Scotland Road Trip Day Eight

Sadly our journey south began today. We left the Highlands and stopped off for lunch and a city walk in Edinburgh before heading south for our overnight at Blyth. Blyth is a stark contrast to the wild Highlands and is actually a pretty grim place but we found some good fish and chips at Coastline restaurant at South Beach and the beach is okay. We ended up here because it was one of the few affordable places to stay over night last minute.

The moth traps were unfortunately dissappointing at Invernahavon on the last night as the wind was really strong. Final lep tally for the trip was 87 species HERE with no new last night lifers. There were actually quite a few confusing moths too (see photos). 

One of the most interesting aspects about the moths this week was the incredible diversity of several of the commoner species. Check out the variation on these July Highflyers HERE and the Dotted Clays HERE. The Lesser Yellow Underwings were also remarkably variable HERE.  Also the Dark Marbled Carpets were really variable HERE. 

I managed to get a lot of my target moth species but didn't get the mountain carpets because of a lack of access to high altitude due to the wildfires. I also didn't get Exile. So a few major misses but a good excuse to try more mountain areas for moths. Also a lot of Scotland's best moths like Kentish Glory and the special underwings are not flying this time of year so definitely thinking of some more trips.

Targeting moths is the most suitable semi-serious natural history exploring when on family holiday as it's something that works passively over many hours at night and just involves processing them before everyone else is even awake and a quick set up when everyone has gone to bed. Trying to target some of the Caledonian bird and mammal species with a young family is more of less impossible and I've seen everything here before anyway. 

Tomorrow we head to the Peak District on our slow journey back south for another overnight. 

Neglected Rustic- quite a few of these although I'm not entirely sure this one isn't a Square-spot Rustic lookalike. Here's a link to one I'm more confident of HERE. 

Twin-spot Carpet. Male (above) and female (below)

The apps say this is Dark Brocade but not sure if it's that or a Common Rustic agg

Rufous Minor is a likely Marbled minor agg candidate in the area and this one fits the bill but presumably requires critical examination to confirm

Ground-moss Grey, Eudonia truncicolella- the most numerous 'scop'. 

The apps say this is Garden Dart but not sure if its a melanic Turnip- it had a pale hindwing

Another shot of the incredible Invernahavon valley this morning

Edinburgh Castle 

View from our hotel window, The Commissioners Quay Inn in Blyth. It's a sea view but quite a stark one

Scotland Road Trip Day Seven

Sadly it's our last full day in the Cairngorms today as we start our journey back south tomorrow morning.

We spent the day at the Highland Wildlife Park which was great for the kids and a nice selection of some more unusual mammals too like Mishmi Takin, Bukhara Deer, Turkmenian Markhor, Vicuna, White-lipped Deer and Himalyan Tahr among the more expected zoo mammals and a few Caledonian specialities like Wild Cat and Pine Martin. Sadly we saw a Pine Martin dead on the A9 on the way to the park but this morning we did have Red Squirrel and Roe Deer at the campsite. 

The Cairngrom exlusion zone opened today after three weeks of wild fire control so we took the drive to the Cairngorm ski resort car park. We were able to see some of the burnt area. Will be interesting how this area recolonises in the coming years. Looks a bit bleak at the moment.

I had the Heath trap out at the Ralia Cafe moorland and the lepiled at the campsite last night. Another great night of moth trapping with a few more lifers. I'm getting lifers every night and still got tonight to go so fingers crossed for one or two more. 86 species of moth and butterfly so far HERE. 

Barnacle Geese at the Wildlife Park, apparantely wild. 907 for the year now. A few other bits and bobs there too HERE including Hooded Crow (below). Still hoping that one day I find something good at these wildlife family attractions. I have seen (not found) Black-throated Thrush at Whipsnade Zoo, had a White-tailed Eagle go over Arundel WWT on a family day (and seen a few good local bits like Hen Harrier, White-fronted Goose and Goosander there) and have had Yellow-legged Gulls and Spot Fly at Wolburn Safari Park.  

Scarce Silver-Y, another top of wish list. From the Heath trap. Lifer.

Great Brocade- another top of wish list from the campsite trap. The campsite has been incredibly diverse with a nice mix of riverine birch and rush meadows backed by moorland. Lifer. 

Purple Clay, another hoped for one and a bit late in the season too. Lifer.

Twin-spot Carpet. Lifer. 

Green Arches

Pale Straw Pearl, Udea lutealis - lifer

Large Birch Bell, Epinotia brunnichana- lifer I think

Mirifircama mulinella- an unimpressive lifer.

Agonopterix assimilella- another little lifer

View from Cairngorm

View over our campsite valley at Invernahavon

Scotland Road Trip Day Six

The moth traps were a bit quieter last night with only one new lifer albiet a good one. I'm planning on putting the heath trap out on some moorland habitat nearby tonight to target some of the remaining targets. I've luckily got most of the targets from the campsite so far. As the campervan is out of action at the moment (head gasket waiting for repair) we brought the car up so didn't have much room for moth traps so I just brought the lepiled and an old heath trap up instead of the MV and twin actinic. I'll leave the lepiled at the campsite tonight and put the heath trap up on nearby moorland.

Today we went to Loch Ness and took the kids to the Loch Ness Experience and then came back via a stop at Inverness. There were some Bottlenose Whales in the Moray Firth recently but a quick check revealed nothing obvious apart from lots of Goosanders. 

In the evening I had a stoll by the river near the campsite and had a nice Dipper and lots of Scotch Argus butterflies. 

White-throated Dipper, year tick 906. 

Plenty of Willow Warblers around the campsite. Had a Crossbill and a Hen Harrier go over the campsite and we had Hooded Crow near Loch Ness today too. 

Scotch Argus- lots of these by the river. The only butterfly I've seen up here although it has been raining more or less non-stop until today.

Angle-striped Sallow- top of the wish list. Lifer.

Northern Spinach- a better photo.

Male Anamolous- what a stunner!

Dotted Carpet (above) and Suspected (below). Better photos. 

Plain Clay- last night's catch was basically more of the same from previous nights but most of them lifers before this trip

Loch Ness and Urqhart Castle- the kids enjoyed the Loch Ness Monster Centre. 

Tulloch Moor- unfortunately no sign of any Red Grouse

Dipper habitat near the campsite 

Fortunately the local wildfires are under control and the Glenmore exclusion zone is opening up tomorrow. More from the national park Here.

Scotland Road Trip Day Five

Another interesting night in the moth trap at the Invernahavon Campsite with a few more target species. 

We spent most of the day at the Landmark Adventure Park with the kids before heavy rain started so we went for a drive to Loch Garton and then a bit of charity shop shopping at Aviemore before returning to the cabin. 

A few photo highlights below.

Roe Deer at the Landmark Adventure Park Pine forest area. Also had Crested Tit there which was a year tick (now on 905 for the world year list). There's a few bird year ticks I need round here but not getting anytime for birding in between rain and family stuff unfortunately. The main targets up here for me are all moths anyway.

Cousin German- lifer

Haworth's Minor (above and below)- lifer

Dark Marbled Carpet- lifer

Welsh Wave- lifer

Northern Spinach- lifer. At the Landmark park in the heather and bilberry

Scotch Annulet- lifer

Probably a Crinian Ear- the default ear in these parts.

Clouded-bordered Brindle

Antler moths (presumed female above and male below). Nice to see these daily. 

Black-marked Tortrix .Epinotia ramella

Views over the Abernethy forest (above and below) with the Cairngorms in the background