Rare plants of the woodland.

During this century, large areas of Britain's natural woodlands have been cleared for cultivation, and as a result many of the plants which grew in them have become extinct or rare. But the danger to woodland plants does not come only from man. Although such plants are shade tolerant, they are affected by the type of wood in which they grow. Pine woods, for instance, have thick layers of needles which do not rot and which contain chemicals that are poisonous to other plants. Beech woods are often found on poor soils and, because the leaves do not rot easily, the leaf mould which helps plants to grow is thin. Oak woods, on the other hand, tend to occur on rich soils and make generous amounts of leaf mould.

Rare woodland plants part one.

Hetb Paris.

This distinctive plant has a single whorl of leaves and. Single large green flower. It grows in damp woods from Somerset and Kent to Caithness, but mainly in eastern Britain . It is very patchily distributed and flowers  between May and August.

Linnaea.

A creeping evergreen with pink flowers in pairs, found in eastern Scotland and lowers between June and August.

Cyclamen.

Though familiar as a garden plant, cyclamen is rare in the wild. Some Kentish woodlands are probably the only places where it is still a native plant. Occasionally it escapes from gardens elsewhere, but does not establish itself. It flowers between August and September .

Oak trees.

Oak trees start their leaves as a lime green colour, we call this coming into leaf. They are only open a few days before they rapidly change to a much darker green. The oak tree pumps things through the leaves that are relatively indigestible, meaning that the small larvae that were nibbling them haven't had the opportunity yet. So by doing this the oak leaves have a greater chance of surviving to then go on and photosynthesise, allowing the tree to take the energy from the carbon dioxide, sunlight and water.

Large birds of prey in flight.

If any group of birds warrants the description `majestic` it is the larger birds of prey: the eagles, buzzards, sea eagles, kites, larger hawks, harriers and vultures. Though varying considerably in their size, shape and hunting techniques, all are masters of the air, and a sight of any of them adds excitement to a birdwatchers day. Birds of prey feed mostly on animals, and they have powerful feet and talons with which to seize their prey and carry it off to their nests or other feeding places. There they use their powerful, hooked bills to tear flesh apart. The forward looking eyes of a bird of prey give it binocular vision like man`s, enabling it to judge distance accurately and pinpoint its prey exactly. Its vision is in many ways greatly superior to that of man, enabling it to spot distant fine detail or movement. Long, broad, rounded wings are characteristic of the larger birds of prey.The flight feathers at the tips of the wings are `slotted`, or spread like fingers. This feature permits low-spread soaring without danger of stalling, the feathers are tapered to produce the slotted effect.

First sightings.

As we move through spring we start to notice the rampant growth that is within nature. It is happening as we speak, this amazing spectacle explodes into life during the month of May. I would like you to tell me about any migrant birds that you have seen or heard, first warbler, first swallow or cuckoo. Tell me about the first spring flowers and blossom that you have seen. It could be that you have been watching bats emerging at night or your silver birch is coming alive. Also I would like to know about the world of the mini-beast, I have lots of queen bees flying around and numerous butterflies and beetles. Just try to get out into the wonder that is nature and tell me what you see.

The cricetidae family.

The skomer vole is only found on skomer island which is in Dyfed in Wales. The skomer vole is twice as heavy as its mainland cousins, with is about four and a half inches long in head and body. It is one of the four larger sub-species, the others being the Jersey , Mull and Rassay voles. It is a very similar colour to the bank vole.

The cricetidae family.

The Orkney vole.

Found only on the Orkney islands in Scotland and channel islands of Guernsey, the deep brown Orkney vole is very like the field vole in habits and looks, but is heavier. It weighs about half an ounce more than the field vole with about a four and a half inch head and body with a two inch tail.

The cricetidae family.

The field vole.

