Struy: Sunday 1st May 2016
Today we both felt like having a quiet morning - which Alison spent reading and I spent writing the blog for our first week. This afternoon we spent walking into the woodland and hills from our accommodation completing a circuit around Lochan Fada. This involved a slightly tricky stream crossing. Having found a good place to cross and crossed without hazard, Alison then spent 30 minutes looking for a better place before finally crossing at the place I had suggested. The only significant wildlife highlight was a Red Kite.
Plants of the day: Sitka Spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Marsh Violet (Viola palustris)
Both Spruces (Picea) and Firs (Abies) have the needles arising singly. In Spruces the needles have a spiral arrangement around the twig and each arises on a peg. The needles are shed after 4-10 years but the peg remains. In Firs (Abies) the needles tend to be in 2 ranks and arise on a structure resembling a suction cup. In spruces the cones are pendulous while in firs they are erect. (nb Douglas Fir is not at Abies sp and has pendulous cones). Sitka Spruce is the most commonly planted forestry conifer, introduced from North America in 1831. Norway Spruce (Picea abies) has been cultivated in Britain since C10 and mostly a lowland species. P.sitchensis has conspicuous pale line on the underside of the needles and female cones to 10cm; P.abies has inconspicuous pale line and female cones 10-20cm.
Both Spruces (Picea) and Firs (Abies) have the needles arising singly. In Spruces the needles have a spiral arrangement around the twig and each arises on a peg. The needles are shed after 4-10 years but the peg remains. In Firs (Abies) the needles tend to be in 2 ranks and arise on a structure resembling a suction cup. In spruces the cones are pendulous while in firs they are erect. (nb Douglas Fir is not at Abies sp and has pendulous cones). Sitka Spruce is the most commonly planted forestry conifer, introduced from North America in 1831. Norway Spruce (Picea abies) has been cultivated in Britain since C10 and mostly a lowland species. P.sitchensis has conspicuous pale line on the underside of the needles and female cones to 10cm; P.abies has inconspicuous pale line and female cones 10-20cm.