Islay Natural History Trust

A Spring walk on the bog

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 16:09:00 +0000

What's happening on Islay peatlands just now?

INHT has started its rounds on the breeding bird surveys, we have been contracted to undertake of the SAC sites adopted by ACT/CANN (Argyll countryside Trust & Collaborative Action for Natura Networks). This gives me a great opportunity to escape the computer and emails and get out and see what stage nature is at in the season.

It also provides an opportunity to inspire people to start exploring Islay and Jura peatlands and engage with our Community Peatlands Project either through picking up a copy of our Peatland Passport or get you cameras and pencils out and capture what peatland means to you for our photo and poetry competition.

Cast Northern Eggar moth cocoon

Our migrant birds may have only just started piling in, however our resident breeders have been busy since the end of March. On the bogs, waders are on territory around peatland pools, Redshank, Lapwing and a few Dunlin. I saw the first newly hatched duckling chicks of Mallard. A joy not to be missed is the bubbling, fluty notes of the Skylark ascending skywards into the blue expanse above.

Bleached hummock of Sphagnum capilifolium

I like to keep note of the state of the flora, a much better marker for the season. Despite a very sunny month, it has been tinged with cool, even chilly winds for the most part. Most significantly for our bog/peatland habitats no rain! Peatlands thrive on high air moisture and high rainfall to keep the peat wet, and overcast conditions to prevent too much evaporation, which is something we cannot claim for this past month.

Sphagnum cuspidatum in the edge of a dubh loch

This was sadly evident walking the bog this week, each footstep heard with a rustle and a crunch of dry parched vegetation. Where the Sphagnums should have been soft and full of colour they are bleached from the sun and form a dry crust, particularly on the hummock forms that cannot draw moisture up so easily from deeper layers of peat. The small sphagnum pools which should have been under water were empty with a slight moist layer of Sphagnum cuspidatum, those in the edges of the dubh lochs moist and plump. As a walker there were no dilemmas about which was the driest route or how to get over the wide soft squelchy bits without water going over my wellies!

The drop in water levels was evident in the larger lochan pools with bare peat showing at the edges and deep overhangs which could make getting out difficult if you did not have wings. I found one edge with many scrape marks made with 5 toed claws, obviously the sign of use by an otter.

Amongst the dubh lochs however, the state of permanent wetness provides a buffer to the drying wind and sun. The first of the bog bean is coming into bloom, such a pretty, lacy flower projecting from the dark pools. This will be in flower for most of May. Apart from this the only other flowers requiring the services of the large Buff-tailed Bumblebees at present were the isolated clumps of willow and a few Common Milkwort.

Bog Bean

Male flowers of Willow (a dioecious plant, the male and female flowers are on separate plants)

Hare's-tail Cotton Grass

You can tell that the main form of pollination for these early flowers is by wind. Hare's-tail Cotton Grass had already had its pollination period as all the single seed head stems were developing their fluffy white cotton tails. Common Cotton Grass however was only just coming into 'flower', they differ in that multiple heads develop from the single stem, their yellow anthers dusted with pollen dangling ready for the wind to lift it and carry it in hope of being deposited on the stigma of another cotton grass head (what are the odds?.... quite slim, which is why vast amounts of pollen are produced by wind pollinated plants). Also reliant on the wind are the Deer Grass (not actually a 'grass')

Common Cotton Grass head
with dangling male anthers

it too was baring is pollen on its stiff bristly stems. The cones of Bog Myrtle also need the wind, the deeply aromatic leaves net to sprout.

Common Cotton Grass
(female stigma at top of head)

Deer Grass (actually a sedge)

Cones of Bog Myrtle

Feur Lochain pools

The sunny day provided a stunning backdrop to a working walk, counting birds. I watched the dark clouds skirt round the eastern hills, I assume depositing a light shower over the area of Port Ellen and the Oa.

Bog bean stems stretching out of the pools

Peatland Passport

Get out and explore for yourselves, pick up your Peat Passport at the Blue Letterbox (Port Ellen); Bowmore Post Office; Museum of Islay Life (Port Charlotte); Jura Community Shop. Tick off the animals and plants that you see and get your pages stamped. There is much useful information and a quick and easy guide to what to see on the moss.

The Islay Nature Centre will be open mid May with more information on peatlands and other nature treasures on our islands.

Information on our Peatland Photo & Poetry Competition 2021

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:41:00 +0000

Islay and Jura Community Peatland Project

Peatland Photo & Poetry Competition

We have now launched our summer competition, what does peatland mean to you? We would like you to capture it in photo or verse (English or Gaelic) and enter into our competition. It will be open to entries until July 31st 2021. We have well known photographers Laurie Campbell and Brian Mathews and Donald Murray (Author) as judges for our competition. Laurie has given us a talk to help inspire the photographers out there and Donald will be giving a talk on the 10th June to inspire you poets to write some verses on peatland.

We have categories to suit all age ranges and great prizes, donated from various local businesses and organisations.

Laurie will also pick out his favourite photo, the winner receiving a signed print of one of his photos. Jura Distiller has donated a prize for the overall poem.

