Jack Harrison

[Jack Harrison]

20th May

I was on a roadside verge near Lochdon crouched over a GV White taking photos.

Car pulls up and disturbs me. “Are you all right?” “Yes, taking photos.” “Well you looked very odd.”

I suppose driver might have thought I was ill so I should be grateful for his concern. But in the heat of the moment, I did suggest that he might like to get on his way. (well, words to that effect).

Moved on the Grasspoint where on a short stretch of track, at least half a dozen Green Hairstreaks. Three seen spiralling together to the delight of some birders who had never seen Greenstreaks before. The occasional one settled but the birders understood the difficulty of following them as they landed but they did get a reasonable view. No photos though.

Jack

[Pete Eeles]

I was on a roadside verge near Lochdon crouched over a GV White taking photos.

What camera was it using?

Cheers,

- Pete

[Jack Harrison]

Pete:

Jack Harrison wrote: I was on a roadside verge near Lochdon crouched over a GV White taking photos.

What camera was it using?

That is my sort of humour that I appreciate, humour also shared by my sister who recently sent me a cutting from her local Somerset newspaper:

"Collision on M5 between Burnham and Weston"

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Isle of Mull 24th May

Greenstreaks seen in several spots on Mull today including one on a silver car near the Craignure ferry terminal.

This one on dwarf something-or-other (Willow?) on the minor road to Loch Buie in the south of the island.



Possible Marsh Fritillary in flight near Lochdon (Marshie seen this locality in 2013).

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Chequered Skipper 3rd June 2014

First stop Ariundle Woods NM826633 where by arrangement we met Phil and Rosalyn from Cambridgeshire. A few sunny intervals brought out the GV Whites in number but it was some time before we found the first CS not far along the track from the car park.

Habitat at Ariundle with Rosalyn wondering where the CS had gone. Phil and Mike (who was staying with me and had never seen CS before) found two on that hillside.

Phil and Rosalyn then left for Glen Loy while Mike and I drove back towards the ferry at Kilchoan (for Tobermory) and stopped at the Ardery car park NM746618. Mike immediately found a CS on a small patch of Bugle. I tried to photograph but had a minor camera problem. At the moment, a car pulled up and disturbed the butterfly. I was initially a little annoyed, but a young lady got out of the car and it turned out that she was something of an expert on CS. She showed us an area where we would never have ventured (very hard work for me through the undergrowth). Habitat at Ardery.


And a male and female CS posed superbly. Very sensitive to sunshine and wings stayed tightly shut until the sun appeared.





So a good day....until.

It must have been all that struggling through the bracken that took its toll later. I woke up about midnight with excruciating cramp in a calf muscle.

Jack

[NickMorgan]

Lovely pictures of the Skippers. I am sure you will think they are well worth the cramp!

[Jack Harrison]

Isle of Mull 4th June 2014

Fishnish Woods with wife Stella and visitor Mike Rubin for Chequered Skipper NM665418.
This was just a hunch based on fact that CS occurs just across the water at Lochaline. But although the Fishnish habitat looks quite good, based on our experiences yesterday of CS on the mainland,. Fishnish is probably too dry as it lacks damp ditches.

GV Whites (which seem to favour damp conditions) were not as numerous as they are normally on Mull. This one bears a passing resemblance to a Black-veined White

Successes were two male Orange Tips (a new locality for me on Mull), five Small Heaths including a mating pair and Mike found and photographed a Small PB Fritillary which I only managed to see in flight.

Small Heaths were easy to approach VERY CLOSELY


Golden ringed dragonflies were amazingly docile.


We then moved on to Grass Point NM745306 hoping for Marsh Fritillary (seen here last year).

No luck but the well-worn Green Hairstreaks were numerous.


Several Clouded Border moths.


Jack

[David M]

That GVW really DOES shout 'Black Veined White' at you.

Glad you managed to catch up with Chequered Skippers, Jack. I know you were determined to track them down this year.

[Jack Harrison]

Isle of Mull 5th June 2014

No butterflies today in cloudy conditions but this was a pleasant surprise in Calgary Bay.

Great Northern (left) and Black-throated Divers.

Given tomorrow's good weather forecast Stella, Mike and I will be on a boat trip to the Treshnish Isles (Puffins, etc). Not cheap, but what the hell - you only live once.

