Monthly Archives: September 2011

Activity and new arrivals on the seashore

16 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by in birds of the seashore, Birdwatching on North Wales coast, Nature, Rhos-on-Sea

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The summer is rapidly coming to an end and many species of birds are on the move, some returning to their winter feeding grounds in this country, others flying in from the north and others taking off to return to the warmer regions of Southern Europe and Africa. During the past few weeks I have already noted that the numbers of Oystercatchers and Sandwich Terns have increased dramatically here at Rhos-on-Sea on the North Wales coast and that Curlews have become a regular sight foraging on the seashore.

24th August

There was a lot of activity on the seashore late in the afternoon as the tide turned. I’m not the best at counting large numbers of birds, especially when they’re mobile, but there are definitely several hundred Sandwich Terns here presently and even more Oystercatchers. Mixed flocks of the birds line up along the sea edge, moving closer inshore as the water encroaches the rocky beach.

24/8/11-Sandwich Terns and Oystercatchers line up expectantly along the sea edge as the tide comes in

The Terns are restless; there are a lot of to-ings and fro-ings between their various groups and occasionally a whole flock takes off in unison, only to return to the same spot seconds later. The Oystercatchers take little notice of their flighty companions and continue to wait or forage patiently.

24/8/11- Sandwich Terns take off in unison

24/8/11-Terns settling back down amongst Oystercatchers

I was content watching the Tern displays, then noticed a couple of other waders well-camouflaged against the greys and browns of the shore; the bright red legs that give the birds their name gave away Redshanks that had infiltrated the ranks of Oystercatchers. The proximity of the two species shows the contrast in size. The Redshanks were quite distant, but now I have seen them I hope for better views another time.

24/8/11-Redshanks amongst Oystercatchers

I was feeling pleased to have Redshank to add to my sightings list, then spotted two separate flocks of smallish birds fly in almost simultaneously and was delighted to witness the arrival of both Turnstones and Ringed Plovers. The individuals of both flocks landed on rocks at the sea edge that were surrounded by water, then stayed put for a few minutes before venturing on to the shore to forage. I estimated that there were around 20 birds in each flock.

24/8/11-Turnstones arrived with Ringed Plovers

24/8/11- Turnstone flock flying away

24/8/11-Cormorants flying toward the Little Orme, calling as they flew

24/8/11-Black-headed Gull flying

Birds to be seen currently on the shore at Rhos-on-Sea:

Cormorant – Phalacrocorax carbo, Oystercatcher – Haematopus ostralagus,  Ringed Plover – Charadrius hiaticula, Turnstone – Arenaria interpres, Redshank –  Tringa totanus, Curlew – Numenius arquata,Black-headed Gull – Larus ridibundus, Herring Gull – Larus argenatus, Lesser Black-backed Gull – Larus fuscus, Sandwich Tern – Sterna sandvicencis, Pied Wagtail – Motacilla alba, yarellii

Late summer’s fruitfulness

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

Posted by in Insects, Nature, nature photography

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22nd August

I took a walk around the Rhiwledyn Nature Reserve on the Little Orme this afternoon to seek out some late-summer insects; I was hoping for a Small Copper butterfly and maybe another Comma, but a Small Tortoiseshell was top of the list and to my surprise and delight I spotted one almost straightaway. Beautifully bright coloured it was a pristine specimen that rested on the ground, wings outstretched.

22/8/11-Small Tortoiseshell-Aglais urticae

It was a sunny but windy afternoon, so I headed away from the exposed cliff top to explore the more sheltered area of scrubby ground at the opposite end of the site. I spotted some yellow-green flowers that I think were those of fennel and found a Common Wasp feeding there.

22/8/11-A Common Wasp on fennel flowers

Nearby there were also a number of attractive little Potter Wasps busy on Knapweed flowers. Although being coloured and striped in yellow and black, a closer look soon reveals them to be very different in size and shape to the Common Wasp.

22/8/11- Potter wasps on a Knapweed flower

22/8/11-Potter Wasp-Ansitrocerus parietum

Several Large White butterflies fluttering around a bramble attracted my attention and moving closer I saw that a single female was the draw for several males that were competing to mate with her. I took the opportunity to photograph a male resting with its wings open.

22/8/11-Large White-Pieris brassicae

22/8/11-Common Carder Bumblebee on scotch thistle

On Ragwort flowers I spotted a hoverfly, black with interrupted white stripes which is a new-to-me species to add to my collection later identified as a Pied Hoverfly – Scaeva pyrastri. I only managed to get one photograph which unfortunately is a bit blurred as the wind was blowing the plant around and the insect didn’t stay there for long.

