Showing posts with label red deer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label red deer. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
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.
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Red deer cull.
Part two.
Red deer's are monitored across the highlands by Scottish natural heritage. Red deer are normally in herds of between forty and sixty. This is then looked at to see what effect the deer have on the landscape. Because of these herds, the treeless landscapes are under stress as a result. On the lower slopes of the highlands, their are dying remnants of the old caledonian forest. For many years , the older trees have not been able to establish a younger crop below them. This is because the young pine sapling are being eaten by the red deer, they are a great food source for the red deer. Some of the highland estates have put in a management programme to protect the saplings, reducing the impact the red deer has on the saplings. In some areas, woodland is much more dense, there are so many more trees. Most importantly there is clear evidence of the young trees coming up through the vegetation. From a great height its easy to see that high numbers of red deer result in grazed and barren moors. Where there are low numbers of deer, rare caledonian pines are making a come back.
Red deer's are monitored across the highlands by Scottish natural heritage. Red deer are normally in herds of between forty and sixty. This is then looked at to see what effect the deer have on the landscape. Because of these herds, the treeless landscapes are under stress as a result. On the lower slopes of the highlands, their are dying remnants of the old caledonian forest. For many years , the older trees have not been able to establish a younger crop below them. This is because the young pine sapling are being eaten by the red deer, they are a great food source for the red deer. Some of the highland estates have put in a management programme to protect the saplings, reducing the impact the red deer has on the saplings. In some areas, woodland is much more dense, there are so many more trees. Most importantly there is clear evidence of the young trees coming up through the vegetation. From a great height its easy to see that high numbers of red deer result in grazed and barren moors. Where there are low numbers of deer, rare caledonian pines are making a come back.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Red deer cull.
Part one.
The caleodian forest is a lovely mix of pine, heather and all of the animals associated with it. But as beautiful as this is, something is out of balance. One animal is having a huge impact on all of the other species. The red deer. The cull is one of the most contreversal conservation issues in Britain today. Without natural predstors like wolves and bears , we humans eradicated both, deer numbers have increased dramatically in the highlands over over the last hundred years. They belong in the highlands just as much as any other animal, but humans have created an eco-system with no natural method of controlling them. Some people believe red deer population is so out of balance that it needs culling. Its an uncomfortable situation for most of us, but its a reality of whats happening in the highlands. The forestry comission of Scotland work hard to keep the deer numbers low. They believe that the red deer numbers are to high. One problem is they eat all of the heather, right down to the moss. The heather is essentail for all of the red grouse, but grazed heather is just the tip of an ecological iceberg. The caledonian forest struggles to regenerate because the deer eat all of the young saplings, its literally dieing out along with the species that live within it. This is what motivates the forestry comission to cull the deer, to help keep a fine balance within the eco-system. But the actual deer stalking is tough , sometimes it can take upto five hours to find a deer. A deer can smell a human upto one mile away if the wind is behind the humans, so blowing their scent towards the deer. The final part is to crawl amongst the heather to get close to his quarry. When the gun comes out of the bag it would really challenge me, but i know its essential for consevation. This is a a key part of a very difficult debate.
The caleodian forest is a lovely mix of pine, heather and all of the animals associated with it. But as beautiful as this is, something is out of balance. One animal is having a huge impact on all of the other species. The red deer. The cull is one of the most contreversal conservation issues in Britain today. Without natural predstors like wolves and bears , we humans eradicated both, deer numbers have increased dramatically in the highlands over over the last hundred years. They belong in the highlands just as much as any other animal, but humans have created an eco-system with no natural method of controlling them. Some people believe red deer population is so out of balance that it needs culling. Its an uncomfortable situation for most of us, but its a reality of whats happening in the highlands. The forestry comission of Scotland work hard to keep the deer numbers low. They believe that the red deer numbers are to high. One problem is they eat all of the heather, right down to the moss. The heather is essentail for all of the red grouse, but grazed heather is just the tip of an ecological iceberg. The caledonian forest struggles to regenerate because the deer eat all of the young saplings, its literally dieing out along with the species that live within it. This is what motivates the forestry comission to cull the deer, to help keep a fine balance within the eco-system. But the actual deer stalking is tough , sometimes it can take upto five hours to find a deer. A deer can smell a human upto one mile away if the wind is behind the humans, so blowing their scent towards the deer. The final part is to crawl amongst the heather to get close to his quarry. When the gun comes out of the bag it would really challenge me, but i know its essential for consevation. This is a a key part of a very difficult debate.