Jack

[Rosalyn]

Hi Jack, I'm pleased you had had better luck at Ardery than at Ariundle, though it is always a bonus to bump into a local to point you in the right direction. See you when you venture southward again

[Jack Harrison]

Treshnish Isles lived up to expectations. Suffering today from minor sunburn! Yes, it can be sunny in these parts.

PM sent with group photo at Ariundle. I think you (or more correctly, Phil) will appreciate why I didn't go public

Jack

[selbypaul]

Hi Jack
Do you know if the Great Northern Divers were breeding?
Paul

[Jack Harrison]

Do you know if the Great Northern Divers were breeding?

Don't know about this one (remember that the second bird was a Black-throated). I think unlikely. However, I have been told that Great Northern does breed in the northwest of Scotland at an undisclosed locality on the mainland opposite Isle of Skye. Rather vague (I know no more than just given) but I guess best kept like that.

Jack

[MikeOxon]

A nice comparison photo of two Diver species. One or other of these sometimes over-winter at my local Farmoor Reservoir.

I remember reading "Great Northern" by Arthur Ransome (the last of his "Swallows and Amazons" series) and thinking it was rather dull, compared with his earlier books. The theme was based around finding a breeding pair of GNDivers while boating in Scotland. In fact, according to the BTO, the first breeding pair in Scotland was recorded in 1970 - Iceland is their usual location.

[selbypaul]

Thanks Jack
I'd heard exactly the same (vague) information!
Paul

[Jack Harrison]

Sunday 29th June – Isle of Mull

Got up for the sunrise at 0435 BST

Tobermory harbour.


I was not the only early bird. It seemed to find its breakfast with ease.


Back to bed and then up a little later.

Small PBFs in good numbers in Glengorm.


Nice view of soaring Sea Eagle (aka White-tailed).

And then for this retired pilot, a degree of nostalgia as a FlyBe Twin Otter flew over on its way to land on the beach at Barra.

This video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXJbB3TGOX8
shows what fun that sort of flying it is. Sadly, I never did anything like that.

The scenery was as delightful as ever on this fresh sunny day.


Speckled Woods not entirely confined to the wooded areas and several seen over the open ground.


A dozen or so Common Blues were difficult to photograph.


At the end of the track, the ubiquitous “Hairy Coos” were loafing around.


By one small stream, there were numerous Beautiful Demoiselles.


Other butterflies seen: a few GV White (low numbers between main broods), one Small Heath and one Red Admiral.

Afternoon rest and then out again for the sunset at 2220 BST.
Cloud over the Outer Hebrides meant that the sun “disappeared” several minutes before the actual sunset time.


When we got back to the Glengorm car park several bats flew around to end a splendid day.

Jack

[MikeOxon]

"Red in the morning ....."

No wonder you get sunburn; it's the duration not the intensity! I enjoyed the video. Perhaps they should save a lot of money on London's new airport by doing this in the Thames estuary. Just have to remind the passengers to wear wellies. (designer ones in first class)

I went on to watch another video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzatxVUTTLs (which could do with some editing). I bet the passengers were relieved when he finally made it.

Nice butterflies, too.

mike

[Jack Harrison]

Mull 10th July

Small PB still flying. One Meadow Brown (not numerous here). The GV white that I accidentally bred (didn't see small larva when I collected some Cuckoo Flower) emerged: a fine summer brood female
On higher ground 250 metres+ a few Magpie Moths.



Then for the midnight sortie. Plenty of moths seen in car headlights in Glengorm. But the target was noctilucient clouds. I waited until midnight BST, about 1.30 hours before sun at lowest point below horizon. No hint of noctilucient cluds.

This picture of "ordinary" clouds taken exactly at midnight, about two hours after sunset.



At time of photo, the sun was 9 degrees below horizon. Camera FZ150 on tripod, ISO400, 1.0 seconds @ f/4.0

You can just make out (easier on larger original) light of fishing boat above "pinch point" on Ardamurchan peninsula

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Jigsaw Puzzle

Just had a bit of fun. Chequered Skipper. 63 piece puzzle.

http://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=167acb6744c3

If that's too easy, I can always make a 1000 piece puzzle of an undisclosed species

Jack

[Jack Harrison]

Nothing to do with butterflies.



From our local rag.

Jack