A Secluded Spot for Sunbathers

20 Saturday Aug 2016

Posted by theresagreen in bird behaviour, Birds, birds of Wales, Nature, nature photography, North Wales, woodland birds

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

bird parasites, birds preening, birds sunbathing, birds sunning, blackbird, dunnock, garden birds, Robin, why do birds sunbathe, Wren

“The perfect spot for sunbathing, in a peaceful woodland edge location, offers privacy and safety in which to relax or indulge in some leisurely grooming preening. No charge for use of facilities”.

This summer this ideal location, set conveniently for me just a few metres from my kitchen and bedroom windows, has been a popular spot with some of the local birds, particularly some of the younger ones.They come to make the most of this sheltered sun-trap to sunbathe, also known as ‘sunning’ in application to birds. Sunning birds may become so absorbed in the activity that they are easily approached, which can make them vulnerable to predators. They are safer here; there is no easy access to this spot from any angle, although a savvy Sparrowhawk may possibly be able to make a strike if it got its timing right so as not to cast a shadow.

160803-KW (3)-Blackbird & dunnock sunning

Dunnock and Blackbird sunning together

Most commonly we see Blackbirds and sometimes Robins sunning in gardens , but other species indulge too in slightly different ways.

Sunbathing Blackbirds are a fairly common sight in parks and gardens

To begin sunning, birds orient themselves to expose the maximum amount of their plumage to the sun. The classic sunning posture is thus: head and body feathers are fluffed up and out and depending on available space and/or sense of security felt, one or both wings are held out from the body with feathers spread; the tail is sometimes fanned out too. The bird may keep the same position throughout a sunning session, or it may change positions to expose different parts of its body to the sun.

Sunning is often a precursor to preening, vital to a bird’s feather maintenance, and in this instance it is thought this has two effects; one is that the sun’s heat helps to spread preening oil across the feathers. The other is that it drives out parasites from within the plumage that can then be more easily dislodged as the bird preens.

Sunning and Preening demonstrated by a Dunnock

I’m fairly sure this session was more concerned with pest control than anything else.

Firstly, adopt the sunning pose: fluff out feathers and spread tail and wing feathers. Well, alright just the tail feathers will do for now.

Secondly, begin preening with any particularly itchy spots caused by unwelcome hitchhikers.

Pay attention to armpits

Some areas such as the head and around the eyes and bill can only be serviced by extending and lifting the leg and having a good old scratch.

It helps to have a flexible neck.

That will have to do for now, it’s getting a bit shady here.Time to go.

The young Robin in the following sequence of images seems to be similarly afflicted with ‘lumps’ apparent on its neck.

The head and neck are areas birds are unable to reach with their bills and have to scratch with a foot.

The other side needs attention too.

It looks as though the bird’s frantic scratching has created a bald spot. And is that another lump under its eye?

During sunning sessions birds often have their bills open. This is because the warmth of the sun raises their body temperature and as they can’t release heat by perspiration, they have to regulate it some other way, so will gape and sometimes pant in order to lose heat.

To sum up, no-one knows for certain the reasons birds sunbathe, although several theories have been proposed.

To maintain the bird’s feathers in good condition. Exactly how sunning assists with this is not known, despite being widely studied. All birds have a gland on the rump, called an oil gland. The ‘preen-oil’ that this gland produces helps to keep the feathers flexible and hygienic. As preening usually occurs directly after sunning, it has been suggested that the sun affects the preen-oil in the feathers in some beneficial manner, or that it helps to synthesize the Vitamin D and helping to regulate it’s temperature.
The heat from the sun may stimulate activity in parasites within the feathers, making them more accessible when the bird starts to preen.
Birds also make use of the sun’s heat to increase their body temperature or prevent heat loss. This form of ‘sunning’ is also used when the bird dries itself after bathing.
They do it simply because they enjoy it.

A tiny Wren enjoying a quick sunbathe on a laurel leaf

Summer Orchids

16 Saturday Jul 2016

Posted by theresagreen in Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, calcareous grassland, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography, wildflowers, Wildflowers of Wales, wildflowers on limestone

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

anacamptis pyramidalis, British Orchids, common spotted orchid, dactylorhiza fuchsii, Pyramidal Orchid, summer orchids, Teigeiren Brych, Teigeirian bera

June 23rd-Bryn Euryn

5/6/16 – Pyramidal Orchid – first sighting of 2016

I photographed my first sighting of a Pyramidal Orchid on June 5th, where it was growing through a complimentary patch of Common Rockroses. Since then they have come on apace and there are many more showing their beautiful heads amongst the long grass that fringes the summit of the Bryn.

July 3rd

Ten days later the rush of blooms had slowed and whilst there were still a good number to be found, they are more scattered and most significantly smaller than the earlier ones were.

