Wild and Wonderful: October 2014

Tree Following ~ The Silver Birch in October

This post is the seventh in my Tree Following series, part of a wider project run by Lucy Corrander from the Loose and Leafy blog. I am following a Silver Birch, B. pendula, in Suffolk, UK. You will find the other Tree Follower links on the Loose and Leafy blog ... so do take the chance to go on a virtual exploration of the arboreal world!

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, let's begin with a couple of diary entries ...

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Diary

Sunday 21 September
Noon
Weather: fair

David had seen a Jay TFb13 in the garden some days before, and this time it was my turn to watch the bird pecking around in the sandy soil for caches of acorns. We have had a Jay in the garden in previous years, but these two sightings constituted the first visits for 2014, as far as we are aware. I expect the underground acorn store in which fresh supplies could be deposited for the winter was the attraction, but since the bird was very close to the Silver Birch, it seems right to record its presence in this post.

Jay in garden a year ago

Wednesday 25 September
Mid-morning
Weather: fair after a cold start

A flicker of silver caught my attention as a Grey Squirrel tail disappeared in the foliage, only to re-emerge moments later. I have not seen a Grey Squirrel TFm4 in the garden for quite a while. The creature perched on the trellis, looking towards the coconut feeders that dangle from the Silver Birch. I waited but the Squirrel headed off towards the Local Nature Reserve. I am wondering if it was sniffing out a previous subterranean acorn stash that needed replenishing before the winter.
Postscript: the Grey Squirrel re-emerged on the trellis a couple of days later, but has not been spotted since.

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General round-up

I had anticipated a major change this month, and while it's true that the Silver Birch has been shedding more leaves, it is far from bare. In fact, there are still patches that are still full of green leaves.

There are other patches in which gold predominates.

Strangely the 'other Birch', just the width of the house away, is looking far more autumnal. The ground below is a carpet of leaves and the foliage is lacking the green sheen of its near neighbour.

Below the 'other' birch, Swedish Birch, B. pendula 'Darlecarlica'

The two birches are not identical specimens since my birch is Silver Birch, B. Pendula and the other is B. pendula 'Darlecarlica', but I wonder whether this is the only factor causing the different leaf-shedding rates.

New Sightings

I have been particularly interested in two new sightings. One involved a shield bug and the other a woodpecker. We were watching the Great Spotted Woodpecker, no longer such a juvenile, as he (the red patch on the back of the head makes me think it is a male) flitted cautiously from the decking to the coconut.

He pecked away for a few seconds before flying off towards the local nature reserve. No sooner had he departed than a new arrival swept in. It was a Green Woodpecker TFb14, and a 'first sighting' for our garden. The green bird pecked away in the grass, presumably devouring grubs or ants. What a thrill!

Note eyelid: is this its nictitating membrane ... and if so, why is it showing at this point?

The second newcomer was a strange reddish Shield Bug. I have yet to get a definite ID, but I suspect it may be a late instar Birch Shield Bug TFi24. If my hunch is correct, there are no prizes for guessing why it might have arrived in our garden. I have to say, though, that it looks more (though not exactly) like the Red Shield Bug. My jury on this one is still out.