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~ a celebration of nature

earthstar

Yearly Archives: 2021

Caterpillar in a tent

15 Saturday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in insects, leaves, trees

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Tags

British moths, damage to Hazel leaves, Hazel, Hazel leaves, moth caterpillar, Operophtera brumata, Winter moth

While wandering through my favourite woodland earlier this week, I noticed small areas of damage on some Hazel leaves. It looked like a little critter had been munching on them and, checking further, I soon discovered a lot of leaves had suffered similar damage.

Closer inspection of one particular leaf soon revealed the culprit, a caterpillar, tucked away in a snug little tent it had created by binding two leaves together with silken thread. From there it could easily venture out to eat, yet retreat when threatened by predators or bad weather. Smart thinking!

210515 winter moth (2)

I think the caterpillar may be the larva of a Winter moth (Operophtera brumata) but I haven’t yet been able to confirm my identification (Update 16/5: ID now confirmed as Winter moth). Once I was alert to their presence, I noticed more leaf damage and several more ‘tents’, as well as a smaller caterpillar feeding out in the open.

210515 winter moth (3)
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Oak burst

14 Friday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in flowers, spring, trees

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Tags

British trees, Oak bud burst, Oak flowers, oak tree, tree flowers

Here’s the latest in my occasional series of watching the trees come to life. This time, it’s the Oak tree – I’m not sure which of the Quercus species this is but I think they’re all fairly similar. First, the leaves burst from their buds, and the vibrancy of the new growth is dazzling.

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And, of course, everyone knows acorns come from Oaks but perhaps, like me, you hadn’t noticed where the acorns come from. Below left are the male flowers, the catkins, dangling to catch the breeze that carries their pollen, and below right are the female flowers, tucked away, sheltered, waiting to be fertilised by the pollen and develop into acorns.

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Dunlin in the Bay

13 Thursday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds, spring

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Tags

bird migration, birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay birding, Cardiff Bay birds, Dunlin, spring migration

Though I live near the sea, I don’t get to see Dunlin very often as the coastline near me is mostly cliffs and rocks, not the stretches of mud or sand these little waders can easily feed on.

210512 dunlin (1)

So, it was a real treat during Monday’s walk around Cardiff Bay to see this single Dunlin foraging on the edge of the Barrage.

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Flocks of Dunlin, and other waders, pass along our shoreline at this time of year on their way to their breeding grounds and, very occasionally, drop in briefly to feed, as this one was. And to have a good scratch …

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After taking several photos, I left the bird in peace to forage further, grateful for the birding treat!

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White bells

12 Wednesday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in spring, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Bluebells, British wildflowers, Casehill Woods, Native bluebell, Spring colour, spring wildflowers, White-flower Bluebell

Although I’ve seen Spanish Bluebells that are white and even shades of pink and lilac, this was the first time I’ve seen white native Bluebells. There was only one, amongst the thousands in this fabulous piece of ancient woodland, but it certainly stood out from the crowd.

210512 white bluebell

As the Bluebells are beginning to fade, especially after all the rain we’ve had in the past week, I thought I’d make a little video of some of my favourite Bluebell images. Enjoy!

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Ratty and Reedy

11 Tuesday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds, mammal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British birds, British mammals, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, Ratty, Reed warbler, Sully Brook, Water vole

It was all happening in the reeds along Sully Brook at Cosmeston on Sunday afternoon. I spent 20 minutes watching this very cute and confiding Water vole munching on reeds, and all the while the Reed warbler was singing his funky tune.

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Times like these are what keep me sane and bring me happiness and joy. I hope you have a Ratty and Reedy (or their equivalents) in your life.

210511 water vole (3)

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Nine ‘ugly ducklings’

10 Monday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds, spring

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

baby birds, birding, birdwatching, British birds, cygnets, Mute swan, swan with cygnets, Ugly duckling fairytale

Seeing these gorgeous little balls of fluff made my day! I’d been watching these Mute swans for several weeks, building their nest, then sitting on eggs, so it was a real delight to see the proud parents gently shepherding their newly hatched brood around a local river inlet on Thursday.

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More yellow

09 Sunday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in flowers, spring, wildflowers

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

British wildflowers, Spring colour, wildflowers in bloom, yellow flowers, yellow wildflowers

A month ago, I shared some of the yellow-flowered wildflowers I’d found for the weekly #WildflowerHour challenge. In the weeks since, more yellow flowers have begun to bloom and, as today’s weather (I’m writing this on Saturday, as we sit under a heavy rain warning) is grey and windy and very wet, I fancy some bright sunshiny yellow. So, here we go …

The flowers are the butterflies’ favourite Bird’s-foot trefoil and the vibrant bushes of Broom. Although I shared some of these last time, I couldn’t resist a Shrew’s-eye view of more Cowslips. The buttercups are beginning to take over from the Lesser celandine as Nature’s yellow carpet in the meadows – these are Creeping and Meadow buttercups. Prickly sow-thistles line the edges of the lane behind my house, and Spotted medick is now brightening up the pavement verges. I’d glimpsed Yellow archangel last time but now these lovely spikes are popping up everywhere in my local woodland, a beautiful compliment to the Bluebells.

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Sigl-di-gwt

08 Saturday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in birds

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Tags

birding, birdwatching, British birds, Pied wagtail, Sigl-di-gwt, Welsh name for Pied wagtail

When I read Skomer Island’s Twitter post giving the Welsh name for the Pied wagtail, I just had to share it and, of course, some of the many photos I’ve been accumulating of these little cuties. And that Welsh name? Sigl-di-gwt which, apparently, means ‘Shake-yer-bum’. Just perfect!

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Early-purple orchids

07 Friday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in flowers, spring, wildflowers

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Tags

British native orchids, British orchids, Early-purple orchid, native orchids, Orchis mascula, Spring colour

The 2021 orchid season has begun!

210507 early purple orchids (1)

In my local area, the first orchids to bloom are the Early-purples (Orchis mascula) and this week I was delighted to find them in two local areas, one a nature reserve, the other a woodland I regularly visit.

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The Plantlife website notes that there is a legend the ‘Early Purple Orchid grew under Christ’s cross, and the leaves were splattered with the blood of Christ, have resulted in the names Gethesmane and cross flower.’

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The website also lists some of this orchid’s other vernacular names: ‘adder’s meat, bloody butchers, red butchers, goosey ganders, kecklegs, kettle cases and kite’s legs’. Personally, I just call them beautiful!

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The Wayfarer

06 Thursday May 2021

Posted by sconzani in plants, spring, trees

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Tags

British shrubs, British trees, bud burst, leaf burst, Viburnum lantana, Wayfaring tree

As part of this spring’s project to watch trees and shrubs come to life, I’ve been keeping a close eye on Wayfaring trees during my local walks. Viburnum lantana is a tree – or shrub, if the potential to grow 5 metres tall means it can still be called a shrub – I’ve mostly ignored in the past but now I have a much better appreciation of its beauty.

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The leaf buds when they first begin to develop are brown and furry and very sculptural.

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And the flowers are equally lovely. The first of these photos was taken on 23 March, the most recent just two days ago, on 4 May.

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You can read more about the Wayfaring tree on the Woodland Trust website, where the entry includes the fascinating information that arrows made from stems of this tree were found on the frozen body of ‘Ötzi the Iceman’, the man from 4000-3500BC whose body was found in the Austrian Alps in 1991.

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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  • My first Holly blue April 10, 2026
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