23/6/16-Bryn Euryn-Pyramidal Orchids in long grass

160623-Bryn Euryn-46-Pyramidal Orchid in landscape

23/6/16-Bryn Euryn-Pyramidal Orchid in the wider landscape

Pyramidal Orchid– Anacampsis pyramidalis; Welsh – Teigeirian bera

This orchid may be found flowering from early June through to early August, but here it is definitely at its peak now and flowering abundantly.

In general, the Pyramidal Orchid is found on grassland, usually on lime or chalk, but also on dunes. It is locally common in most of Britain, but rare in Scotland.

23/6/16-Pyramidal Orchid-Bryn Euryn

Pyramidal Orchid

The plant is so-named for the shape of the flowerhead: a workaday name for such an exotic-looking bloom I think, although it does help to distinguish it from the Fragrant Orchid, with which it may be confused.

The plant’s success and abundance may be due to its relationship with insects. Each flower has a long thread-like spur that holds a generous supply of nectar that attracts day and night flying butterflies and moths. When the nectar is accessed, modified stamens stick to the tongue of the insect that straighten during the insect’s flight and are then pushed directly onto the stigma of the next flower visited. This results in viable seeds being produced in 95% of the flowers.

Crossing the hill’s summit and walking through the ‘downland’ area, more Orchids are blooming prolifically, these being Common Spotted Orchids.

Common Spotted Orchids -Bryn Euryn-Little Orme in background

Flower spikes of plants on Bryn Euryn vary in colour. Most are this lilac-purple colour, others are white with a few in shades between.

Common Spotted Orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii; Welsh Teigeiren Brych

The flowers vary from white to pale or dark purple and are patterned with dots or small blotches of a darker purple.

The leaves are narrow and usually dark-spotted.

3/7/16-Bryn Euryn-Common Spotted Orchid in long grass amidst Common Rockrose

Brambles, Bumbles and Butterflies

10 Sunday Jul 2016

Posted by theresagreen in British hoverflies, Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, bumblebees, Butterflies of Wales, Insects, Nature of Wales, nature of woodlands, nature photography, plants important to wilflife

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

bombus hypnorum, bombus pratorum, coenonympha pamphilus, Early Bumblebee, grayling, Great Pied hoverfly, hipparchia semele, importance of bramble flowers to insects, Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, myathropa florea, pararge aegeria, Pellucid fly, Red Admiral, small heath, speckled wood, syrphus species of hoverfly, tree bumblebee, Volucella pellucans

June 23rd- Bryn Euryn

Bramble flowers are an important source of nectar and pollen for many species of insects and today, a large tangled patch of blackberry brambles in a sunny spot on the sheltered Woodland Trail was alive with an array of bumblebees and hoverflies.

23/6/16-Pellucid fly-Volucella pellucens on bramble flower

Hoverflies

Since living here I have begun to recognise the most obvious and more commonly-occurring species of hoverflies, and they don’t come much bigger or more obvious than the handsome Pellucid Fly (Volucella pellucens), aka the Great Pied Hoverfly. This is one of the largest most obvious and recognisable of our British hoverflies.

Myathropa florea

Yellow-and-black stripes are the well-used livery of many hoverfly species and sorting out the different species accurately, especially the small ones, requires more skill and knowledge than I have at the moment, or at least some crystal clear images of certain parts of them.

Bigger yellow and black species are a little easier, especially if they have good clear markings, such as sported by this new-to-me, or at least newly identified Myathropa florea (no common name). I was aided and amused in this ID by a tip from the author of my Hoverfly bible¹, who suggests that the lower marking on the thoracic dorsum (part behind the head) resembles the Batman logo. Well, in a nice fresh clearly marked individual it does!

160703-Bryn Euryn-55-Hoverfly in dog rose flower

Syrphus sp hoverfly in a Dog Rose

One of the only small hoverflies that is unique and distinctive in its markings and has earned a common name is the Marmalade Fly Episyrphus Baltaetus. This one was hovering at just about my head height, darting hither and thither in a patch of sunlight in defence of his territory. The image of him in the photograph is still bigger than he was.

Bumblebees

There were bumblebees aplenty, mostly Red-tailed, White tailed and Common Carders, but also Tree Bumblebees and a few little Early Bumblebee workers.

Tree bumblebee-Bombus hypnorum

The number of Tree Bumblebees here has increased greatly over the last few years. I used to see them mainly in early Spring in the Quarry field on Green Alkanet flowers, and maybe the odd one or two further afield. Now they are present in all parts of the site and can be spotted on an array of flowers through to the end of the summer.

