Tuesday, 7 June 2016

Tree Following for May and early June 2016 AND #gbb16

Welcome to my Tree Following post for May and early June 2016.

These tree posts form part of a wider project initiated by Lucy Corrander from the Loose and Leafy blog and continued by Pat at The Squirrelbasket.

I am based in Suffolk, UK, where I have been keeping an eye on a Silver birch, B. pendula. I really enjoy following the Silver Birch B. Pendula and have added in a small Cherry sapling, Prunus avium Sylvia, for my second tree.

You will find the other Tree Follower links by clicking the Mr Linky button here ... so do take the chance to have a look at the new posts!

A (one-off) Change ...

I took part in the Garden BioBlitz 2106 - #gbb16, as a result of hearing about it on BBC Springwatch, and since the area covered by my two trees pretty much spans my garden, I thought I would post the results as part of my Tree Following endeavours for this month.

But first, let's take a look at my two trees, the small Cherry ...

The flowers have gone ... and some weeding is required!

... and the Silver Birch ...

In full glory ...

... with lots of leaves and catkins

#gbb16

I recorded my BioBlitz sightings over the stipulated 24 hour period, though I was in and out during that time. It was a shame that there didn't seem to be a huge amount of avian or insect life about (when I was in the garden), but I'm pleased with the things I managed to see. I looked hard for a Ladybird, but failed to find one.

So here is my 2016 list (and apologies for the strange font sizes: I have tried to standardise these but my html coding ability is extremely limited) ... I am indebted to the folk who use iSpot for a number of the IDs.

Fungus

Puccinia urticata

Plants

Bramble
Daisy
Dandelion
Common Nettle
White Bryony

Birds (disappointing)

Blue tits (3)
Wood pigeons (4)
Goldfinch (1)
Robin (1)
Dunnock (2)
Great spotted Woodpecker, female (1)

Invertebrates

Chrysis fulgida Shimmering Ruby-tailed wasp
Nola confusalis Least Black Arches moth
Cranefly
Zebra Spider
Clytus arietis Wasp Beetle
Cepaea (Cepaea) nemoralis Brown-lipped snail
Bombus hypnorum Tree Bumblebee
Arion (Carinarion) fasciatus Slug

I find these Ruby-tailed wasps quite fascinating!

Wasp Beetle, who mimics a wasp

#gbb16

MY PREVIOUS TREE FOLLOWING POSTS

Saturday, 4 June 2016

Framlingham Mere, Suffolk Wildlife Trust

We joined the Suffolk Wildlife Trust some months ago and recieved a glossy book of the reserves in their care. One photograph showed Framlingham Mere, so we set off to explore.

After days of bitterly cold, windy, and at times very wet weather, it was a joy to feel some heat and to see the sun lighting up a meadow full of buttercups and shining its rays through the petals of wild poppies.

The reserve with SWT mere in foreground and English Heritage castle behind

The first songster was a Chaffinch

The trail was well-marked with these signs

It was lovely to see an English meadow with buttercups

castle - and church in the village

Quintessential summer scene ...

... and another

The willows were alive with the sound ... of warbling

I think these may be Leaf Beetles and their eggs ...

Galerucella sagittariae

Perhaps a Snipe Fly, but not sure ... (one for iSpot?)

A rather bedraggled Peacock butterfly

Just one duckling (left?) ...

... but so cute!

The duckling led the way and the female Mallard followed

Lovely to see Damselflies

Blue, beautiful blue ...

Mating time for Damselflies

A blue butterfly perched in the mud ...

I think it was a Holly Blue.

We reached the impressive walls of Framlingham Castle in which, according to the plaque ...

Given these royal connections, it is not surprising perhaps to see that a new book of poetry and prose from Framlingham is being launched for the Queen's 90th Birthday.

I am attempting to collect data for the Garden Bioblitz (as advertised on BBC Springwatch), which is why my captions in this post are rather brief. There is still just time (as of 22.15 on 4 June 2016, UK) for you to join in the Bioblitz, too!