Glen Orrin Scrub Clearance Work Party - April 6th 2019

BC Highland Branch’s first event of 2019 was something for us to get our teeth into, both metaphorically and literally speaking!  It was our annual scrub bash at Glen Orrin, near Muir of Ord, removing broom to improve the habitat for Pearl-bordered Fritillary.

Margaret and Andy, who walk the butterfly transect here, reported that last summer was the best they’ve ever had for Pearl-bordered Fritillary, with a maximum count of 15 individuals compared to 3 or 4 in previous years.  Hopefully, those results were partly due to our efforts to improve the habitat for them and not entirely to do with the exceptional weather of 2018!

For the work party we had the use of the famous tree poppers, which are excellent in doing the job for which they were designed.  Of course, they don’t do it by themselves – they need a certain amount of welly from the user.  These tools up-root the scrub, preventing trees or bushes from growing back.  A brilliant invention! 

With all that energy being expended, it had to be replaced, of course.  Although this wasn’t the famous Polmaily bake off, it may well have been for the amount of home baking that was brought along.  As usual, the standard of cakes was very high.  You only have to look at the photos to see that we have some very talented and creative cake-makers in our team.  Denise made flapjacks (sorry Denise, not in the photo), Brigid made butterfly cupcakes, Tom made a Victoria sandwich, and Tay made a beautifully decorated almond sponge – apparently, he was up early that morning making a template for Pearl-bordered Fritillary.  You can’t get more keen than that!

It was fantastic to have three new additions to our regular team of volunteers, bringing the total number to twelve.   A big thank you to everyone who came along:  Fred, Julie, Tay (the new recruits), Mary, Brigid, Tom, Peter and Denise, Margaret and Andy, Pete and Hilary (the old regulars!).

P.S.  Does anyone know if home baking features high up on the list with other branches of BC, or whether it’s a Highland Branch speciality?