160623-Bryn Euryn-Early Bumblebee workers

Early Bumblebee- Bombus pratorum (worker)

Butterflies

Meadow Brown-Maniola jurtina

Speckled Wood-Pararge aegeria

Large Skipper-Ochlodes venatus (male)

Bryn Euryn-Large Skipper (female)

Not bramble related, but a special treat was a very brief encounter with a Grayling. On the track up to the summit it literally landed in front of me, sat on a small rock for a few seconds then took off into the breeze.

Grayling-Hipparchia semele

The same strong breeze that carried away the Grayling was keeping the Small Heaths tucked down in the grass, but I finally managed to get an almost-clear view of one feeding on Wild Thyme.

Small Heath-Coenonympha pamphilus

Walking back down through the woods on the way home, a Red Admiral startled me when it flew up from a bramble at the side of the track. It settled back down when I stopped, then flew out again – the feisty thing was deliberately warning me to get out of his space! He sat brazenly on a leaf at about my eye level and reared up defiantly as I approached with the camera, not giving an inch and I’m sure trying to stare me down! Loved his attitude.

Red Admiral-Vanessa atalanta

____________________________________________________________________________________

References: ¹ Britain’s Hoverflies – Stuart Ball and Roger Morris

Beautiful blooms and some rare treats (1)

26 Sunday Jun 2016

Posted by theresagreen in Beetles, Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, Butterflies of Wales, calcareous grassland, grasses, Insects, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography, North Wales, Wildflowers of Wales

≈ 12 Comments

Tags

brachypodium sylvaticum, burnet rose, common rockrose, Cryptocephalus hypochaeridis, Dingy Skipper, Erynnis tages, false brome, foxglove, hoary rockrose, Jewel beetles, small shiny metallic green beetle, speckled wood

Foxglove-Digitalis

The first week of June was full of the promise of a glorious summer to come. A run of warm sunny days had brought forth perfect and prolific blooms and began to coax out the butterflies.

June 4th

Along the woodland trail that circuits the lower slopes of the Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, the early summer wildflowers are peaking. Foxgloves are at their perfect best, with stems full of open blooms graduating upwards to buds. There are not many plants on this site, but they seem to be gradually increasing in number year on year.

Honeysuckle is blooming prolifically, the best I have ever seen it and it smells heavenly.

The wild strawberry patch is also full of flowers, promising a bumper crop to come,although it is in danger of becoming overwhelmed by encroaching ivy and other vegetation.

Wild Strawberry

Birds were heard but not seen, concealed by the dense foliage of the tree canopy; Chiffchaff, Wren, and Blackbirds were all still singing between nesting duties.

A Blackbird male paused from singing to hunt on the woodland track

False Brome-Brachypodium sylvaticum

Some of the clumps of grass that grow along the woodland tracks are flowering now. This is False Brome-Brachypodium sylvaticum, a perennial grass common in woodlands where it prefers the shade of the canopy.

Flowering False Brome

Oak leaves are already being eaten

One of the more severe winter storms brought down three Scots Pines. Two have been sawn up and cleared away but the largest has been left where it fell and poignantly continues to live, now producing new cones.

New cones on fallen Scots Pine

New leaves on Yew tree

Beautiful fresh Speckled Wood butterflies were out in number and busy patrolling territories or sitting on leaves, wings closed in wait for intruders or potential mates.

Speckled Wood on Ash leaf

Up the steps and into the small open meadow the first impression was of lush greenery. The grass is growing long and closer inspection reveals it is studded with purple and white clovers, yellow Common Rock-rose and buttercups and the curiously flowered salad burnet.

A variety of meadow grasses with Common rockrose and Salad burnet

Along the edge of the tree-line another burnet, the beautiful Burnet Rose (visible centre left of the photograph above) is also in full flower. It too smells divine and was absolutely buzzing with a variety of bumblebee species revelling in the pollen and nectar bounty on offer.

Burnet rose with Tree bumblebee

In previous years I have noted that the Burnet roses have played host to a bright orange fungus, this is Rust fungus Phragmidium rosa-pimpinellifoliae. It doesn’t appear to harm the plants, but this year the fungus is almost as prolific as the blooms themselves.

Burnet roses with Rust fungus

On the small rocky outcrop at the top end of the field there are pretty clumps of Common Rock-rose-Helianthemum nummularium.

Cryptocephalus aureolus

A glint of emerald green drew my attention to a tiny shiny beetle in the centre of a Rock-rose flower. This little Jewel beetle doesn’t appear to have a Common name, so is known by its Scientific name of Cryptocephalus aureolus. The generic name of the beetle and its relatives refers to the insects’ heads being hidden under the pronotum. This is a new species recording for me here on the Bryn, which is not to say they haven’t always been here, just that I hadn’t seen one till now

I saw some little butterflies from here, a couple of Common Blues and Small Heaths, but all flying low in the long grass and in no mood to settle to pose for portraits.

