Ray Colliers Highland Country Notes - Otters

Otters
26th June 2006

This is one of the best times to see otters as the female otters, called bitches, have had cubs in late May and early June and although they are still in the confines of their den the mother has to come off and feed herself and find food for them. One of the problems in seeing them is the amount of vegetation on the side of lochs and the sea shore which means the otters can be very secretive. Many books say that otters are entirely nocturnal but where they are undisturbed they will come out during the day. The best time to look for them is at dawn and dusk preferably when there is no wind so that on the sea or loch the ripples they form as they swim or dive for food can clearly be seen. If there is even a ripple on the water from a distance the otter is rarely seen and will go completely un-noticed. The brown fur with a white streak from the chest to under the head plus the characteristic tail, that in the old days was called a rudder, make the otter unmistakable. The mink may appear roughly the same shape from a distance but it is smaller and generally darker in colour. Dog and bitch otters lead separate lives, only coming together to mate, which can be at any time of the year. and they find each other by scent. The number of otters were relatively high until the mid-18th century, but hunting and persecution for fishery protection and "sport" drastically reduced the population and shooting for their pelts did not help. In some area, bounties were paid for dead otters such as between March 1831 and March 1834 when the Duchess of Sutherland's estate paid five shillings each for 263 otters killed. Even on some islands, e.g. Colonsay and Oronsay, they were persecuted so much by keepers that they were entirely exterminated. In World War I the absence of keepers and hunting enabled the otter, along with many other mammals and birds, to slightly recover but for the otters by the late 1950s the numbers had fallen rapidly from hunting pressure and more especially pollution, although the otters in the Highlands were least affected. Now otters have returned to many areas where they have been absent for many years and it seems likely that this will continue, although they still face problems. Whilst oil pollution can have a serious local effect, one of the main causes for concern is the number of road casualties, which occasionally leave otter cubs to fend for themselves. This is one of the reasons so many end up at the Otter Trust on the Isle of Skye. As with grey and common seals, there will always be controversy over the otters' impact on fish stocks. The animals have a fondness for eels, which are generally slower than other fish, but they will also take pike, perch, salmon and trout, mainly between 20cms and 25cms long. Their diet, however, is wide ranging and includes water birds, water voles, rats, amphibians, crayfish, crabs and even worms. Otters range widely to catch their prey and studies have shown that with linear territories such as rivers, burns and coastlines, a dog can cover 39 km and a bitch 16km to 22km both of which seem very extensive although presumably this does depend on the availability of food. As with other mammals that have been involved with hunting or sport, such as red deer, a whole language of terms was created. However, now that otter-hunting with hounds has been banned no doubt these will be lost, along with other hunting terminology. For example when an otter uses a hole in a bank or a heap of brushwood as a temporary retreat, it is known as a "hover", an otter at rutting time is said to "whine" and the scent of an otter from its holt is called a "wash".

Ray Colliers Highland Country Diary - Heather

Heather
24th June 2006

The commonest of the heather family growing in the Highlands is the true heather, sometimes called ling. It is a short, evergreen, stubby plant with many tangled, branched stems. The leaves have no stalks and the flowers, usually purple, form loose spikes at the tops of the stems. Unusually the sepals are longer than the petals but similiar in colour and texture. Occasionally, the flowers are white and these are much sought-after as the so called "lucky white heathers". One of the most widespread and abundant plants in Scotland, it is found all over the Highlands and the Western and Northern Isles. Whilst particularly abundant on poor or acid soils such as moorland and heathland, it also grows naturally in pinewoods and on narrow zones above the tree line on hills. Very large tracts of moorland are "managed" for heather and red grouse and this is the reason for the muirburn in the winter months. This consists of burning long narrow strips under a strict code of conduct and the aim is to produce a mosaic of differing aged heather. The young plants give tender tips for the grouse to eat whilst at the same time the longer and older heather affords them shelter and camouflage from predators such as golden eagle. In recent years, there has been a great controversy over the role of hen harriers in reducing the numbers of red grouse. Moorland managers are adament that the numbers of harriers should be controlled in some way whilst others say that the management of moorland is complex and a number of factors are involved. Many other birds nest on these moorlands, such as dunlin, golden plover, greenshank and curlew. Other birds include short-eared owl, merlin and snipe. The moorlands also support very large numbers of insects which are vital for the survival of the red grouse chicks. Apart from its importance for wildlife, heather has been one of the most useful plants for man. An indication of this comes from its names. "Ling" comes from the Anglo-Saxon "lig" meaning fire which recalls the importance of the plant in early times as fuel. Its generic name of "Calluna" comes from a Greek word meaning to brush. At one time, stems of the plant were often bound together to make brushes and brooms. They were also woven into baskets and ropes, and the plant was at one time extensively used for thatching and as bedding material. Many settlers from the Highlands took their heather beds to North America and so introduced the plant to the New World. Heather ale holds a special place in the Highlands because it is a brew of ancient legend with many recipes being lost and rediscovered in recent years. Present day enthusiasts point out that traces of a type of ale, including heather, were found at the Pictish site on the Isle of Rum which was occupied 4,000 years ago. With so much heather moorland it is difficult to imagine areas are under threat, but a serious decline has been taking place in the last few decades. In many parts, management for red grouse is not now financially viable and many tracts are no longer sympathetically burnt. The result is leggy old heather which eventually dies. Very large areas have been overburnt to produce spring grass for sheep. The over population of red deer in many areas has led to the heather being overgrazed and although a number of estates have reduced the numbers of deer in some parts they are still increasing, giving cause for concern.

