Bees, kingfishers. terrapin and leucistic crows

Today we visited Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Wolseley Centre to pick up more sunflower hearts - stocking up for the Autumn, we also bought our tickets for 'An Audience with John Craven' and we had time to stroll around the grounds too.
The scabious was out in full bloom and when the sun shone it proved a huge attraction for the bees and hoverflies

We then spent an hour or so watching kingfishers - the lens on my camera is great for doing close up of bees on flowers, not so great for photographing a kingfisher on the other side of the river, but I had to try!

these aren't the only kingfishers at the Wolseley, there is also this magnificent kingfisher in the grounds

the resident terrapin also put in an appearance 

and whoever planted this garden, can they come and do mine please!

... and finally hopping around the grounds are blue eyed leucistic crows.

Not to be confused with albinism, leucism is an inherited condition caused by the absence of cells responsible for the production of melanin. You can find out more about leucism and albinism on the BTO website 

Today's dragonflies

Our dog walk today and we had so many dragonflies zigzagging across the lane and some kindly stopped long enough for me to photograph
including this common darter,

this migrant hawker,

and this brown hawker

A day out to Loch Coruisk

This was a treat for me and my daughter, while Mr S spent the day at Elgol, looking after our dog who would not have coped with the boat trip. Mr S had visited Coruisk by sea kayak before so he'd recommended it, for it's stunning views - we took the Bella Jane with the 1 1/2 hour landing at Coruisk to enjoy.

I love boat trips and having taken the road bridge to Skye again because our dog wouldn't have coped with the ferry - (she doesn't like the vibration of the engines and digs her claws in, refusing to budge and she is too heavy to carry, so ferries are ruled out of holidays for the time being!)  I needed to get on the water even if it was just a small boat!

The way in to Coruisk the Bella Jane took us past Camasunary which is where the Schools Hebridean Society used to camp back in the 1970's 80's  although I never attended one of the Skye expeditions, I had read about many of them and met many members of the SHS who had, so I felt as though I knew it - It looked like a spectacular setting for an expedition.

The Bella Jane then slowed down as we passed close by several islands covered with Common Seals.
Two sea kayakers also were approaching Loch Coruisk, One of the fantastic things about being in a sea kayak is that the seals will swim up to you as they are curious by nature - I have had some very close encounters in the past, but kayaking doesn't come easily to me any more, I seem to have lost the use of the muscles in my back and top of legs which I need to kayak so I was very envious, but of course if I had been in a kayak I wouldn't have had my camera so wouldn't have been able to take these photos.

we then approached Coruisk

and then disembarked at Coruisk.
Time to explore and according to the Bella Jane website, enjoy the magnificent scenery and overwhelming  tranquillity of this truly unique and unforgettable location.
It really was magnificent scenery set within the heart of the Cuillin mountains.

 Tranquillity? well yes it should have been very tranquil, but unfortunately one of the families who came over with us thought they were the only people there, and spent most of the time swimming in the very cold loch, so lots of screams and shouts - so no chance of seeing otters and eagles then - but hey I expect they had a good time!!!

A brisk walk past the family and everyone else who had sat down to eat there lunches and you could escape most of the noise and almost imagine that you were the only people there until you turned around again that is or another of the swimmers gave out another scream!

We reached as far as we dared giving us enough time to return to our picking up point stopping for a bit of a late lunch before boarding the boat for our return trip with a welcome cup of tea,

then the highlight as we approached Elgol again I spotted a porpoise! (No photo)
A fabulous day out!!!

Views from Ord - Isle of Skye

Our second week on Skye was spent here

with fantastic views of the Loch Eishort

Our first evening we took a stroll down to the beach 

More views from around Ord over the following week