Hilbre Island

It was a beautiful day on Hilbre Island today, though that did have the downside of attracting a few too many people and too few birds. There were two Wheatears on the west side and a scattering of Turnstones around the island, including one in summer plumage, as well as good numbers of Sandwich Terns, but it was very much a day to spend botanising. Rocky coastlines are a pretty scarce commodity in this part of the UK, and it's difficult to think of many between Morecombe Bay and Llandudno, and as such Hilbre has several species of plant which are rare in the North West. These include notably Rock Sea-Lavender  Limonium binervosum, Rock Sea Spurrey Spergularia rupicola and the fern Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum.

 

 
Rock Sea-Lavender Limonium binervosum is a rare plant throughout the UK, and the race which grows on Hilbre occurs at only five localities in the UK. It's also a frustratingly difficult plant to photograph!

 
Harebell Campanula rotundifolia and Rock Sea Spurrey Spergularia rupicola.

 
Sheepsbit Scabious Jasione montana and the fern Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum. I'm quite a fan of ferns, and Sea Spleenwort is a particularly interesting species. Unlike other ferns it has a very leathery feel (like many coastal plants) and it requires salt spray for its survival.

 
Spear Mint Mentha spicata (although it's possibly a hybrid) and Seaside Centaury Centaurium littorale.

 
Grayling and Grey Seal. Graylings always land with their wings closed and sit in such a position as to minimise their shadow, as this one is demonstrating perfectly! They're so confident in their camoufalge that they can be quite approachable.

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