Selection of runner up prizes given at the discretion of the judges.

Competiton Details below:

Two themes:

Environment and Wildlife Work and Culture

Two forms of entry:

Photo Poetry

Entry categories:

Photo (Env & Wildlife)	Photo (Work/Culture)	Poetry (Env & Wildlife)	Poetry (Work/Culture)	Poetry -Gaelic (any catergory)
Adult	Adult	Adult (eng)	Adult (eng)	Adult (Gaelic)
Child 13-18	Child 13-18	Child 13-18 (eng)	Child 13-18 (eng)	Child 13-18 (Gaelic)
Child 10-12	Child 10-12	Child 10-12 (eng)	Child 10-12 (eng)	Child 10-12 (Gaelic)
Child 7-9	Child 7-9	Child 7-9 (eng)	Child 7-9 (eng)	Child 7-9 (Gaelic)

Planned prizes given to the best entry in each category and age group (children)

Adult prizes - £35 cash/voucher from sponsor: Islay Whisky Academy and Port Charlotte Hotel

Block of peat

mini peat cutting trophy

Children's Photography prizes:

£10 cash/voucher from sponsor Islay Studios

block of peat

Mini trophy

Children's Poetry prizes:

£10 cash/voucher from sponsor; Celtic House

block of peat

Mini trophy

Gaelic Poetry prizes

Equivalent values as above from Comunn na Gàidhlig

Peatland Poetry and Photo Competition rules:

Conditions of Entry

· 2 Categories may be entered (Environment and Wildlife; Work and Culture)

· All photo entries must be submitted digitally via email with the title, category and name of the person submitting it in the file name (e.g. Golden Eagle- wildlife by Pete Banks)

· Poetry entries may be digital of written, if the latter must ensure your entry is typed or very clearly written. Please retain a copy of your work as it will not be possible to return all entries.
Entrants are permitted to enter up to 5 images to the competition across either category.
Image entry file size must be a jpg of medium to high resolution, not lower than 1MB nor exceed 6MB, and is recommended to be at least 1200 pixels on the longest length.
Images must be submitted by 10am, 31st July 2021.

· Images may have been taken at any time previous to the closing date

· Images must not include watermarks, borders, or signatures.
Black and white images are eligible for all categories.

Eligibility

· The RHS Photographic Competition is open to all - apart from anyone associated with the competition including INHT employees, or trustee committee, funding partners and judges.
The entrant must be the original artwork creator and solely hold the copyright.
The image or poem must not have been previously published or entered in any other competition

· It is the entrant’s responsibility to ensure that all necessary permissions are obtained from any person featured in a photograph.
Entrants for age categories must be between and under the age limit of the class on the day the competition closes.

Data protection

In entering the INHT Islay and Jura Community Peatland Project competition, you agree to the INHT using your details to process your application, only.
By entering, you also agree that if your work is shortlisted your details will be used alongside your artwork for promotion or public display in association with the project and competition only.

Judging

A panel of judges will be appointed by the INHT (drawn from the INHT committee and wider photography and poetry circles). Representatives of Bòrd na Gàidhlig will judge the Gaelic poetry entries.

the judges will select a shortlist of entries from each category, these will tour as part of a display around the islands and be exhibited on our Peatland Facebook page.
The competition judges will then choose from the selected short listed entries, to select winners of each category in each class. In addition, where considered appropriate by judges ‘highly commended’ and ‘commended’ will be awarded.
In the unlikely event the judges reserve the right not to make any award if, in their opinion, none of the entries meet the required standard.
The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

Ethics

Digital adjustments that maintain the integrity of the image are allowed.
It is not permitted to make any major physical change to the image. You may not, for example add or remove any part of the images through digital manipulation of plants, objects, animals, people, landscapes.
Accepted digital adjustments include dodging and burning, changes to tone and contrast and cropping.
An image will be rejected if in the opinion of the judges it appears that the image has been taken in such a way that wildlife law or animal welfare may have been breached; protected species or habitats have been compromised; or the image has been otherwise taken in an irresponsible manner.

Entry form details

Include details with your entry:

Name and address
For children's classes: date of birth/ age on date of entry
School attended, if local
A telephone no.
An email address
The title of your work
Category entered

Islay & Jura Community Peatland Project

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:37:00 +0000

A Celebration of Peatland

Our wonderful Peat and Bog

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded the contract from the CANN peatland initiative to deliver their community engagement work on peatlands, highlighting the importance of the work and investment already delivered on the Rinns. The project has engaged with land managers to improve peatland management and help combat Rhododendron encroachment, investing significantly on the island with financial input and training. We have previously benefited from contracts with CANN to survey the peatland sites they have been working on for birds and Marsh Fritillary butterflies.

Bog Bean flower

This community work will tap into our already developed activity provision and much of our emphasis in 2021 will now be peat related. It will also enable us to develop our activities to include delivery of identification courses for upland species and wider community activities. We will have a new display in the centre and will undertake some further outreach work taking a mobile display to other parts of the island which will both spread the understanding of the importance of peatland for climate, habitat and also enable us to advertise the centre and the work that the Trust engages with. You can engage and keep up to date on the project through our Islay & Jura Community Peatland Facebook page, for those who do not do FB we will endevour to provide updated via the blog.

