wildlife

[ian mcdonald]

All correct Yvain. 1 is Arabis (cardaminopsis) petraea, northern rock cress. 2 is called Goosander over here. Try these.

[Karaba]

I don't know the English name and I have to check (and the spelling of the latin name too), not always the best names...

This set is much more difficult for me and I'm a bit confused. I think that Mat will be able to complete all the names.

1 : Pipit maritime - Anthus petrosus - Rock pipit (I thought to a weird Turdus...)
2 : Luzula ? (with its long bracts, it don't seems to be Juncus)
3 : Viola tricolor - wild pensy  ?
4 : Salix sp. (I wonder what it was when I saw the fruits..)
5 : Andromeda polifolia

[ian mcdonald]

Yvain, 1, 3 and 5 are right.

[ian mcdonald]

Number 4 is a Salix but which one?

[ian mcdonald]

Picture 2 in the last bunch is Great Fen Sedge, Cladium mariscus. Number 4 is Salix repens, creeping willow. See if you know these.

[GordonT]

#2 is Salicornia europaea?

[ian mcdonald]

It is Gordon.

[GordonT]

#3 is a Pale Tussock Moth Caterpillar, Calliteara pudibunda

[ian mcdonald]

Right again Gordon.

[ian mcdonald]

There has just been a very good programme on BBC 4 about wildlife in gardens. Worth watching on catch up.

[ian mcdonald]

Last week I saw two "growths" on a tree near the supermarket. I have just checked and they are bunches of Mistletoe.





 The tree is a hybrid poplar.

[ian mcdonald]

It,s been fairly mild here today. I recorded 19 species of birds in the garden, including a robin carrying nest material into an ivy. Blue, great, coal and long tailed tits were here as well as the song thrush singing from the oak tree early this morning. I also heard a greenfinch singing, a rare bird in our area now. Two goldfinch were in a bird cherry. The blackbirds are having to keep last years young out of the garden so they don,t take over the territory. Crows have become regular visitors and six magpies were in the treetops. A wren was hunting for insects in the ivy. They must nest nearby, they nested in the ivy two years ago. Robins nests take some finding, usually low down in dense cover. The blackbirds will be nesting soon. They usually have two broods a year, sometimes three. Spring is not far away.

[ian mcdonald]

I seem to have beaten the Panal with reply 1234 apart from Gordon. Picture 1 is a pair of Scaup. Number 4 is a cuckoo. Number 5 is a Marsh Gentian.

[scatigaz]

Can't be Scaup Ian. Bill pattern and head shape wrong.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Gary. I was told there were un-common ducks at this site (inland) and photographed them. Bird watchers in the hide identified them and I thought I had remembered that the ducks in question were scaup. I,ve looked through my notes and have not recorded the species seen on the day. The birds in the photo. look like tufted duck? I,m not a regular birder, I just notice birds. Answers on a postcard.