22/8/11-Pied Hoverfly-Scaeva pyrastri

22/8/11-There are still Cinnabar Moth caterpillars feeding on ragwort

Many plants are now bearing seeds or fruits; blackberries are ripening and watching a Bluebottle fly feasting on them I was reminded why it’s probably best not to pick them and eat them without washing or cooking them first!

22/8/11-Bluebottle fly on blackberries

22/8/11-Teasel seed head

22/8/11-Ripe rosehips

22/8/11-Robin's Pincushion on wild rose

22/8/11-Carline thistle seed heads

Late-blooming wildflowers I photographed today included Burdock, Yarrow and Toadflax. Ragwort is still flowering although some plants are going to seed. Knapweed is also still blooming and there are still a few fresh thistle flowers, although most are seeded.

22/8/11-A 6-spot Burnet Moth on a fading Scotch thistle flower

22/8/11-Burdock

22/8/11-Yarrow-Achillea millefolium

22/8/11-Common Toadflax-Linaria vulgaris

Linaria vulgaris (Common Toadflax, Yellow Toadflax, or Butter-and-eggs) is a species of toadflax (Linaria), native to most of Europe and northern Asia, from the United Kingdom south to Spain in the west, and east to eastern Siberia and western China.

22/8/11- RAF Rescue helicopter

The noisy presence of a bright yellow RAF Air-Sea Rescue helicopter is not an uncommon sight around the cliffs of the Little Orme as this is one of the practice sites for those based on Anglesey. However,today’s mission was real and assistance was required by a person that had injured themselves and were inaccessible to an ambulance, so the helicopter actually landed. A crowd quickly gathered to watch the proceedings, but from what I gathered from speaking to a few different people, this was not out of concern for the injured person, but rather to try to spot if it may be Prince William flying the helicopter! It wasn’t, but as there are only three craft based in Anglesey, it was a possibility it could have been.

22/8/11-Sheep grazing on the rocky hillside

I have walked up the steep grassy pathway on the hillside several times, but had never ventured further on along the ridge, so I thought I would rectify that today. This area is grazed by sheep and edged by shrubby vegetation and small trees,adding yet another dimension to the reserve as habitat for woodland birds. It was a little too late to venture far, but a good time to catch quite a few birds out and about foraging for their supper, including Blackbirds, Robin and Chaffinch.

A chaffinch amongst elderberries

22/8/11-Banded snail

Catching up on the gardening

13 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by in garden wildlife, Insects, Nature

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This month’s weather has been variable and time spent sorting out the garden has been sporadic, but when I have had the opportunity I have been clearing some overgrown borders and have seen or disturbed some interesting things in the process.

Part of next door’s apple tree overhangs the hedge; the tree is laden with rosy apples and many of the smaller fruit have begun to drop to the ground. The windfalls have been providing a regular treat for the Blackbirds.

22/8/11-Blackbird enjoying a windfall apple

I disturbed the lovely little Brimstone Moth in the following photograph when I was pulling out overgrown ivy.

22/8/11-Brimstone Moth-Opisthograptis luteolata

I found a garden snail close by the spot the moth flew out from. There is nothing it can do much damage to in that particular area, so I replaced it under the hedge, where to my surprise it began producing a mass of foamy bubbles. I’ve been trying to discover why it would have been doing that but haven’t come across an explanation I’m happy with yet.

22/8/11-A garden snail blowing bubbles

The sunshine brought out a few butterflies including Large White, Holly Blue and a couple of Gatekeepers that were beginning to look a little faded.

22/8/11-Gatekeeper butterfly

22/8/11-Buff-tailed bumblebee covered with pollen

There are several species of wildflowers that I leave to grow in the garden, one is the pretty yellow Bird’s foot trefoil, which also currently has seed-pods, the form of which give the plant its name.

22/8/11-Bird's-foot trefoil-Lotus cornicularis

Bird’s-foot Trefoil – Lotus corniculatus is a common flowering perennial plant native to grassland temperate Eurasia and North Africa that flowers from June until September. . The flowers develop into small pea-like pods or legumes; the name ‘bird’s foot’ refers to the appearance of the seed pods on their stalk.

The height of the plant is variable, from 5-20 cm, occasionally more where supported by other plants; the stems can reach up to 50 cm long. It can survive fairly close grazing, trampling and mowing and is a very important plant in the life-cycle of many butterflies and moths. It is most often found growing in light sandy soils.

