Much-Birding-in-the-Marsh

 

When the wind is howling, fit to blow you off your feet, going out for a walk can be a bit daunting, even for the most enthusiastic of naturalists. Much better to pack a thermos of hot soup and head for one of your local bird hides.

[Tip: search 'bird hides near me' in Google Maps]

Which is where I'm taking you today. Campbell Marsh RSPB reserve, to be precise. Up on the Solway Firth. The first hide is open, facing the wind, and you can hardly prise the door open. Nothing much going on at the second, but third time lucky. We're out of the wind, and there are birds to be seen. A large flock of Widgeon, albeit a distant flock. However, we do have a Little Egret pottering about down here, and he's just been joined by a Grey Heron. Little Egrets are on the rebound in Britain. They used to be plentiful (in 1465, a banquet for the new Archbishop of York reputedly included a thousand of them). They were then slaughtered in their millions in Victorrian times, to provide feathers for women's hats, which is one of the main reasons that the RSPB came into being, and finally, they got fed up and moved south to mainland Europe. They were virtually extinct in the UK by the 1950s.

Apart from the heron and the egret, there doesn't seem to be much happening outside at the moment. Meanwhile, I suggest we take a tip from that Orb Weaver spider up there, happily devouring some species of fly, and break open the soup.

Lights, camera, action. A flock of Barnacle Geese are just honking in. Back in the 12^th century, it was thought that these birds hatched from the Goose Barnacle, hence their common English name. In Ireland, the myth persisted until fairly recently, and they could be eaten during Lent, as they were considered to be fish, and not poultry. I have a sneaking feeling that this was just a work-around!

It's all happening now. A trio of Whooper Swans have just arrived. These are larger than the similar looking Bewick Swan, and have more yellow on their beaks. They overwinter here, having bred in subarctic Eurosiberia. When they prepare to migrate, they have a sort of head bobbing competition. The bobbiest bird gets to lead the migration. Swan democracy!

And another Little Egret has just arrived, much to the chagrin of the initial Egret, who was first upon the scene. At least, this looks to be more of an aerial argument, rather than a courtship display. But who knows? This November has been the warmest on record, so maybe they think it's Spring. A wonderful display, though, whatever the motivation.

Oh, this is really the icing on the cake. A pair of Marsh Harriers. The lighter colured male is highly distinctive, whereas the darker female is a little harder to recognise. To add to the confusion, the dark one could be a juvenile. The young of both sexes look very similar to the adult female. These are wetland specialists, feeding on small mammals, small birds, insects, reptiles, and frogs. They are ground nesting, typically in reed beds. Nearly extinct in the UK by the early 20^th century, due to persecution, habitat destruction, and pesticide poisoning, they have come back strongly, and are rated as 'of least concern' by the IUCN.

So, from a slow start, it has turned into quite an exciting morning. Oh, and if the title of this post rings a bell, then you must be even older than me. Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh was a BBC radio comedy show from the 1940s and 50s. And, talking of things from the past, following on from Steve's History of Things, I have just launched a new magazine which you can find on Steve's Nature Plus.

All the best,

Steve

Beetles and Butterflies; spiders and scorpions; woodlice and worms. How do you tell them all apart? To say nothing of crane flies, dragonflies, bee flies and yet more butterflies. Are they all flies? If not, why call them so? If you're fascinated but confused by the beautiful world of the very small, then this is the book for you. 82 pages of information on all aspects of the world of minibeasts, with over 100 photographs and illustrations, this book will help you track down and identify any arthropod, in its adult or juvenile state, anywhere in the world. See all of my books at author.to/SteveDaniels

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and also on Twitter Steve's Nature, Facebook Steve Daniels Naturalists, and Instagram

Steve Daniels Cumbria

Berries, Birds, Bugs and Us

 

Last week, we were chugging down the Lancaster Canal and this week we're taking to the railways. To be more precise, the old Lowca Light Railway line which closed in 1973 and is now a lovely footpath. As you come out of the village you are greeted by a beautiful stand of White Poplars. These trees, with their distinctive two-tone leaves were sacred to Hercules in Roman mythology. Apparently he bound his arrows with a branch of White Poplar after he defeated Cacus, the fire breathing giant, son of Vulcan. Who knew?

The Good, The Bad and The Edible

Further along the track, there are trees and bushes bearing a profusion of red berries, all of which look very similar. The trick in telling them apart is to look at the surrounding leaves. The slightly elongated ones, top left, are Rose Hips. Top right are Hawthorn and bottom left are Rowan. Bottom right has me slightly foxed. It's part of the rose family of plants, quite possibly a Whitebeam, but I'm still checking it out. So, are they good, bad or edible? Medicinally, the Rose Hip is under investigation for its effects in reducing the pain of arthritis, whilst the Hawthorn has proved to be effective in reducing cardiovascular disease. The folk in the white coats are just working out the dosages. This also puts Hawthorn in the 'bad' category as an overdose can cause cardiac arrhythmia and seriously low blood pressure. All three are edible, mainly in the form of condiments – syrups and jams and so forth, as well as being used in wine making. The young leaves and buds of hawthorn (known as 'bread and cheese' in some parts), can be added to salads but are probably best avoided if you have a heart condition.