Sphagnum identification courses

Marsh Fritillary on Marsh Thistle

I hope to develop a wider scope for this providing it as a concept for other local organisations to latch onto and bring many more areas of the community into the framework to deliver a wider celebration of the importance of Islay and its neighbours, in the global beneficial impact of peatland, Islay after all has about 60% of its area covered in peat. One of the main draws for engagement will be a Peatland Passport booklet for individual or family self exploration and a photography and literary competition to capture the importance and to celebrate all aspects of what our peatlands mean to us. So over the winter months think about how you would want to celebrate and take your camera on a walk into the hills and bogs. A display of the entries will tour the island as part of a mobile exhibition in late summer. We will also aim to take a range of activities into the schools and engage with the High School John Muir group who use Gaelic as their medium to investigate the extent of peat within the culture and heritage of Islay.

Quite often over the years, this has been what
peatland has meant to me - long periods of sitting
on hillsides watching for bird activity

Fiona MacGillivray

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 18:34:00 +0000

Working with Argyll & Bute Council to trial a change in verge cutting times

Islay's verges some already species rich, act as
corridors to species like this Marsh Fritillary

With the likes of organisations like Plantlife promoting the leaving of verges to flowers and pollinators, cutting late in the season after the flowers have finished and many councils up and down the country adopting these new management strategies the idea that this would be of value to Islay has evolved. Many of the planting strategies promoted by Plantlife and other organisations however would not fit in the Islay context, striping away the existing vegetation and re-seeding with flowers when our soils already have a rich and area-adapted seed bank would be expensive and intrusive.

Through the Pollinator Initiative, Islay Natural History Trust and funded by The Botanist Foundation a two year study of the less major Islay routes on the Rinns was undertaken in 2017/18 to understand the value and importance of the verges for flowers and pollinators locally. This work has been reported on through past articles and talks. The next stage was to use this knowledge and persuade the Council to adapt and change it's strategy on verge management, after much negotiating a trial has now been agreed.

Islay Natural History Trust (INHT), The Botanist Foundation and Argyll and Bute Council will work together in a trial to seed areas of verge with Yellow Rattle a native plant that parasitises grasses that will subdue grass growth with the goal of reducing the need for mid-season cutting. The plan is to seed up to 4km of verge around the north of Loch Gorm and Gruinart with Yellow rattle this autumn. Verge growth and development next season will be closely monitored and these areas will be cut late August or later after the plants have seeded.

If successful the outcome will provide long term benefits for both flowers, habitat and council budgets creating a win-win situation for both sides of the biodiversity and budget lobby.

INHT and The Botanist Foundation, who will fund planting and monitoring developed the plan in discussion with council leader Robin Currie and local roads and amenity team leader, Julian Green. The group also talked about verges that provide space for many orchids including areas about Port Wemyss and Portnahaven and the Mulreesh road (near Finlaggan). It was agreed that short sections would be left for the orchids to flower and be cut and maintained by volunteers to ensure road safety.

This is a great collaboration and hopefully one that will be the beginning of an adaptive approach to verge management here on Islay and Jura.

Yellow Rattle will be used as our catalyst for the suppression of grasses, the growth of which ultimately creates the major need for cutting at all. This plant is an indicator species typically found in ancient meadows, it is an annual plant and requires the ability to set seed each year in order to persist in the grassland. It has a parasitic nature, its roots latching onto those of surrounding grasses pulling nutrients from the grass roots for its own growth, thus the grasses round about these plants grow with less vigour.

With grasses less dominant the height of verge growth will be subdued and the need for mid season cutting less urgent. It also provides opportunity for other flowering plants like clovers to have space amongst the sward providing more flowers for pollinating insects. Flower rich verges act as bridges across areas of sheep grazed pasture and barley filled fields linking many areas of great habitat that Islay supports.

A verge on the Isle of Lewis low
growing, and herb rich

Our verges on Islay are a mixed bag, some all grass, rampant in growth, others a more colourful mix of flowers of varying height and visual intrusion into the road users awareness and some an important area for orchids and other specialist plants. Despite this variety there is one management strategy, a process of cutting when machinery is available and when the control of growth becomes a visible need at the end of May and through to July to provide good line of sight for the driver and for the pedestrian to step off the road with safety. This cutting is welcomed by some and the loss of flowers coming into their peak cursed by others.

So next year look out for the signs indicating that verges are being left for the purposes of letting flowers flourish and enjoy the colour and beauty our rich flora provides.

The facts about Yellow Rattle

Some facts to consider:-

Yellow Rattle is native and a viable local component in grasslands within the area and in no way aggressive in the manner suggested. It is already present in the verges less than half a mile from the trial site.
Yes some of the roadsides around Loch Gorm are already rich in diversity, the most diverse have yellow rattle naturally as part of their make-up with dense patches of red clover and bird's foot trefoil both extremely good pollinator species enabled to grow amongst this.
The main section 2.5km that is within the trial however is the least diverse and heavily burdened with thick grasses which do not allow much other plant diversity to take hold, most likely the result of better soil fertility as they run alongside improved grassland with associated fertiliser spill off.
The reason for only introducing yellow rattle is to subdue grass and enable a more open sward for other diverse seed stock within the soil to have the chance to develop.
There is no guarantee that the seed will germinate, the grasses are dominated with Couch grass and Cock's Foot both aggressive dominant grasses, I know as I have physically hand scythed the area to prepare the ground for seeding, I wouldn't waste my valuable time if I did not think it was worth it!