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Habitats.
Part fourteen mammals of the mountain sides.
Britain`s mountains are not very high-only one, Ben Nevis is, above 4,000 ft (1,200m)- but they are bleak places for warm blooded creatures to live, especially in winter. For roughly every 500ft (150m) of height above sea level, it gets almost two degrees colder. Rain and mist as well as stronger winds also add to the chill. Trees rarely grow on high, windswept uplands, so there is little shelter. Consequently, few mammals live on the exposed high ground. Although they forage on the heights in summer, red deer and, to a lesser degree, mountain hares move to lower ground for the winter. Small mammals, such as field voles that live amid the upland grass, do not make long migrations. Although they lose a lot of body heat because they have a large surface area of skin in relation to their bulk, they can find shelter in burrows or among thickets of heather or bilberry. Despite the cold, small spiders and insects are surprisingly numerous amid upland vegetation, and provide food for pygmy shrews. Stoats thrive on field voles but will also take meadow pipits and other upland birds. Crows and foxes search the mountain- sides for carrion such as dead hares and sheep. Small herds of feral goats may be seen in a few mountainous areas. They vary widely in colour, ranging from white to piebald, skewbald, dark brown or black. Young goats are not likely to be seen before April. In their winter pelage, mountain hares look like snow against the dark heather. They show up only when they move. On upland slopes they take the place of rabbits and brown hares. Many upland areas now have commercial plantations of dense conifers(some wildlife trusts are now taking some of these out). They rob mountain hares of their living space, but may provide homes for pine martins. Red deer move down the valley during winter, returning in spring. Stoats have great camouflage in winter because of their winter pelage. It also helps to preserve body heat, because white fur radiates less than dark fur. Where there are meadow pipits there may also be pygmy shrews. Both feed on tiny insects among the stones and heather. Pygmy shrews remain well hidden but nay be heard squeaking.
Britain`s mountains are not very high-only one, Ben Nevis is, above 4,000 ft (1,200m)- but they are bleak places for warm blooded creatures to live, especially in winter. For roughly every 500ft (150m) of height above sea level, it gets almost two degrees colder. Rain and mist as well as stronger winds also add to the chill. Trees rarely grow on high, windswept uplands, so there is little shelter. Consequently, few mammals live on the exposed high ground. Although they forage on the heights in summer, red deer and, to a lesser degree, mountain hares move to lower ground for the winter. Small mammals, such as field voles that live amid the upland grass, do not make long migrations. Although they lose a lot of body heat because they have a large surface area of skin in relation to their bulk, they can find shelter in burrows or among thickets of heather or bilberry. Despite the cold, small spiders and insects are surprisingly numerous amid upland vegetation, and provide food for pygmy shrews. Stoats thrive on field voles but will also take meadow pipits and other upland birds. Crows and foxes search the mountain- sides for carrion such as dead hares and sheep. Small herds of feral goats may be seen in a few mountainous areas. They vary widely in colour, ranging from white to piebald, skewbald, dark brown or black. Young goats are not likely to be seen before April. In their winter pelage, mountain hares look like snow against the dark heather. They show up only when they move. On upland slopes they take the place of rabbits and brown hares. Many upland areas now have commercial plantations of dense conifers(some wildlife trusts are now taking some of these out). They rob mountain hares of their living space, but may provide homes for pine martins. Red deer move down the valley during winter, returning in spring. Stoats have great camouflage in winter because of their winter pelage. It also helps to preserve body heat, because white fur radiates less than dark fur. Where there are meadow pipits there may also be pygmy shrews. Both feed on tiny insects among the stones and heather. Pygmy shrews remain well hidden but nay be heard squeaking.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Habitats.
Part nine life in a natural pine forest.
