wildlife

[Karaba]

Basically, they have shown that the grass snake in France, Great Britain, Belgium and part of Germany and Switzerland (Western Rhine) is a true species and not only a subspecies as previously thought. Conlusion is that the Natrix natrix ssp. helvetica should be renamed as Natrix helvetica.
The genetic study show that the gene flow between western and eastern population of grass snake are very weak, as weak as between Bombina bombina and Bombina variegata, so weak that those two populations should be separated in two true species. The distinction between Natrix helvetica (Natrix natrix helvetica) and Natrix natrix (Natrix natrix natrix) is old, this not only a genetic point of view and many characters are already know for identifying them. The last study only show that they must be consider as true species. The same conclusion was recently brinh to Natrix astreptophora and Natrix helvetica in southern France.
Only the subspecies helvetica was known to be indigeneous in Great Britain, so now, there is only Natrix helvetica (so always 3 species and not 4 as some media have claimed it)

It could be seen as just a taxonomical point of view that is annoying because you have to change a common name. It has been the same few years ago with Lacerta bilineata and Lacerta viridis or Bufo bufo and Bufo spinosus. Scientific names are not only a mean to help people speaking about the same thing, they should also reflect the classification and the concept of species (which is not as simple as its definition) is still very important. These studies are not difficult to understand just to be understand by a happy few, they are complex because Nature is complex (It's not a easy subject, not easy to explain for me even in french, I hope that you understand what I've written)

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Yvain. you have cleared the muddy waters a bit. How is it explained that some british grass snakes have an unmarked skin and others, such as the one I have shown, have banding? I understood that the banding, or lack of it, distinguishes one "sub species" from another. I also don,t understand the diversion from the Linnaean system of two names for each species. Nor am I really convinced that DNA analysis is the answer. If someone were to test the DNA of bluebells in a large wood it may be that there are many sub-species but this would take too long and not be cost effective. Can,t we just say that Evolution is happening. It may be that over millenia wildlife diverge then converge repeatedly? I like to keep things simple so that I can understand.

[Chris Johnson]

Chris, yellow bartsia is right. How about the last one?

Bit stuck on that one - the flower reminds me of bramble. You need a botanist such as Matt to come along.

[Matt T]

Chris is closer than he thinks with his mention bramble. #5 has to be cloudberry Rubus chamaemorus?

[ian mcdonald]

It is Matt. How is the weather over there? Cold and windy I bet? Here are some more pics.











The last one may be difficult as it is not in flower and is not a common plant in the UK. I think it is more common in Scandinavia (Norway). One for Trond.

[GordonT]

1) Short Beaked Common Dolphin
2) Chukar Partridge
3) Clavulinopsis sp.
4) ?
5) ?

[Chris Johnson]

2. Red-legged Partridge and Grey Partridge
3. Clavulinopsis fusiformis
4. Senecio fluviatilis - Broad-leaved Ragwort ?

[ian mcdonald]

Gordon, number 3 right. Chris 2&3 right. I know it is difficult to identify birds of another country which look similar to those somewhere else, especially if the photo. is not that good.

[fermi de Sousa]

Not a native bird, but very attractive,
cheers
fermi

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Fermi, is it a species of finch? There are still no correct answers to numbers 1, 4 and 5 of the last quiz. Any offers?

[Steve Garvie]

It’s a Goldfinch Ian.
I suppose at this angle it might almost pass for a Gouldian Finch but the name of the image file is a dead giveaway. 

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Steve, I thought it looked like one but was not expecting to see "our" goldfinch down under. I did not notice the name either.

[fermi de Sousa]

Of course, "down here" we call it a "European" goldfinch
Introduced into Australia in the 19th century.
I was surprised to see them in the garden when we first moved here and this is the first time that we've had them nest in such an obvious place
cheers
fermi

[Matt T]

1. Common bottlenose dolphin
4. Solidago virgaurea
5. Plantago coronopus?

[angie]

Just found a toad sitting on my path, popped him into my polytunnel. Just wandered why he would be out in such a cold night.
This is what it was like outside earlier , silly toad.

Angie