Surveying the verges before trial. This verge shows
the barrier to seed spread that is along
most of the verge within the trial

The point raised as to the risk of spread into adjacent areas, is a viable point, one which has been considered. In this instance the sowing is only within the one metre strip that the council cuts, bordering this on the full length of the roadside is at least a further 1-2m of thick matted grass, bramble, ditch or willow where stray yellow rattle seed will not take root and the adjacent grasslands are either sheep grazed or cut for silage which is likely to be before yellow rattle casts its seed and therefore the plant will not persist.

Yellow rattle starts to develop and germinate in spring and completely dies at the end of the season, no roots or plant remains over winter. Current farm management practices should naturally negate natural germination or development of cast seed and prevent spread of the plant beyond the verge area.

Fields are grazed by sheep prior to setting aside for silage and sheep will naturally graze out such growth. I have witnessed sheep nipping off the flowering heads of yellow rattle so they will graze it out in preference and not enable seeding.
Once left for silage fertiliser encourages growth of grasses which will out compete species such as yellow rattle if they have persisted after sheep grazing.
Silage is cut earlier usually than the plant is ready to seed from late July onwards and even if it has got to the flowering stage will be cut and not supply the soil with seed for growth the following year.
There was mention of barley as a grass and hence would be adversely affected by yellow rattle.

barley is not sown here until after the beginning of April and hence no yellow rattle would have grass roots to latch onto to germinate in time for the season.
As far as I am aware all barley fields are sprayed with herbicide to kill off competing plants and therefore would kill off any yellow rattle which has germinated.

The problem for yellow rattle survival is that it is an annual and as such needs to seed every season to persist in the grassland. Before the advent of early cutting for silage it would have been widespread in meadows cut for hay, modern farming has resulted in its wide decline and only persists where grasslands are regularly left uncut until late in the season, the large ancient meadow at Smaull Farm a prime example but this field is managed for this very purpose.

INHT and The Botanist Foundation would never consider introducing any plant species that would cause harm to the natural environment. This project is based on hard facts and consideration of scientifically collected data and not on a whim with disregard to the environment it will affect. We would certainly not add yellow rattle in all areas, where verges are already species rich or the grasses already a minor feature, this would not add value to an already rich habitat.

Here are some links from across the spectrum including one from a farming forum where some consider they have some issue with yellow rattle, however most address the plant with the open outlook and consider the ease in eliminating it if some spread should occur.

http://farmingforum.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?21531-YELLOW-RATTLE

https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/yellow-rattle/

https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Yellow-rattle.docx

Quote from Scottish Wildlife Trust information

"If Yellow rattle is no longer wanted on a site, flowers can be cut before they can produce seed and as there is no seed bank in the soil the plant will not appear the following year."

Fiona MacGillivray

For the love of Peat

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 23 Jun 2020 19:19:00 +0000

Marsh Fritillary on Marsh Thistle

INHT has been undertaking surveys on SPA (Special Protection Areas) sites on the Rhinns for the CANN peatland restoration project recording breeding birds and the populations of Marsh Fritillary butterflies for the past couple of years. This has provided extra revenue for the charity and a chance to directly undertake recording of species for our database. This fine weather (when the wind in not blowing a hoolly!), warm and sunny, has had the butterflies out and it is so nice to see the Marsh Fritillary, one of Islay's prettiest butterflies. The adults are only on the wing for about 4-6 weeks so there is only a short time to see them and for them to have the right conditions to breed and set forth the next generation which spends the rest of the year as caterpillars.

Marsh Fritillary and Small Heath

Our peat bogs are wondrous places, colourful and with little gems for an observer to appreciate and photograph. Specialised plants and birds making the most of insects and the limited nutrients the bog can provide. When you get down low they are really forests in miniature, the Ling Heather and Bog Cotton are the trees and the sphagnum mosses the herb rich layer.

Bog Bean

Dunlin

Round-leaved Sundew with trapped fly

Sphagnums provide a rich tapestry of colour, and though the species list for flowering plants is not vast is made up for in variety and colour. Many were only just reaching the point of flowering, Bog Asphodel and Sundews budding and almost out. The Bog Cotton is being gradually teased from the bud and floating or streaking in the wind to find a new position to set down roots. Butterwort and the sundews (Round leaved and Long leaved) await unsuspecting midges or even a larger fly to get stuck to their sticky and dew tipped leaves, which gradually digest the insect absorbing the nitrogen released a nutrient not available in the peat where there is no contact with the soil and rock substrate.

