2021 County Report for East Sutherland

Mick Crawley

As with many other recorders, the 2021 botanising season was modest in terms of sites visited (377) and records collected (10,193). Most of the effort was concentrated on remote areas of wet heath and, as usual, these turned out to be just as species-poor as one had expected. Still, the great joy of walking in East Sutherland is that you can guarantee to be on your own. The absence of Munros is a blessing in this regard (Ben More Assynt excepted, of course).

In July, Alexander Kennard carried out a very detailed survey of the famous Moneses uniflora (One-flowered Wintergreen) population in Balblair Wood on Loch Fleet, for which many thanks. It was good to see that Myosurus minimus (Mousetail) is still thriving at Lairg Auction Mart (despite all the herbicide). The highlight of my recording was Cardamine heptaphylla (Pinnate Coralroot) above Rosehall.