Calliphora subalpina - Woodland Bluebottle - Braefoot Plantation

In these covid times the lack of variety in location speaks for itself, but this species I've found here, at Cullaloe LNR and Lochgelly, so there's a good chance it's at all my other patches with some woodland too. Lochgelly doesn't even have much woodland (at least, on the north bank where I would have found it. Those three are the only Fife records I know, but Calliphoridae are badly under-represented in Fife recording.

18-spot ladybird at Braefoot, Dalgety Bay

First for Fife outside of Tentsmuir. With the amount of conifers in fife and the distribution in the rest of the country it seems unlikely that these are the only two localities for the species though.

NT1783 update - seems to me you lived your life like a lichen in the wind

Super windy today but an email about lichen records in Scotland inspired me to go out and get some done, including a few new additions - nothing really unexpected but it was nice nonetheless. In sheltered spots there was a lot of dipteran action and any roadside buttercups were occupied, mostly by Melanostoma hovers.

Opegrapha calcarea

Dolichopus popularis

Hydrotaea dentipes

Additions:

366	Cyanea lamarckii	Blue Jellyfish
367	Orchesella cincta	A springtail
368	Cantharis nigricans	A Soldier Beetle
369	Carabus problematicus	A ground beetle
370	Phaonia errans	A muscid fly
371	Suillia variegata	A heleomyzid fly
372	Ophion luteus	An ichneumon wasp
373	Empis aemula	An empid fly
374	Fannia armata	A lesser house fly
375	Platycheirus scutatus	A hover fly
376	Pieris napi	Green-veined White
377	Tenthredo atra	A sawfly
378	Cladonia coniocraea	A lichen
379	Uromyces muscari	Bluebell rust
380	Alopecurus pratensis	Meadow Foxtail
381	Deschampsia cespitosa	Tufted Hair-grass
382	Equisetum arvense	Field Horsetail
383	Geranium pratense	Meadow Cranesbill
384	Meconopsis cambrica	Welsh Poppy
385	Trifolium pratense	Red Clover
386	Veronica beccabunga	Brooklime
387	Vicia sepium	Bush Vetch
388	Cerastoderma edule	Common Cockle
389	Nucella lapillus	Dog Whelk
390	Venerupis corrugata	Pullet Carpet Shell
391	Linyphyia hortensis	A Linyphiid spider
392	Austrominius modestus	A barnacle
393	Cancer pagurus	Edible crab
394	Oniscus asellus	Common Shiny Woodlouse
395	Orchestia gammarellus	Sand Hopper
396	Nedyus quadrimaculatus	A weevil
397	Halichondria panicea	Breadcrumb Sponge
398	Sylvia borin	Garden Warbler
399	Blastenia crenularia	A lichen
400	Caloplaca thallincola	A lichen
401	Lecanora carpinea	A lichen
402	Melanelixia subaurifera	A lichen
403	Opegrapha calcarea	A lichen
404	Parmelia sulcata	A lichen
405	Physcia adscendens	A lichen
406	Ramalina farinacea	A lichen
407	Kuehneola uredinis	A rust on Rubus
408	Rosellinia aquila	A pyrenomycete
409	Salix caprea	Goat Willow
410	Sorbus intermedia	Swedish Whitebeam
411	Dolichopus popularis	A long-legged fly
412	Helophilus pendulus	A hover fly
413	Hydrotaea dentipes	A muscid fly
414	Phaonia rufiventris	A muscid fly

NT1783 update and nocturnal spider hunt at Braefoot plantation

A noiseless patient spider,
I mark’d where on a little promontory it stood isolated,
Mark’d how to explore the vacant vast surrounding,
It launch’d forth filament, filament, filament, out of itself,
Ever unreeling them, ever tirelessly speeding them.

And you O my soul where you stand,
Surrounded, detached, in measureless oceans of space,
Ceaselessly musing, venturing, throwing, seeking the spheres to connect them,
Till the bridge you will need be form’d, till the ductile anchor hold,
Till the gossamer thread you fling catch somewhere, O my soul.

