At the eastern end of my visit to the Àird na Meacan area, the next tetrad looked tempting for a very old and vague record of Mertensia maritima (Oysterplant). Yesterday I went to have a look, but while there was indeed suitable-looking habitat there was no Mertensia. However, I added three more plants to the list for the 10 km square NG71:
- Carex arenaria (Sand Sedge) Uncommon on Skye, the nearest record being at Camasunary, 22.5 km away as the rook flies. This patch is not obviously rooted in sand, though there may be some below the rocks.
- Cotoneaster bullatus (Hollyberry Cotoneaster). Just one by the track on the way home – not especially welcome as it is a bit invasive. However, lots of insects like it.
- Salix x multinervis (S. aurita x cinerea) – unsurprising, as I probably often fail to record this hybrid amongst its parents
Coming up from the shore to the main track that connects Kinloch and Leiter Fura I came across a good patch of Ceratocapnos claviculata (Climbing Corydalis) deep in a tangle of bracken and brambles. This is not common locally and is often associated with bracken.
As usual, I was chasing micromoths, bugs and anything else that took my fancy. Some highlights:
There were lots of signs of otter activity, notably this pool with several recently used spraint sites:
Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles 