Wild rose at Memsie

This arrestingly beautiful rose is currently blooming at the edge of the A981 in Brunts Wood, on the left  just North of Memsie Bridge.There is a bush about 1.5 metres tall, sprawling with rather longish branches and lax growth .In Autumn it has bright red longish hips.
What is it?
Any suggestions for identifying?

Rufus appreciates the Wastart

Rufus appreciates the dryness of the Wastart at present and enjoys rolling, especially on scratchy vegetation. There are currently so many flowers - tormentil, lesser spearwort,  bog cotton, cross leaved heath and early marsh orchids that inevtably some are rolled on. This rolling session took place beneathh Pitheughie where Grey Granite was photographing Early Marsh Orchids and the delicate, tiny flowers of bog pimpernel. As all this was happening a small flock of stonechats scolded us from perches on the highest whins.

Once they had escaped from a ludicrous conversation Grey Granite and Rufus enjoyed a sunny Sunday afternoon walk round by Merry Hillock and Bridgefoot of Phingask. At Chapelton they saw this group of Shetland ponies and include them here purely for the aah! factor. If they are true to breed form the ponies are probably less sweet natured than they look. Grey Granite cannot quite decide if there are more ox eye daisies (Leucanthemum vulgare) than usual this year.  She has noted  frequent in clumps fields and at dykes sides, perhaps this is a product of her liberation to stand and stare rather than an actual increase.

 The sunshine of the last few days has brought out many wildflowers at the dykeside and the barley, which just over  a week ago was hardly bearded, has already started to turn. The small tortoiseshell butterfly pictured was sunning itself on a huge patch of tufted vetch (Vicia cracca) in the lane at Chapelton

A single clump of Rosebay Willowherb (Epilobium angustifolium) is already in flower, the majority is still in bud.

Dykeside roses

Within the last few days the sunshine has brought the dyke side roses in to sudden glorious flower. During a walk round Peathill and Coburty Grey Granite found abundant pink dog roses (Rosa canina) in several locations. Appropriately the white form, the Jacobite rose, is to be found growing on the Cassa Brae close to Pitsligo Castle.

The rose of all the world is not for me.

I want for my part

Only the little white rose of Scotland

That smells sharp and sweet - and

Breaks the heart.

 (Hugh MacDiarmid)

A delicately perfumed old Scots rose growing by the ruin of the old school at Coburty. Grey Granite, alas, is unable to identify this and would welcome assistance

St Combs walk

Today Grey Granite and Rufus joined Betty and Jack, the roan Cocker Spaniel,  for a memorable wild flower walk on the dunes near St Combs. This was new territory for Grey Granite who really enjoyed seeing the wide range of wildflowers growing on the dunes. Highlights were a vast area of marsh orchids and cuckoo flowers, a magnificent bed of yellow flag irises, patches of  brilliant blue germander speedwell and a small patch of wild thyme, (Thymus praecox) just starting to flower. Grey Granite was particularly pleased to find this, although Welch describes it as locally common, Grey Granite cannot recall finding it in the North East. There were several herons, both on the shore and flying over the wetlands. Both Betty and Grey Granite were pleased to see a pair of lapwings flying over the reed bed. Rufus enjoyed Jack's company but Jack may have been less pleased by Rufus wanting to play at every opportunity. The beach, a wide sweep of clean firm sand was an excellent place for the dogs, totally deserted and totally unspoilt with less debris than the beaches at Rosehearty and Fraserburgh.

The original rainbow trail

This afternoon Grey Granite and Rufus walked  from Monthooly Doocot, round past Craigiefold, to 'Peg's Corner' then round by Coburty Mains and down the long straight road known as Knoggan Hill back to the Doocot. This nostalgic walk was probably Grey Granite's formative  rainbow trail as she walked this route so often  during the  childhood holidays which had such an influence on her. Grey Granite and Rufus were accompanied by the ghosts of Grey Granite's own small self, Tam, the first dog with whom she was allowed to roam the countryside, her Dad, with whom, during the awakening of her interest in archaeology a history of the area based on the haystack culture was invented, and her beloved Aunty Peg for whom Grey Granite has remained  grey.

