Contact Rod on: (01857) 600341 or ranger@sanday.co.uk
MOST OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS MAY BE ENLARGED BY CLICKING OVER THE IMAGE
The weather during the first half of May has not been particularly encouraging for gardeners or walkers; and only a few hardy visitors have made the journey to Sanday. One couple, who’d booked to Orkney months ago, had their plans disrupted by the Iceland-volcanic-ash-plane-cancellations, and so did not make the day-trip to Sanday for the advertised ‘West side wander’ on the 10th. The north-west winds, that have made most days pretty chilly, were at full strength that day. At the appointed meeting-place, the assembled throng – one visitor along with the Ranger – looked at each other wondering which might suggest calling it off. Neither did; both of us made the best of it. Down the track past the Mires we had a couple of Curlews and a Lapwing for company, could just make out the sound of the singing Skylark, and found the ditch full of the rich golden yellow Marsh Marigolds.
Down onto the boulder-beach, where, nearly two years ago, on 23rd July 2008, a Ranger outing to the beach encountered a gruesome sight. A long-dead Risso’s Dolphin had been stranded by the tide and was providing a meal for Great Black-backed Gulls.
Risso's Dolphin, Mill Geo (W.side) 23.7.08
Now, all that is left are the bleached bones – gathered in a fishbox at the top of the beach.
Crashing waves and the onshore gale made sea-watching tricky; instead we cowered in the lee of the sandstone outcrops and admired those birds that flew along the water’s edge or over the top of us. Among them were Bonxie (Great Skua), Pied wagtail, Wren, Maallie (Fulmar), and Gannet.
A little farther south, at Girni Geo, we stopped to look at a Raven’s nest – the only bird on an otherwise ledge-less cliff face; the young will probably be flying within a week.
Telescope-view of the cliff-nesting Raven
There were at least two well-feathered chicks in the nest…
We paused on the return walk to look at the Reindeer moss (a Cladonia lichen) and Violets…
Violets at Mill Geo 10th May 2010
…. and were then quite pleased to turn back towards the cars – and have the last ten minutes or so with the gale behind us.
Possibly the most unusual find this month was of a Morel – an (edible) fungus “greatly valued in central Europe, where, in their dried form, they are an important food.” (Penguin Nature Guides – Fungi of Northern Europe, by Nilsson & Persson). Subject to official confirmation, I think it is a specimen of Morchella esculenta. It was found among the woodland nurtured at Lettan in the north end of Sanday (W & S McArthur).
Morchella esculenta?
Ranger events planned for the rest of the month:
Tuesday 18th – Whitemill Wander
Friday 21st – Backaskaill Beachcomb
Sunday 23rd – Guided trip to and up the Lighthouse
Monday 24th – Exploring & Shell-hunting at Doun Helzie
Tuesday 25th – Colliness – Dunters (Eiders) and Pickies (Arctic Terns)
Friday 28th – West Side Cliff walk
Sunday 30th – Minibus excursion to Eday (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)
Monday 31st – Minibus History tour (BOOKING ESSENTIAL)
Contact Rod on: (01857) 600341 or ranger@sanday.co.uk