- Walt Whitman

Segestria senoculata - a crevice hider

Araneus diadematus

Harpactea hombergi - nocturnal louse hunter on trunks

Nocturnal ramblings returned little by way of moths, but the spidering was good. Cleopus pulchellus was a welcome addition to my and the county's lists from a small patch of Scroph nodosa.

List additions:

347	Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus	A bug	hemiptera
348	Athous haemorrhoidalis	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
349	Cleopus pulchellus	A weevil	coleoptera
350	Tachina ursina	A tachinid fly	diptera
351	Ametastegia pallipes	A sawfly	hymenoptera
352	Formica lemani	An ant	hymenoptera
353	Ganoderma applanatum	Artist's Bracket	fungus
354	Araneus diadematus	A spider	spider
355	Harpactea hombergi	A spider	spider
356	Nuctenea umbratica	Walnut Orb-weaver	spider
357	Segestria senoculata	A spider	spider
358	Forficula auricularia	Common Earwig	dermaptera
359	Drepanosiphum platanoidis	Sycamore aphid	hemiptera
360	Cheilosia pagana	A hover fly	diptera
361	Platycheirus albimanus	A hoverfly	diptera
362	Platycheirus angustatus	A hoverfly	diptera
363	Suillia affinis	A heleomyzid fly	diptera
364	Odontopera bidentata	Scalloped Hazel	lep-moth
365	Myrmica ruginodis	Red Ant	hymenoptera

Cleopus pulchellus - a weevil from Comon Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa)

Considered local by Duff both in England and southern Scotland. Glad we have some! A swept handful of scrophs yielded an abundance of them.

Braefoot, NT1783, update

The list is ticking on apace, with a few new additions to the Bay list and a fair chance of getting deep into the 400s by end of May

