other-wildlife-2

February 2009

Friday 27th

Colt’s-foot was flowering on a Huxter Well Island and Dog’s Mercury was coming into flower in the dry wooded areas. A Bank Vole was active. There were signs of Water Vole on Mother Drain Bank near Sedum House.

Tuesday 24th
DB reports: "Today was a bit unpromising weatherwise, so I decided to look for some of our small snails and possibly a centipede or two, hiding in dead logs under the protection of moss. In fact the first log showed three species of snail of which only two are shown here (below, left). The two larger snails are Garlic Glass Snails Oxychilus alliarius, which when handled emit a strong unmistakable garlic smell. The small snail is a spire snail which I was unable to identify. Disturbing the moss at the other end of the log I came across a good specimen of the attractive and well-named Spotted Snake Millipede Blaniulus guttalatus (below, right) which is quite regularly seen on the Reserve." Photos: © Derek Bateson

Sunday 22nd
DB: "Now that the birds are singing, can Spring be far behind? It was interesting walking around the Reserve today to see how many trees and plants are starting to expand their buds, also some of their male flowers (catkins) are now out so these two images show a good comparison between those of Hazel which are mostly yellow, and Alder which are paler but also have some attractive mauve colouration."

Hazel catkins (left) and Alder catkins © Derek Bateson

Wednesday 18th
A Pike was photographed in Mother Drain.

Pike in Mother Drain, 18th February 2009 © Rob Mokryj

Tuesday 17th
Derek Bateson reports: "Although it wasn't really sunny, it was quite a mild Spring-like day (11ºC) and I went to photograph some Scarlet Elf Cups Sarcoscypha austriaca, noticed three weeks ago before the snow arrived. Not surprisingly they had not made a lot of growth although I counted 25+ specimens, all small, in a 1m square near the viaduct at the end of Childers Wood and the image shows several specimens about 2cm across which have not really opened out. As I was taking the photograph I noticed movement on a dead log, just below the camera, and this proved to be a family of centipedes, probably Nanagona sp. together with a very lethargic millipede. I think this may be Tachpodoiulus niger, and as can be seen from the image, they were all sheltering under a piece of bark together, but brought out by the warmer weather." Photos: © Derek Bateson.

Saturday 14th
A Fox was photograhed at Willow Pool (below).

Fox, Willow Pool, 14th February 2009 © Rob Mokryj

Thursday 5th

Taken at Potteric Carr on 5th February 2009, is this Rabbit preying for the snow to go? © Rob Mokryj

Wednesday 4th

Snow at Piper Marsh © Ian Sexton

Tuesday 3rd
As yesterday, 2 Foxes were on the Low Ellers embankment. A Stoat was in Black Carr Field. Roe Deer tracks were found in the snow.

Monday 2nd

2 Foxes were seen on the Low Ellers embankment from Childers Hide. Stoats were on Central Grassland and near the café.

January 2009
Saturday 31st

Another Stoat was seen near Hawthorn Field.

Huxter Well, January 2009 © Helen Womack

Tuesday 27th
From the wooden bridge over Mother Drain, Perch, Chub and Pike could be seen in the clear water. A Stoat was near Piper Marsh Hide. Snowdrops were in bud in Black Carr Wood.

Tuesday 20th
A Water Vole was seen in Mother Drain near the pumping station.

Tuesday 13th
DB reports: "A little frustrating this morning as I had hoped to find and photograph some Sphagnum mosses, but the location was completely flooded. I did find one or two other mosses, also lichens, but fungi, held back by the cold weather have started to proliferate again. The image shows Jew's Ear fungus, Auricularia auricula-judae, on an Elder log in Triangle Plantation. A good comparison can be made between the tiny round developing fruit-bodies, to almost mature specimens. Near the viaduct at the end of Childers Wood I counted at least seventeen young fruit-bodies of the Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha austriaca, which should make a good photograph in about a week's time!"

Sunday 11th
DB reports: "Not too unpleasant this morning, and as far as sightings were concerned, a Stoat Mustela ermina was active around the Field Centre at 9.30am, then reappeared to chase and kill a Rabbit which it then dragged away. At around the same time, near Mitchell Hide on Huxter Well, another Stoat was seen to kill a rabbit. The past few months have seen numerous sightings of this predator, suggesting it is on the increase. My main mission today was to obtain some images of moss spore capsules which come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and the image above shows Tortula muralis. The image below is a cup lichen, Cladonia pyxidata, clearly showing the reddish spore-producing bodies on the cup rim."

Monday 5th
A Stoat was photographed with a Rabbit.

Saturday 3rd

Stoats were seen near both Duchess Hide and Decoy Hide, the former was in persuit of a Rabbit.

Friday 2nd