Burabhal and Eaval, North Uist, Nature Notes 2 July 2015

Inlet of the sea approaching Burabhal

This is yomping country.  The walk in to Burabhal and Eaval is rough terrain, demanding.  I remembered the red-throated diver and the shore of Loch Obasaraigh from ten years ago, when I climbed Eaval. Today our objective was Burabhal – a mere 440 feet but it’s a yomp to reach the lower slopes and a steep and strenuous pull to the top. Boggy ground was slithery, with gullies to stride across and deep heather to clamber over. We passed inlets of rich-coloured seaweed; sea and lochan 

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From the top of Burabhal we sat looking at the seascape below. Seascape or landscape? We watched a yacht coming in off the sea and threading a way into Loch Euphort. Next time, let’s sail the Outer Hebrides and explore that way. By land or sea it’s a navigational challenge.
Not the clearest of days, but good enough to enjoy the views.  As we climbed Burabhal there were glimpses of rosy coloured sphagnum moss deep in heather. The summit was soft with mosses and heather. Super-saturated sphagnum. I love the feathery fronds of the moss.

Sphagnum moss on the summirt of Burabhal

Budding stone crop

On several days I found stonecrop, budding and soon to flower. Bog asphodel would soon flower too. I like these seasonal markers, telling of summer.
As we came off Burabhal we passed burnt heather and new green shoots. I noticed a moth, stopped to photograph it, then found more. The Magpie it's called and I must have found a newly emerged brood.

I found this striking magpie moth on fresh stems of heather, then came upon lots more. It must have been a brood newly emerged.  The central image shows the underside of the wing and I think that’s the view of the third moth.  Crawling about amongst stems of heather, the moths twisted and turned in the vegetation.