272	Metellina merianae	A spider	spider
273	Parapiesma quadratum	Orache lacebug	hemiptera
274	Euophryum confine	A Weevil	coleoptera
275	Cydia ulicetana	Grey Gorse Piercer	lep-moth
276	Alca torda	Razorbill	bird
277	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Bullfinch	bird
278	Byssomerulius corium	Netted Crust	fungus
279	Bryum dichotomum	Bicolored Bryum	moss
280	Polytrichum piliferum	Bristly Haircap	moss
281	Drymus sylvaticus	A ground bug	hemiptera
282	Javesella discolor	A planthopper	hemiptera
283	Empis trigramma	An empid fly	diptera
284	Helina evecta	A muscid fly	diptera
285	Andrena scotica	Chocolate mining bee	hymenoptera
286	Isothecium myosuroides	Slender Mouse-tail Moss	moss
287	Microlinyphia pusilla	A Linyphiid spider	spider
288	Armadillidium vulgare	Common Pill Woodlouse	crustacean
289	Monalocoris filicis	Bracken Bug	hemiptera
290	Beris chalybata	Murky-legged Black Legionnaire	diptera
291	Cheilosia albitarsis	A hover fly	diptera
292	Myathropa florea	A flower fly	diptera
293	Ptychoptera lacustris	A crane fly	diptera
294	Tenthredo livida	A sawfly	hymenoptera
295	Pilosella officinarum	Mouse-ear Hawkweed	flowering plant
296	Stellaria media	Common Chickweed	flowering plant
297	Metellina mengei	A spider	spider
298	Cheilosia variabilis	A hover fly	diptera
299	Phytosciara flavipes	A sciarid fly	diptera
300	Rhagio scolopaceus	Downlooker Snipefly	diptera
301	Sarcophaga subvicina	A flesh fly	diptera
302	Tephritis neesii	Tephritidae	diptera
303	Carex otrubae	False Fox-sedge	flowering plant
304	Scrophularia nodosa	Knotted Figwort	flowering plant
305	Symphytum officinale	Tuberous comfrey	flowering plant
306	Larinioides cornutus	An orb spider	spider
307	Philodromus aureolus	A spider	spider
308	Tachycixius pilosus	A true bug	hemiptera
309	Apamea crenata	Clouded-bordered Brindle	lep-moth
310	Aphelia paleana	Timothy Tortrix	lep-moth
311	Eupithecia vulgata	Common Pug	lep-moth
312	Opisthograptis luteolata	Brimstone Moth	lep-moth
313	Xanthorhoe montanata	Silver Ground Carpet	lep-moth
314	Ophion obscuratus	An ichneumonid wasp	hymenoptera
315	Perdix perdix	Grey Partridge	bird
316	Vulpes vulpes	Red Fox	mammal
317	Cytisus scoparius	Broom	flowering plant
318	Salix viminalis	Osier	flowering plant
319	Vicia sativa	Common Vetch	flowering plant
320	Larix decidua	European Larch	conifer
321	Anaspis maculata	A Tumbling Flower Beetle	coleoptera
322	Rhagonycha testacea	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
323	Palloptera quinquemaculata	A Pallopterid fly	diptera
324	Lecanora rupicola	A lichen	lichen
325	Plagiochila asplenioides	Greater Featherwort	liverwort
326	Atriplex glabriuscula	Babington's Orache	flowering plant
327	Rumex acetosella	Sheep's Sorrel	flowering plant
328	Patella vulgata	Common Limpet	mollusc
329	Rhagonycha limbata	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
330	Hilara discoidalis	An empid fly	diptera
331	Rhamphomyia pilifer	An empid fly	diptera
332	Fulmarus glacialis	Fulmar	bird
333	Spinus spinus	Siskin	bird
334	Dasysyrphus venustus	A hoverfly	diptera
335	Eupeodes luniger	A hover fly	diptera
336	Fannia lustrator	A lesser house fly	diptera
337	Limonia phragmitidis	A crane fly	diptera
338	Mydaea urbana	A muscid fly	diptera
339	Winthemia quadripustulata	A tachinid fly	diptera
340	Tenthredo mesomela	A sawfly	hymenoptera
341	Melampsora populnea	Dog's Mercury Rust	fungus
342	Geranium lucidum	Shining Cranesbill	flowering plant
343	Dryophilocoris flavoquadrimaculatus	A bug	hemiptera
344	Athous haemorrhoidalis	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
345	Ametastegia pallipes	A sawfly	hymenoptera
346	Formica lemani	An ant	hymenoptera

Polytrchum piliferum and Bryum argenteum at Braefoot Point

With many other mosses on the boulders and burnt gorse regeneration area. Shown at the bottom here is the abundant Funaria hygrometrica, typical of burnt ground. Those mosses on the ground will presumably give way to vascular plants in time, but they're enjoying themselves now. Also among the mossy mix is a good scattering of Heath Groundsel, which you can just make out below the gorse.

Dalgety Bay, Braefoot, update

Still keeps on being sunny and some time to play out didn't hurt. I was netting some empids from a seepage the other day when a weasel wandered down the path and we had a mustelid moment before it strolled off, apparently deciding that I was harmless enough.

Aiming for somewhere mid 400s by month end. Lifers haven't been coming thick and fast but I have a couple that hold promise.

Additions:

