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u3a Botany Group - Kirbister Loch - 9 June, 2026
by Ian Robertson and Kate Sutton - 22:29 on 13 June 2026
Let’s start with profuse apologies regarding my claim that we’d find 5 species of Fern. I don’t know what happened to the Hay-scented Buckler Fern. It was certainly there last year when I was out with Tim Dean and I thought I saw it the previous week when I did my recce. But it seems to have disappeared. So sorry as I know that you were so looking forward to seeing it! We did see Broad Buckler, Lady and Hard Ferns, the latter showing both their fertile fronds and the vegetative ones.
John, bless him, came to the rescue finding Holy grass ( Hierochloe odorata), for us. Described in Hubbard’s “Grasses” as “a very rare grass of wet places” known only to exist in Scotland (not in the rest of the UK), with 5 locations here in Orkney, although we’re coming to think that it’s probably under recorded both locally and nationally. It’s a lovely grass, perhaps best known for the lovely scent of coumarin obtained by crushing the leaves.
Talking of leaves, it was Jenny (aren’t we so fortunate when both of them come along!), who pointed out one of our native Alchemillas, (there are 4/5 more), but this one, A.glabra has almost hairless, squeaky leaves! Some of us are easily amused!
Meeting at the L. of Kirbister offered us 4 distinct habitats: the car park, the deep ditch below the wee bridge, the shore and the heath/track verges. We spent quite a while at the car park where John and Jenny helped us to differentiate between Tea-leaved and Eared Willows, as well as the difficulties presented by Willows generally due to their propensity to hybridise. A highlight for me was the expanse of Tea-leaved Willow in flower. Blaeberry, Ling, the beautiful purple and silvery inflorescences of the Wavy-Hair grass, Marsh Thistles, Sweet Vernal grass, Cocksfoot, Compact Rush and oh, a lovely wee patch of Polytrichum juniperinum, a lovely little moss. Sweet Rocket and Foxgloves in flower. All this without leaving the car park!
Botanists among the Tea-leaved Willow
Tea=leaved Willow in flower
By the time some of us reached the little bridge over the ditch, the group was already well spread out, but those around me spied well developed Bottle Sedge, Green-ribbed Sedge, Branched-Bur Reed, Horsetails, Marsh Marigolds, Flag Irises, Water Avens modestly displaying their attractive drooping flowers, Meadowsweet, Water Forgetmenots, Water Mint and Common Valerian.
Water Avens
Valerian
One of the stars of the day has to be Spiked Water Milfoil, a very delicate submerged perennial of shallow water, brought ashore for us by John with a handful of Pondweeds, four I believe, Perfoliate, Fennel, Various-leaved and a hybrid one. Thank you John.
Spiked Water Milfoil
A general theme for me was the absence of flowers that one would expect to see by this time of June due to the late Spring.Did anyone see Silverweed in flower? I didn’t, but no doubt those of you with sharper eyes saw a few. Common Catsear is only now showing flower.Common Lousewort has been out for a few weeks now. We saw the first Northern? Marsh Orchids putting in an appearance, so too Heath Speedwell and Heath Bedstraw. Hare’s-tail Cottongrasses have provided a wonderful display over the last number of weeks. Birdsfoot Trefoil, Tormentil, Creeping and Meadow Buttercups, the last two everywhere in Orkney at the moment. Only Yellow Rattle leaves spotted though. Greater Woodrush was abundant, Heath Woodrush and Common Dog Violets less so. Lots of Ribwort Plantain and Common Sorrel on the track side verges and Procumbent Pearlwort on the track itself. As if to prove that everything is finally catching up, we noticed the very first signs of Bell Heather thinking of showing this Summer’s blooms.
Must mention the Frizzled Pin-cushion moss growing on the bark of one of the particularly mature Willows that we passed as we wandered back to our cars.
No doubt I’ve missed a few things and misspelt others, and for that I apologise, finishing my report as I started! Ian.
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