April on the Isle of Skye

1 April 2014 . . . . My first Violet of the year and a new beetle for my (photographic) collection.
Viola riviniana	Pterostichus niger

16 April 2014 . . . . Attended a very informative SLEF workshop on reptiles and amphibians at Kinloch and saw a Common Toad, a Slow Worm and several Palmate Newts.

Anguis fragilis (Slow Worm)

21 April 2014 . . . . We've had several days of warm, sunny weather, so things are beginning to appear.
Cochlearia officinalis (Common Scurvy Grass)	Staphylinus erythropterus

23 April 2014 . . . .
Heard my first Cuckoo this morning and my first Chiffchaff this afternoon. Also came across this lovely splash of colour in a ditch near Blaven.	Saxifraga x arendsii (Garden Mossy Saxifrage)

25 April 2014 . . . . Kinloch
One or two more plants are coming into flower including Stellaria Holostea (Greater Stitchwort). The only butterfly I saw was a Green-veined White, but it shouldn't be long before the Speckled Wood and Orange Tip start to appear. I was able to watch a Grasshopper Warbler singing its heart out from only around 20m and driving away I caught sight of a splendid male Bullfinch.	Bullfinch

25 April 2014 . . . . Ord. I've seen Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Green-veined White in the past few weeks, but this was most unexpected (it normally doesn't appear until May). Only the second time I've seen one.

Green Hairstreak

28 April 2014 . . . . Had a pleasant surprise when I looked in the moth trap this morning. The afternoon also had its share of surprises including several Early Purple Orchids in full bloom at Kilmarie.
Emperor Moth (Saturnia pavonia)	Herald (Scoliopteryx libatrix)
Puss Moth (Cerura vinula)	Ichneumon suspiciosus
Ophioninae	Early Tooth-striped (Trichopteryx carpinata f.fasciata)