231	Sylvia communis	Whitethroat	bird
232	Rhopographus filicinus	Bracken Map	fungus
233	Achillea millefolium	Yarrow	flowering plant
234	Atriplex littoralis	Grass-leaved Orache	flowering plant
235	Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd's-purse	flowering plant
236	Cirsium vulgare	Spear Thistle	flowering plant
237	Cruciata laevipes	Crosswort	flowering plant
238	Lotus corniculatus	Common Bird's-foot-trefoil	flowering plant
239	Potentilla reptans	Creeping cinquefoil	flowering plant
240	Ranunculus acris	Meadow Buttercup	flowering plant
241	Tanacetum vulgare	Tansy	flowering plant
242	Tripleurospermum maritimum	Sea Mayweed	flowering plant
243	Pteridium aquilinum	Bracken	fern
244	Helina impuncta	A muscid fly	diptera
245	Sarcophaga vagans	Sarcophagidae	diptera
246	Petrophora chlorosata	Brown Silver-line	lep-moth
247	Mustela nivalis	Weasel	mammal
248	Fumaria muralis	Common Ramping-fumitory	flowering plant
249	Honckenya peploides	Sea Sandwort	flowering plant
250	Plantago maritima	Sea Plantain	flowering plant
251	Poa annua	Annual Meadow-grass	flowering plant
252	Senecio sylvaticus	Heath Groundsel	flowering plant
253	Arion ater	A slug	mollusc
254	Cepaea hortensis	White-lipped Snail	mollusc
255	Heliophanus cupreus	A jumping spider	spider
256	Ommatoiulus sabulosus	Striped Millipede	millipede
257	Orchesella villosa	A springtail	collembola
258	Liocoris tripustulatus	A mirid bug	hemiptera
259	Lucilia caesar	Common Greenbottle	diptera
260	Lucilia sericata	A blowfly	diptera
261	Alauda arvensis	Skylark	bird
262	Linaria cannabina	Linnet	bird
263	Sterna hirundo	Common Tern	bird
264	Halichoerus grypus	Grey Seal	mammal
265	Atrichum undulatum	Common Smoothcap	moss
266	Bryum argenteum	Silver-moss	moss
267	Anthoxanthum odoratum	Sweet Vernal Grass	flowering plant
268	Metellina merianae	A spider	spider
269	Euophryum confine	A Weevil	coleoptera
270	Alca torda	Razorbill	bird
271	Pyrrhula pyrrhula	Bullfinch	bird

Braefoot additions 5th May

Not a contrail to be seen

Sometimes waking up super-early has its benefits, with some seaweeds still unidentified (forever, probably!). Still picking up routine birds and bees. And plants. And ... well there's a lot of "simple" stuff that I just have to find my way around the whole square for.

202	Chondrus crispus	Carrageen	alga
203	Dumontia cortorta	A red alga	alga
204	Fucus serratus	Toothed Wrack	alga
205	Ulva lactuca	Sea Lettuce	alga
206	Allium scorodoprasum	Sand Leek	flowering plant
207	Dactylis glomerata	Cock's-foot	flowering plant
208	Digitalis purpurea	Foxglove	flowering plant
209	Iris pseudacorus	Yellow Iris	flowering plant
210	Myrrhis odorata	Sweet Cicely	flowering plant
211	Quercus robur	Pedunculate Oak	flowering plant
212	Reseda luteola	Weld	flowering plant
213	Rubus idaeus	Raspberry	flowering plant
214	Symphytum x uplandicum	Russian Comfrey	flowering plant
215	Dynamena pumila	A hydrozoan	cnidarian
216	Cornu aspersum	Garden Snail	mollusc
217	Lanice conchilega	Sand Mason	annelid
218	Pagurus bernhardus	Hermit Crab	crustacean
219	Anurida maritima	A springtail	collembola
220	Coccinella septempunctata	7-spot Ladybird	coleoptera
221	Calliphora vicina	Common Bluebottle	diptera
222	Rhamphomyia crassirostris	An Empid fly	diptera
223	Tipula lateralis	A crane fly	diptera
224	Tipula oleracea	A crane fly	diptera
225	Bombus pascuorum	Common Carder Bee	hymenoptera
226	Panorpa germanica	A scorpion fly	insect-other
227	Aegithalos caudatus	Long-tailed Tit	bird
228	Ardea cinerea	Grey Heron	bird
229	Regulus regulus	Goldcrest	bird
230	Sylvia communis	Whitethroat	bird

Braefoot list update - NT1783

A few more species added since previous list, plus a bit more exploring finding my way in and out of the square, which is not that easy since it's surrounded by a gas terminal on the east and farmland with a restricted road on the north and west. Cycling in is actually faster.