Fragments on Britain`s primeval wilderness live on in Scotland, where they harbour a wealth of rare wildlife. Britain`s only large native conifer, the Scots pine, was once more exploited for its valuable timber, but now most forest tracts containing this survivor from prehistoric times are protected in nature reserves. They can be seen in such places as Glen Affric, which is west of Inverness, on Deeside and Speyside, they can also be found in the black wood of Rannoch. The pine forest protects, in turn, the elusive pine martin and the Scottish wildcat(i will be doing a separate blog about the Scottish wild cat in a later blog). The Scots pine also shelter the capercaillie. This amazing bird, with its fantastic mating call and ritual was once extinct in the British Isles. The crested tit also has a population, using hollows in some of the old trees to build their nest. There are also rare and unusual wild plants that flourish in the pine forests. These include chickweed wintergreen, common wintergreen, there are orchids such as the creeping lady`s tresses. Heather and bilberry`s are common throughout the pine forest. Bell heather grows in the driest areas, white cross-leaved heath, bog asphodel, grass of parnassus and the amazing bog myrtle and its beautiful fragrant are found in the damper areas. Its also an amazing place to come and watch Britain's largest land mammal, the red deer. Birds of prey such as the hen harrier also flourish in the pine forset. The osprey is also now well established on the forest lochs, where it can be seen hunting for fish. The Golden eagle is also well established amongst the pine forest. The remnants of the once-extensive Caledonian pine forests today form attractive, open woodlands which regenerate themselves freely and contain trees of various ages. The older trees have flattish tops and bare stems, whereas younger trees are narrow-crowned, with branches to the ground. Young pines spring up in the open woodland unless the heather and moss become very dense, then the pine seeds cannot reach the soil. There is another native conifer that has established itself in the pine forset, the much smaller juniper. The remoter areas of the pine forest provide cover and feeding ground for the three native (shy) animals, the red deer,the Scottish wildcat and the pine martin, although the latter can be lured out by jam sandwiches.
Fragments on Britain`s primeval wilderness live on in Scotland, where they harbour a wealth of rare wildlife. Britain`s only large native conifer, the Scots pine, was once more exploited for its valuable timber, but now most forest tracts containing this survivor from prehistoric times are protected in nature reserves. They can be seen in such places as Glen Affric, which is west of Inverness, on Deeside and Speyside, they can also be found in the black wood of Rannoch. The pine forest protects, in turn, the elusive pine martin and the Scottish wildcat(i will be doing a separate blog about the Scottish wild cat in a later blog). The Scots pine also shelter the capercaillie. This amazing bird, with its fantastic mating call and ritual was once extinct in the British Isles. The crested tit also has a population, using hollows in some of the old trees to build their nest. There are also rare and unusual wild plants that flourish in the pine forests. These include chickweed wintergreen, common wintergreen, there are orchids such as the creeping lady`s tresses. Heather and bilberry`s are common throughout the pine forest. Bell heather grows in the driest areas, white cross-leaved heath, bog asphodel, grass of parnassus and the amazing bog myrtle and its beautiful fragrant are found in the damper areas. Its also an amazing place to come and watch Britain's largest land mammal, the red deer. Birds of prey such as the hen harrier also flourish in the pine forset. The osprey is also now well established on the forest lochs, where it can be seen hunting for fish. The Golden eagle is also well established amongst the pine forest. The remnants of the once-extensive Caledonian pine forests today form attractive, open woodlands which regenerate themselves freely and contain trees of various ages. The older trees have flattish tops and bare stems, whereas younger trees are narrow-crowned, with branches to the ground. Young pines spring up in the open woodland unless the heather and moss become very dense, then the pine seeds cannot reach the soil. There is another native conifer that has established itself in the pine forset, the much smaller juniper. The remoter areas of the pine forest provide cover and feeding ground for the three native (shy) animals, the red deer,the Scottish wildcat and the pine martin, although the latter can be lured out by jam sandwiches.
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
The cervidae family.
Part one the red deer.
