't any green on a Green-veined White, it's an illusion created by a mixing of yellow and black scales. You can thank me later if that ever crops up in a pub quiz. 

I continued through the woods for about two miles before eventually nearing a series of small caves which hold Killarney Fern. I visit these plants each year, next year I think I'll bring a machete with me. The 200 metre wide band of brambles that grows between the track and the caves is now heavily interwoven and proved to be an almost impassable obstacle. Some time later, scratched to buggery but with the brambles overcome, I slid down the small cliff, traversed the jumble of rocks beneath, found the first cave, duly saw the small patches of fuzzy felt that are the Killarney Ferns, took a breather and did it all in reverse again. I do question my sanity sometimes. 

Cave entrance and the Killarney Fern within. Underwhelming is the word you're looking for...

The wooded area beneath the cliff always puts me in mind of a lost world; I half expect to encounter indigenous tribes or dinosaurs roaming through the moss-laden trees. Rock Veilwort and Wilson's Filmy-ferns were as weird as it got, but I'm certain there are a host of unexpected species quietly lurking down there. 

Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis

I have a few favourite ferns, Holly-fern and Ostrich Fern of course. But Beech Fern is also a favourite of mine, largely because it is infrequent enough to be a genuinely pleasant surprise every time I stumble across it, but also because it's pretty darn easy to recognise. Despite the name, I don't think it particularly associates with Beech, however it does share the same fresh green colour of newly opened Beech leaves. The basal pinnae are reflexed backwards, with each subsequent pair of pinnae slowly swinging forwards until the apical third of the frond comprises entirely forward-facing pinnae, it's a very distinctive look. It's also the only British fern (as far as I know) that has winged pinnae, meaning they are attached to the rachis for their entire width. Add the blackish stipe and habit of forming small patches and you have yourself a readily identifiable fern. If only they were all that simple!

All four lowland Luzula species that occur on Skye were well represented along the woodland rides, Hairy Wood-rush typically keeping to the shadier parts of the tracksides with Great Wood-rush being a dominant component of the verges. Field Wood-rush is now going over, whereas Heath Wood-rush seems to be in fresher condition. I did attempt a few images of the flowering parts but the results were decidedly mediocre. Spiked Wood-rush also occurs on Skye, but only along the more exposed mountaintops, I've not encountered it yet this year. I'll do a detailed post on Luzula soon. 

Heath Wood-rush with one nicely open flower near the base of the ovoid head

I noticed that a lot of Alder leaves exhibited feeding signs caused by a larval micromoth. It didn't take long to find the culprit, typically positioned on the underside of a leaf

This is the case and feeding signs of Coleophora serratella

Coleophora serratella is a common species of moth that feeds on a range of trees and herbaceous plants. There are several coleophorids that feed on Alder, but up here the choices are lessened and the general form of the case, combined with the deep chestnut colour, lead me to believe this is C.serratella. I'm pretty sure I'll be pulled up on my IDing process once a certain person reads this post, but I've no intention of rearing through and then gen detting every larval Coleophora I come across. 

Edit: I got away with it lightly, his only comment being "I do question my sanity sometimes" - yeah, don't we all...

I had to work part of my second day off this week, hence no overnighter to Speyside this time. I did sneak across the bridge seeing as I was so close to it anyway, dropping in to the extensive Greater Cuckooflower colony at Ardelve. It really is a very attractive plant!

A sea of Greater Cuckooflower Cardamine raphanifolia

Presumably this is a garden throw-out that has taken hold in its ditch, though I can't see which garden it has come from. Apparently there's an 8ft by 5ft patch of the stuff at the top of the shore at Portnalong here on Skye, though I've never looked for it, plus two more patches further north along the Scottish coast, all of which are believed to be garden escapes. After that it's a long way to the next nearest patch. A lovely plant and well worth seeking out if there's any near to you. I think it will be in flower for a good while yet. I had an unsuccessful hunt for Orange-tip eggs, but there's a heck of a lot of habbo to search! 

I've had to swap my days off this coming week. Not sure what the plan is just yet, but it won't include much time spent indoors!

Keeping myself amused with the deliveries....small minds and all that