This field trip was billed as an introduction to Ballachuan Hazel Wood but it was more than that. The inclement weather took us into the beautiful Kilbrandon Church as though drawn by some external force. I was soon, without thinking, giving a sermon according to Natural History with a bit of early pagan Celtic history thrown in. It didn’t altogether feel right but it was what I had planned to say.
Apart from introducing our members to the wonderful reserve we have on our doorstep, I had taken the opportunity to do a count of a very special lichen here at Ballachuan, ‘Hazel Gloves’ (Hypocreopsis rhododendri) that grows on trees, especially hazel. It is a Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species and a Local(BAP) species here in Argyll. The fruiting body has swollen orange fingers that radiate from a central point and can look like a small orange glove that often clasps the hazel stem. Throughout our two hour visit to Ballachuan the rain was torrential and only the shelter of the trees made the experience tolerable. With the help of Fiona Lackie’s son Callum, we managed to count seventy three ‘Hazel Gloves’ and that was only on the periphery of the path through the wood. This was a good count and indicates what a important site for this BAP species this represents.
As we emerged from the western side of the wood, we flushed a Woodcock, but it soon flashed passed us, and disappeared back into the hazel wood. The rain was still persistent and had soaked most of us through. Despite this, the morning had been enjoyable and our eleven members headed back to their cars with some sense of achievement. If we can survive this, we can survive anything !