Onwards and upwards along the Summit Trail, taking the track that comes out at the bottom of the steep ‘downland’ slope. This is often a good place to find Common Blue and Brown Argus butterflies, but not today, although there were a good number of Small Heaths to be seen, again not settling for me.

Summit Trail

I progressed fairly slowly up the steep slope and near the summit was attracted to a sheltered corner backed by trees, bordered by raspberry brambles and where the ground was covered by Common Rock-rose and Bird’s-foot Trefoil flowers. I was drawn there by the sight of a small brown butterfly, which I hoped may be a Brown Argus, but which turned out to be a female Common Blue.

Then I noticed a slightly larger brown flutterer that I thought at first was a moth. A closer view changed my mind, this was a butterfly and although it was rather faded and a bit tattered round the wing-edges, was the right size and shape for a Skipper. Old records for the site indicate the presence of the Dingy Skipper-Erynnis tages, whose common name may not inspire much excitement, but this is a fairly uncommon butterfly in the UK, with recorded sightings at sites in North Wales not exceeding low single figures. I hope now my ID is right – if anyone knows better, please let me know!

Dingy Skipper from a distance

I’m sure I’m not alone here, but I get nervous when I’m confronted by a new-to-me species of anything; especially when I’m aware this may be my one and only chance to record a sighting. So, I find I hold my breath, begin to panic slightly that I won’t get a photograph that will help me confirm its identity back at home and pray no-one will pass close by and disturb my target. My ‘technique’ thereafter is quite basic – to start from a distance and gradually move in closer, capturing as many images as I can before my subject takes off!

Dingy Skipper-Erynnis tages

This particular butterfly was not making things easy and was restlessly flitting about amongst the flowers, staying low to the ground and frequently hidden amongst the plants. I felt quite dizzy staying focussed and following it around, probably down to lack of oxygen intake from the not-breathing. As ever, I would have liked more opportunities for photographs, but did manage to get a couple of fairly clear images that at least have given me my sighting record.

Dingy Skipper underside

After a few moments the butterfly took off away down the hill and I lost track of it. The camera battery also chose that moment to expire and as this had been a spur of the moment, travel light walk, I had no spare with me!

I have written detailed posts about many of the subjects mentioned in this one, so rather than repeat myself, I have added links to click onto if you would like to see more about any of them. For more about the Dingy Skipper, go to http://butterfly-conservation.org/679-1101/dingy-skipper.html

Fairy Moths & Sainted Flies

10 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by theresagreen in Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, day-flying moths, Insects, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Adela reaumurella, bibio marci, black fly with long dangling legs, fairy long-horn moth, green long-horn moth, St Mark's fly, swarm of black flies in Spring

I first saw the delightfully strange little Green Longhorn moths on Bryn Euryn on the 13th May last year, where a fairly large number of them were dancing around an oak tree in the sunshine. Initially I thought they may be St Mark’s flies, but as I got closer I could see these insects were much tinier, had ridiculously long white antennae and wings that had a metallic greeny-bronze sheen to them. It took me a while after that to discover their identity, but finally learnt that they were Long-horn moths, also known as Fairy Long-horn moths and this particular species was the Green Long-horn moth, Adela reaumurella.

Finding them in the exact same location yesterday (May 9th), was a surprise and a treat, more so as this time they were mixed in with a largish number of St Mark’s flies and were behaving differently. No group dancing today, the combined species, all male, were travelling along rather erratically in a wide ribbon, staying within the cover of the oak leaves and making frequent individual brief stops on leaves. They were maintaining a consistent height above the ground at about my head height (I’m 5′ 3″), and progressing along the band of trees and shrubs that border one side of the meadow. I’d love to know what was happening.

GREEN (FAIRY) LONG-HORN MOTH-Adela reaumurella

DESCRIPTION

Wingspan: 14-18mm; both sexes have rough black hair on their heads and thorax, giving them a furry appearance when seen close-up. Upperwings are a metallic green-bronze and underwings are metallic bronze. Males have extremely long, whitish antennae; the females’ antennae are shorter.

HABITAT

Open areas such as heathland, moorland, country gardens, parks and wherever the larval foodplant is found.

The moths fly in the daytime during May and June, sometimes occurring in swarms and often around the tops of trees and bushes.

LIFE HISTORY

The larvae feed on leaf litter of Oak and Birch and make themselves portable cases with leaf fragments. The larvae have no prolegs and pupate in their larval cases.

ST MARK’S FLY – Bibio marci

The St. Mark’s Fly is a species of true fly, also known as Hawthorn flies and belongs to the family Bibionidae.

