my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Robert, snowdrops are said to be introduced in the UK. There are many species and hybrids, as you will no doubt be aware. No one is sure when our "native" species, G. nivalis was introduced. They are widespread in the UK, often around Abbeys and large houses. The one I posted is probably a hybrid, the flower looks larger than G. nivalis. G. nivalis seems to prefer wet conditions, such as woodland and the banks of streams. Once established they can spread around easily.

[ian mcdonald]

For the last few days it has been milder and sunny. Most of the snow has gone from the hills around. Birds visiting the bird feeders which are kept topped up by a local person have made it through the Winter.



Among the regulars are Long Tailed Tits.



Great Spotted Woodpeckers of both sexes visit the feeders, this is the Male with his conspicuous red nape.



Sometimes I have seen Siskin, the Chaffinchs chase them away.



Some of the Usnea lichens seem to have been affected by the weather and turned a dark colour.



Witches Broom on birch trees are colonised by moss, which in turn provides a habitat for Common Polypody ferns.

[ian mcdonald]

A favourite moss of mine is Common Tamarisk Moss, Thuidium tamaricinum.







Many snowdrops are along the river bank, even on an island in the river. A group of crocus is also by the river. All along the river side are many White Butterbur, Petasites albus. I have only seen this species once before, in the grounds of a Priory. It is an introduced thug.

[ian mcdonald]

In a sunny sheltered spot I found Lesser Celendine coming into flower.



A group of Oyster Catchers were probing the grass on the river bank for food.



Grey Wagtails were bobbing on stones by the river.



It is worth the effort getting down to look at Cladonia lichens close up.



Among the birds seen lately are, woodcock, great tit, blue tit, long tailed tit, coal tit, chaffinch, greenfinch, goldfinch, goldcrest, magpie (1), crow, rook, jackdaw, goosander, heron, tree creeper, great spotted woodpecker, pigeon, robin, mallard, dunnock, fieldfare, wren, yellowhammer, blackbird and song thrush.

[Robert]

Hello Ian,

Another interesting posting. Once again some fantastic photographs.

Thank you for the information concerning the Galanthus. 

Hum! I take it that the Crocus are naturalized?

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Robert, I think the crocus may be C. tommasinianus? I don,t know why they are on the river bank either planted or bird? sown. There are many clumps of snowdrop as well.

[Hoy]

Ian,

great photos!

The crocus looks similar to some I have in my lawn. I think it is C. tommasinianus.

[cohan]

Some nice landscapes there. There are native Petasites here, much treasured as usually the very first things to flower.

[ian mcdonald]

It,s still cold here with winds and showers. One of the plants seen lately is Stags-horn Clubmoss. It usually bears its "cones" in pairs.



Some plants are just coming into flower, Dogs Mercury being one.



Another plant just in flower is Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage.



In flower early is Green Alkanet.



A common moss in shady areas, is Glittering Wood Moss.



Seen on the river today were a male goosander and a male golden eye.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, with regard to your question about snowdrops over here. I,ve just seen an article on the BSBI Scotland web-site about snowdrops in the UK. It,s on https://bsbi.org/scotland BSBI scotland, scroll down to botany in scotland blog, plant of the week Feb. 1st 2021.

[ian mcdonald]

I had a walk along the river today. I found Wood Anemones just coming into flower.



Town-hall Clock were flowering in a small patch.



Pink Purslane, an alien, was seen flowering early.



The female flowers of Larch are just in flower.



Goosanders are on the river.

[ian mcdonald]

Someone has been planting bulbs on the river bank. Several Crocus are flowering.



Coltsfoot are starting to flower.



A Millipede crossed the path.



Mallards were seen mating in the river.



A rare sighting of a Kingfisher waiting for small fish was had.

[ian mcdonald]

The last few days have been mixed weather. Some days have been cold and windy. Yesterday was mild, today we had drizzle. Red dead-nettle has come into flowering. This is a common plant of bare ground.



Yesterday I saw a Peacock butterfly and a Small Tortoishell. Both had scales missing from their wings and have probably over-wintered.





I saw two Lizards sun bathing, if they had not moved I would not have seen them due to the camouflage of their scales.

[ian mcdonald]

I saw a small fern growing on rocks. This is Maidenhair Spleenwort. Known to many members and common on old walls and rocks in wet areas.



I noticed a Toad on the track by the river. As the track is well used by walkers and vehicles I put it in my hat and released by a pool.



I was looking at Wood Anemones, searching for a fungus which grows in association when I noticed some of the leaves had been Galled. I think the Gall may be Urocystis anemones?



The variety of birds around the village are not as diverse as my previous area of search. Some of those seen lately are oyster catcher, buzzard, herring gull, coal tit, blue tit, great tit, siskin, blackbird, grey wagtail, tree creeper, chaffinch, crow, rook, jackdaw and pied wagtail. An osprey has been seen today not far away. The river is running high and fast, probably due to snow melt in the mountains to the South and West.

[ian mcdonald]

Another alien plant on the river bank is Few-flowered leek, Allium paradoxum. It can cover large areas when not controlled.



Male Siskin are colourful birds but tend to be timid when Chaffinchs are around.



Coal Tits are common visitors to the feeders.



Ground Ivy, Glechoma hederacea is in flower.



Common Whitlow-grass is a small plant, about 2" which favours bare ground.