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24/Feb/25 - Weeks 7-8 of 52
We're back! Everything has brightened up a little now, and spring is definitely rushing in now, with all the favourite introduced-but-not-particularly-invasive flowers starting to bloom - snowdrops are all out, crocuses are flowering, and daffodils are shooting quickly. Personally, I'm more into Elfcups as a sign of the changing seasons, early ladybirds emerging from diapause are in the running too.
As promised, some pretty solid trips out coming from the half-term break, finally got around to meeting my local Field Naturalist group, where I'm still a little pissed that I missed a Merlin!! Can't say I've seen many of those around here (or anywhere).
As a closing note, you'll notice I decided to merge these two weeks together, because yet again, the first time round I had almost nothing recorded. Not much point in spending half an hour writing out everything, just for like 2 or 3 really common garden species...
Notable Observations
Total Observations: 115
Most numerous species: Elf Cups (4 observations)
Individual Interesting Observations
Goldcrest (Regulus regulus)
Monday (Feb 17th)
Finally got another look at this one, after hearing it for so long! Last time I saw it was late December last year.
Golden Shield Lichen (Xanthoria parietina )
Wednesday (Feb 19th)
Starting to record a lot more lichens and fungi, so a good start! The most common species in the UK, but a very pretty one too up close.
7-Spot Ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
First of the year! Hopefully many more to come.
Foam Lichen (Stereocaulon sp.)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Very funky! Doesn't show well on photo though :(
Species level ID is likely, will update if I get one!
Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Lovely to see, funny how many I see them around lakes and reservoirs for coastal birds
Bark Beetle (Subfamily Scolytinae)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Some nice excavations revealed under the bark of this tree
Raven (Corvus corax)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Finally got one! Bit of a silhouette, but it was very distinctive in flight. They're certainly big anyway
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Would be surprised if I didn't see one of these, classic bird of prey
European Mole (Talpa europaea)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
SO many mole hills around at the moment! Just one small patch in one area.
Great Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Another woodland classic, this guy stuck around for a while
Redwing (Turdus iliacius)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
Not an uncommon winter sight, migrating from mainland Europe. However, they are endangered in the UK still, with only 13 breeding pairs!
Yellow Brain (Tremella mesenterica)
Thursday (Feb 20th)
And to close off this day, a fungus with a very fitting common name.
Bark Beetle (Subfamily Scolytinae)
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Another one, what a cool pattern! Looks almost like a giant, ancient, fossilised insect
Elf Cups (Sarcoscypha sp.)
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Unfortunately impossible to ID these to species level without microscopy, but there's hundreds out, seems like they're at a nationwide high
Frizzled Pincushion (Plenogemma phyllantha)
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Very frizzled, 10/10.
Jordanthrix nr. superba
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
2nd time seeing this species in this location, a recently introduced species, possibly quite scarce too!
Ruzenia spermoides
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Very funny looking fungi growing on a dead treestump, very tiny too
Orange Dimple Lichen (Coenogonium luteum)
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Not a very Lichen-y looking Lichen, but it is indeed!
European Holly Leafminer (Phytomyza ilicis)
Saturday (Feb 22nd)
Looks like a diseased fried egg covered in pepper, but it's actually the start of the leafmine of a fly larva! All the black spots are 'frass', or in other words, insect poop.
Breakdown
Goal Progress
All Spp. (154/1000) ▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱
Bird Spp. (46/100) ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱
Success! Hopefully more cool lichens and such to come hopefully, and insects seem to be on the way soon. To see all my observations for this blog's focus weeks logged on iNaturalist, click here.
To see all of my observations for the year to date, click here.
What did you see this week? Let me know in the comments!
Comments
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Erah Mar
A delight as always to get your updates! I'm so glad to see that the animals are really starting to move in your neighborhood, and that you're getting more to document.
I think the only notable thing I've seen recently was some cute chickadees. <3
Can't wait for the next installment!
Keep an eye out tonight!
by Jaiii; ; Report
picmiz
All those birds are lovely!
yessss 💚
by Jaiii; ; Report