This jet-black fly is so-named as it frequently appears on or around the feast day of St Mark, which falls on April 25th and is seen in flight in May. They are found around woodland edges, hedges, rough grassland and wetlands and can be seen throughout the UK in spring. The males are often encountered in a swarm drifting slowly up and down at about a person’s head height, long legs dangling, trying to attract females. The swarms can be annoying, especially if you have to walk through one, and the insects are not averse to landing on people. However, they are harmless and as insects that feed on nectar, they are important pollinators, particularly of fruit trees and crops.

DESCRIPTION

Length: The male is about 12 mm and the female 14 mm long. Although appearing black and shiny, this is quite a hairy black insect. Wings: The wings have a black front edge. The compound eyes are large and bulbous and they have a rather tubular segmented body and black legs. The front legs have a stout spine at the tip of the tibia.

The females are larger, have smoky wings and much a smaller head and eyes.

LIFE HISTORY

The St. Mark’s Fly has a very short adult life cycle, being in flight for approximately only one week. The majority of their time is spent as larva in the soil. During autumn and winter, larvae feed on rotting vegetation which they chew with their strong mouthparts. In springtime the males emerge first and the females a few days later. After mating, females lay their eggs in the soil and die soon afterwards.

House sparrows & Starlings at home

19 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by theresagreen in bird behaviour, birds of Wales, garden wildlife, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography, Rhos-on-Sea

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

birds of conservation concern, garden birds, house sparrow, house sparrows taking pampas grass, passer domesticus, starling

I was pleased to see House sparrows once again topped this year’s list of the RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch in England, Wales and Scotland, but we shouldn’t get complacent, they’re still on the ‘Red List’ of birds requiring the highest conservation priority, along with other species needing urgent action.

Over the past couple of weeks I have spent some afternoons dog-sitting for my daughter, which has given me the opportunity to catch up with the little flock that regard her garden, together with those of the immediate neighbours’ as their territory.

160222-Nat's garden-House sparrow after bathing

House sparrows love to bathe and sit on the fence to dry out

I don’t blame them for settling here, they have everything they need to live as easy and productive life as it is possible for birds to enjoy. Throughout the year they come and go throughout the day, enjoying the bounty of well-stocked bird feeders, a pond in which to bathe and hedges to provide cover and perching places. Every evening the whole community returns to roost safely within the prickly pyracantha hedge. Now they are well into the throws of nesting. Earlier on they began refurbishing last year’s nests or rebuilding any lost through winter pruning. There are perhaps 4-5 nests, sited close together, although the level of noise that emanates from within sounds like there should be more. A couple more pairs prefer the loftier location of the eaves above the third floor at the front of the house.

In the breeding season the dominant birds leave the safety of the hedges and perch prominently on the highest points of shrubs to proclaim their territory, although the individual territory of the male House Sparrow really only consists of the nesting hole and a very small area around it, which is defended vigorously.

Dominant males have larger, darker feather ‘bib’ patches

Females judge males on the vigor of his behaviour and also by his plumage. The black bib and how it is displayed is hugely important for him and size matters. Apparently males with small bibs can be induced to behave more boldly if they have bigger and blacker bibs painted on them!

160403-Nat's garden-House sparrow on elder

A younger male with only a semblance of a bib

160222-Nat's garden-House sparrow female perched

Dominant females join their partners, but tend to stay slightly lower down and prefer a little more cover

160222-Nat's garden-House sparrows eating greens

Female House sparrows eating fresh greenery

Every year, when the nests are built or refurbished, the sparrows systematically strip the soft fluffy seed heads of the pampas grass that grows in a neighbouring garden. I spent ages one afternoon watching them as they returned repeatedly to strip the stems and carry off the fronds. I assume they use the fluffy parts to line their nests, but wonder if there are seeds to eat too? I find this behaviour fascinating and have witnessed it in South Wales where pampas was growing and also in our garden in Spain. In each location they begin working on the plant on the same day, arriving sometimes in numbers, males and females and set to, detaching the fronds and carrying them off a beakful at time. The harvest continues over a few days until the stems are left bare.

A Starling pair are nesting in one of the chimney pots and they too enjoy the feeding and bathing facilities, also pausing to dry out on perched on the fence or at the top of the hedge. Still one of our commonest garden birds, its decline elsewhere makes it too a Red List species.

The bird in the photographs below is the male of the pair, identified by the blue colouration at the base of his bill; the female has a similar patch that is coloured pink.

The male sings beautifully, sometimes from up on the roof but also from the fence and the top of the hedge. His mate doesn’t get out much at the moment, so must be sitting on eggs.

The starling was singing, hence the fluffed out throat feathers

Starling female has a pink patch at the base of her bill

PS: The pampas grass is now just a collection of bare dry stems!

