Now that the vapours of the Hogmanay have cleared we can start celebrating again for 2013 is the Year of Natural Scotland. If you ask anyone about Scotland somewhere in the mix of tartan, bagpipes, whisky and haggis there will be golden eagles, red deer stags, otters, mountains, lochs, glens and heather. There is of course more, much more………
I could spend all year waxing lyrical about the landscapes and wildlife of the Outer Hebrides and especially South Uist and still not convey the the magic of these islands, but a few carefully chosen photographs may help distil the essence. There will be an super abundance of photographs of Scotland’s equivalent to Africa’s Big 5 in the media, so I’m going to feature some of our wonderful small scale flora and fauna. I’ll begin with some of the of the animals, plants and fungi found on our croft at Ardivachar.
If you’re impatient to learn more about our wildlife you might like to visit some of the following: Hebridenis, Outer Hebrides Biological Recording
Well done for highlighting some of our small and special flora and fauna, I couldn’t agree more. Tracey
Thank you for your support – the smaller more delicate members of our flora and fauna need their supporters.
And few of us anticipating the pleasures of the arrival of hellebores, snowdrops and the like in our gardens can boast of such delightful wild flora and fauna as these – I look forward to seeing more examples during this special year.
I am fortunate indeed. it is easy to be distracted by the big ticket wildlife and whilst it’s always a thrill to see the otters, dolphins and our very special birds, I must admit I spend awful lot of my time on my hands and knees getting close-up to some of the wee beasties and the flowers.This is of course for scientific scrutiny and not age related myopia!
I have a vivid picture of this in my mind now … 🙂
Beautiful contrast of the small and delicate beauty with the sometimes rough landscape and climate.
I look forward to seeing more in 2013.
It is often the most extreme and harshest landscapes which harbour some of our most beautiful and interesting wildlife. i am always delighted to see what you have achieved in your dry garden by the use of native plants and the array of fascinating wildlife it attracts.
I saw my first elephant hawk-moth in my garden last summer, but had no idea they can be found as far north as the Hebrides!
Lovely creatures and quite common even in the north. So many moths are beautiful but their nocturnal habits mean that even the most common species are rarely seen.
What a wonderful post! One of my main resolutions for the coming year is to spend time all over the Hebrides with a decent field guide so I am able to appreciate my surroundings in a more informed way. Great inspiration on your blog!
Look and enjoy. The naming of names is not vital but it will add to your interest, spark your curiosity and take you on wonderful journeys.
a wonderful amazing place I MUST visit
The Outer Hebrides are very special and should be on everyone’s travel wish list. The people are lovely too, you will be made very welcome.
I really enjoyed seeing all the terrific plants and insects in your area. Your post is a good reminder to explore local areas more closely and definitely UP close!
Thank you Astrid. I will be posting more mini-beasts and plants during the year. I know if you look that you will find some amazing creatures in your garden.