Mammal Watching in Speyside (4/9)

 

Here are some of my photographs taken on a mammal and bird watching holiday in Scotland near Aviemore with Speyside Wildlife during August 2006.

  

 

 

 

This moth was a very attractive rust colour. Apparently there are around two and a half thousand types of moth in the UK which makes identifying them a skilled art.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a sexton beetle which I found fascinating because it has mites living on it. One of these can be seen on its back here in the picture though there were several. The mites lined up on the beetle's wing cases just seconds before it flew off - just like passengers on an airplane!

The sexton beetle reproduces by finding a small dead bird or mouse, excavating beneath until it collapses into the soil and then laying its eggs nearby so its larvae will have food.

 

 

 

 

 

The Speyside region is well known for its ospreys and here is one at its nest. Move the cursor onto the picture for a closer view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Tuesday we went for a long afternoon walk in the RSPB Loch Garten nature reserve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Wednesday we drove to The Dolphin Centre at Cromarty. Here we took a boat trip out to the Moray Firth where we hoped to see some marine mammals. We had already spotted one - this blue dolphin on a swing!

 

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