The plant has had many common English names in Britain, which are now mostly out of use. These names were often connected with the yellow and orange colour of the flowers, e.g. ‘butter and eggs’. One name that I knew it by as a child that is still used is ‘Eggs and Bacon‘.

22/8/11-Bird'sfoot trefoil seedpods. The form and claw-like arrangement of the pods is from where the common name derives

Another of my favourite wildflowers also largely left alone, is the Blue bugle, Ajuga reptans. It has always seemed strange to me that it is often treated as a ‘weed’ in gardens where it occurs in its natural form but that larger-flowered cultivated versions of similar species are purchased and planted.

22/8/11-Blue bugle -Ajuga reptans

Seashore treats

13 Tuesday Sep 2011

Posted by in birds of the seashore, Nature

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20th August

I had some errands to do in the village this morning and as it was a lovely bright sunny morning I decided to walk there along the promenade. As always I stopped by the tiny St.Trillo’s chapel to scan the rocky seashore; the tide was going out and sightings of Oystercatchers and Sandwich Terns were rather distant, and I was set to move on until I noticed a slight movement around a rock pool and spotted a Curlew, the closest view of one I’ve had since I first realised they were present here.

20/8/11-Curlew on the beach

Returning home from the village  I stopped for a quick look around the area at the end of the dry sandy beach where there are large rocks and also the edge of the harbour. To my surprise there was a small group of Oystercatchers there and I had some close up views of them foraging amongst the rocks.

20/8/11-Oystercatcher-Haematopus ostralegus

20/8/11-Oystercatcher probing a shellfish

20/8/11-Oystercatcher & Herring gull

20/8/11-Herring Gull posing

20/8/11-Oystercatchers flying

A wander through Pwllycrochan Woods

12 Monday Sep 2011

Posted by in nature of woodlands

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This prominent woodland stretches across the slopes behind the town of Colwyn Bay. The wood is almost entirely deciduous with a variety of native trees and exotic species such as sweet chestnut and firs. Mature trees impart character to the woodland whilst two streams provide an attractive feature as they forge their way through deep dingles in the ancient part of the wood. Birds to be seen and heard in the wood include Jay, Buzzard, Nuthatch, Great spotted woodpecker, Treecreeper and Tawny owl.

The name “Pwllycrochan” is thought to translate to mean ‘Cauldron Pool’. The pool referred to lies at the bottom of a steep wooded dingle and was created by the stream that runs down into it.  The stream probably used to run much faster than it does now and created a pool of well oxygenated, bubbling water at its base. 

 

This remnant of ancient woodland covers 21 hectares in total, but it is divided into three ‘islands’ by roads that bound it and cut through it ; i.e King’s Drive and Llanrwst Road. However, despite the proximity of the highways, the woodlands retain much of their tranquility and walking between the wonderful towering trees, some of which must have been growing steadily throughout at least a couple of centuries, instills the feeling of calm and peace that I believe is intrinsic to old woodlands.

Today, in the middle of August, it was exceptionally quiet here, with no birdsong and very few other people around, so the sudden sounds made by a grey squirrel foraging through the branches of a beech tree above my head made me jump. Apart from a couple of glimpses of Robins, a Blackbird, and at the end of my walk a Jay, there is little else to report in terms of sights and sounds of fauna.

This was my first visit to this woodland and although I had it in mind to find the pool that gives it its name, I had no idea where it was to be found, so I just wandered along sections of tracks that wind around through the trees. Most are easy walking, either flat or slightly sloping, while others require a bit more of an uphill effort and I imagine could get quite slippery in wet weather.

I think the photographs I took are descriptive enough to convey the essence of a wander through this lovely woodland, so here are just a few of the many I took:

Shaded pathway between the trees passing beneath a huge beech tree with moss-covered roots

Sea view through the trees

A sun-dappled uphill pathway with steps

Steps leading to the top of a pathway

One of the impressive ‘exotic’ Sweet Chestnut trees

Another chestnut specimen, this one the more familiar Horse Chestnut or conker tree

A true native Ash Tree

A fern-fringed stream trickling down over rocks

A fern covered bank

Speckled Wood butterfly resting on a fern frond

A decaying tree stump surrounded by fresh green moss

Tree stump supporting moss & lichen

Part of the trunk of a towering Scots Pine tree

Pine cones

This impressive beech tree is so tall I had to take the photograph in two parts and merge them together

I finally came upon the famous ‘cauldron pool’, but probably due to the lack of rainfall earlier on this year, its water level was low and despite some recent renovations to its retaining walls, it was looking rather sad, so I decided to protect its reputation and not take a photograph this time.