Dubh Loch with Bog Bean

Bog Bean

Water Lily

The jewels in the bog are the little Dubh Lochs, often set at the top of the rises and providing permanent water for Bog Bean and water lilies, and midges, that are food for dragonflies (Four-spotted chasers, Golden-ringed Dragonflies and damselflies), Dunlin and other waders like Redshank and Lapwing which have moved off the dry farmland in search of soft water logged ground for insects.

The rest of the bog is scattered with pink Heath Spotted orchid and every couple of hundred metres Skylark ascend to the sky singing their little hearts out a joy to the ear.

Traversing the terrain is hard going for a biped and wings would be so much easier but the little gems are worth the effort and the workout keeps the body in trim, I scoff at the app on my phone which has tracked my passage and tells me I have exerted merely a couple of hundred calories for the days exhaustion!

Investigation of the Honeybees Pollen Baskets

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 24 May 2020 14:50:00 +0000

In my other role as Keeper of honeybees for the Islay Pollinator Initiative I have come to learn a great deal about flowers and pollination, attentive to what is in flower and the value of each for the honeybee. There is always a fall off of pollen brought back by the bees and I collect up samples to have a closer look and learn a little more about what they are really foraging on. Sheltering indoors with Saturday's rainy, windy weather I finally had the chance to look through a scoop of pollen collected from a hive a week or so back that did not make it through the queen excluder the bees were moving through.

As with all flowers different by colour, shape and texture, so too are the pollen grains they produce. Each pollen grain is essential for the plants to pass on to other flowers of their own kind in order for fertilisation to occur and new progeny in the form of seeds for plants to perpetuate their species. Flowers have built a very complex relationship between themselves and various pollinators, butterflies, bees, wasps and hoverflies to name the main contenders. Pollen is food for some (our honeybees in particular) providing protein and essential minerals and nutrients for the larvae to grow healthy and strong, the flowers provide nectar, a sweet energy rich treat for some and an enticement and reward for the insect which gets laden with pollen to transfer to the next flower.

Honeybees are very important in this process, each bee concentrates on a particular flower so only visiting flowers of the same species in successive trips and therefore only the right pollen is taken to the next flower visited. Some is passed on and some the bees pack into their pollen baskets (on their hind legs), each species of pollen has a different colour so by watching what colour pollen they return to the hive with you can get an indication of what flowers they are harvesting. By observing what flowers are in bloom you can also predict what they might be foraging on at each stage in the year.

This is my collection of pollens in the sample, collected about the first half of May, two shades of yellow/orange a pale green and a creamy/white. A pollen colour chart can give an indication of pollen colour for the month and by making a microscope slide and looking under magnification, shape and form can be seen and further identification made.

Pollens mixed with alcohol ready for slided

Slide of each pollen type

Individual coffee bean shaped pollen grains

Pollen 1 - pale creamy/yellow and under the microscope looks very much like coffee grains. Using colour, and knowing what is in flower and checking pollen ID features these are Bluebell, worked hard by the bees as it provides a very good nectar source as well as pollen.

Pollen 2 - khaki green and under magnification distinctly triangular with circular features at the corners, ID features suggest Rosaceae family, and as there is an apple tree at the apiary and the colour matches, so it is from our apple tree which will bear lots of apples hopefully at the end of the summer, if this wind hasn't ripped all the blossoms off!

Individual triangular pollen grains of apple blossom

Pollen 3 - colour, a dull orangey yellow, looking at the colour charts I might have put these last two the other way around, however under magnification (although my cheap none-too high tech microscope shows none to clear) definition is not that great, the small round, poorly defined grains I put to be Dandelion.

Small circular pollen grains -projections on grain surface not discernible in image

Pollen 4 - deeper orange/brown and under magnification the grains were sometimes rounded and some rounded/triangular which clearly seemed a feature of Gorse from the guide. I may be wrong and there was possibly some contamination of this last sample with some other grains mixed in. Gorse is one of the most important flowers for our bees on Islay it flowers very early in the year (flowers even right through the winter) and the bees will visit them if the weather is suitable to fly out, late January this year we had a 'warmer' dry few days and the bees were bringing back Gorse pollen.

Gorse (?) pollen grains

Such studies bring another level of understanding to the complex relationship between flower and pollinator. Once the current restrictions abate and normality ensues (whenever that will be?) we will have our microscopes available to look at pollens in the Nature Centre and we will get a more high resolution camera to take better pictures of the samples than my bargain Aldi/Lidl purchase of a few years back doesn't do justice to!

Fiona MacGillivray

Climate Change Talk 23 Sept 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 05:35:00 +0000

A fantastic talk this evening by Alasdair Skelton explaining the science of climate change in such a concise and easily understandable way.

A full house in the lecture room with locals and Alasdair's students who have come to Islay to learn about the Earth's historical climate changes.

Alasdair also gave this talk to the students in the High School .

Alasdair has helped us better understand and appreciate the problems and the possible solutions we can all adapt to to make a difference.

A link to a video of the event (on youtube) is below:

Download a copy of the talk

The android version of the smartphone app he mentioned to enable you to caculate your own CO2 footprint is available in the google 'Play Store'. Search for 'onetonnefuture'. A link is here

The offsetting technology that Alasdair mentioned which involves converting CO2 to rock (and other CO2 recovery technologies) can be seen at climeworks.com

This website has a link to their climeworks.shop site where you can pay an appropriate monthly amount to offset your emissions.

