Fern Friday: Hart’s-tongue

27 Friday Jan 2023

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Asplenium scolopendrium, British ferns, fern, Fern Friday, Hart's tongue

Perhaps, when I began these Fern Friday blogs, I should have started with the fern with the most basic shape, the one with the long simple leaf shaped, apparently, like the tongue of a deer (commonly called a hart in former days), the Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium). As it grows everywhere in Britain except in the colder far northern regions, and can be found draping stone walls, in woodland, under hedgerows, in roadside ditches, I’m sure this fern will be familiar to most of you.

230127 hart's-tongue fern

Hart’s-tongue has featured on this blog before, in particular because its glossy leaves provide a home to several species of leafminers, including these two Leafmines: Psychoides filicivora 3 January 2022 and Leafmines: Chromatomyia scolopendri 1 March 2021.

Feasting Chiffchaff

26 Thursday Jan 2023

Posted by sconzani in birds

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, Chiffchaff, Chiffchaff fly-catching, over-wintering Chiffchaff

So many flies, so little time …
Although the majority of Chiffchaffs still migrate to warmer southern climes for the winter, increasing numbers can now be seen over-wintering locally. This little beauty was feasting well on the hundreds of tiny gnat-like flies that had emerged in Monday’s sunshine.

230126 chiffchaff

A Water vole does lunch

25 Wednesday Jan 2023

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

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British mammals, Water vole

I was listening to a Water rail squealing from the reeds growing alongside a local brook, getting tantalising but very fleeting glimpses of it moving stealthily along the water’s edge, when I realised I could hear another sound, a slight but regular rustling. I scanned the edge of the brook again and there, sitting in plain sight, was the well-camouflaged brown blob of a Water vole, munching contentedly on a green reed. It made for a much more obliging photographic subject, and a very cute one at that.

230125 water vole

Snoozing

23 Monday Jan 2023

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, Common Gull

When life finally gives you a little winter sunshine, you might as well relax and enjoy it. This Common gull was doing just that, snoozing in the relative warmth of the midday sun.

230123 common gull

Winter six

22 Sunday Jan 2023

Posted by sconzani in wildflowers, winter

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British wildflowers, Daisy, dandelion, Field speedwell, wildflowers in bloom, Winter heliotrope, winter wildflowers

After a week of hard frosts and bitterly cold winds, it’s not surprising that I’ve found very few wildflowers in bloom. Indeed, I’m rather surprised to have found any. But those I have found seem to be particularly hardy plants and are wildflowers I’ve previously found during the winter months. They are Daisy and Dandelion, Field speedwell, Gorse, Sun spurge, and Winter heliotrope.

230122 winter six

A posse of Reed buntings

21 Saturday Jan 2023

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, Reed bunting

I was hoping to hear my first Skylarks of the year but was instead entertained by a little posse of Reed buntings, fossicking for titbits amongst the tall tufts of meadow grasses. If a noise alarmed them, they’d flit up to a higher vantage point, on a branch of Field rose or the twigs of a nearby tree, to survey the area and check out its source but, as I kept very still, the birds seemed unconcerned by my presence.

230121 reed buntings

Lichen: Ramalina fastigiata

20 Friday Jan 2023

Posted by sconzani in lichen, trees

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British lichen, lichen on trees, Ramalina fastigiata, trumpet-shaped lichen

I’ve seen this lichen described as a fanfare of trumpets, which is just the most perfect description for a lichen that can be found adorning the branches and trunks of trees throughout the year almost everywhere in Britain. Meet Ramalina fastigiata.

230120 Ramalina fastigiata

A Drinker cat

19 Thursday Jan 2023

Posted by sconzani in insects

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Drinker, Drinker moth caterpillar, hairy caterpillar, moth caterpillar, moth larva, Philudoria potatoria

It will be a few months yet before I will be seeing any of these hairy beauties but they are worth the wait. These photos show the larva of the Drinker moth (Philudoria potatoria), which can usually be found feeding on grasses and reeds, particularly in damp places. The UK moths website reports that ‘This species gets its English (and Latin) name from the habits of the caterpillar, which is supposed to have a liking for drops of dew.’

230119 drinker cat (1)

In theory, these caterpillars can be found now, as they hibernate when only partly grown, emerging in the spring to continue their development, but I imagine they are currently well hidden from hungry birds. My photos were taken last May, when these caterpillars were almost fully grown and would soon be pupating. I’ve never seen the adult moth but it is also a beautiful creature.

230119 drinker cat (2)

And then there were three

18 Wednesday Jan 2023

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birding, birdwatching, British birds, Cardiff Bay birding, drake Goldeneye, female Goldeneye, Goldeneye

I know I’ve blogged about this drake Goldeneye very recently but I want to share yesterday’s magical experience. The drake was much closer than usual to the boardwalk along the edge of Cardiff Bay so I was able to watch its almost constant diving for food and to admire its stunning plumage when it washed and flapped its wings.

230118 goldeneye (1)

Suddenly, a flock of Tufted ducks flew in to join the couple of hundred already present and, amazingly, they were accompanied by two female Goldeneyes. It took ten minutes or so for the three Goldeneyes to find each other, and then I was able to watch all three interacting. It was enchanting!

230118 goldeneye (2)