The Cuilags and North Hoy.

What's this?  A new post before I've finished the last one!

Slightly madly, given the heat (27C recorded I believe), I decided to go up the Cuilags on Hoy yesterday.

Met still working ex-colleagues on the boat, and glimpsed a couple of close by Risso's going out. I'd got the 07:30 so that I could make progress before it got too warm, but it was already too warm. A lift in the van up the road to the heritage centre was a good help though!

Target was Trailing Azalea, which, to be honest, I didn't really expect to find. I was interested to assess the Bonxie situation given the heavy casualties they sustained in last summer's bird flu epidemic and there was homage to be paid to the Green Tiger Beetle colony and moths to be found.

Green Tiger Beetle, Cicindella campestris.

These occur here only on Hoy, I have searched for them at Yesnaby. The Sandy Loch colony is the most recorded spot. I photographed on the way up and counted on the way back, 58 seemed a good number.

Heading up the hill by the shortest route, straight up from the north end of Sandy Loch is a bit of a slog but there was plenty of interest on the way with lots of this very smart mountain specialist Phiaris schulziana.

Phiaris schulziana.

They are very flighty and hard to photograph unfortunately. Also on the way up Crambus pascuella and Common Heath plus lots of smaller things which I should have attempted to capture, but didn't.

 On the way and at the top, there were Red Admirals passing by and regular Episyrphus balteatus and Eupeodes corollae. I did find a single Scaeva pyrastri at the top too.

Red Admiral, this one at the bottom.

Episyrphus balteatus on top of the Cuilags.

Also on top a couple of Northern Eggar shot by.

There were just two Bonxie on territory that I could see.

Great Skua, adult.

Lots of Golden Plover on top, not very pleased to see me. (Bird photos taken at a distance and from the route I was walking, I snapped and walked on.)

Golden Plover.

I only saw one Mountain Hare on top. A bit of a poser though.

Mountain Hare.

Hamnavoe coming in to Hoy Sound.

I searched for the Trailing Azalea, but failed to find it, perhaps a bit late in the year. And then headed down via the shoulder towards Rackwick before turning down the steep slope. I did find this Carabid near the top, no yet identified but it has the look of a Harpalus. I keyed it out from scratch Calathus fuscipes, I can't recall ever seeing this before, strange as it is not uncommon.

Calathus fuscipes, female, from the very top of the Cuilags.

 

Calathus fuscipes, head-on.

 

Going down was completely knackering, hot, and very hard going. Eventually, I walked into a crash site.

Aircraft bits, Cuilags, Hoy.

A bit of research this morning found that this is wreckage from the 2nd World War. Liberator FL949 from the RAF Czechoslovak Squadron (311). The plane left Tain at 22:02 on 1st January 1945 on a North Atlantic anti-submarine patrol, hunting U-Boats. The plane flew into the Cuilags and the whole crew were killed, more information is here - http://crashsiteorkney.com/orkney-high-ground.html#

I eventually reached the bottom of the hill, somewhat hot and bothered. But with enough energy to count the Bonxies on Sandy Loch, there were just 22 max, a couple of years ago there was always between 80 and 100 at this time of year.

Bonxies on Sandy Loch.

The look of the breeding colony at the top of the Cuilags and the numbers on the loch would indicate something like a loss of 75% of the population of Great Skua on this part of Hoy.

I wandered along the track, counting Green Tiger Beetles and snapping the occasional moth.

Common Heath, male.

Then I found these two which are a bit more interesting.

Anania fuscalis, I think.

At the time I thought this next one was Foxglove Pug, but it has been suggested (thanks NV) that it is Freyer's Pug which would be new for the county I think.

Freyer's Pug perhaps.

Subsequently, I bumped into B&LH, sightings compared and the rather useful and good cafe at Moaness was utilised.