The Goats of the Great Orme

09 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by theresagreen in coastal walks, Great Orme, Llandudno, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography, North Wales

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

cashmere, Conservation issues, goat mascot of Royal Welsh Fusiliers, goats of the Great Orme, Kashmiri goats

The herd of goats that roam Llandudno’s Great Orme is famous far and wide and for many visitors a sighting of them is a highlight of their trip. Sightings are often distant and to an extent dependent on the time of year, but they do wander as they browse and graze and can appear almost anywhere. I like to see them browsing on the steep limestone cliffs and watch them negotiate the narrow ledges with amazing and sometimes breath-taking agility. Up there they remind me that although their home is in a public Country Park, they are still wild animals within it.

These are Kashmiri goats, whose ancestors once roamed the mountains of Northern India. Their soft undercoats are the material that cashmere wool is spun from. The word cashmere is an old spelling of the Kashmir region in northern India and Pakistan.

160328-Llandudno6-Goats on west side of Gt Orme

Kashmiri nanny goat

The origin of the Great Orme goats and their arrival in Britain is attributed to Squire Christopher Tower, from Brentwood in Essex, who discovered a large herd which had recently been imported from Kashmir into France in the early part of the last century. His idea was to create a profitable woollen industry, so he purchased a pair of the goats, and took them to Weald Park in Brentwood. The goats flourished, and soon produced kids, from which the Squire was, eventually, able to manufacture a cashmere shawl. George IV was highly impressed by this article, and was happy to accept a pair of the goats presented to him by Squire Tower. So began the Windsor herd, which increased rapidly, and in the reign of Queen Victoria, cashmere shawls became extremely fashionable. It is often said that Queen Victoria was presented with the goats by the Shah of Persia, and it may be that these were added to the already existing herd.

Later in the Century, Major General Sir Savage Mostyn acquired two of the Windsor goats, and took them to the grounds of Gloddaeth Hall. It is possible that they were found to be unsuitable as park animals and the goats were transferred to the Great Orme. Over a period of almost a hundred years, these animals have existed virtually in isolation, and have evolved into the unique breed they now are. They have reverted to a wild state, and are now regarded as wild animals.

The size of the herd is said to be maintained at about 60, which is based on the optimum number of animals for the size of the territory available to them. The herd is made up of full grown billies, juvenile billies, nannies and kids. For most of the year, the nannies browse on the side of the mountain with their youngest offspring while the mature and immature billies roam in small groups away from them. They don’t mix until the Autumn rut.

A mature billy has enormous horns that curve backwards, almost touching the nape of his neck. A shaggy fringe covers the forehead and he sports a long beard. The horns are crenulated, with large ridges unevenly spaced along their length. It is possible to estimate the age of a billy by the ridges on its horns as each section represents one year’s growth. The horns of the young billies and the nannies are slim and delicate, curving gently backwards. In the nannies, the ridges are less obvious and ageing them is not so easy. Barring accidents, the goats will live for about nine years.

I believe the group I came across were nannies with a couple of new kids visible in the distance near the summit.

Goats will reputedly eat anything, but given choice, which these privileged individuals have, they can afford to be a bit choosier. Their vegetation species of choice are gorse, hawthorn, elder, bracken, bramble, ivy, stinging nettles and privet, according to the season. In the Autumn, they will browse on the grass, moving to the slopes where they can find a plentiful supply.

160328-Llandudno10-Goat & kids on west side of Gt Orme

The most distant goats may well be this year’s kids

Although technically an alien, or introduced species to Great Britain, the goats are considered by many to be an integral part of the Great Orme environment and nowadays their grazing plays a part in maintaing the flora for which the headland is renowned. Not everyone appreciates them however, particularly when they wander into the garden areas on the lower slopes, or even into the town itself.

Their population has to be kept in check to ensure that competition for resources is not too great. This involves administering contraception to nannies to control the number of kids born each year, which appears to be working. Relocation of small groups to assist conservation in other areas of the country is carried out when the opportunity arises. In recent years 6 animals were relocated to Bristol’s Avon Gorge and 2 to a SSI on Anglesey.

Mascot of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers

A select few billy goats from the Great Orme herd have acheived fame as they have been chosen as the mascot of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Records suggest that The Royal Welch Fusiliers were parading a goat as early as 1777. Whenever possible the goats are selected from the royal herd which was started at Windsor in the time of Queen Victoria, who gave 23rd Foot their first ‘royal’ goat in 1844. This herd is now located at Whipsnade Animal Park. In recent times, when no goat was available from the royal herd, the Queen has been pleased to present a wild goat from the mountains of North Wales, where a herd still exists on the Great Orme at Llandudno. This herd is known to have some Windsor blood in its ancestry.