Overgrown fields and places with long , rough grass are typical homes for the field vole, which also likes damp, tussocky grass. The field vole is aggressive and noisy, uttering  loud squeaks and angry chattering noises as they defend their small territories, driving out other voles. Each vole will make runways among the grass stems, usually on the tussock grass where it nests. The field vole feeds frequently, by day or night. Field voles are taken by a host of predators, but are prolific breeders. Populations in a favourable habitat often increase rapidly to number in their thousands- a vole plague. The plague is followed by a rapid decline, probably due to less successful breeding because of overcrowding and heightened aggression. These high and low populations occur at intervals of from three to five years, often accompanied by similar fluctuations in predator populations. Field voles are very abundant for a few years in young forestry plantations, but as the trees grow the cast a dense shade causing the grass to die, forcing the voles to go elsewhere. Some will survive on the grassy fringes, from where they can quickly recolonise grassy areas that develop once trees are felled. The normal life span of a field vole is about a year. Field voles are the main food for barn owls, forming around 90 per cent of their diet. Other animals that take the voles include kestrels, foxes, stoats, weasels and snakes. Its yellowy-brown colouring helps to distinguish the field vole from the red-brown bank vole, with a blunt nose and short ears, but it has a shorter, pinker tail and is also known as the short-tailed vole. The field vole has about a four inch head and body with a tail that is about one and a half inches in length. Adult field voles are very belligerent. They compete for territory and are quick to fight in its defence. The field vole is widespread in grassland and hedgerows in both lowlands and uplands, but none are found in Ireland. The main food of the field vole is grass stems, especially the lower stems  which are very succulent, they will also eat bulbs, roots and tree bark at low level. Four or five litters of from four to six young are reared between March and December. By ten days old they are furred and by sixteen days old they are full weaned. At six weeks old, young field voles are ready to mate. Field voles often nest under logs and other objects lying in the dry grass.

Animals at sea.

For our wild animals we tend to think of winter as a time of adversity and a season of scarcity, but in our waters there is food and plenty of it. Just off the coast of Ireland a gathering of fish heralds a great wildlife spectacle. Shoals of herring and sprat congregate in huge numbers to breed. In sheltered coastal waters this bounty of food draws in predators. Seabirds, dolphins and whales migrate to feed on the fish. Short winter days mean it is a race against time before the sunsets again. Birds spend most of the year looking for food hotspots, along with gulls, gannets and dolphins they are all  after  the breeding fish. There is an amazing array of wildlife in British waters, humpback whales are normally found in Alaska and Antarctica, but they are sometimes found off the coast of Ireland feeding on all of the fish, they will eat up to a tonne of fish. When the whale jumps out of the water it is said to be a form of communication, their have been up to twenty different humpback whales seen off the coast of Ireland which is testament to the rich waters that are off the coast of Ireland., but during February they will disappear from British waters to give birth because the Irish waters are to cold for them.

The nymphalidae family.

Part one the peacock butterfly.(inachis io).

Among butterflies, the peacock has one of the longest life expectancies, with adults living for around eleven months (July-June). Named after the bird, due to the similarity of their eyed markings, it is one of our most striking and colourful butterflies, belonging to the same family (vanessids) as the comma, painted lady, small tortoiseshell and the red admiral. Adults feed on a range of nectar rich plants, including scabious, sedum, echinacea and teasel.  During  summer they are most likely to be seen feeding on buddleia, building up their fat reserves in order to survive hibernation. The black, spiny caterpillars feed on stinging and annual nettles. Adults emerge from late July onwards. In a good summer, this generation may go on to breed successfully before the end of the year, with a late emergence of new peacocks in October. These adults hibernate over winter and reappear in March and April, to mate. Females lay eggs on large nettles patches. Caterpillars build up communal webs over the growing tips, which they strip bare, before dispersing to fresh vegetation where they pupate. The peacock butterfly is a nomadic species, with adults travelling throughout the countryside, They`re also commonly found in gardens, parks and woodland. Bucking the trend of many UK butterflies, the peacock has fared well in recent years. Not only has it increased its range northwards into northern England and central Scotland, but populations have also increased in number. Its not yet known how the species has fared after this years wet weather.

Habitats.

The river Dartmoor is an ancient and un-forgiving landscape, enigmatic and beautiful in the depths of winter. This seemingly barren place is the source of a vital lifeline created by the river dart. Many animals on the moor need regular fresh water. Red deer will drink at the stream and graze at its grassy edges. But up here in winter this vital resource can be locked away frozen for days on end. The winter sun eases the cold grip of short days and long nights. The darts peaty nutrient water is slowly released. The river dart is a fifty two mile journey from source to sea. Trickles join into streams, and fresh water brings life to a wintery world. Dippers stay on the river all year round, dense feathers insulate them against the cold as the dipper hunts for caddis fly and may fly nymphs that become more plentiful during winter. Dippers are one of our first birds breed because of this, many of them will be repairing their nests during January. Grey wagtails like fast flowing streams aswell, but they are more cautious, foraging at the streams edge for any insects that might of been washed up at the waters edge. Kingfishers depend on water to hunt, during the winter they will move to the sea if inland waters are frozen. The water from Dartmoor flows strongest from east to west, merging at dartmeet. Now one big river the dart flows south, getting stronger, deeper and boulder as it leaves the moorland behind. Twelve miles inland from the sea freshwater meets saltwater, which is home to rag worms and other food for wading birds like redshanks. Herons and cormorant patrol the river looking for fish for them to eat. The journey is over, all the way from the moor to sea, its nutrient rich journey is a lifeline for a whole host of animals, that come to rely on the river during the hard times of winter.