Ray Colliers Highland Country Diary - Peacock Butterflies

Peacock Butterflies
16th June 2006

The peacock butterfly is striking for a number of reasons, both because of its appearance and its behaviour. To start with, it is large and the four big colourful "eyes" on the upperside of its wings are unique amongst Highland butterflies. These false eyes act as a warning to would-be predators. When the butterfly is at rest, the eyes on the hind wings are covered up by the forewings and, when alarmed, the forewings are brought up and suddenly reveal the markings on the hind wing which can frighten predators. The eyes on the wings are also a survival factor as if a bird goes for the butterfly it will go for the eyes thinking this is a vital part. If the eye is attacked the butterfly can still make its escape as even with tattered wings they can still fly. The butterfly is also unusual in that when it is disturbed it will open and close its wings rapidly, making scraping noises as they rub together. When a few peacock butterflies rest in the same place, such as a night time roost in a hole in a tree, then the combined noise of many wings can sound like the hiss of a snake, which can be a deterrent to enemies. Peacock butterflies are also unusual in that they lead a fairly nomadic life and have, more or less, a daily routine in which they find nectar early and then start to wander, sometimes covering a third of a mile in a morning. But by mid-day the males will set up territory and wait for females. This nomadic life means they are not migrants as such as they very rarely cross the sea. During early summer they can be seen flying in various parts of the Highlands. This is a new development as a few years ago they were only found in the Moray Firth area but they have been spreading more and more every summer. These attractive butterflies will frequent gardens looking for nectar to drink and also to find stinging nettles that are the food plant of the caterpillars. Their hibernating places for the winter can be in dark crevices, sheds or holes in trees, but they seldom enter houses, unlike their close relative the small tortoiseshell. Once they have mated and laid eggs most adult die before the end of May and the next adults do not appear until mid-July. This means that peacocks are relatively long-lived as adults because the ones that merge in late summer will be around until the following May or even into June so that they almost overlap with the next generation. Although other food plants have been recorded for the caterpillars stinging nettle is nearly always used and each female lays her 300 to 500 sticky green eggs on the same plant, as opposed to others, like the orange tip, that lay single eggs on plants such as cuckoo flower. When the peacock butterfly eggs hatch the caterpillars spin a silk web over the nutritious growing tip of the stinging nettle, and fresh webs are built as each food supply runs out. Although the black caterpillars and their webs are no doubt easy to see by their predators, they have a behaviour pattern that can readily put them off because, when alarmed, the caterpillars jerk their heads and bodies in unison and the spines sway in waves over the black mass. Unfortunately, this behaviour does not deter wasp parasites. When the adult butterflies finally appear they can be attracted to gardens by planting Buddleias, especially by choosing a few that flower at different times of the year. Along with other members of the "aristocrat" family of butterflies such as red admiral, small tortoiseshell and, in some summers, migrant painted ladies, peacocks are always a pleasure to watch.

