Winter Waterfowl, Siddick Ponds Nature Reserve

 

We haven't been to a nature reserve for a few weeks so let's head out to Siddick Ponds, a local nature reserve, just to the north of Workington. Apart from the waterfowl, I'm sure we'll find some interesting plants and fungi and maybe even the odd creepy-crawly, if we're lucky.

We'll walk over to the ponds from the village of Seaton because there's a lovely walk, bounded by hedgerow, along the course of the old Cleator and Workington Junction Railway which carried coal and iron as well as limestone back in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. The times, they are a-changing and the coal mines are now closed with our power needs increasingly being provided by the wind turbines you can see over there. There are plenty of small birds about, particularly blue tits, sparrows and the ever present robin and plenty of hips and haws, providing winter nourishment. This big, red hip, I believe, is what is commonly known as a beach tomato although it is actually a rose hip and it looks to be Rosa rugosa, a particularly salt-spray tolerant rose, brought over from Japan in 1796 and now considereed an invasive species of northern European coasts. Talking of invasive species, I see that Jack the Navigator Hound has managed to sneak into shot again. This blog is getting a definite 'Where's Wally?' feel to it.

Here we are at the ponds, which incidentally, were created when the railway embankment was built up, and we have a fair few birds to look at. Out in the middle we have some Merganser and Wigeon; closer to the path (looking for humans with food) we have Mallards and Mute Swans; no less than four grey heron, dotted around the margins; and out on its own, taking social distancing to extremes, a Whooper Swan. These fly in for the winter, mainly from Iceland, so I'm told and are recognisable by their beaks which start yellow and then change their mind half way and decide to be black for the business end. The Bewick's Swan is similar but has more black on its bill and overall is a smaller swan with a more rounded head.

Aha! I see we have more mushrooms under this tree. They look to be Oyster Mushrooms of some kind (see Into The Woods Of Portinscale). The lab is nearly ready back in the Old Cornmill so we'll soon be able to take specimens and identify our fungi with a grgeater degree of certainty. I'm particularly keen to find some oyster mushrooms within walking distance of the mill as, apart from being rather tasty, they contain lovastatin which reduces LDL cholesterol (although how many oyster mushrooms you have to eat to get an effective dose is another matter all together!).

We've found birds, plants and fungi but alas no insects or their friends. However, I did have a visitor to the mill the other night in the shape of this Mottled Umber Moth, Erannis defoliaria which came to the kitchen window. A quick tip for photographing moths and other insects on windows: go round the other side and prop a bit of cardboard behind it. It helps the camera decide where to focus. The river is still behaving itself but beginning to rise as we've had a fair bit of rain on the fells over the past couple of days. No flood warnings as yet though.

All that remains is for me to wish you all a Super Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or whatever else you may be celebrating at this time of year, however limited those celebrations may be.

See you all in January,

Steve

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.	The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world.	Not Just For Twisted Women A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

*********************************************************************

LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog).

Explore eastern Crete with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Wonderful Whinlatter

 

Bassenthwaite Lake from Whinlatter Forest

At the end of the First World War England had a timber shortage. To combat this, the government embarked (no pun intended) on a program of tree planting. Now, a little over one hundred years later, we have the wonderful Whinlatter Forest, England’s only true mountain forest. There are miles of well marked walking tracks, magnificent views, adventure areas for children and wicked mountain biking routes. This is where we’re off to today.

Robin, Erithacus rubecula  and Treecreeper, Certhia familiaris 

Somewhat inevitably, we have a Robin accompanying us on our walk (I think that our intrepid local guide secretly brings one with her). We also have some Treecreepers, making their way, stealthily up the trunks of the trees in search of insects. If you see a bird going up a tree, like this, then it’s probably a Treecreeper. If you see one coming down head first then it’s probably a Nuthatch.

Whinlatter is all about trees and, at this time of year, they do a roaring trade in Christmas trees. In fact, there are so many people wandering about with a section of forest under their arms, that it’s a wonder that there is any left to walk in. There’s a choice of Fir, Pine or Spruce and a handy guide as to the advantages and disadvantages of each type. For instance; Spruce is the traditional one that smells of the Christmases of childhood. It is also the one that has you picking needles out of the carpet at Easter. Pine and Fir keep their needles better and Fir has well spaced branches, ideal for decorating. Pine is a much bushier tree and has an invigorating aroma. So you pays your penny and you takes your pick. Slightly more pennies for Pine and Fir, than for Spruce.

Some of the trees have fungi growing on them. These, with their delicate, conical caps and slender stems are Bonnets, of the Mycena genus. There are over 500 of these worldwide, and telling one from another usually requires a microscope. Some are edible, some are poisonous and most aren’t worth bothering about from a culinary viewpoint. Some of them even glow in the dark. I see that Jack the navigator hound has photobombed the picture again. I wonder if we can retrain him as a truffle hound? 

