Ducks in the sink

The mallards who this summer are spending a lot of time sleeping on our back lawn have started waddling up to the sink outside our back door and feeding from it. I guess it provides a concentrated source of duckweed, or at least did until they ate most of it. It is comical to see them waddling single file and then getting in each others' way as they try and access the weed in the sink which can only accommodate one duck actually in it at a time. The picture is distorted as it was taken through old glass.

Wild Flowers

I find that flower identification is a lot easier than fungi or even insects. At least you can hold the speciment in your hands and measure stuff and get the hand lens on the smaller bits. Today I was identifying a flower from the daisy family I didn't recognise, though it turned out to be a very common flower - Yarrow (also known as Milfoil). I was also sorting out which of the Mayweeds/Chamomiles I had growing in the field and I established that both Scentless Mayweed and Scented Mayweed are present. I find the 'Wild Flowers' book by Blamey, Fitter and Fitter invaluable in the final diagnosis. However I also use Phillips which gives photographs arranged chronologically based on flowering time, and Keble Martin which groups flowers by colour and form useful to get an initial lead. The pictured flower is Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).

The family unit in Moorhens

It is interesting to see the different ways that the two waterbird species we have, moorhens and mallards, operate in raising their young. With mallards it is 100% down to the mother who has to raise up to maybe fifteen ducklings all on her own. With moorhens both adults are involved in raising typically two to four chicks - but it is not just the adults - the juveniles from a previous brood are also on duty. We have had two moorhen pairs this year and both are on their second brood. You often see a juvenile either looking after a chick on their own or accompanying one of the adults with a chick. The picture shows a juvenile on duty with a chick. Like teenagers everywhere they are not always as reliable a babysitter as an adult sometimes heading off when disturbed leaving the chick paddling frantically to catch up.

Fungi

Large numbers of fungi have appeared in the lawn following the recent wet weather. I usually struggle with fungi identification but I am pretty sure the fungi appearing in their hundreds are panaeolus sp - possibly panaeolus fimicola - a common species found in lawns.

Ladybirds

Mixed news as regards ladybirds so far this year. There seem to be quite a few but they seem to be largely 7-spot (pictured) with some 2-spot. I haven't yet seen other types. On the positive front I haven't seen any of the invasive asian Harlequin ladybirds recently.

Chicks and Ducklings update

The moorhens have not been prolific in the spring and early summer with apparently only three juveniles raised successfully so far but two days ago that changed with six new moorhen chicks spotted. Although they look the same age there appear to be two broods - one of four and one of two. I spotted them when I saw an adult moorhen chasing one of the juveniles to the extent that it escaped underwater. I was wondering why when I saw the newly hatched chicks. The picture is one of the new moorhen arrivals.

The mallards have also had a restrained season - the numbers, behaviours and outcomes seem to vary wildly each year. This season we had a nest destroyed early on by a fox and then two broods of ducklings hatched in late April/early May with around 22 ducklings in total. Of these one brood seemed to be reduced to just two ducklings when we were on holiday in April but they have continued to live and feed on the moat albeit the mother has been (understandably) cautious and protective of the two remaining ducklings. The ducklings were very obedient and kept close to her but they are nearly full grown now. A second group of five ducklings plus mother has also been spending a lot of time here but whether they are the remains of the second brood I cannot be certain. They are again pretty much grown and I have not seen them as a group much of six much in the last couple of weeks. A variable group of between five and ten almost-grown mallards are now spending time most days sleeping on the lawn but whether this is one brood or just a group of 'teenagers' hanging out - again I am not sure.

Butterfly update

After a period when there hasn't seemed to be many butterflies around, the hot weather has brought them out. Lots and lots of Meadow Browns (pictured) and plenty of Tortoiseshells, Large Whites and Commas as well as the occasional Red Admiral and Speckled Wood.

Heron at close quarters

I don't know who was more surprised but I disturbed a heron actually in the moat and it flew up almost brushing my face with its wings. This is the first time I have seen a heron in the moat and comes just two weeks after I saw one on the ground for the first time. The size of this bird close up is stunning. Its presence may be related to the appearance of hundreds of fish in the moat - I had not seen any fish in the moat before this year. I am assuming they are minnows but I haven't netted one yet to check.

New species - Broad-bodied chaser

The dragonflies I typically see here such as Southern Hawkers and Common Darters have been scarce over the last couple of years so it was great to have a new species hunting over the water yesterday. The picture is of the brightly coloured male.