Corn bunting decline.

Over the past thirty years corn buntings have declined by an alarming 90%. They are a bird of arable land, and because of the way we manage our land they have declined dramatically. Yellowhammers and sky larks numbers have dropped over the past thirty years aswell. We use weed killers and pesticides on our non organic farms so arable fields turn into agricultural deserts. Vital plants that the birds rely on to survive are being killed by weed killers, these birds eat the seeds from various members of the dandelion family. Also pesticides are killing vital insects and their caterpillars and  larvae which are vital for the chicks of these three birds. So I would like you to tell me any sightings or records of these birds over the coming months. All these birds nest low down or on the ground so wild flowers and undergrowth are also vital for their survival.

Why is winter such a tough time and testing time for our wildlife?

Winter is a season of extreme, plummeting temperatures. Frost and snow means that food and water are in short supply. For wildlife its a real test of the fittest, right now animals and plants are facing up to this challenge, especially young animals that haven`t` experienced these sort of conditions before. But they have some clever strategies to see them through. Some migrate, some hibernate, some take on fat supplies and others store food. Its a time of remarkable behaviour. Winter also supplies some of the United Kingdoms most spectacular wildlife spectacles, for us it can be beautiful, but this is the most difficult time for every plant and animal.  

Identifying stoats, weasels and their relatives.

The weasel, stoat, pine martin, polecat, mink and otter are all members of the weasel family(mustelidae), and resemble each other in build, colouring  or behaviour. All are very active hunters with long, sinuous bodies and comparatively short legs. They often sit upright on their haunches to look round, and when moving fast they gradually bound along with the back arched. Males are usually upto fifty per cent bigger than females. Confusion is most likely between the squirrel-sized stoat, especially a young one, and the smaller weasel. It is possible to confuse the pine martin, polecat and mink(all three roughly cat size), and perhaps also a swimming mink and swimming otter- the otter is much larger but its size is not obvious in the water. But each has certain distinguishing characteristics, and usually can also be identified from its habitat, although the stoat and weasel are found in most types of the country. The mink and otter are likely to be seen in or near water, the polecat on farmland or lower hill slopes and the pine martin only in remote northern forests or moors in Scotland (although they are rumoured to be back in Wales). The pine martin, polecat and otter are mainly active at night, the stoat, weasel and mink can be seen during the day. Polecat identification can be confusing because of the existence of polecat- ferrets(descendants of feral ferrets), whose colouring can vary from pale to dark.

The cricetidae family.

Part one the Bank vole.

After the wood mouse the bank vole is probably the most abundant of Britain`s small rodents. It is more likely to be seen during daylight than the wood mouse, and tends to run and scurry rather than move in leaps and bounds. Although it may sometimes be found in long grass, wet places or on mountain sides, the bank vole much prefers to live where there is dense cover. It is rarely seen far from bramble thickets, hedgerows and other woody scrub, and is also common in country gardens. Each bank vole occupies a home range, and does not normally venture more than fifty five yards from its nest. Males generally range more widely than females. In mild years when there is plenty of food available, bank voles may begin breeding early and continue well into late Autumn. A vole born early in the year may its self be raising a family within a few weeks, so the population builds up quickly. There may be four or five litters, each with four or five babies between April and September. The nest is sometimes above ground, perhaps in a tree crevice but is more often found underground in Chambers that are reached by tunnels. Hazel nuts are their preferred food, the sharp toothed bank vole gnaws a whole in the shell and takes out the kernel in small pieces, but they will also eat berries, seeds, fruit, green plants and fungi. They will either store their food underground or find somewhere safe to eat it. But fewer than half of those born survive after the first few months. After the voles leave the nest at about eighteen days, young voles are preyed on by weasels and may die during cold wet weather. The more robust of voles may live for eighteen months. Bank voles live in the whole of England, Scotland and Wales and have only been found in Ireland since 1964. The bank vole can be distinguished from a mouse by its chubby appearance, blunt nose, small eyes and ears and short, furry tail. Adults have a glossy, chestnut-brown coat that may shade to grey on its belly. Their body is about three and a half inches long with a two and a half inch tail, and they have a redder coat and more prominent ears  than their cousin the field vole. Only about one ounce in weight, a bank vole can climb delicately amomg bramble stems and balance on a side shooy as it reaches out for a berry.