The berries are not only edible for us, but also for many birds, like this Starling. These beautiful, but often overlooked, birds generally prefer a diet of insects and other invertebrates, but as the insect life declines with the turning of the seasons, they are not averse to switching to these high energy berries. In return, the trees rely on the birds for expanding their range. The seeds within the berries, pass through the birds unharmed, to be dropped with a little package of fertilizer, far from the parent plant.

The seeds have to be fertile in the first place of course, which is where the insects come in. Before the tree can produce a fertile seed, its flowers need to be pollinated. I'm not sure if this Ruby Tiger Moth caterpillar will do any pollinating when it grows up, as many moths do not feed in the adult stage and hence, have no need to visit flowers. You'll often see these caterpillars, moving quite quickly across the path at this time of year, as well as the similarly hairy, black and red, Fox Moth caterpillars (see Fell Walking For Wimps 3).

Without the birds, the seeds don't get distributed; without the bugs, the flowers don't get pollinated. Berries, and other foodstuffs like fruit, veg and cereals don't grow and we starve. Which is why people like me are always honking on about protecting biodiversity. Self interest, when you think about it!

News From The Old Corn Mill

I haven't mentioned the river lately: it has been very low over the summer (quite easily fordable in places), but now that the autumn rains have started it is filling quite quickly. We still have our usual multitude of Mallards and Harry and Sally, the Grey Herons have produced a youngster whom we've named Connick (as in Harry Jnr.). There was a new member to the cast this morning; as I was eating my breakfast a Red Squirrel scampered past the iron railings in the foreground. By the time I got out there with my camera (less than a minute) he'd disappeared. Also, my bacon and eggs had gone cold by the time I came back.

Just a quick reminder, with Christmas looming, there is a selection of books below that make great presents. My latest, Chubby's Crematorium & Burger Bar, would be perfect for a Secret Santa gift. 23 laugh-your-socks-off ditties covering all stages of life from childhood to old age.

Until next week,

All the best

Steve

Steve's Books

Chubby's Crematorium & Burger Bar A book of humorous poems to cheer, amuse and entertain your friends with.	£4.99 Paperback
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.	£14.99 Paperback
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).	£7.50 Paperback £1.99 Kindle
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.	£4.99 Paperback £1.99 Kindle

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

The Art of Slowing Down

 

Autumn is the season when nature slows down. Flowers set seed and leaves turn brown. Our bodies also react to the seasonal rhythms of shorter days and longer nights (even if our minds often don't). So, slow down with Ishbel, Jack the Navigator Hound, and I, as we take a leisurely trip along the Lancaster Canal. Drifting along at a sedate four miles per hour, a family of Mute Swans, like the Moorhens, Mallards and a young Grey Heron, are totally undisturbed by our presence. Peter and Ian take it in turns to pilot The Waterwitch and tell us the story of the canal which, at one time, was used to transport gunpowder from the nearby mills.

After an hour's pleasant meanderings, we disembark and a local guide, David, takes us on a walk along the next part of the canal to be restored. As David details the massive obstacles to be overcome, I get sidetracked by the plethora of insect life in the rampant undergrowth. A Noon Fly sunbathing on a leaf, a pair of Nettle-tap moths (their caterpillars feed on nettles) pollinating an Ox-eye Daisy and a Common Darter Dragonfly patrolling one of the larger pools.

Minibeasts tend to get scarcer as the season wears on but you don't have to look very far for them. I have quite a collection of aphids and midges in odd corners of the mill, which are kept in check by spiders such as this Lace-web. The only trouble is, as their name suggests, they make lacy webs, which are pretty unsightly, especially when dotted with odd bits of insect such as wings, legs and other items of exoskeleton. Not wishing to rename the Old Corn Mill 'Cobweb Cottage' I gave them all the old heave-ho a few days ago and removed the webs and spiders. I now have more happy midges than I can shake a stick at. Come back spiders, all is forgiven!

The Good, The Bad and the Edible

Walking back along the towpath for the return journey, the ivy is coming into flower. This is a plant of immense importance to our declining insect population (so please don't cut it back while it's flowering). Because it flowers so late in the year, it provides a lifeline of nectar.  It is, however, mildly poisonous and comes under the inedible category. That having been said, our ancestors used to chew the leaves as an expectorant.  They obviously knew a thing or two as nowadays extracts of Ivy are incorporated into modern cough medicines. 

On a definitely consumable note, Elderberries are now in season and, here at the Old Corn Mill, I shall be spending a pleasant afternoon in the kitchen making elderberry wine.

Until next week

All the best,

Steve

Steve's Books

Chubby's Crematorium & Burger Bar A book of humorous poems to cheer, amuse and entertain your friends with.
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.

The Cocker Line

 A few weeks back, I took you on a local walk which I referred to as The Circle Line, alluding to the London Underground. Continuing this theme, were off on the Cocker Line today, following the river out of town and into the farmlands to the south.

Even in the town, as we walk along Rubbybanks Road there is plenty of life on the river. I've often seen wagtails and dippers along here and today there's a grey heron perched on an overhanging branch on the Kirkbank.