Royal Welsh regimental goat Lance Corporal Gwillam Jenkins

Lance Corporal Gwillam ‘Taffy VI’ Jenkins, died in May 2015 after nine years of dedicated service. Following his passing, Her Majesty the Queen was informed and her permission sought to select and recruit a new Regimental goat. Permission was kindly granted and the selection process started. His replacement, Llywelyn was recruited from the Great Orme in Llandudno, North Wales on the 23 November 2015. Only the most prominent and impressive young billy kid goat is considered for selection. Following an arduous survey of the wild herd, one particular Goat stood out and demonstrated more promise than the others – this was Llywelyn.

_87825995_llywelyngoat

Llywelyn will lead the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh on all ceremonial duties, leading parades through Welsh towns and cities during Freedom Parades, Medals parades and Armed Forces Day events. He has already been invited to parade in London as part of the Queen’s 90th Birthday celebrations and will also be detached to B (Rorke’s Drift) Company for the summer as part of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Information in this post is from various sources, but mostly derives from the booklet, Aliens on the Great Orme by Eve Parry.

Sleeping Seals and Stonechats

02 Saturday Apr 2016

Posted by theresagreen in coastal habitat, Little Orme, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature photography, Rhiwledyn Nature Reserve, Rhos-on-Sea, Seals, The Wales Coast Path, Wildflowers of Wales

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alexanders, dunnock, grey seals, grey seals in Angel Bay, jackdaw, jackdaws on cliff, stonechat

A brightly sunny day, too good to miss, so I headed for the Little Orme which offers reliable sightings of a wide variety of wildlife in a relatively compact area with little effort required. Well-used by local people and visitors to the area and part of the route of both the Wales Coast Path and the North Wales Path, the pathways of the lower part of the reserve particularly are often very busy. Opportunities for uninterrupted attempts to photograph the more wary small woodland birds may be limited, but despite close human proximity the birds carry on regardless and largely unnoticed.

I use the entrance to the reserve sited at the back end of a residential area. Today the lawns of the unfenced front gardens were providing foraging for jackdaws and a few Pied wagtails. Outside the breeding season wagtails gather here in the evenings before setting off to roost comunally for the night. On the roofs were perched gulls, Wood pigeons and Magpies and a singing Greenfinch. There’s a thriving House sparrow population here too and cheerful chirruping greeted me as I climbed the steps up to the reserve, where they frequent the tangle of brambles and shrubs there.

The Fulmars have returned to their nest sites high on the cliffs. Although a small colony of just 10 or so pairs they draw attention to themselves by noisily proclaiming their territories and can be heard as soon as you enter the site. I looked out for Ravens that have used the same nest site up on the cliff for many years, but I didn’t see or hear them today.

I was pleased to see a pair of Stonechat though, one of my favourite little birds. They were in the same area within which a pair successfully raised a family last year, so I like to think this may be the same pair. I couldn’t get close enough to them to get good photographs, but I prefer to use ‘real time’ images whenever possible, so these were today’s best record shots.

Stonechat -Saxicola rubicans -male

Stonechat female

The biggest draw to the reserve are the Grey Seals that at this time of year can be fairly reliably seen, when the tide is out, hauled up on the stony beach of Angel Bay. Today there were about 20 females and their rapidly growing pups, a few in the water, the rest sleeping blending perfectly into the background of stones and rocks.

Grey Seals in Angel Bay, Little Orme

Jackdaws are without doubt the most numerous birds here and a great number gather here to breed, nesting on the rocky cliff faces. They spread throughout the site to feed and also separate into small flocks that venture back and forth to forage in a wide variety of places locally, arriving back noisily to land on the cliffs where they site their nests. It is good to see them foraging and nesting in their natural cliff habitat rather than in villages roosting on roofs and nesting in chimneypots.

Jackdaw

Jackdaws in their natural breeding habitat

Blackbirds are another numerous bird here as are Robins and Dunnocks, with males singing from shrubs throughout the site. Close to the backs of houses trees and shrubs are frequented by good numbers of birds. The House sparrows are nesting close to a busy path here and a chorus of chirrupings emanated loudly from within the shrubs, but despite being audible from some distance away, they stayed well hidden. Also seen and heard singing here were Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Wren, Great Tit and Blue Tit.

Dunnock male singing from a wild rose stem with numerous Robins pincushion galls

Wildflowers appear a little later on this windswept clifftop than in more sheltered areas, but there’s plenty of the early flowering Alexanders on show.

Alexanders

Elder leaves are well grown too.

160310-26a-Little Orme-Magpie in Elder tree

Magpie well concealed in an Elder tree

Wildflowers in Winter

28 Thursday Jan 2016

Posted by theresagreen in Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature of woodlands, nature photography, wildflowers, Wildflowers of Wales

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daisy, gorse, hart's tongue fern, hazel catkins, lesser celandine, male fern, wildflowers blooming in January, winter heliotrope, winter wildflowers

Daisies look delicate, but they’re tough little plants and flower more-or-less continuously from December to January. I love them so am happy they can decorate grassy areas in peace before the lawn-mowers emerge from hibernation.