Starlings.

The Autumnal displays of starlings are one of the worlds most wonderful natural displays. At this time of year they put in an amazing display as they come together to roost. Watching their thriving numbers, it looks like we have a thriving British population. But a lot of these birds are migrants that find food over here during winter. These displays are hiding a worrying truth, the fact that British starlings are actually disappearing. Back in the 80`s the British population of starling was around twenty million, they were even considered a pest by some people, but they thrived in our cities and villages. Surveys have shown that our starling population has actually dropped by 80%. So what is causing this alarming decline in one of our most iconic of birds? Researchers are trying whats going on, like most animals the starling first year is quite a hard one. When they fledge they have to survive without the help of the parent birds, this happens after about four weeks. They join flocks of other starlings, this provides protection for them from other predators. They mainly feed on grass lands, they probe the soil for invertebrates with their strong beaks. But its surprisingly difficult for these young birds, taking time to learn how to get their food from the ground and to learn the correct technique. Its also thought the way me manage our grasslands could be a problem. Improved drainage means their is less moisture in the top soil, soil compaction also means that the surface is harder for them when they are probing. Turning from permanent pasture to quick growing grass species means less exposed grass areas. One of these or also a combination of all means that the starlings are finding it harder to find, probe and eat the food. When Autumn descends the pressure is really on as the migrants start to arrive, coming in from mainland Europe. Our young starlings will then have to compete with all of the migrants, which are more experienced at finding the food than our fledgelings.  So its likely that some of this will explain why there is a fifty% reduction in their survival rates in young starlings in the last forty years. The r.s.p.b are starting to research the starlings and their complex food and lifestyle issues, which is good news. Farmers are more efficent in taking away straw etc from their fields and removing some of the leather jackets(young crane fly). Let me know if you see any starlings in your garden,

Spiders.

In Autumn a male house spider faces the most important and dangerous journey of his life. His mission is to seek out a female spider. But to reach her he may have to risk his own life. For the past year he has lived on his web, its an architectural wonder. On tip toes, feathery hairs on his feet stop him from sinking through the web. But a flat footed fly will some become entangled once he has flown into the web. Once the fly in on the web the spider will pick up the vibrations with the sensitive hairs on his body, he then strikes. Venom injected by needle like fangs quickly subdues his prey. Powerful jaws and digestive enzymes soon break down the fly. This will be the spiders last supper, autumn has arrived and the urge to mate has become overwhelming. When the time is right he leaves the safety of his web. Now he must venture into an unknown land where a female house spider awaits. Out in the open the spider is exposed to predators like great tits. When he gets to the house, he`s confronted with a weird landscape.  A world away from his wooden shed and his web. He has to climb a huge wooden mountain,  a staircase. Its a long way up, but he can grip onto all of the cracks and crevices on the staircase. Just like us spiders need to drink so he is drawn towards the water in the bathroom. Into danger, if he falls into the water he could drown if he can`t get out. The water surface tension will keep him afloat for a while. Our baths and sinks are death traps to spiders, but a flannel makes it easier for spiders to get out safely. His hairs on his body and his exoskeleton do repel water, so after a good groom he will soon dry off. In a spare room a female spider has spun a web, as soon as the spider touches the web, receptors on his body sense the females pheromones, he must be careful though as she may mistake him for food. He begins a courtship dance, drumming his pelps and bobbing his ofisfoma. The female listens to the vibrations and is satisfied with the suitor. She allows him to approach, he uses his pelps to transfer his sperm. After mating he takes up residents in her web. But the danger isn`t over. A rival male may approach the web, you see the female stores sperm over the winter, she then fertilises the eggs next spring. So the first male will have to fight any intruders to make sure he is the father  of the off-spring. Each male could deliver a toxic bite, so it could be a fight to the death. But the rival spider is normally pushed away from the web. He will then return to the female spider, his mission is now complete and he won`t survive the winter. He has made sure that a new generation of his will appear next year.

Locating different animals.