The ruin close to Hillcrest which Grey Granite thinks is an old school. When she was  a child Grey Granite was told that a murderer was caught in this building, possibly having hung himself,  As a result she was wary of passing the building without the protection of Tam. Today Grey Granite and Rufus paused to admire the delicate apricot old Scots roses which are just starting to flower at the roadside.

 There are now dog roses (Rosa canina) flowering at the dykeside in several places. Grey Granite was surprised by a large clump of unexpected Oriental poppies at the roadside at Coburty, their startling orange flowers windswept and, to use Peg's phrase, 'bladded' by yesterday's gales.

June on the Wastart

The Wastart is really carpeted with wild flowers, every possible niche provides support for the rich  flora and in places it is impossible to walk without treading on the flowers. Wet areas such as the bank between the shore and the Red Well (above) and the lazy beds beneath Pitheughie are thick with the bold magenta spikes of Northern marsh-orchids (Dactylorhiza purpurella). The paler more variable early marsh orchids are just coming into flower.

At Craig Ogston (left)  the  pinkish  mauve cushions of thrift,(Armeria maritima) locally Wastart daisies, are starting to fade, here as elsewhere the recent dry spell has given already given the grass  a parched mid-summer look. This contrasts sharply with the lush growth of boggy areas.
























A chink in the rocks at the Stone Steps supports a colony of co-habiting thrift (Armeria maritima) sea campion (Silene maritima) and lovage (Lingusticum scoticum)

Marsh harrier at Strathbeg

Yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus)

 Yellow iris grow extensively in the shallows of the loch and in the ditch on the approach to the reserve.

Grey Granite visited the Tower Hide at Strathbeg RSPB Reserve yesterday for the first time for some months and was rewarded by being able to spend almost 30 minutes watching a female marsh harrier at close quarters. Grey Granite had noticed, but was unable to identify,  a large raptor hovering over the field on the approach to the hide. However, the magnificent bird, at close range unmistakably a marsh harrier, was languidly flying back and forth low over the reeds and marsh close to the hide. The bird was often lower than the hide window thus clearly displaying the characteristic light markings on the wings and pale yellowish head, with formidable curved beak, to great advantage. Occasionally the bird would drop down in to the reeds, presumably having found prey (usually small mammals, amphibians or small ducks). This was a real privilege to connect with nature experience and Grey Granite was furious with herself for not having brought a camera with a telephoto lens. The following link is to a clip male harrier at Minsmere in very similar conditions to those at Strathbeg.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/species/Western_Marsh_Harrier#p007stgc

We were interested to note that two fields on the way to the Tower Pool Hide appear to have been sown with a small white plant, either a sand wort or pearlwort, presumably as feed for a particular bird. There were beautiful yellow iris growing extensively in the shallows of the loch and in a roadside ditch.

Let Them Climb Trees

This article from today's Guardian really struck a chord with Grey Granite .  Her own experience  during 36 years in education suggests that children, when introduced to the natural world, are extremely receptive and respectful of the environment, connecting with it in a meaningful way and developing self esteem and confidence as their knowledge grows. She feels that Curriculum for Excellence provides an opportunity to enable youngsters to connect with their environment and commends Eco Schools as a means of achieving this.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/jun/05/nature-deficit-disorder-richard-louv

Grey Granite has to acknowledge that her own life long values and interests were shaped by being allowed, from the age of about 10, to wander about the countryside in Lancashire  and along her beloved Rosehearty Wastart  alone with a succession of small dogs for company. A day in which she does not have opportunity to wander about  observing nature and existing inside her own head is a day wasted for Grey Granite. A succesion of such days  threatens her well being. For Grey Granite her dog, particularly the intrepid Rufus,  provides the perfect walking companion and facilitator for her preferred life style. Perhaps this is a residue of being an only child.

Evening walk down the braes

What started as rather a dull ,indecisive evening walk down the braes to look for dolphins was suddenly transformed by great mounds of thrift by The Pouk, spreading in various shades of pink like old fashioned quilted counterpanes. At The Pouk there were huge marsh orchids, bright purple, growing in the path way. At the Pinkie Shore there are the last of the primroses and the first of the scentless may weed. We heard a complaining, clattering chattering which turned out to be  a small colony of fulmars nesting on the cliff face on the East of the shore, some birds flew to and from the nests with their strange elbow less flight. We heard the eerie keening of seals drifting over the water. As we returned towards The Pouk a heron flew towards the reeds being harassed by several gulls.