Daisy-Bellis perennis

Celandines are one of the first heralds of Spring, but I was taken by surprise to find some this early in the year.

Lesser Celandine-Ficaria verna

Herb Robert was also a surprise, its flowering season is more April-November, so this is probably a plant that has not died down and carried on growing.

Herb Robert

Another survivor is this Nipplewort which is growing in a sheltered corner against a wall on the roadside.

Nipplewort

There are some wildflowers that are truly winter flowering. The bright green leaves of Winter heliotrope are present here throughout the year and the lilac flowers, which have a fragrant, vanilla-like scent appear from November to March.

Leaves of Winter heliotrope

Winter heliotrope – Petasites fragrans

January 26th was a mild sunny day, warm enough to coax out this little Red-tailed bumblebee, but it seemed to be struggling to take off from the flower, so maybe it wasn’t quite warm enough.

A red-tailed bumblebee on a heliotrope flower

Three-cornered Garlic is named for the shape of its flower stems, which are triangular. It is also known as White bluebell and does resemble one, until you smell it. It’s flowering season is February- June but has been in flower here since last December.

Three-cornered Garlic-Allium triquetrum

Flowers resemble those of the bluebell

“When gorse is out of bloom, kissing is out of season“. In other words, gorse pretty much flowers all year round to some extent. Now, at the end of this mild January many bushes are well-covered with the lusciously coconut-scented blossom.

Gorse

Hazel catkins have also been present on some trees since last month.

Hazel catkins

Sycamore buds are greening

A few trees have retained their dried leaves for some reason, this is a small oak.

A small oak tree has kept its dried leaves

A small tree has kept its dried leaves

Some plants characteristically hang on to their berries well into the winter, one such is the unfortunately-named Stinking iris that has bright orange berries

Berries of Stinking Iris-Iris foetidissima

and another is Black bryony, whose bright scarlet berries garland shrubs like strings of shiny beads.

Black bryony berries

A surprising number of ferns are still green

Polypody fern

Spores or sori still in place on the back of the fern fronds

Spores or sori still in place on the back of the Polypody fern fronds

Both the Male fern and the Hart’s Tongue fern are semi-evergreen, but this group shows no sign of dying down at all.

Male fern and Harts tongue ferns

Winter is a good time to appreciate mosses. Looking closely at this one it has fern-like leaves.

A cushion of moss tucked against rocks

Close-up of moss

On a fallen Scots pine a colony of tiny bright yellow coloured fungi has established itself; it seems to be a bracket fungi, maybe a turkeytail?

Bright yellow bracket fungus-maybe a small turkeytail

Bright yellow bracket fungus-maybe a turkeytail

Autumn

27 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by theresagreen in Bryn Euryn Nature Reserve, Bryn Pydew, Nature, Nature of Wales, nature of woodlands, nature photography, North Wales, Wildflowers of Wales, woodland walks in Wales

≈ 7 Comments

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ash leaves, autumn colour, autumn leaves, eristalis pertinax, fallen leaves, goldenrod, hazel leaves, North Wales Wildlife Trust, oak leaves, puffball fungus

Autumn in North Wales is glorious this year thanks to a prolonged sunny and mild spell of weather, as yet broken only occasionally by rain. Walking between the trees in the dappled shade of the woodland along sun-striped paths thickly carpeted with fallen leaves in all the shades of the season, has been truly joyful. As October draws to an end, here are some of my views of the month.

Ivy is flowering now providing vital supplies of pollen and nectar to late-flying insects.

Ivy is flowering

Ash trees leaves have mostly turned to a bright yellow.

Ash tree canopy

Many have already fallen.

Strings of Black bryony berries are strung between stems of lower-storey vegetation

Black Bryony berries

Hazel leaves fallen

Oak trees are in varying shades, some still retaining a lot of green where they are in shade while those exposed to more sunlight have turned golden.

Last year there was a national shortage of acorns and here at least it doesn’t look as though this year is going to be any more productive.

Sessile Oak and acorns

151008-Bryn Pydew (37a)-Cherry gall under oak leaf

Cherry gall under an oak leaf

Female Yew trees have ripening pink-red berries

On the woodland edges and in clearings there is still plenty to see.

151008-Bryn Pydew (2a)-Blackberries & clematis

Late blackberries and Old Mans Beard

In a sunny spot I watched a gathering of a dozen or so hoverflies. Some were hovering and darting around, others were attempting to bask in the sunshine but were deliberately disturbed by their dive-bombing peers.