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Author Topic: my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald  (Read 264166 times)

ian mcdonald

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Re: my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald
« Reply #1350 on: May 21, 2025, 10:17:02 PM »
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

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Re: my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald
« Reply #1351 on: May 31, 2025, 11:17:00 AM »
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

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Re: my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald
« Reply #1352 on: May 31, 2025, 11:26:13 AM »
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

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Re: my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald
« Reply #1353 on: May 31, 2025, 10:37:51 PM »
Gorse is a curse here and if subject to fire this will trigger seed release.

 


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