Saturday, August 03, 2019
I walked up Ullapool Hill early on, coming out by the bridge over the river and then walking back down the estate road. Somewhere near the upper quarry I snapped this dragonfly. I couldn't see it very well without my glasses but was sure it was something new for me. Research at home suggests it's a northern emerald. How exciting - I was planning a trip to Loch Maree to try and see this dragonfly, and here was one just a couple of kilometres from home!
The calliper-like appendages or claspers indicate a male northern emerald (males of the other two "emerald" species apparently have straight ones); and the dragonfly is "restricted to north-west Scotland and south-west Ireland" (british-dragonflies.org.uk). Birds were almost non-existent (although it was nice to hear two willow warblers still singing) and even butterflies were thin on the ground - except for Scotch argus. Greger later went up the hill but turned right, coming out onto the Braes of Ullapool and walking back to the village by road, craftily passing en route the garage - where he could buy his favourite (almond) Magnum.
// posted by Christine @ 8:40 AM 
