Earlier this year our co-authors from Scotland discovered a Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) in their garden.

This bird is a handsome and easily recognised bird. The underparts of the adult male are rose-red, while those of the female (and juveniles) are pinkish-grey. So without doubt we can say that this is a male Bullfinch.



The Bullfinch is a widespread but however rarely seen visitor to gardens. When they are seen in gardens, it is usually as one of a pair or as part of a family party, feeding on seeds or flower buds.

Unfortunately, the Bullfinch is a Red List species because the breeding population has declined rapidly in recent times.

Plentiful rain and a shortage of summer sun have provided perfect munching conditions for these slimy creatures; they obviously enjoy this weather much more than most people do. Their numbers have increased rapidly lately.

Here is one photo of a slug in the Netherlands and one slug enjoying some courgettes in Scotland





(The loss or reduction of the shell is a characterisc for the Slug. This in contrary to Snails who have a prominent coiled shell)

The Ink cap (Coprinus comatus), is a common fungus often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads and waste areas. The Ink cap is recognizable from its cap which initially covers almost the whole of its stem (left picture)



Then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores (hence the "ink cap" name) (right picture).

When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that, after being collected, it is eaten soon. Never tried it ourselves though. It is said that when you use alcohol with this mushroom it gets poisoned. So…… be careful.

Well.... the title of this entry is obvious.

The Heath Spotted Orchid's (to be precise the Dactylorhiza maculata) flowering period is from late May to early August.

It will grow in well-drained habitats such as grassland, moors and heaths, from sea-level to 900m. This photo was taken at Glen Cannich, Scotland.