REPORTED. (12/06/14)

I hope the ground nesting birds have almost finished their nesting but I suspect many haven’t. I went out yesterday evening to look for rare and wonderful things. I found a really common thing. A bloke walking the path through the sand dunes and throwing a ball into the Marram grass and other tall grasses off the path for a pair of Spaniels. I shouted.

“HEY UP… .STOP IT.”

He said they like chasing the ball. I pointed out that there were Pipits, Wagtails and Larks going up in clouds. He said the dogs aren’t chasing them. I explained that they didn’t need to chase them to disturb their nesting. He called me an interfering twat so, full of wit and repartee, I called him an ignorant fucker.

Fortunately our routes diverged I was going to find the rarest plant I had never seen and also a very rare bird. After a dull day it was a beautiful evening, a bit chilly in the breeze but the wind was what was required to cool me down.

     This is what remains of the boat used on the Salmon fishery.

   This is the memorial to the Reverend Norman Macleod. I can’t help thinking that if he had to go from here to Nova Scotia, on to Australia and finish up in New Zealand that he was more than likely a bigger pain in the arse than I am.

    The waves were frolicking in the sunshine. Sounds better than splashing…I think so. Nothing like a good row to cheer me up.

    Split Rock…from this angle I can imagine how it slid down.

     Purple Milk Vetch….this is scarce enough so I thought it warranted a close up. If not a very good close up.

   This Orchid is half the size of the one I posted yesterday, it is different.

It’s time for a drum roll and a fanfare of trumpets.

I trust you imagined the music and the drums.

     Mertensia maritima. I find it beyond beautiful, I am lost for words. Almost. It’s leaves are robuster than Dithery’s policies and it’s flowers, like the Forget-me-Not, understated. I will never forget this plant. It survives in cold and lives on rocks and still manages to look elegant. The highlight of my year and I know nothing about plants. It is the Uma Thurman of the botanical world.

There used to be some in Northern Ireland but they dug them up along with the shingle it grows on so they could make more concrete. Jim, the owner of this campsite has protected this from sheep, people and dogs with boulders and weld mesh. It is now spreading. There are two tiny satellite plants. Brilliant and even better for me to find something without the prefix Common. I’m afraid you will get more views of this when the light isn’t as harsh. I still haven’t got myself a new umbrella. I shaded the first image with my pullover but then I got chilly so the second shot took it’s chance in bright sunshine..

I have seen a strange Pied Wagtail, it doesn’t wag it’s tail and it has a grey head not a Black head. I got back to the van and it was sitting on a post just outside. I switched lenses and it then flitted to the fence surrounding the bins. I opened the window really slowly and quietlyish, stuck the camera and a bit of my head out. It flew off but it is a Shrike. I hope it didn’t fly far. I’ve popped some muesli out and a selection of bird seed. The sparrows think all their birthdays have come at once. I have no idea what Shrike like for tea.

The fish man came during the afternoon. I treated myself to a posh food.

      Half a dozen fresh nipping Prawns. For once I managed to avoid getting nipped whilst getting them into the pan. It requires a certain dexterity to avoid the bubbling water and the prawns pincers. I was two thirds of the way through this delicate operation when Jim came round to say that Spaniel Man had reported me for being abusive. I explained I’d only called him a fuck wit and hadn’t hit the bastard. The Assynt Warden, (Assynt is where I am, not a typo.) had seen the birds go up so Spaniel Man is barred. There are notices up telling those that are literate to keep dogs under close control and pick dog crap up. It is great being able to take dogs where you like up here but you have to remember that they can be a bloody nuisance. Living with my two poppets I don’t need a big sign to remind me.

It’s raining again….I can feel a colouring in day coming on.

Have fun.