Most of us only get to visit our local park or woodland during the day. The problem is a lot of British wildlife is nocturnal. So how can we tell what is going on in our woods when we are tucked up in bed? There are clues everywhere, first of all you can look for one of the most obvious ones, an animal trail. This could be a deer print in the mud which are called slots or a badger footprint. When you are looking you will probably come across domesticated animal prints as well(sheep,cows etc). What you really want is a number of different clues, then put them all together and you should know what you are trailing. Keep a look out for animal poo, some times (scat) animal excrement is hard to identify. Badgers are quite easy to recognise as they dig a little pit called a latrine and poo in the middle of it. Some poo has a characteristic smell.The smell is normally diagnostic of the animal, otter spraint smells like violets, pine martins smeel quite sweet and badgers poo normally smells woody. If you identify a badger set, look out for badger runs and you may be lucky enough to find a footprint. Once you have found all of the clues you should then be able to follow a trail, you can then see what the animal has been doing at night. I followed a badger trail the other night, first of all it trotted along sniffing from side to side, it stopped at a mole hill to have a root around or to eat an earth worm. It then carried on along the path until it went under a barbed wire fence, catching some hairs on it as it passed underneath. If you do find lots of signs from a certain animal, it may be a good idea to stake the area out at night time. You can then see if there is any activity while yoy are there, wait for a dark night when there isn`t a full moon.

Deer in the forest.

Roe deer are particularly numerous in the coniferous forests of northern Britain, but are shy creatures that will disappear into the trees if disturbed. They are most likely to be seen as they cross a forest ride. At about two years old a roe buck acquires a territory that he normally occupies for life. The size varies, and may cover between 12-75 acres. During spring and summer, the buck patrols of his territory, marking it by rubbing scent from his head glands against trees and fighting with intruding bucks. Roe does also have territories, but do not defend them. They often overlap with those of other does and several bucks. Deer of any species may cause considerable damage to trees by fraying bark when they clean their antlers, by breaking branches when they thrash with their antlers at rutting time and also by stripping bark to eat.  A tree`s growth may be distorted, and if bark is rubbed or stripped off all  round, the tree will die. Deer also browse on accessible shoots, large deer reaching as high as 6-7ft when standing on their hind legs. In commercial forests the damage can be serious and new plantations in traditional red deers areas are normally fenced off. All deer like to browse on the brambles that grow in clearings, with roe deer being especially fond of them.

Santuary and sustenance in the wetlands.

Marshland and waterside areas are attractive to many mammals because they offer good shelter and varied food. Waterside plants are often luxuriant and include dense masses of tall rushes, reeds and sedges where animals can hide. Clumps of alder growing growing at the water`s edge provide roosting spots for bats in crannies behind fissured bark, alder leaves are also favourable with beavers as they don`t contain many tannins. On wetlands, animals are safe from disturbance because few people, and fewer vehicles, venture for over squelchy ground. Some mammals- bats and water deer for example- live near the water and take advantage of what it offers without getting too wet. But beavers, coypus(these are smaller than a beaver, their is debate whether there are any still living in Britain), water voles, water shrews and otters spend a lot of time in the water. Water voles and coypus feed on waterside plants. So in a few places , do chinese water deer.Leaf eating larvae, including many moth caterpillars, also live on plants and both the larvae and the adults are good food for bats. The water itself also provides a food supply for bats, because the larvae of gnats, mosquitoes, mayflies and many other insects live in the water, emerging in their thousands as they become adults. Damp waterside soils are full of earthworms, which shrews and moles feed on. Fish, frogs and other creatures in the water provide food for the carnivorous otter and mink.

The muridae family.

Part four the house mouse.

Unlike other mice, the house mouse has a strong smell and greasy fur. It taints the places it lives in, which include houses, warehouses, hospitals and other public buildings. Mice also leave their black droppings and their urine wherever they have been, which carry diseases and parasites, they also cause damage by their gnawing. Although house mice only live for about eighteen months, and many die in their first winter, it is hard for humans to get rid of them. They breed so fast that in one summer the mice from one nest will have multiplied many times over. Females bear from five to ten litters in one year with each litter containing up to six young. The young will leave the nest after about three weeks, the females are then ready to breed after about another three weeks. House mice normally live within a couple of metres of their food supply, moving on when food is short. Mice have chisel like front teeth that grow all of the time,  they use to gnaw their way through wires. Many different kinds of stored foods will attract house mice, which is mostly active at night. Alert and nimble, it has prominent ears, big eyes and a pointed face. Its grey-brown coat is greasy and glistening and its tail long and scaly. The male is about seven inches in length including tail, with the female being slightly smaller.  They are widespread, mostly found around buildings but may also be found in hedgerows and on farmland. Males will fight to establish social dominance and a territory. Highly adaptable, house mice can live in all sorts of places. Some even thrive in frozen meat stores, developing longer fur to keep them warm. Where food is plentiful house mice may live in fields and hedgerows during the summer. But few will survive cold weather outdoors, most spend the winter in buildings.