68	Fringilla coelebs	Chaffinch	bird
69	Larus argentatus	Herring Gull	bird
70	Larus fuscus	Lesser Black-backed Gull	bird
71	Mergus serrator	Red-breasted Merganser	bird
72	Numenius arquata	Curlew	bird
73	Parus major	Great Tit	bird
74	Phasianus colchicus	Pheasant	bird
75	Phylloscopus collybita	Chiffchaff	bird
76	Phylloscopus trochilus	Willow Warbler	bird
77	Prunella modularis	Dunnock	bird
78	Somateria mollissima	Eider	bird
79	Sylvia atricapilla	Blackcap	bird
80	Troglodytes troglodytes	Wren	bird
81	Turdus philomelos	Song Thrush	bird
82	Ascophyllum nodosum		alga
83	Catenella caespitosa	Chain Weed	alga
84	Reticularia lycoperdon	False Puffball	slime mould
85	Anaptychia runcinata		lichen
86	Cladonia macilenta	A lichen	lichen
87	Lecanora symmicta	A lichen	lichen
88	Ochrolechia parella	Parelle	lichen
89	Parmelia saxatilis s. str.		lichen
90	Ramalina siliquosa	Sea Ivory	lichen
91	Ramalina subfarinacea	A lichen	lichen
92	Auricularia auricula-judae	Jelly Ear	fungus
93	Lycoperdon pyriforme	Stump Puffball	fungus
94	Polyporus squamosus	Dryad's Saddle	fungus
95	Xylaria polymorpha	Dead Man's Fingers	fungus
96	Lophocolea bidentata	Bifid Crestwort	liverwort
97	Lophocolea heterophylla	Variable-leaved Crestwort	liverwort
98	Marchantia polymorpha	Common Liverwort	liverwort
99	Bryum capillare	Capillary Thread-moss	moss
100	Dicranum scoparium	Broom Fork-moss	moss
101	Funaria hygrometrica	Common Cord-moss	moss
102	Grimmia pulvinata	Grey-cushioned Grimmia	moss
103	Oxyrrhynchium hians	Swartz's Feather-moss	moss
104	Plagiomnium undulatum	Hart's-tongue Thyme-moss	moss
105	Polytrichastrum formosum	Bank Haircap	moss
106	Polytrichum juniperinum	Juniper Haircap	moss
107	Redshank Moss	Redshank Moss	moss
108	Allium ursinum	Ramsons	flowering plant
109	Armeria maritima	Thrift	flowering plant
110	Bellis perennis	Daisy	flowering plant
111	Betula sp.	Birch	flowering plant
112	Cardamine flexuosa	Wavy Bittercress	flowering plant
113	Claytonia sibirica	Pink Purslane	flowering plant
114	Cochlearia officinalis	Common Scurvygrass	flowering plant
115	Fagus sylvatica	Beech	flowering plant
116	Ilex aquifolium	Holly	flowering plant
117	Juncus effusus	Soft-rush	flowering plant
118	Lonicera periclymenum	Honeysuckle	flowering plant
119	Ranunculus repens	Creeping Buttercup	flowering plant
120	Sedum acre	Biting Stonecrop	flowering plant
121	Silene uniflora	Sea Campion	flowering plant
122	Stellaria holostea	Greater Stitchwort	flowering plant
123	Teucrium scorodonia	Wood Sage	flowering plant
124	Thymus polytrichus	Wild Thyme	flowering plant
125	Ulex europaeus	Gorse	flowering plant
126	Ulmus glabra	Wych Elm	flowering plant
127	Phyllitis scolopendrium	Hart's-tongue	fern
128	Lehmannia marginata	Tree Slug	mollusc
129	Ixodes ricinus	Sheep Tick	tick
130	Lithobius forficatus	A centipede	centipede
131	Carcinus maenas	Green Shore Crab	crustacean
132	Ligia oceanica	Common Sea Slater	crustacean
133	Porcellio scaber	Common Rough Woodlouse	crustacean