Ray Colliers Highland Country Diary - Frogs

Frogs
8th June 2006

Most of the frog's spawn in the Highlands has now hatched and are well grown and even in the less favourable sites there are shoals of tadpoles swimming around. Many of the eggs never developed and many of the tadpoles will not reach the adult stage. for a variety of reasons which is just as well. If the majority survived, we would be surrounded by them as each female in her single clump may have between 1,000 and 1,600 eggs. One of the first problems for frogs is finding suitable wet conditions. Many of them seem to misjudge this and lay their eggs in water that will dry up, sometimes even before the eggs have hatched. Such water bodies may be free standing rain water, mini water channels or even water filled hoof marks and vehicle tracks. Severe frost can kill and makes the eggs go white and this is not helped by the fact that the clumps of spawn float on the surface of the water after the 24 hours it takes for the surrounding jelly to swell. There are predators under the water such as dragonfly larvae and it has been shown that over a season a pair of palmate newts can eat all of the tiny tadpoles from one clump of eggs. Water birds will also take the eggs and tadpoles. At a later stage, whilst still in the water, it is possible for some to die through lack of food or predation by a wide range of birds and animals. When the tadpole finally changes into a froglet the tail is absorbed. This is a critical time as the froglets drown easily if they remain in the water too long. To put the risks into perspective it has been estimated that only one percent of the tadpoles that hatch eventually leave the water as froglets. For that one percent it is the beginning of a hazardous life, especially as it is generally three years before they mate, although in ideal conditions, with plenty of food it can be two years. Hibernation is a particular problem because of freezing temperatures and finding a suitable place to hide away. Unlike toads frogs can hibernate under water as they can absorb sufficient oxygen through their skin but if the water freezes they have to move out into holes and crevices underground. If the winter is mild the frogs can come and go from their hibernating place and they appear to find enough food to live on. Frogs are widespread throughout the Highlands and the breeding sites vary from lochs and lochans to ditches and small bog pools. One bog pool this year measuring only eight by two and half metres had fifty clumps of frogs. That means there are fifty adult females in the colony as each female only lays one clump of eggs. What is fascinating is that the eggs form in the females late in the summer so they go into hibernation with the eggs already inside them. We are very lucky in the Highlands that we have so many frog colonies as there are so many suitable breeding sites. In southern England now most of the frogs are confined to garden ponds because water levels had dropped over the years and large areas have been drained.

Ray Colliers Highland Country Diary - Yew trees

Yew Trees
2nd June 2006

A mature yew tree is quite dramatic as it has the densest and darkest foliage of any evergreen and it has a thick trunk that can be the colour of mahogany. The dark green, glossy needles grow opposite each other along the branches like barbs of a feather. The trees come into flower early, usually around February, with male and female flowers on separate trees. The male flowers are cone like and yellow, shedding clouds of pollen in dry weather. Female flowers resemble tiny green buds and the ripe fruit holds a single seed enclosed in a bright scarlet, fleshy cup. This fleshy cup attracts a variety of birds such as all the thrushes plus robin, greenfinch and starling. The outline of the tree varies as it is broadly conical in young trees becoming columnar as the side branches grow outwards as quickly as the height grows.
There is some doubt as to whether the tree is native to the Highlands but whether it is or not it is now generally found in burial grounds, by churches or in parkland. The absence from large parts of the Highlands, including most of Caithness and Sutherland, is surprising and the latest maps show only one site in the Western Isles and none in the Northern Isles. Their present in so many churches yards has always been open to debate especially as the trees are often much older than the church itself. This has been explained away by the fact that such yews, being very old, would have been planted in places of pagan worship before later religions build their churches on the same sites. Yews of over 2,000 years old are not unusual although ageing them is notoriously difficult as the annual growth rings are often very dense. Another factor is that the trees often form hollow bases to the trunk so the number of rings cannot be accurately counted. Planting the trees in churchyards meant they were protected and could be used for the famous long-bows and it would also keep the poisonous foliage out of reach of browsing cattle. Such was the demand for the strong and resilient timber for the traditional long-bows that the supply became short and the timber had to be imported from the continent. The timber for the bow was cut so that it contained both sapwood, to give springiness, and heartwood, for strength. The seeds yield a deadly poison that was used to tip arrowheads making both the arrows and the tree doubly fatal. In contract yew leaves are now being collected to help produce a new anti-cancer drip as Paclitaxel in the trees was recently identified as a promising anti-cancer agent.

There are probably more myths and legends associated with yew than any other tree and this is enhanced by the fact that when the tree is hollow the inner wood has the colour and appearance of a flayed animal especially when it is wet. The tree also appears to bleed when cut and both these characteristics have greatly enhanced the sacred reputation of the yew. There area number of churchyards in the Highlands that contain large, old yews and for a fascinating account of the Boleskine burial ground read the book “Land of Churches” by Leonella Longmore published in 2000 by the Inverness Courier.