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Natural Connections

Modern life in Scotland is increasingly busy. The connections our ancestors had with nature and the land are being lost. As leisure time shrinks, or is filled with hi-tech experiences, opportunities to experience nature become fewer. And yet it is possible to connect with nature on a day to day basis. All around us, the great web of life continues to hold its shape, and nature continues its eternal cycles. Keep looking, listening, smelling, touching - and keep experiencing natural connections.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

A fledged brood of Great Tits were in the back garden for part of the afternoon.
Some extra thoughts from yesterday to follow:
Mistle Thrush:

Three birds were feeding on the "Hayfield" at the south end of Glenmore. Presumably they had young to feed - or perhaps they were juvenile birds hunting for themselves.
Siskin:

Glenmore village was filled of the sound of Siskins, calling from the treetops and commuting back and forward in excited groups. Although I couldnt make out any plumage details, I assume a good prportion were birds of the year. 
Black-headed Gull:

Small numbers (ones and twos) were merauding around Glenmore Village, taking food from picnic tables in the campsite and trying to get in on the action around the feeders behind the Glenmore Cafe and Shop (and outside the chippie in Aviemore). 
Long-tailed Tit:

A large group (10+) in Glenmore Forest was possibly a family party, although it contained at least one Willow Warbler and also seemed to have few Chaffinches "hanging on", effectively making it my first "tit flock" of the year. 
Willow Warbler:

The woods were still resounding to the song of Willow Warblers, although their "hoo-weet" conact calls were much more evident than before.
Grey Wagtail: 

A pair on the burn next to the Coire na Ciste car park had young in the vegetation and kept up a constant barrage of sqeaks and whistles as the flew back and forward attending to them. The two Pied Wagtails in Glenmore Village were this year's young, picking up insects from the ski road.
Other wildlife of Glenmore Forest:

Walking in Glenmore Forest, the undergrowth was full of invertebrate life including numerous craneflies. Particularly evident were the nursery chambers of spittle bugs which covered the Bilberry and Heather across vast areas of the forest floor. Wood Ant nests were also very evident and very active with some positively "heaving" with workers coming and going. A Dor Beetle was upside down on the path (in my experience they often are), but hobbled away when righted.


Impressions of Strathspey in June:
Its quieter, with birdsong partly replaced by sqeaks, whistles and other contact calls.
Its colourful, with foxgloves along the forest paths, scarlet lichen "flowers" on exposed banks and various upland plants (Thrift, Apline Lady's Tresses etc) flowering wherever browsing animals can't reach them.

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