Seaweed Foraging & Cooking - 22 July

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 05:29:00 +0000

Wonderful morning of Seaweed at the Nature Centre for Taste Islay & Jura today. Lovely to see so many visitors and locals coming along.

We ended up running a second cooking demo and info session as more folk turned up in the afternoon. Happy days

We also sold lots of Copies of our new leaflet which we have just had printed on Seaweed foraging and preparation. These can be purchased for £3 in the Nature Centre.

Calmac Community Fund

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 29 Sep 2019 05:23:00 +0000

We are very happy to announce that we were successful in our application to the CalMac Community Fund to the tune of £1993.20.
This will help us to deliver both our Children & Families Activity programme next season and also work with local youth groups throughout the year focusing on Bushcraft type activities.
We are looking forward to planning these activities and will be announcing more details in the coming weeks. @CalMacFerries #calmacferries CalMac Ferries

Talk by Islay Energy Trust 23 July

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 11:49:00 +0000

Lots of local interest for Kirsten Gow's talk on heat pumps and whether a sea-source system in Loch Indaal could heat the hostel building and possibly others in the village.

Geology Walk at Kilchiaran 21 july

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 06:24:00 +0000

A very wet but enjoyable geology walk at kilchiaran today. 10 people braved the rain as we peered into the billion-year gap, saw glacial striations and marine moraines and pebble-hunted for flint and red and green apples (pink gneiss and green metagabbro).

Bug hotels and shell mosaics - 18th July

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 06:11:00 +0000

Great photos from our morning spent with Islay & Jura Youth Action earlier this week, what a busy time we had with a keen, fun bunch of kids. It really was a pleasure to help them build a lovely bug hotel in an old whisky barrel and do some shell mosaics.

Otter Detectives 13th July

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 10:20:00 +0000

Scorching hot afternoon for our first ever Otter Detective Walk looking at otter habitats, tracks and signs and learning about otter ecology. Thanks to everyone who came along. Happy otter spotting

Rockpooling at Swans Pool

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 10:20:00 +0000

Rockpool and shore exploration on July 13th at Swans Pool with an enthusiastic bunch of kids from the Cyber Cafe. Followed up with some crafty stuff back at the cyber.

Hope to see you all again on the 3rd August for some more outdoor adventures.

Scavangers Hunt with Islay & Jura Youth Action

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 10:17:00 +0000

On Tuesday 11th July INHT ran a scavengers hunt with Islay & Jura Youth Action at the Battery. We will be back on the 16th to do more exciting activities at the centre. Thank you Beth Clark for leading the session

Centre Refurbishment

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 19:55:00 +0000

We have made a start on upgrading the centre... starting with changing the displays around, and moving the central display to create a feeling of more space.

We now have some seating, help-yourself tea/coffee juice and biscuits...

and a new mural at the entrance (thank you Bruichladdich folk)

plus a new sea tank. Come and see us!

July Walks and Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 19:34:00 +0000

Come and join us for a range of walks and activities this month...

First ... the Sunday Walk Programme..

and Secondly ... our Summer Activity Programme. All our Thursday sessions are provided free of charge due to a grant we received from the the Health & Well Being Fund through Argyll & Bute Health and Social Care Partnership for which we are very thankful.
If however you would like to donate to the session a suggested donation of £2 per person would help us to continue to ensure the sessions can run in the future. We are also partnering up with the Cyber Cafe, Islay & Jura Youth Action and Jura Juniors to deliver some sessions for them.

June walks and activities programme.

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 19:28:00 +0000

june has finished but here was our sunday walk programme for the record!

(it says 2018 but we meant 2019!)

Geology Walk 23rd June

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 19:22:00 +0000

Ten budding geologists enjoyed the Saligo rocks on Sunday. Lots of flint finds too.plus the obigatory human 'timeline'.

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Mon, 13 May 2019 11:03:00 +0000

Islay Natural History Trust Talk & News

Next Talk
Our next talk will be this Wednesday 15th May at 7.30pm, Louise Muir from Jura will be telling us all about 'The Wild Side of Jura' where a recent application for a fish farm has sparked greater appreciation of the wild nature of Jura, locally and far and wide. Louise will discuss:

The Wild Side of Jura - its natural and cultural heritage and a global community in support of its wilderness
The fish farming proposal - an unsustainable model for aquaculture in Scotland
Impacts a fish farm would have to the natural heritage of Jura and its surrounding seas
Alternative approaches

New Renewable-energy Heating System
Islay Natural History Trust are working with Islay Energy Trust to look at ways we can improve our heating system in the visitors centre, whilst minimising our impact on the planet. GeoAtlantic Project Officer, Kirsten Gow, has been working with us to calculate the heat requirements for the building, and look at whether ground or water source heat pumps can provide what we need to make the building the warm, welcoming space we would like it to be.

