my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[Robert]

Ian,

It seems like you are engaged in more than a floral survey.

It seems more like a total natural history survey. Very 

I definitely enjoy following along as I can. I also enjoy learning about other aspects of the natural history of the site.

I will clearly have questions from time to time, so thank you for answering my questions.

[ian mcdonald]

A trifid on the site,Trifid bur-marigold, Bidens tripartita, As far as I know this is a first record for the species on the site. img. 1020880. A common fungi along a peat path img. 00251. Lesser burdock, Arctium minus. The seeds have hooked bristles which adhere to animal fur and human clothing. Known to children as sticky buds, img. 00261. Gipsywort, lycopus europaeus, fairly common in the ditches and wet places, img. 00268. While looking at a plant I noticed the leaf of a nearby plant shaking. The leaf was curled over and sealed. I gentley opened the leaf and found a larvae inside. I thought the gold spots were interesting. It seemed too small for a hawk moth. The plant was a Convolvulus, img. 1020886. I re-closed the leaf with a grass stem. Birds etc. seen were mute swan, house martins, swallows, grey lag geese, crows, pied wagtails, pheasants, rooks, jays, wood pigeons, lapwings, willow warblers, buzzards, hobbys, water rail, mallards, teal, reed buntings, magpies, sparrow hawk, and blackbirds. Also seen were a female roe deer with a juvenile, a rabbit, speckled wood butterflies and large whites. The day started with a thunderstorm (sheet lightening) but ended sunny and warm. The larvae is Red admiral.

[ian mcdonald]

It was a dull day without any wind. Wildlife was slow to show itself at first. One plant flowering now reminds me that summer is almost finished, Perennial sowthistle, img. 1020892. A couple of common snipe were resting among the rushes img. 00291. A robins pin-cushion growing on a rose, img. 00297. Fungi growing on a path img.00301. I saw a fox but it disappeared into the vegetation. Later it re-appeared not far in front of me on another track img. 00304.

[ian mcdonald]

A sad sight on a path was a dead mole. It looked as though it had been fighting. Note the large front feet used for digging img. 00308. The heather is in full bloom but will soon be past its best img. 00311. Common St. Johns Wort  (H. perforatum) has been in flower for weeks img. 00314. A very common grass on the site is Purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea, img. 00318.

[Robert]

Ian,

It seems that there has been an overall improvement of the habitat at "your site" over the years. Much more species diversity and an increases in the populations of levels of various species. Is this true?

Thank you for the report. 

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Robert, the habitat is a diverse one due to mans activities in removing the peat for various uses. Since peat removal ended around 2002 (this was for horticulture) the site has been slowly improving. The peat producers accepted £17.3 million to cease peat removal. There had been a very long and bitter campaign to save the site from destruction because of its internationally important wildlife. In 2014 it was announced that £2.2 million was to be granted to help conservation management. This was mainly raising the water levels and clearing invasive scrub. The site has been visited by naturalists for at least 200 years owing to the diversity and importance of the wildlife there. It is clear that the water levels have risen since plastic dams have been introduced. This will help restore a living bog in already wet areas. There are also areas of Fen and wet woodland, with a series of tracks across the site. Although a great variety of wildlife has been recorded at the site new records are being added on a regular basis. As with any habitat, there are gains and losses due to evolution and climate. The site is very important for the entomology it contains. There is a wide range of plants due to the various habitats. Because of the size of the site it is not possible to record the entire area in one year. The wildlife I see on a one day visit is just the tip of the iceberg. Being mainly a "plant spotter" I concentrate on the botany of the site. Other local naturalists record birds, butterflies etc. I hope that future "amateur" and professional naturalists will continue recording the wildlife at this extremely important site. As I said to someone recently, a one day visit to the site is like dipping a toe in the sea of natural history. Some naturalists visit the site once and because the wildlife does not parade in front of them they think the site is not worth a second visit. As a very proficient naturalist said of the site "the wildlife is there but you have to go and look for it." Perhaps this reply seems a bit over the top but I have been involved in the campaign to save the site for many years, because I know how important it is for wildlife. Best wishes, ian.

[Robert]

Ian,

Thank you for the detailed reply. Not over the top at all!

