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By late July Young Golden Eagles are starting to make their first exploratory flights away from the eyries which have been their home for the last 10 weeks. The female eagle spends less time close to the eyrie although the male still provides most of the prey. The young eagles will remain dependant on the parents to supply food for some months to come.
Immature divers usually spend their first summer feeding out on the sea. In late April a young Black-throated Diver turned up inland on the loch close to the house and it has been a regular visitor ever since. At various times it was accompanied by adults and another immature Black-throat. Late in July it was joined by a first summer plumage Great Northern Diver. At a distance the Great Northern Diver’s larger size was not that obvious, only on closer inspection did the much heavier build to the head, neck and bill become apparent.
The Welsh Clearwing belongs to a rather odd looking group of day flying moths, most of which occur only in southern Britain. It is known from only very few sites across Wales and England. In Scotland it was thought to be restricted largely to the old Caledonian Pine and Birch woods of Rannoch and Glen Affric. Male Clearwing moths can be attracted to lures which imitate the pheromone scent given off by receptive females. An exploration, with such a lure, of the old Birches in my area quickly proved that the moth is actually quite widespread throughout a number of the local glens. Unfortunately in their heightened state of excitement the male moths rarely remain still enough to photograph. Not so the Iron Prominent, relying on cryptic colouration, it is happy to remain stock still all day as it roosts beneath a birch branch.
Brilliant Emerald Dragonflies are found only at a few sites in the north. Living up to its name the male pictured outshines the more widespread, but still uncommon Northern Emerald. The Variable Damselfly can only be considered to be a Highland species by its occurrence at a couple of sites in North Argyll well to the north of its normal range.
July 2011