Heat pumps work by collecting low-level heat from the air, ground or water and compressing this into useable heat which can provide heat and hot water. The systems use up to 75% less electricity than some other heating systems, meaning that they can help reduce our carbon footprint and keep our bills low. There are several ground source heat pumps already in operation on the island at the moment – including the one at Islay Hotel in Port Ellen which provides all the heating and hot water then need for their guests.

We are still in planning stages with this at the moment, but hope that we might be able to go ahead with upgrading our heating system later on this year. Watch this space for more information as the project progresses.

The Islay Nature Centre

After a slow start to the start of the season due to difficulty in finding staff to operate the centre we are pushing forward, and we are now open 5 days a week 10am to 4pm weekdays.

We have lots of new developments planned now that the youth hostel (Hostelling Scotland) have now offered us a 9 year lease. In conjuction with the new heating project we are putting together proposals for insulated the building and getting better access to the terrace and beach. We are revamping the displays but all this will take some time with major works anticipated next winter.

In the meantime the tanks have been filled (using our new pump) and are being populated thanks to the efforts of Steve Wrightson. A new sea tank will hopefully be on its way later this month to replace the big tank - which will now be used for amphibians. We will be re-organising the structure of some of the displays - aiming to 'open-out' the main display room - with a work party on Saturday 1st June, if anyone is interested in coming along and helping please email and let us know.

We now have 'self-service' tea and coffee facilities for visitors - and are looking to source some soft chairs/sofas for visitors (and members!) to relax in/on whilst enjoying their visit. Please come along and see whats happening!

We have a development officer (Emma Baker), part time to help in organising new displays and encourage greater footfall into the centre. Our development will involve some rearranging and redesigning of the displays, teaming up with other local groups and businesses to improve the look and wildlife knowledge provided. Port Ellen Primary School will use their newfound understanding of the marine plastic problem to provide a display and Bruichladdich Distillery are providing skills and resources to help too.

The Trust has secured two survey contracts, one for Marsh Fritillary butterflies and another for upland breeding birds on SAC sites on the Rhinns of Islay through the CANN group which is targeting upland restoration of peatland sites. This will provide income as well as the opportunity for local people to train in environmental survey skills. I will be holding a meeting for anyone interested in taking part in this work and joining the survey team, on Thursday 16th May 7pm, the day after our next talk.

Following a very successful couple of years undertaking the roadside verges project where we actively went out and gathered wildlife records (10,458 flowering plant and pollinator records for 86km²) we have a renewed desire to improve our reach, improve our data gathering and promote our charitable remit, so our Sunday nature walks this year will aim more on citizen science, teaching and promoting interest in learning skills in all manner of wildlife and geological identification to local people and visitors. I will be drawing together a draft plan for the Sunday walks over the coming weeks, depending on the local or visiting knowledge base, if you have skills in nature ID, the more obscure the better please get in touch and let me know and we can perhaps organise to visit sites and bioblitz areas for wildlife records.

We are aiming on developing and nurturing an informal local group who can share their knowledge, get together and chat over their wildlife experiences each month I have had recent discussions with Plantlife, Butterfly Conservation, Bumblebee Conservation, Bat groups and the Whale and Dolphin Trust, (who are launching a whale trail around the islands) organisations which we may be able to tap into knowledge and bring experts over for training and diversifying interest and skills on the island.

Exciting times ahead, so watch this space and please do come and join in our activities and events.

David Webster
Secretary, Islay Natural History Trust
website: www.islaynaturalhistory.org
blog: http://islaynaturalhistory.blogspot.co.uk

INHT recruiting for the summer season

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 16:45:00 +0000

An exciting new season approaches the weather is warming and the flowers are growing....all set for showing Ileach's and visitors all about the wonderful wildlife and natural history of Islay. We are hoping for much new development over the next year so it is a great time to get involved and join the team.

The Islay Natural History Trust

is recruiting for the summer season,

April to end of September 2019.

Available job roles:

Islay's Nature Centre:

Visitor Experience Operative

Ideally April start - End September. 5 days per week, 6 hours per day.

£8-£8.50/hr dependent on skills and experience. This could suit job share.

The applicant will have a friendly engaging manner, good organisational skills, competence with computers and a good knowledge of Islay. Some wildlife knowledge is desirable, but not essential. Lone working required, therefore the ability to work under own initiative essential. You will be required to welcome visitors, undertake the daily organisation of the centre and visitor facilities, take admissions & shop sales, monitor and maintain activity stations, displays and the aquatic tanks. Assistance in developing displays in conjunction with the Centre Development Co-ordinator will be desirable.

Freelance Centre Development Co-ordinator

(part time, self employed post);

April to October, 16 hours per week; £10-12/hour (dependant on skills and experience)

The development coordinator will support the INHT committee in the planning and delivery of new displays, co-ordinate and promote the outreach activities, develop shop and sales income and help to optimise our profile and increase footfall to the centre and participation in activities and generally promote the work of the Trust.

For further details please e-mail: inht@btconnect.com or call Fiona 01496850607. Application by CV with references via email or post to INHT, Main Street, Port Charlotte, Isle of Islay PA48 7TX.

Closing date: 25th March 2019

September Nature rAmbles!