I can understand the need for continual observations within the site. There are sites in California that I have been visiting for over 40 years. There have been tremendous changes over the years. For me the effect of fire suppression is the most marked change in some areas. The once open forest is now choked with trees. This sets off a series of changes through the ecosystem that must have many known, as well as unknown, ramifications. I see this frequently in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

[ian mcdonald]

A dull day at first with a good breeze. A number of galls on jointed rush were seen. This is livia juncorum img. 1020900. Another gall, this time on sowthistle, Cystiphora sonchi? img. 1020920. A gall on grey willow, may be Rabdophaga salicis, img.00319. Fox moth caterpillar? img. 1020901.

[ian mcdonald]

A new record for the site? Lucerne, Medicago sativa img. 1020904. Seedhead of goats beard, Tragopogon pratensis img. 1020916. Water plantain, a plant of fens and ditches, img. 1020918. Birds seen or heard were, teal, lapwings, crows, marsh harriers, buzzards, hobby, a sedge warbler and a cettis warbler singing from the same bush, swallows, house martins, sand martins, jack snipe, wood pigeons, magpies, blackbird, reed buntings, kestrel, mallards and pheasants.

[ashley]

... Fox moth caterpillar? img. 1020901.

Yes I think so Ian.  A couple of weeks ago I saw several on the Great Blasket island off the Dingle peninsula.  Striking beasties.

[ian mcdonald]

It was a sad day yesterday. Very windy with birds keeping out of site most of the time. I walked along a track and flushed a red deer which was sat in bracken. The deer trotted off and collided with a fence. It then continued along the track I had walked along. Later, the deer was stood in the middle of the track. As I approached the deer, it started walking in circles. When I was close to the deer it panicked and rushed round and round. I could see that the deer was blind. It was well fed and nearly full grown. I saw another walker approaching and he said it was awful to see such an event. I left them both and continued to another area. Later I thought I should go back to see where the deer was. By then the other walker had been joined by someone else. The walker told me he had reported seeing a blind deer to the managers of the site. They had sent for someone to shoot the deer. I suppose one view is "it is better to put it out of its misery." As the deer was nearly full grown and appeared otherwise healthy is this the right decision I wonder. Some think that the blindness in deer at the site is genetic, owing to in-breeding. The man who shot the deer said that there is a big enough gene pool on the site to prevent this. He also said that blindness could be caused by spraying crops with glyphosate. Among the birds seen were marsh harrier, hobby, swallow, house martin, sand martin, crow, pigeon, blue tit, reed warbler, pied wagtail, teal, mallard, kestrel and grey lag geese. Img. 1020929 and 1020931 show the red deer.

[Robert]

Ian,

It is a little unclear to me the current situation with the deer at your local patch. Are the health issues chronic? or isolated? Are there health issues with the other wildlife?

I also have a question concerning environment issues in the U.K. California has an image of being a state where environmental issues and awareness are a high priority. How is this in the U.K. ? In California environmental awareness may have become nothing more than an image or perception. Recently, I have been repeatedly confronted with "don't ask"! Sometimes in very strong terms. Those that have facts sometimes seem very reluctant to share information on general trends, especially if the data suggest that there are problems that need to be address. It is a very strange situation that has me very concerned.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, the problems  with deer are fairly isolated as far as sight is concerned. The general issue with wildlife in the UK is, it is not a priority. Our past prime minister, Thatcher, said she wanted the UK to be like america. It is. Profit before everything else. Perhaps we are progressing in the wrong direction? We should all be concerned that the people dictating policy are those who care little about people?

[Robert]

Ian,

Certainly, some worrisome trends.

It is interesting that some believe the down turn in the U.S.A. started with Reagan.

My wife and I lament all that you addressed in a few sentences. We do what we can to repair the Earth, make things good and hope to leave something good for others. Maybe the whole Earth will suffer the fate of Easter Island. I think that the Christian Bible says something about a potential future being like the days of Noah, "and they took no note". There are plenty of signs that humanity is getting itself into big trouble on a global scale. It seems the sane and sensible thing to do is try to ameliorate the situation, however profit does seem to come before everything else. 

Thank you for the report. I look forward to the next one.

[ian mcdonald]

Robert, at least there are still some places where we can get away from people and buildings as well as noise. I find with wildlife, nothing is asked and nothing expected. To be able to enjoy meeting plants and animals is well worth the effort of going to quiet places. People who care nothing about our wildlife must have sad, empty lives. I wonder if the garden of Eden is open for those people? Those who think they are in power will only be able to improve the situation while they are here. Not afterwards. Something worth considering.