my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

My camera with the better zoom is still being repaired. I have had to enlarge these photos, sorry about the quality. I have found the Kingfishers nest site. Here they are swapping over at the nest. Blurred images.



I noticed a Heron on the river bank. It had some River Water Crowfoot in its beak, which it was shaking. I looked through the bins and saw either a snake or an eel in the vegetation. The Heron managed to swallow whatever it was, whole.



A Trout was in a small stream, grabbing at passing flies.



I saw a small duck in the river. The bird flew over to the other side of the river and sat on a rock under a bush. It was a Mandarin Duck.



An Osprey flew past as I was sat on a bench.



The river level is now so low that fishing has been suspended. There are rocks where I,ve not seen any before. There is rain possibly forecast for the coming week-end. The wildlife and the garden needs it.

[ian mcdonald]

The predicted rain is here, with cooler days. I went on a trip with the local Botany group to look for Coral Root Orchid. We found quite a few but they were almost finished flowering. The plants were at the edge of a small lake, in heavy shade.



I had a trip out to the coast to look for Coral Root Orchid at another site. I did not find any orchids but did re-find Curved Sedge, Carex maritima. This is an un-common species in the UK. There were five flowering plants and a number of non-flowering plants. It was thought the species had been lost as it has not been seen for some years.



On the marsh next to the shingle bank were many plants of Marsh Lousewort, Pedicularis palustris.



Also on the marsh were carpets of Creeping Willow, Salix repens, with their fluffy seed heads.



Marsh Cinquefoil was in flower.

[ian mcdonald]

In wetter areas I saw several Common Butterwort.



One of the birds seen was a Stonechat. They inhabit areas of Gorse. An area of Gorse caught fire some time ago but is re-generating.

[Jeffnz]

Gorse is a curse here and if subject to fire this will trigger seed release.

[ian mcdonald]

Seen recently were Mergansers.



Coppery Monkeyflower.



Holly Fern.



Lions Mane Jellyfish.



Blue Jellyfish.

[ian mcdonald]

Dactylorhiza incanata ssp coccinea.



Brittle Bladder Fern.



Six Spot Burnet.



Corn Salad.



Yellow Saxifrage.

[ian mcdonald]

I went to a site I know which has a small population of Small Blue butterflies. They are the UKs smallest species of butterfly. Although it was a dull day I saw several on mown gorse by a track.



At another site the Sheeps Bit scabious were just coming into flower.



This is the first time I,ve seen Oyster Catchers swimming.



The Kingfishers are still at the nest site.



This image shows one of the birds entering the nest hole in the river bank.

[ian mcdonald]

There are moorland fires to the West of us. They have been burning since Saturday and are thought to have been started by someone with a camp fire. Although some 20? miles away the prevailing Westerly wind is blowing smoke over to our area.



I found two small patches of Lesser Meadow-rue by the river bank. A first record for the 10km square.



Small Dryads Saddle fungi are on a Sycamore by the river.



Field Pennycress is growing in the corner of a barley crop.



Dotted Loosestrife is growing down by the river under bushes.

[ian mcdonald]

The temperature today is 31oC in the shade, too hot to walk about. A few days ago it was cooler. At the coast were a group of Grey Seals, hauled out at low tide.



A Lesser Black Backed gull was seen perched on a rock in the river. An Osprey flew by.



Seen on a roadside verge were two flowering plants of Field Gentian, Gentianella campestris. The first record since 1990 for the Tetrad, 10 x 10 km square.



A few Sneezewort plants were by the roadside, including one with a Tick. Lower central flower.



A single Mountain Hare was seen grazing on Heather shoots.

[Maggi Young]

Amazingly warm weather for the area, Ian - not too hot for you to bring us great photos though!

[ian mcdonald]

Among the wildlife seen recently were Starry Saxifrage, S. stellaris, on a wet track.



Birch Polypore, looking like a sun hat.



A single Northern Brown Argus on limestone grassland by a road.



Wild Marjoram in an old limestone quarry.



Many Sand Martin nest holes in a sand quarry.



We have had some much needed rain in the last couple of days. I will have a walk down to the river to see if the rain has brought the water level up.