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Wed, 29 Aug 2018 11:31:00 +0000

It's the last month coming up, before our nature centre sadly closes for another Autumn and Winter, so come along to the last of our Nature rAmble walks for the month of September. We are starting out with a wander around the shoreline of Ardnave, to observe the birds and other wildlife in the area. We will also be adding back in a walk through Bridgend woodland to have a talk about the mythology and folklore of woodland trees, plants and other wildlife, which was unfortunately canceled in August due to poor weather conditions, however we have luckily picked this walk back up for September! We Will finish off with a walk along Sanaigmore bay for some seashore foraging and the possibility of some cake in the Outback Arts Gallery. Sanaigmore was one of the first walks carried out way back in June...I wonder how much it's changed over the season! Our walks start at 2pm on a Sunday and usually last between 1.5 and 2 hours. All are welcome!

A migrant moth - Convolvulus Hawk-moth

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 08:41:00 +0000

Following the migrant butterfly from the USA comes a Convolvulus Hawk-moth from the south which I caught in my moth trap last night. This is a rather worn female specimen and only the fourth I know about for Islay, past records being in c.1950, 1989 and 2015. Similar to the Red Admiral and Painted Lady butterflies, this moth lives in North Africa and, early every spring, migrates across the Mediterranean into France and Spain where it breeds, with the offspring moving further north and, more or less annually, reaching southern England, while in some years, perhaps helped by southerly winds, some reach Scotland, even as far north as Shetland. They are large moths with a wingspan up to 100 mm and length of about 55–60 mm. The male is more boldly marked with black streaks and bands.

Malcolm

Migratory Monarch Butterfly Blown Off Course!

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 11:13:00 +0000

Islay has been gifted with a lucky sighting this weekend by Jane Taylor, who spotted this Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) near Bridgend! This exquisite pollinator is a migrant, most likely arriving from either North America, Western North America, Southern Canada, Florida or Mexico and will travel thousands of miles on migration. When migrating south along the east coast of the USA, they can get picked up by westerly winds and blown across the Atlantic, just as happens with several species of birds.

This butterfly is unmistakable by its size compared with any British butterfly, with a wingspan of 3.5–4 inches (8.9–10.2 cm) and by its orange upper-wings, with multiple black veins and margins, being narrower and lighter in the males. There are a series of white spots near the wing tips and wing borders. It can also have orange spots at the tips of the forewings. The underside is similar but with a yellow-brown colour on the forewings and hindwings instead of orange.The white spots also appear to be larger in size. The Monarch will alter its aesthetic before and after migration, starting off as a brighter red with longer and narrower wings, then fading and shortening towards the later migration stage. The male is often slightly larger than the female and will have either a black patch or dot on the androconial scales of the hindwings. The females have thicker wings than the males to compensate for their smaller body size and to help reduce energy loss during flight.

If the Monarch butterfly is ever seen within the UK, like Jane has seen near Bridgend, they are usually accidental migrants, not turning up every year, and so are a treat to spot! This species is found on agricultural land, pasture land, prairies, gardens, woodlands and roadsides. Monarchs use mountain forests in Mexico to migrate to for their winter habitat. The main threat to them lies in the forest also being a natural asset and resource for human use. Climate change will also affect their migration flight such as wintering grounds becoming colder and summer breeding grounds becoming warmer, thus shifting the migratory pattern.

The Monarch butterfly is unfortunately decreasing in population due to the above threats and the use of herbicides and pesticides on land. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently undergoing research to decide by 2019, if the species should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. In Ontario, Canada, the species is listed under Species of Special Concern; however, in 2016 it was proposed to move the species into the endangered list for Canada, due to the drop in population.

There are, however, efforts being made to conserve this species and its habitat. The restoration of appropriate habitat in woodland glades for increased herbaceous ground cover for host and nectar plants, providing monarch-friendly seed mixes such as milkweed and controlling the timing of habitat management such as mowing to reduce compromising the species. These are only a few efforts among many more strategies. Fingers crossed for their conservation status change and an increase in population trend!

Although not common to find in the UK, keep your eyes pealed for any unfortunate Monarchs blown off the migratory path! In years when one is seen, it is usual for several others to turn up in different places.

Cuvier's Beaked Whale

noreply@blogger.com (Islay Natural History Trust) — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 15:50:00 +0000

For only the third time that has been recorded, a Cuvier's Beaked Whale has washed up on Islay's shores. A very dead specimen turned up a few days ago on the Big Strand. The previous ones were in 2000 and 2008. And exactly the same as in 2008, other specimens have turned up at the same time in the Outer Hebrides. This is an uncommon species in British waters, very rarely seen alive, though strandings occur more frequently, if not annually. This is a deepwater species which prefers warm waters, so is seen more regularly in the Mediterranean and around the Canaries. It has been suggested that the species is particularly adversely affected by the sonar used by submarines and other naval vessels, perhaps to the extent of causing the strandings.
I've taken specimens of the skin, blubber and muscle which have been sent away for analysis by the Scottish Strandings team in Inverness. They will be checked for pollutants as well as having the DNA analysed to see if related whales have also been stranded.
Malcolm