Leaving Rubbybanks, we'll circle up onto the Greenway (once the old Cockermouth to Penrith railway line which we visited at Keswick-Threlkeld), cross the river, dive through some woodland and emerge into the fields. Along the banks, as you can see, the Speedwell, Wood Anemone and Saxifrage are coming into flower.

As we continue to follow the river bank, small rills flow down from the hills on the far side, and fungi, too tantalisingly distant to identify, adorn the fallen branches.

The dandelions are out too, providing food for various small flies. These are very difficult to put a name to. All true flies are in the order Diptera and most of them are in the suborder Brachycera. These are the flies that look like flies, so to speak, as opposed to mosquitoes, midges and crane flies that are in other suborders. Within the Brachycera are Calyptrate flies (which include the familiar house flies as well as the dung flies, flesh flies and blow flies) and the superfamily Syrphoidea which encompasses the big-headed, hover and drone flies such as that Eristalis down there. There are well over a hundred different fly families, and if you want to see how they all relate to each other here's a mind-boggling diagram.

There's a farmhouse here with a track called Simonscales which will take us back into town, or we could carry on all the way to the village of Low Lorton, some miles away. However, we have an appointment to meet some friends, that we haven't seen since before Christmas, in a pub garden in town. Low Lorton will have to wait for another day, but meanwhile we have some Muscovy Ducks on the opposite bank (where all birds live). Despite their name these ducks have no more relationship with Moscow than turkeys have with Turkey. They are native to Mexico, Central and South America.

I can never look at a duck without feeling hungry (see Crispy Duck in Steve's Wild Kitchen). I wonder if they do food in this pub? Let's go and find out.

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!	£7.50 Paperback edition
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.	£4.99 Paperback edition

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)

A Fjord By Any Other Name - Solway Firth

 

Wrap up warm. It's bitter out there and we're off to the coast. In particular, to the eastern end of the Solway Firth, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. England lies on one side of the firth (which is cognate to the Scandinavian word fjord) and Scotland lies on the other. There's an RSPB Nature Reserve which we'll pop into, but first, let's just take a little walk along the shore and see who's about. I think we'll leave the splashing about in the rock pools until it's a bit warmer, but in the meantime, we've a flock of Sea Pies probing the mud flats. That's an old name; for the past few hundred years we've known them as Oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus). Individual birds have different bill shapes, depending on their preferred diet. Those who like worms have pointed bills, those who incline towards molluscs, including oysters, have flatter bills for prising them open. Evolution in action?

This is Campfield Marsh Nature Reserve. Probably be quite nice when it's finished. For the moment though, it mainly consists of one long track, bordered by thick hedgerow, which effectively blocks all views of the scrapes where the birds are. There are a few view points, but betwixt them and the scrapes, there is a long electric fence which the camera has no problem in focusing upon. All we can see from here are distant blobs on the water, which I'm pretty sure are birds. However, there are some magnificent viewing hides... which are closed due to Covid restrictions. This one at the end of the track appears to be unlocked... so I suggest we don't sit in it for half an hour and warm ourselves up, out of the biting wind. Oh, another couple have turned up with a picnic.

“No, we don't mind if you don't sit in the hide with us, just keep to the far end. There's a grey heron out there, and a Little Egret just flying in to join him.”

Back to the car, I think. I can't feel my fingers on the camera controls. Our intrepid local guide has just gone to photograph the first snowdrops of the season, so I'll just snap these house sparows on the feeders in the car park. Even Jack the Navigator Hound is shivering and seems disinclined to photobomb this week.

News From The Old Cornmill

Earlier this week, I decided to take a stroll over to the nearby cricket ground: The pitch is frozen, but I look forward to the occasional summer Sunday afternoon, relaxing back to the sound of leather on willow. A group of Black-headed Gulls in winter plumage (hence no black heads) are posing at various angles to give 360^o identification. What I'd really like to do, is get into those woods back there and view the river from the opposite direction.

Hmm, not sure that it's actually a public right of way, but we're here. Some beautiful colours in the harsh winter sunlight. The gorse has a golden glow, the Red Osier Dogwood is particularly striking against the deep green Holly and even the Mistletoe (sadly, uncollected this year, for obvious reasons) is a vivid pale green. Look at the way the sap has run down to the base of that icicle. Here we are, at the river. The building opposite is The Old Pump House. The Old Cornmill is just to the right, obscured by those bushes. The river is at mid level at the moment but Storm Christoph is due to arrive. At present we are only under a general Yellow alert but I'm glad that the flood defences have now been fitted. I'll keep you posted.

Steve'sWild Kitchen

The kitchen at The Old Cornmill is now fully functioning to my satisfaction, so It's high time for some more recipes from Steve'sWild Kitchen starting with Crispy Wild Duck and Spicy Jewelled Rice. You cannot go out and shoot ducks in the UK any more as all wild birds and their nests are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 but you can still legally hunt them down in supermarkets which is where I tracked mine down (near the chicken section). The ducks are farm bred Mallards, just like these on the river. Recipe here.

Until next week,

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.