Finally, on the woodland edge:

A stand of Rose-bay Willow Herb on the woodland edge

A brown-lipped snail tucked beneath a leaf

Seaside life, cloudy skies and other views

03 Saturday Sep 2011

Posted by in Nature of Wales, Rhos-on-Sea

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The weather throughout August has been unsettled and changeable. Rainy and sometimes windy days have curtailed outdoor activities, but when there have been dry spells and even occasional warm sunny ones, beautiful cloud formations have added an extra dimension to the views of sea and land.

A breezy but sunny afternoon:

9/8/11-Clouds over Rhyl

Catching crabs,( or ‘crabbing), is a popular form of entertainment in this part of the world. The only equipment required are a length of line with a hook to hold the bait, which is often a small piece of bacon and a bucket full of water to hold your catch – specially marked buckets are sold locally. When you’ve caught enough crabs to make you happy, you  simply return them all to their rightful home unharmed, where they can continue to grow. I’m sure there are many canny crabs lining up for an easy meal.

9/8/11-Crabbing from the jetty, Rhos-on-Sea

9/8/11-On the village part of the promenade a clever woven wicker sculpture, crafted from live willow, of a person holding a fish

 A warm evening just before sunset:

4/8/11-Rhos harbour at evening low tide

4/8/11-Evening view of seashore to Colwyn pier

4/8/11-White daisies growing at the back of the beach photograph better in the low light of evening

4/8/11-Gulls gathered and resting at evening low tide

4/8/11-A Herring Gull reflected

4/8/11-Rhos mussel beds just before sunset

4/8/11-A bumblebee was out late visiting lavatera flowers outside St Trillo's chapel

4/8/11-The Little Orme at sunset

On the trail of native woodland flora

02 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by in ferns, fungi, nature of woodlands

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Bryn Euryn’s woodland is home to a good number of native species of trees, including Ash, Beech, Silver Birch and Sessile Oak. There are also many large Sycamore trees, which although well-recognised and widespread in Britain are the true natives of woodlands of Central Europe.

11/8/11-Steps wind uphill through the trees

Amongst the large trees are sprinklings of native shrubs or smaller trees of Holly and the occasional Yew, with Hawthorns on the woodland edges.

11/8/11-European Holly -Ilex aquifolium

Ivy is another plant that is so widespread and commonly occurring that I was quite surprised to find it is not a native plant in Northern Europe, but hails from western, central and southern Europe.

11/8/11-Ivy-Hedera helix

11/8/11- An impressive Silver Birch -Betula pendula

11/8/11-Moss growing on the trunk of a silver birch tree

The cool shady and damp woodlands provide perfect habitat for various species of ferns, mosses and lichens too.

“Wales only occupies about 10 per cent of the land area of the British Isles but it has an extraordinary diversity of lower plants and fungi including 75 per cent of the mosses and liverworts, 74 per cent of the lichens and 80 per cent of the rust fungi. This diversity is probably thanks to Wales having such a broad range of relatively un-disturbed habitats and a small population”

http://www.plant-talk.org

11/8/11-Common Feather-moss-Kindbergia praelonga

I love coming across little ‘scenes’ such as the one below, where moss partially clothes a craggy rock which also supports a blue-green lichen and is surrounded by dried leaves and twigs. So many textures shades of colours in a very small area of the woodland floor, and doubtless many insects and micro-organisms are there too.

11/8/11-A mossy rock in a bed of dry leaves

11/8/11- Male Fern-Dryopteris filix-mas

In open spots on the woodland edge there are brambles, flowering at the moment and attracting lots of little hoverflies.

11/8/11-Hoverfly-Melangyna cincta on bramble flower

11/8/11- Mustard Powder Lichen-Chrysothrix candelaris on a sycamore trunk

The bright yellow Mustard Powder lichen or Gold Dust lichen– Chrysothrix candelaris  commonly grows on tree bark. It is widespread and common in the United Kingdom, being found on the bark of deciduous trees, especially rugged old specimens, such as sycamore, alder, oak, willow, beech, and Pinus species, normally in dry shaded parts.

11/8/11-Turkey- tail fungus - Tramates versicolor

I came across the ‘Turkey-tail’ fungus on a path around the summit of the hill and thought it was fascinating. It takes its common name from the way in which the patterning and the cup or spoon shaped fungus resembles, well, the shape and patterning a turkey’s tail. It is a common bracket fungus which grows on the sides of logs or trees and occurs in a variety of colours including brown, tan, orange, white, red or purple, sometimes all together (Versicolor means ‘of several colours’). Turkey Tails are not poisonous to people but they are not eaten either.