Sunshine and Showers

Sunshine and showers...glorious weather one moment, pouring with rain and miserable the next. On days like these, waterproofs are dragged on just in time to see the end of the shower, and then packed away again as the next grey cloud rears it's ugly head.

On Friday, amidst the frustrating weather, I completed the first of my survey squares for Plantlife's Wildflowers Count 2012 (http://www.plantlife.org.uk). My survey route ran along the coast path in south Cornwall, near Pentewan; a stunning location.


About halfway along the survey, this Speckled Wood Butterfly (Pararge aegeria) was basking in the sun, and for once, I was fully prepared to capture it. These photos show just how papery thin the butterfly's wings are!



Although primarily found in woodland, they can also be seen anywhere that has sufficient scrub cover. There are three subspecies of this butterfly which are found across the UK; the colours of which change corresponding to location. This species is doing well throughout it's range, and is believed to be increasing. Nectar sources are also readily available with favoured species including bramble, ragwort, cuckooflower and dandelion.

I also was privy to a territorial battle between two male stonechats...each preaching from a separate fencing post.

Male Stonechats (Saxicola torquata) (pictured, right) have dark black heads, orangey-red breasts and a white collar. Their name is derived from their call which sounds like to stones being clicked together. They breed mainly in the south and west of Britain, and are more visible in coastal locations. This was my first stonechat sighting, and was an incredibly easy bird to identify. Atleast two females were nearby, and visually resemble the males although, as with many other birds, are toned down and duller in appearance.



Other sightings included a Swift (Apus apus) on the wing, identifiable by the deeply forking tail. There were several House Martins (Delichon urbica) flying at head height between the beach and harbour in Pentewan; the fleeting sunshine highlighted the glossy blue-black of their plummage. There were Pied Wagtails (Motacilla alba) (pictured, left) in a car-park area, and I stood and watched Grey Wagtails (Motacilla cinerea) hopping between jutting posts within the harbour. Despite it's name, this cheerful little bird brought a dash of colour and life to an otherwise dreary looking pond on a drizzly day. It was the first time I had seen a grey wagtail, but I won't be forgetting it in a hurry.

All this, plus the 20 species I recorded for the Wildlfower Survey 2012....not a bad morning considering the alternating sunshine and showers we experienced throughout.

Thanks,

Becky

All in a day's work

I spent Friday helping move Natural England owned ponies onto their 'new patch'. They had been in their previous location for a number of weeks and had done their job wonderfully. They have grazed back all the molinia/purple moor grass (Molinia caerullea) tussocks, the European gorse (Ulex europaeus) and willow sprouts, among other plants.

Their job is to munch their way through the vegetation as they see fit. They tend to take the luscious first, moving on to the edible, but less favoured patches later. They keep the vegetation at a non-uniform, low level, removing the need for time-consuming clearance work. By creating a patchwork of density and structure grazing helps encourage other plant species that may be out-competed by the larger scrub species which dominate the heath. The ponies are supposedly selective enough to leave the plants that are of high value to another of the moors important residents: the scabious plants. 


Devil's Bit Scabious (Succisa pratensis) is a food plant of the Marsh Fritillary butterfly (Nymphalidae euphrdryas) which has undergone a great range contraction in the past few decades (up to 66% of English populations lost from 1990 to 2000 (http://www.arkive.org/marsh-fritillary/euphydryas-aurinia/#text=All)). The butterfly favours open heathy grasslands such as that on parts of Goss Moor. 

The ponies have now been moved onto a patch of heathland where they have more gorse; both European and Western, as well as molinia and heather to munch their way through in the coming weeks. I have to say though, they look very lovely where they are at the moment. Visible from the multi-use trail, they set the scene from some historical romance novel perfectly.

The real delight though, will be returning to the patch they have just left in a few weeks time, to see what will pop up from the ground now it has been grazed. Only time will tell!

Thanks,

Becky

A Missed Opportunity

I'm sure the world is full of missed opportunities and fleeting moments of potential, but I still hate watching one disappear from right under my nose. 

