florafaunauk

Friday, 29 January 2016

Goosanders

Facts

Goosanders are a Freshwater diving duck,
They are in a Family of Ducks called Sawbills because of their narrow bills with saw-like 'teeth' which are good for gripping fish.
Goosanders are excellent at fishing, but their diet, which includes Salmon and Trout, and the ecosystem and water quality of Cromwell Bottom is conducive to this relationship
The male Goosander has a dark green head, a black back and a long, red bill with a hook at the tip. The white sides and breast sometimes have a pink glow.
The female is grey with a gingery or rufous brown head and a white throat.
Males may not be seen in Summer as it is known that the this species has a unique migratory behaviour where it will leave for the FFjords of Norway in Summer to Moult returning in Nov Dec Females remain in this country with a few solitary males to moult

Goosanders Mergus merganser is also known as Common Merganser Mergus merganser
They have an estimated life Span of 7 years
Common Mergansers typically nest in tree cavities wet woodland areas and around large crack willows close to water
Goosanders are mainly a River Duck and is similar to the Red breasted merganiser which tends to shallower waters of coastal nature Eg estuarines etc

Monday, 19 October 2015

Garden Actinics 1923 Feathered Thorn 1760 Red-Green Carpet

20th October 2015

Actinic 10W

1923 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria ABH 70.244 x1
1760 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata 70.095 x1

1923 Feathered Thorn Colotois pennaria ABH 70.244

1760 Red-green Carpet Chloroclysta siterata 70.095

Tuesday, 6 October 2015

DaNES Insect Exhibition Saturday 21st November 2015 11.00am-16.00pm

The DaNES Insect Exhibition which is being held at Nottingham Trent University on Saturday 21st November between 11.00am-16.00pm

From Tom Hubbard of the Northern Coleopterists' .There is a PDF here if any one is interested

PDF Exhibition Poster

Monday, 28 September 2015

Hope Valley , Derbyshire

Yesterdays Autumnal Weather on the Slopes of Mam Tor Derbyshire looking onward up the Hope Valley

Sunday, 20 September 2015

Sunset on The Rocks

Monday, 14 September 2015

Quiz - Mystery Floristic

A Quick Quiz Can any one nail this much maligned plant.

With the end of season approaching floristics are becoming harder to find Nettle and Ivy set aside and insects more urgent in their serch for sustainance . Ivy is always a ready source of Red Admiral end of October early November sun permitting

Rather than tell you want the plant is I have put the images up for YOU to identify , suggestions in comments

Although to most it seems baron and bereft here is a sequence of creatures feeding or utilising it today I counted at least 36 species in an hour its thick stems can also provide shelter and nesting site for small birds like Wrens to nest and Shelter

Araneus diadematus Orb Web Spider
Metalina mengei/metellina Orb Web Spider
Philaenus spumarius Froghopper
Ichneumon Wasp x2 Species
Apis melifera Honey Bee
Hoverfly Eristalis pertinax
Hoverfly Eristalis renax
Hoverfly Bacchus elongus
Hoverfly Xylota segnis
Diptera x4 Species
Sawfly
Tipula sp TBC
Tipula sp TBC
Sepis fulgens Ensign Fly
Strawberry Snail Trochulus striolatus

The grove snail or brown-lipped snail Cepaea nemoralis Leioburnum rotundum
7 Spot Ladybird
Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis Forms Spectabilis succinea conspicua

Two Interesting images where the Garden Spider Araneus diadematus Observed wrapping a Common Wasp in a s slick silk food parcel. Another included a Dung Fly straddling its prey a small solitary wasp . On deciding to examine the prey , the fly took off carrying this prey in its legs with some ease