Red deer`s are Britain's largest land mammal, with the male measuring up to one point two meters at their shoulders. Females measure up to one meter. Red deer`s have hollow hairs, which is important for insulation when they move into the season of winter. They mainly live in grassland, woodland or moors. They will be seen and heard coming down from hillsides during the rutting season.The males make a long barking noise, especially during the rut when they are calling out. They are warning off other males and they are also declaring that this is their territory. Males are called stags and females are called hinds, their young are called fawns. The males rut during October and November, the dominant male will try and hold on to a harem. As the females come into season for a very short period the dominant male will try to mate with as many as he can. But their will be competition from other males. Other red deer males will try and take the high ground so they can become the dominant males and mate with all of the hinds. The hinds will normally stay in a group eating lots of grass. The males will fight together in tremendous battles that will sometimes end in death for one of the males involved. Their will also be lots of parallel walking and thrashing about in all of the grass. The red deer will mark his territory by urinating at certain points of his harem. Only the males have antlers, which are cast every year. This normally happens in winter or early spring, the new antlers start growing again in late spring or early summer. Antlers are made of bone and have a soft covering called velvet which helps to protect the antlers in spring. The points on the antlers are known as tines, these stay the same after the first year. Red deers are ruminants, which means they have a even number of toes. The red deer has a four chambered stomach. Males red deers will weigh up to two hundred and twenty five kilograms. After the rut, the deer will eat as much grass as possible to prepare them for the long winter ahead. The stags don`t eat during the rut, so it is vital for them to gain as many pounds as possible afterwards. The fawns are born singly in late May or early June. The native red deer takes its name from its lovely shining red summer coat,which will go duller and thicker during the winter. The red deer has a short tale, which is normally held close to its buff coloured rump. They feed on heather,grass and lichens and may live for up to fifteen years in the wild.
Red deer`s are Britain's largest land mammal, with the male measuring up to one point two meters at their shoulders. Females measure up to one meter. Red deer`s have hollow hairs, which is important for insulation when they move into the season of winter. They mainly live in grassland, woodland or moors. They will be seen and heard coming down from hillsides during the rutting season.The males make a long barking noise, especially during the rut when they are calling out. They are warning off other males and they are also declaring that this is their territory. Males are called stags and females are called hinds, their young are called fawns. The males rut during October and November, the dominant male will try and hold on to a harem. As the females come into season for a very short period the dominant male will try to mate with as many as he can. But their will be competition from other males. Other red deer males will try and take the high ground so they can become the dominant males and mate with all of the hinds. The hinds will normally stay in a group eating lots of grass. The males will fight together in tremendous battles that will sometimes end in death for one of the males involved. Their will also be lots of parallel walking and thrashing about in all of the grass. The red deer will mark his territory by urinating at certain points of his harem. Only the males have antlers, which are cast every year. This normally happens in winter or early spring, the new antlers start growing again in late spring or early summer. Antlers are made of bone and have a soft covering called velvet which helps to protect the antlers in spring. The points on the antlers are known as tines, these stay the same after the first year. Red deers are ruminants, which means they have a even number of toes. The red deer has a four chambered stomach. Males red deers will weigh up to two hundred and twenty five kilograms. After the rut, the deer will eat as much grass as possible to prepare them for the long winter ahead. The stags don`t eat during the rut, so it is vital for them to gain as many pounds as possible afterwards. The fawns are born singly in late May or early June. The native red deer takes its name from its lovely shining red summer coat,which will go duller and thicker during the winter. The red deer has a short tale, which is normally held close to its buff coloured rump. They feed on heather,grass and lichens and may live for up to fifteen years in the wild.
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Things to look out for in November.
