my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

I saw some Nacreous clouds just as the sun was setting. By the time I got the camera, they were fading.





I saw some "puff ball" fungi growing on an ancient scots pine.



A colourful fungus, about 2" across was seen on Blackthorn.



Coral Spot? on Horse Chestnut.

[ian mcdonald]

Tree planting with native species has taken place where wind blown foreign conifers were removed.



A party of Waxwings have been here for a couple of days. They are Winter visitors to the UK.



The river has risen again due to snow melt and rain.



We have been treated to more Nacreous clouds just as the sun was setting, around 4.0pm. Angels?



Best wishes to all for Christmas and the New Year.

[ashley]

... A party of Waxwings ... Nacreous clouds ...

Beautiful.
Happy Christmas Ian, & thanks for this interesting thread.  I hope you'll continue it in 2024.

[Robert]

Hi Ian,

I have wanted to see Nacreous Clouds since I was very young. They are something one is not going to see in California. Alaska was a possibility many years ago, but this is very unlikely now. And this is something that one cannot time or schedule. Thank you for sharing the all your photographs throughout the seasons.

[ian mcdonald]

I wonder if the Angels of Mons were Nacreous clouds?

[ian mcdonald]

Today was the first milder day this Month. I went for a walk around a local stream. There were few birds seen and no squirrels. It was dull with a cold wind. The water falls were impressive after the snow melt.





I saw a Lichen on an old log, Icmadophila, sometimes known as Peppermint Lichen.



I noticed Polypody ferns growing on a Witches Broom, on birch.



Also found was a birch twig with the un-common fungus Exidia repanda.

[ian mcdonald]

The last few weeks weather has been normal for winter, cold, dull, frost, snow and rain. Today was cold but clear.



A pair of Stonechats were seen along a fence.



The river is still above average height.



Icicles had formed where branches were dipping in the water.



Two Tree Creepers were looking for food under the feeders, with a Robin for scale.



A Siskin and a Coal Tit were on the feeders. Also seen were Long Tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, two Greater Spotted Woodpeckers and a Red Squirrel.

[ian mcdonald]

Last week along the river I noticed some yellow leaves which looked like snowdrops. I have been back today and they are in flower. I have never seen anything like them before. I assume the leaves will turn green? Perhaps Anne could identify these?

[ian mcdonald]

I recently found two more site by the river for Spring Snowflake, another introduced species.



While looking for Stoneflies on fence posts I noticed two tiny cocoons which seemed to be covered in lichen. Thinking these were Stonefly larvae I sent photos to someone who specialises in Stoneflies. He said they were Bagworms, a larval stage of a micro-moth. I sent photos to a moth recorder and he said they were Narycia duplicella, White-speckled Smoke moth. I looked at the NBN Atlas site and saw that there were 209 records for the UK and only 15 for Scotland. The NBN site relies on people sending in their records so they might be under-recorded.

[Maggi Young]

While looking for Stoneflies on fence posts I noticed two tiny cocoons which seemed to be covered in lichen. Thinking these were Stonefly larvae I sent photos to someone who specialises in Stoneflies. He said they were Bagworms, a larval stage of a micro-moth. I sent photos to a moth recorder and he said they were Narycia duplicella, White-speckled Smoke moth. I looked at the NBN Atlas site and saw that there were 209 records for the UK and only 15 for Scotland. The NBN site relies on people sending in their records so they might be under-recorded.

Just shows how valuable observations like yours are, Ian. Well spotted!

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Maggi, I,m just a casual observer, trained naturalists can contribute much more.

[ian mcdonald]

I stopped at a harbour the other day to see if any waders were there. There were Dunlin, Turnstones, Redshank a pair of Long Tailed Ducks and a Goldeneye.









Following wet weather there has been a landslide into the river. The normal clear water on this important Salmon river is now muddy for several miles.

[ian mcdonald]

[ian mcdonald]

Despite predictions that record temperatures will be beaten for the time of year I suspect it only applies to southern England. It is still cold and wet here. Some of the early spring flowers are showing.



Gagea lutea.



Lesser celendine.



Wood anemone.



A view of the river.



Frog spawn in puddles along a track.

[ian mcdonald]

I had a walk down to the river the other day. It was sunny and mild with a strong wind. The purpose of the visit was to see if any Stoneflies were there. They usually sit on riverside fence posts. I found three species sheltering on the leeward side of posts.



Common February Red, Brachyptera risi.



Orange Striped Stonefly, Perlodes mortoni. Females with long wings, males with short wings.



Early Brown, Protonemura meyeri.

The species were identified by Craig Macadam of Buglife.