News from the Corn Mill

River Derwent at Cockermouth

One of the many beauties of living here is that it’s only a ten minute walk to the middle of town, and most of that is alongside the River Derwent through the Memorial Gardens. As you can see, the river has been behaving itself very well for the past week. Hopefully it will keep doing so for the next month as the flood barrier for the front door won’t be here until next month. Must go now as the dining table and chairs have just arrived. So, until next time,

Stay happy and stay safe,

Steve

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete). Too new for reviews yet!
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.

See sample pages of all my books and latest blogs, and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

*********************************************************************

LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora Flowers of Crete BIRDS OF CRETE Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)

The Self Decorating Christmas Trees of Pica

 

We’re off to a couple of large ponds to see if we can find some waterfowl today. These are on the outskirts of the village of Pica, and judging by the terrain, I would guess that they are old slate quarries. Of course, the bird I’d really like to photograph here is not a water bird but a magpie. This is purely because its scientific name is Pica pica and it would amuse me to have a pic of a Pica pica from Pica. (I’m easily amused). What we do have is a number of Spruce trees, who’s scientific name is Picea, which is close enough. This one looks just about the right size Christmas tree for my front room. Better not. Tempting, though.

Some of the trees even come ready decorated. This bright, natural tinsel is Oak Moss. Now, provided you haven’t got sensitive skin, rub a bit between your fingers and take a niff. This is growing on a conifer, so there’s quite a turpentine overtone. If you find it growing on oak, it’s more woody. For many years, oak moss has been used by the perfume industry to provide the base notes. It’s being phased out now and being replaced with a chemical substitute, because of the skin sensitization issue. 

The keen eyed amongst you may have noticed a small dog in the background. That’s Jack, the navigator hound who comes as a package with our intrepid local guide.

Sometimes, when you’re wandering about the countryside, you come across something that defies explanation. Like this little figure, sat on a plastic toadstool in the middle of nowhere. He does lead us on to the subject of fungi and, if you’ve been following the blog, you’ll recognise the mushroom in the top right hand picture as a member of the Agaricales, the gilled mushrooms. 

I’m going to upset you now by telling you that not all mushrooms with gills are gilled mushrooms. The great majority of them are but some, like the Russalales, have also developed gills through a process known as convergent evolution. Spotting these is just a matter of practice. You can tell a lot about a mushroom by the way the gills meet the stem. There are eight different ways which are neatly illustrated, here on Wikipedia. These would appear to be ‘free’. Free, white gills are a bit of a warning sign as many of the poisonous species display this characteristic. The fungus at the bottom looks to be a member of the Pezizales, which includes such delicacies as morels and truffles, but requires further identification.

And so to the ponds, and our appearance has immediately put to flight a trio of ducks and a deceit of lapwings (another collective noun for your collection). Still on the water, we have a pair of Mute Swans, easily recognisable from other swans by the knob at the base of the beak, and a Goosander. These we talked about last week in Welcome To The Cornmill so I won’t repeat myself. Talking of The Old Cornmill, the new windows are being installed as I type, and with a bit of luck and a following wind, I shall be spending my first night here tonight.

Steve's Wild Kitchen

This, of course, means that we’ll be able to get out foraging again and putting together some more recipes for Steve's Wild Kitchen. I’ve made a bit of a start with these sloes from a nearby Buckthorn hedgerow. I doubt that the Sloe Gin will be ready for Christmas, but I’ll keep tasting it, nearer the time, in the cause of scientific research.

As the bedroom window is now in place I’d better go and make my bed – literally (it’s still in pieces at the moment). Now where did I hide the big screwdriver.

Until next time,

Be happy and be safe

Steve

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete). Too new for reviews yet!
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.

See sample pages of all my books and latest blogs, and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

*********************************************************************

LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora Flowers of Crete BIRDS OF CRETE Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)

Series 13 Welcome To The Old Corn Mill

 

To recap: having lived in Crete for the past 16 years, I have now decided to get the best of both worlds by dividing my time between Crete and the UK. This has meant buying a property over here, to whit, a portion of a 200 year old corn mill, in Cockermouth, Cumbria. This gives me the novelty of living close to my mother and one of my sisters. I’m not sure what Cockermouth has done to warrant us all descending upon it as, for the past forty years, we’ve lived as far apart from each other as possible. As a naturalist, I am as interested in what lies outside my front door as what lies inside. In this case it is the River Derwent. It usually lies outside, but in 2015 it came in through the front door, and in the ‘Great Flood’ of 2009, which put most of Cockermouth under water, it crept over the windowsills. For that reason we’ll be keeping a close eye on the river level. At the moment it is running at 1.479 metres, which is just about within its normal level.

