Basking Shark

Since the researchers have left we have out meals a little later at 7:30. I was just checking some pufflings and was running a bit late back. As I  passed Colms Hole I noticed some movement in the harbour mouth. I spotted a triangle in the water. These triangles normally turn out to be seals asleep in the water vertical. To my amazement there was also a tiny fin behind. It was a Basking Shark!

I ran back to the accommodation to tell Celine and Martina who quickly scoped it up from the veranda while I went round to the Lowlight to let Dennis and the Thornes know, who connected later on.

Basking Sharks are a reasonably common site along the west coast of Scotland though I never expected to see one of the Isle of May. There have been a handful of records before from the Isle.

We had only been talking about Basking Sharks in the morning. We certainly talked this shark in!

It was just metres off Kirkhaven and the South Ness. An incredible site.

A big thanks to Martina and Celine for their pictures. I only managed a few shots with my phone.

Art on the Isle of May - Sunday 18th August 2013

Art on the Isle of May - Sunday 18th August 2013

The island has inspired artists over the years, this day is a chance to see and hear some of these and maybe see the island in different eyes.....

There is lots going on as part of this event.

 

To mark the Year of Natural Scotland, Fife’s rich natural heritage is being celebrated through an ambitious knitting project.

Bringing together knitters from across the county, the project is the result of collaboration between members of Fife Council’s Biodiversity Team and staff at SNH’s Cupar office. 

From a list of animals, plants, birds, fungi and invertebrates which are iconic, threatened or play an important role in Fife, the talented group produced some wonderful items, everything from earthworms to dolphins, fly agaric toadstools to seaweed.  Great-crested newts, bluebells and kingfishers also feature.

Launched at the Fife Show in May, the knitted plants and animals are now on tour around the Kingdom.  They’ve already appeared at the Fife show and landed at the Earthship visitor centre in Kinghorn and have served as clues in a treasure trail at Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve’s Open Day.

Everywhere they go, they attract plenty of attention, providing opportunities to raise awareness of Fife’s non-knitted nature!

If you’d like to see more of the knitted plants and animals, like Fife’s Knitted Nature Facebook page. 

https://www.facebook.com/FifesKnittedNature

Claire will be telling stories back in the South Horn. The ever popular face painters will be back. 

Photographer Celine Marchbank will be displaying some of her work in the Mousehouse.

www.celinemarchbank.com

With scenary like this, it is easy to see why so many have been inspired over the ages.

The May Princess, Colin Murray on the RIB Osprey and Seabird Centre are all taking bookings for this event.

Arctic Skuas

We see a few Arctic Skuas around the island during the late  summer  months. These birds breed from North Scotland to deep within the Arctic circle. These birds will chase all the seabirds from Puffins to Gannets to try to steal fish from them. At the moment it is fairly easy to see this bird offshore. There are great feeding frenzies of birds catching sprats offshore and these birds certainly don't want to miss out on this food.

A typical view of an Arctic Skua belting past the South Ness

This pair were ambushing other seabirds, working as a team

This Arctic Tern flew right over my head while I was stood on the South Ness. Fantastic to get such close views. See the tiny pointed tail.

We're also spotting Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoises and plenty of Manx Shearwaters offshore.

Sunsets and wild skies

Ragwort

This year we have not had any storm events flattening the vegetation. The Campion was out all over the island in the spring lighting up the island at night. Now the white turns to yellow.

We are currently enjoying the rich yellow of  the Ragwort all over the island. This gives the island a different feel and makes a change from the nettle and burdock beds.

One of my first jobs while volunteering 16 years ago was pulling up Ragwort. Ragwort is poisonous to livestock and needs to be controlled in areas where animals graze. It is also very good for insects. It is a blessing we don't have to pull it on the island!

A yellow landscape

We've started seeing good numbers of Red Admirals on the Ragwort after a slow start for this species

We're seeing a few Peacocks, a lot of Whites and the odd painted Lady on the Ragwort

The dark spectacle

 OK, here we go, after only the 6th record of bridled tern for Scotland we now have another rarity landed on the island. This one is a new record for Fife and the Isle of May. Behold the dark spectacle. It is a moth. It is very like the spectacle but darker really and the Fife moth recorder has just confirmed the record, so making it official. There is no limited to the rarities that are turning up here at the moment. Enjoy.

 There have also been lots of other nice moths including 20+ garden tigers in recent traps and some fabulous burnished brasses. Aren't moths brilliant.

Distracted wader counting

It is that time of year where we can get out to parts of the island that we have been able to reach since the seabirds have started breeding. It can be very disruptive to the birds for humans to appear in the middle of colonies so parts of the island become a no go zone. But come the end of July and the birds have finished their breeding cycle we can start to explore again. This is when we start our wader counts to get a comprehensive count for the island. Waders are starting to move south and though the isle of may is all rock it can accumulate quick a number of wading birds. Today we covered the whole island and came up with a total of 140 turnstone, 64 purple sandpipers, 1 curlew, 4 redshank, 1 whimbrel, 2 dunlin, 1 common sandpiper, 39 oystercatcher. In total over 250 waders is enough to be interesting.

 But as usual there are many distractions. The fledged shags and adults are hanging around on the Mars rocks at the far north of the island.

 North horn, Mainlight and Beacon all lined up on the horizon.

 The seal numbers are starting to build up with some coming back looking like zeppelins they are so fat from summer feeding.

 All dead birds found are checked for rings, here is Holly and Livvy checking a dead herring gull. The gull below was also found dead, killed by swallowing discarded fishing line. This one did have a ring that looked like quite an old one and not from the Isle of May so I will keep you posted as to where this gull might have originated from. But it is a shame when these birds end up dying such a death from the carelessness someone else.