Today, I came within 6 inches of stepping on an adult adder (Vipera berus) whilst it was basking in the afternoon sun. I was at Tregoss in Cornwall and luckily managed to redirect my step just in time to avoid trampling on it. With baited breath, I watched as it unwound itself from a tight coil, and lethargically slithered away into a nearby heather bush.

I had a good 30 seconds in which to capture this event, it's skin was crystal clear in the sunlight, and it's markings were beautifully striking. It would have made for a rather spectacular photo, and there was ample time to get my camera out of the case and snap away. 

Except...I had left it in the van, some 200m away! Argh! 

Adders are venomous and although a bite will cause considerable pain, it is unlikely to be fatal in adults. Adders mainly bite if they are trodden on, or threatened in some way, but in most situations, they will merely retreat to the safety of cover (as in this instance). They will then often return later to bask, once the danger has passed.

If threatened, they can make an 'S' shape with the front half of their bodies, in an attempt to deter the disturber. They may also make a prolonged hiss to warn potential rivals of their presence. Adders are protected in Britain by the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981, and as such, it is illegal to harm, kill or injure an adder. 

That was only the second adder I've seen in the wild, and so I am sure you can imagine how annoyed I am to have missed it....another day perhaps. 

A short one today, but thanks for reading all the same! 

Becky 

The Reluctant Birder

My enjoyment of birdwatching is a relatively new discovery which has only manifested itself in the last few years. I have gone from being unable to identify even the common chaffinch, to now, being able to identify many birds from their jizz or call alone.

I have unintentionally dragged others along with me in my new-found passion. I remember an hour spent in a hide with my reluctant younger brother and his girlfriend, trying to teach them the differences between blue-tits and great tits. I've pointed out to friends the names of different wildfowl and waders when on afternoon strolls in the park. I've made my mum complete the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch with me, and I've stopped working on the boat in order to grab my camera to catch a diving gannet or posturing seagull.

The one who has probably suffered the most though, is my boyfriend, Alex. I am forever pointing out birds and interrupting him mid-sentence to listen or look at a passing passerine.

On a recent weekend we spent in Hampshire, we walked from Buckler's Hard to Beaulieu (fantastic if ever you are in the area). It is a stunning walk along the banks of a tidal estuary with unspoilt habitats the whole way. We had barely got 5 minutes into the walk before we had to stop and snap away at photogenic avian individuals.

On walks such as this, we have fallen into a routine to share the camera. He will photograph anything he wishes, and I will photograph anything vegetative or avian in nature.

Halfway along the first stretch we came to a bird hide, for the use of anyone. I was eager to enter and spend a few minutes scouring the reeds for a glimpse of a heron or little egret. I have to say though, Alex was once again, forced to become 'the reluctant birder', pictured here, he has a look of resigned boredom. I asked myself the question, what is it like for a non-birder to tag along with a bit of a 'keeno', it was, after all, not that long ago, that I too was a 'non-birder'.

Birdhides really aren't the most exciting of places, silence is advised and if nothing is immediately visible (as was the case here), it remains a rather dull affair for a non-participating onlooker. Alex may have described it as something akin to watching paint dry.

So what attracts the birder to the hide? The anticipation that today may be the day that a previously unseen bird is spotted and committed to the memory bank? Or the chance to test identification skills if a myriad of birds were present? Perhaps. Alas, today was not the day for either- all we spotted was a pair of mallards skirting the reeds. On we went,  following a rather impatient plea from Alex.

At Beaulieu village, there is a lake held back by the tide gate. As we sat here, Alex proffered the identify of the black headed gulls (in summer coat), and the enduringly elegant mute swan. I'm sure there is a secret birder deep within him! One day it will be sparked into manifesting itself, and I can feel less selfish about burdening him with my hobby!


After the walk, we made the most of the beautiful weather, and headed south to Calshot where we parked the car and watched the sun setting over the water. I just couldn't resist one last cheeky look with the binoculars though...

In the meantime, while I'm waiting for his inner birder to (hopefully) reveal itself, I will just have to ensure he doesn't find the incessant avian based running commentary one burden too many!

There must be other people with a similar problem?

Thanks,

Becky