A few recent Assynt things
It’s always a worthwhile thing to just wander and see what turns up, or simply catches your eye.
Three recent locations during late May and mid June provided a handful of interesting species.
First stop was the south end of Loch Drumbeg, often good for dragonflies. None to be seen sadly, but while watching some tadpoles at the edge of the loch we spotted a Horse Leech (Haemopis sanguisuga). Not that it bothers horses in any way, it simply got that name because it resembles another leech that can infect the nasal cavities of livestock!
In addition, this leech is not capable of attaching to human skin. The only UK leech that can pierce human skin is the Medicinal Leech.
Next location, a couple of days later was near the bridge over the stream that flows in to Loch Nedd. The salt marsh there is always worth watching for a while.
This time we were rewarded with sightings of crabs, flat fish, elvers and these Sticklebacks. The one obvious male Stickleback we managed to photograph was in full breeding colours. His bright red underside was unmissable. The smaller females were around in much bigger numbers.
Back at the car was a patch of Wild Thyme (Thymus polytrichus), and resting on it was a single moth. The moth was a Middle-barred Minor (Oligia fasciuncula), the commonest of the Minor moths we get in Assynt.
Today, an unintended stop was at the boat shed near Strathcroy. The reason was simply to smell the honeysuckle that grows in a few spots near there.
The wetter weather today was perfect for the scent to hang in the air along with the midges!
The return for the nuisance was watching at least five Magpie Moths (Abraxas grossulariata) flying about through the bracken. The same location gave us our final find of the day, two immaculate male Common Blue Butterflies (Polyommatus icarus) resting on the stem of a rush.
David Haines