134	Pterostichus madidus	Black Clock	coleoptera
135	Tachinus rufipes	A rove beetle	coleoptera
136	Ceratinostoma ostiorum	A Scathophagid fly	diptera
137	Dilpophus febrilis	Fever Fly	diptera
138	Eristalis intricarius	A hover fly	diptera
139	Lonchoptera lutea	A fly	diptera
140	Sepsis cynipsea	A sepsid fly	diptera
141	Anas platyrhynchos	Mallard	bird
142	Haematopus ostralegus	Oystercatcher	bird
143	Hirundo rustica	Swallow	bird
144	Larus marinus	Great Black-backed Gull	bird
145	Numenius phaeopus	Whimbrel	bird
146	Periparus ater	Coal Tit	bird
147	Phalacrocorax carbo	Cormorant	bird
148	Pica pica	Magpie	bird
149	Sterna sandvicensis	Sandwich Tern	bird
150	Capreolus capreolus	Roe Deer	mammal
151	Primula vulgaris	Primrose	flowering plant
152	Acanthinula aculeata	Prickly Snail	mollusc
153	Clausilia bidentata	Two-toothed Door Snail	mollusc
154	Cantharis decipiens	A soldier beetle	coleoptera
155	Nebria brevicollis	A ground beetle	coleoptera
156	Otiorhynchus singularis	Raspberry Weevil	coleoptera
157	Philonthus decorus	A rove beetle	coleoptera
158	Pterostichus strenuus	A ground beetle	coleoptera
159	Rugilus orbiculatus	A rove beetle	coleoptera
160	Melanostoma mellinum	A hover fly	diptera
161	Neoascia podagrica	A hover fly	diptera
162	Neomyia cornicina	A muscid fly	diptera
163	Sepsis punctum	A sepsid fly	diptera
164	Aglais io	Peacock	lep-butterfly
165	Anthocharis cardamines	Orange-tip	lep-butterfly
166	Andrena fucata	Painted Mining Bee	hymenoptera
167	Dolerus gonager	A sawfly	hymenoptera
168	Choreocolax polysiphoniae	An alga	alga
169	Cladophora rupestris	A marine alga	alga
170	Fucus serratus	Toothed Wrack	alga
171	Fucus spiralis	Spiral Wrack	alga
172	Fucus vesiculosus	Bladder Wrack	alga
173	Laminaria hyperborea	Cuvie	alga
174	Ulva intestinalis	Gutweed	alga
175	Vertebrata lanosa	A seaweed	alga
176	Lichina confinis	A lichen	lichen
177	Pinus sylvestris	Scots Pine	conifer
178	Asplenium ruta-muraria	Wall-rue	fern
179	Actinia equina	Beadlet anemone	cnidarian
180	Cepea nemoralis	Brown-lipped Snail	mollusc
181	Gibbula cineraria	Grey Top Shell	mollusc
182	Dalopius marginatus	A Click Beetle	coleoptera
183	Meligethes aeneus	Common Pollen Beetle	coleoptera
184	Eristalis arbustorum	A hover fly	diptera
185	Eudasyphora cyanella	A muscid fly	diptera
186	Gymnocheta viridis	A tachinid fly	diptera
187	Hylemya vagans	A flower fly	diptera
188	Phaonia tuguriorum	A muscid fly	diptera
189	Phorbia fumigata	A flower fly	diptera
190	Pollenia rudis	Awkward Clusterfly	diptera
191	Scathophaga stercoraria	A fly	diptera
192	Lipophrys pholis	Shanny	fish
193	Pholis gunnellus	Butterfish	fish
194	C.ridibundus	Black-headed Gull	bird
195	Columba oenas	Stock Dove	bird
196	Cygnus olor	Mute Swan	bird
197	Dendrocopos major	Great Spotted Woodpecker	bird
198	Emberiza citrinella	Yellowhammer	bird
199	Tadorna tadorna	Shelduck	bird
200	Galium odoratum	Woodruff	flowering plant
201	Stenodema laevigata	A mirid bug	hemiptera