Enough waffling, let’s go and explore our new playground. There is a stretch of woodland on our way up to the village of Papcastle with a helpful roadside sign instructing the red squirrels to slow down. This is good news for me as I’m not as quick with the camera as I used to be. No squirrels this morning but plenty of Christmasy Snowberries. This is a north American plant which was imported into the UK in the late 19C as an ornamental and has now become widely naturalized. The native Americans used it as both soap and soup, oddly enough seeing as it is mildly poisonous, but crushing the berries between your palms gives you an instant hand lotion.

Once into the village, which in Roman times rivalled Carlisle in size, there is a farm track down to the riverside pastures which is full of interesting stuff. Plenty of Ivy coming into flower, providing a good winter harvest for birds and insects alike. Particularly these tiny white flies this morning. I’m pretty sure that these are biting midges of the Ceratopogonidae family, as opposed to the non-biting midges of the Chironomidae family. You don’t have to stand around getting bitten (or not) to tell them apart; male non-biting midges have feathery antennae, male biting midges don’t.

Aha! A log pile. Let’s see who’s about. The big fellow (1) is a Roundback Slug of the Arionidae family. Very common slugs that are difficult to tell apart as their colouration is influenced by their diet. The smaller chap, sitting on his head, (2) is also a Roundback but part of a subgroup, known as the Fasciatus, which have a false keel running down the back. Sandwiched between the two (3) looks to be a larva of some kind, while up in the top right (4) is an Elongate-bodied Springtail of the Tomoceridae family. Although they have six legs, they are not insects but hexapods. To qualify as an insect you must have had two pairs of wings at some point in your ancestry. (There is a section on hexapods – springtails, coneheads and diplurans in The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies).

Here we are, down by the riverside and I spot a handy seat where we can sit and watch the river for a bit. Not much in flower at the moment, the odd bit of Yarrow but, thankfully, no Himalayan Balsam (see Urban Oasis). What we do have though, is a couple of Waxcap fungi which tell us something about the grass at our feet. This is a habitat known as Waxcap Grassland, which is declining throughout Europe due to modern agricultural practices. It is nutrient poor grazing land – sheep in the case of this one – which supports fungi biodiversity in general and waxcaps in particular. This Pink Waxcap, Porpolomopsis calyptriformis, which appears to have been well nibbled, is vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN red list, so that has to be our find of the day.

Unfortunately, the public footpath ends at somebody’s garden gate just along here which means that we can’t get into the woodlands beyond. I’ll have to get to know the neighbours! We have, on the opposite bank (where all birds live), a herd of Mallards, a herd being just one of many collective nouns for a group of ducks. Flock, team, paddling and raft being some of the others. But there is a stranger in the camp, the duck on the extreme right is not a Mallard but a Goosander, Mergus merganser, a sea duck that breeds in Scandinavia but comes down here for some Cumbrian warmth in the winter. They are piscivorous (fish eating) ducks and they will often work as a team, forming a semicircle around the fish and shepherding them into the shallows, where they are easier to catch.

So, that’s our first foray into our new hunting grounds and I’m sure we’ll find many more interesting things in these diverse habitats as the seasons turn.

Steve's Books

The Quick Guide to Creepy-Crawlies All you need to know to identify any type of insect, spider, worm or snail very simply and find out more about it. Yvonne: This was a gift for a family so that the children can understand what they see on days out. The second was for me. Logical and easy to use. If you know anyone who likes nature you can be confident that gifting this book will give years of pleasure.
The Eggs of Saramova A science fiction novella for those who don't like science fiction. A fast-paced thriller that is, literally, out of this world (and it starts right here in Crete). Too new for reviews yet!
Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Janet: If you are short on time but enjoy reading and are maybe not into long extended novels then Not Just For... Twisted Women provides readers with concise stories that stand alone and most certainly entertain with their ultimate twists. Loved it. Helen: A very good read! Well written and entertaining! Margaret: Each quick tale gives a glimpse into a character's life and has an often humorous twist at the end. I would love to read more. Yvonne: These days many people find it hard to find the time to read a novel, so this book of short stories is ideal to dip into. It is also makes a good gift.

See sample pages of all my books and latest blogs, and keep abreast of latest publications here: http://author.to/SteveDaniels

Crete Nature Catch-up
Series 1 - Welcome to Lasithi	Series 2 - The Rhythm Of Life	Series 3 - A Journey Begins
Series 4 - The Milonas Valley	Series 5 - This Is Ferma	Series 6 - Upland Villages
Series 7 - The Forty saints	Series 8 - Sunday Strolls	Series 9 -Stormy Weather

*********************************************************************

LINKS:

Share your nature thoughts, photos and comments on Naturalists (the facebook page that accompanies this blog)

Explore the region with the #CreteNature interactive Hiking and Nature Map

Cretan Flora Flowers of Crete BIRDS OF CRETE Crete Birding

Greek Butterflies and Moths Aquaworld Aquarium

Visit Greece (National Government Tourist Office)