The weather is now becoming much more Autumnal, The winds are becoming stronger, with all of the leaves that all have fallen to the ground blowing around. Most of the leaves from the deciduous trees have now fallen. Red wings and fieldfares have now made the long journey from Scandinavia to winter in Britain. They will be seen amongst hawthorn and apple trees, Finding the remaining hawthorn berries and apples. Their have been quite a few mentions of waxwings around Worcestershire. This bird is also a migrant that Winters in Britain. The fallow,sika and red deer will be finishing their rut by now. After the ruts the males, who don`t eat during the rut will feed well getting ready for the onset of winter. The females will also stay together during winter. The females will give birth during may or June of the following year. Chaffiinches and pied wagtails,linnets,bramblings and greenfinches may be seen in mixed flock species( i will be talking about this in a later blog). They are searching for food, which could be any leftover seeds that are still in the hedgerow or even any late surviving nuts that may still be on the ground. Blue,coal and great tits will be seen on the feeders as they themselves are eating well,getting ready for the cold months ahead as well. Seven spotted ladybirds will be attempting to enter our houses as they seek somewhere to hibernate over winter. Late migrant red admirals and comma`s may still be seen amongst the ivy along with queen bumble bees, as long as we havn`t really had a cold snap yet. Wood mice,yellow-necked mice, bank and field voles will still be searching for hazel nuts to eat amongst the leaf litter. Protein rich hazel nuts are important food for a variety of creatures. You can tell what animals have been around by examining the empty shells. A woodmouse will leave a round hole on the side of the hazelnut, with marks of their upper teeth evident. A bank vole will leave a round hole on the top of the hazelnut, with a clearly delineated gnawed edge. A hazel dormouse will leave a round hole on the side of the hazelnut, unlike the woodmouse the edges will be smooth. Hedgehogs will be getting ready to hibernate during November. They use a process called gluco neogenisis to enable them to hibernate, I will be talking about this as well during a later blog. The hedgehogs along with the common dormice and our seventeen species of bats are the only British mammals that hibernate. With the onset of winter food can run short for certain species, so they face the simple choice to move with the food or hibernate and these three species choose to hibernate. Starlings may be seen in large roosts during November, We are not quite sure why they roost in such large numbers, possibilities include safety in numbers, increasing their foraging efficiency or simply for warmth. Its a wonderful sight as they fly around, moving all the time like a shoal of fish in the air then suddenly all descending onto the ground.
Friday, 13 August 2010
Things to look our for in august
A slow worm
Roe deer`s are very territorial in the summer and rut during August, They are not as aggressive as the red and fallow deer ruts. The two male (bucks) roe deers do not normally fight they just normally walk around in circles which are called roe rings. They then win the right to mate with the female (doe) who will decide when they mate. The kids are born in June because the does have delayed implantation of the embryo which i will talk about in a later blog. Grass snakes and slow worms have their young during august, The grass snakes hatch out of their eggs and slow worms break out of the membrane that they are born in. Rough grass lands,heath and woodlands are some of the places they may be seen. Look at the oak trees you will see a second growth of the year. New fresh stems and leaves at the tips of the branches. These are known as the lammas growth. They are called the lammas growth because it ties in with the pagan festival of lammas. By the end of August toads will be heading back to their hibernation sites. These sites could be as close as the rockery in the back of your garden. August is a great time of the year to look out for cinnabar moths.Their caterpillar's have been enjoying life on common ragwort but now its time for the adult`s to take over. They may be seen in meadows and espeicially on knapweed. Crickets and grass hoppers can be seen and heard during August. Grass hoppers have short antennae and crickets have long atennae. The common green grass hopper can be heard during August if you have a keen ear.(all the crickets and grasshoppers have different calls) The common green grasshopper is smaller and greener than common field grass hopper and can be found in grassy areas throughout Britain. Rowan berries ripen this month and their distinctive red colouration brightens up our countryside and tells us all that Autumn is around the corner. Longhorn beetles, Woodmice, Bumble bees, Common wasps and speckled wood butterflies enjoy the splender of blackberries that are amongst our hedgerows during August. When you go out blackberry picking remember to leave some for our friends in the hedgerows. Willow herb flowers are full of lovely colours this month along with may weeds. Listen out for shrews while taking a stroll in the country side, Shrews have a high pitched squeak and they can often be heard as they run through the tunnels in the long grass searching for earthworms and invertbrates. Because shrews have to find almost their own bodyweight in food everyday to survive they are always on the move looking for prey to eat. Look out for brimstone butterflies as they look for food on sunny days before they get ready to hibernate. The brimstone butterfly is the only member of the white (pierinae) family to hibernate, All the other member which also includes the yellows (coliadinae) and a sub-family (dismorphiinae) of which the wood white is the only British member hibernate as chrsalises. House martins and swallows may be having late broods this year as they were quite late arriving. They will be fine though, They will start migrating along with swifts during late September and early October.
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| A muntjac deer. |
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