A brief round up

The last month has gone by in a bit of a blur, what with all the dragonfly goings-on. So here's a round up of other happenings from July and the first week of August.

July 10th

Photo: Alan Nelson

Now that she has two new knees, Our Lass fulfilled a long-standing ambition to walk across Hoy to Rackwick Bay.

July 21st

Prior to a trip to Rousay, Alan and I popped into the local Co-op store to stock up on provender for lunch. On leaving, I noticed a moth on one of the automatic doors.

Circled in red for reference

However, as soon as I approached the door to take a photograph with my phone, this happened...

Cue much merriment and giggling.

Alan solved the conundrum by using the zoom function on his camera...

Photo: Alan Nelson

It's some sort of Plume moth, I think.

Same day, on Rousay, different moth...

A Garden Tiger, always a treat to see.

August 2nd

The Royal Navy's new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth paid a brief visit to Orkney to mark the centenary of the first successful landing of an aeroplane on the deck of a ship. Here's a few photos of her entering Scapa Flow early in the morning.

August 5th

During a day of gardening, we had some interesting birdy encounters. Firstly, a very rosy bird perched on a wire fence in the field over the road...

which turned out to be a potato, left there by the allotment folk who have a vegetable plot in the next field.

Then, in the afternoon, whilst I was mowing the lawn, a Swift put in an appearance, for time enough that I had the chance to nip indoors and grab my camera.

August 6th

An afternoon stroll along the clifftops in South Ronaldsay, to look for damselflies in an abandoned quarry, was unsuccessful. However, there were a few distractions.

Valerian

Common Blue butterflies

An ichneumon of some sort

Larva of a Great Diving Beetle, with lunch

Well, that's us up-to-date, for the time being.