Longlands Lake

 

Longlands Lake is more than just a beautiful spot for a picnic, watching the swans, gulls and ducks. There are woodlands to explore, small ponds to investigate and river walks along the Ehen. So, come with me today and we'll do three out of four. Picnics aren't allowed yet... but soon!

Let's start with a look at the woodland plants and then we'll take a walk around the lake. Firstly, the banks of the Ehen are still absolutely lined with snowdrops and there is also plenty of other interesting stuff about. Hart's-tongue ferns along the river bank and around the bases of trees. Turn over their leaves and you can see the neatly regimented lines of reproductive spores. These rather undistinguished leaves are hiding a culinary delight. Roll one between your fingers and take a sniff. The unmistakable aroma of wild garlic. I think we'll take a few of those home with us. And while we're in foraging mode, there's plenty of Lesser Celandine about. Although the leaves are mildly poisonous when eaten raw, cooking them removes the toxic protoanemonin which is released when the raw leaves are crushed. For that reason, the old medicinal practice of treating piles with them is probably best avoided, as is the old Cumbrian practice of cleaning your teeth with them. Those caveats aside, these are one of the first foraging plants of the year and the one that Edmund first sees as winter suddenly turns to spring in C S Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Here in the woods, there are Tree-creepers and Nuthatches, flitting about the trees but keeping their distance from us. Around the lake however, it is a different story. The birds are fed regularly and lavishly, so they are very human tolerant (even of those of us with cameras). I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Here we have a small pond under construction. Nothing has taken up residence yet, but there's something very interesting on these strategically placed logs. Usually, we only notice the fruiting bodies of fungi, such as these Oyster Mushrooms which I'm going to snaffle and omelettize with those Ramsons we found earlier. But where the bark has come off this log, you can see something that resembles a printed circuit board. This is mycelium, the 'roots' of  fungi. These spread beneath our feet connecting the trees and other plants in the wood, swapping nutrients for sugars in what is known as 'The Wood Wide Web'. Recent studies have also revealed that they can also transmit electrical impulses, a little like the neurons in our brain, so the circuit board reference may be closer than we think.

And finally, as we take a stroll along the banks of the Ehen, we're joined by a magnificent buzzard. What a beautiful way to spend the morning.

A little note on something completely different. For those of you who scroll down at the end of these posts, you'll also know that when I'm not looking for insects under stones, I also write books. As none of us can get out and read to you at the moment, I've teamed up with fellow author, Lyn Osbaldeston to create a weekly podcast called 'The Author Reads' where Lyn, myself, and a guest author read to you. It's a great way for you to discover new authors for free and a great way for us to introduce ourelves to you in these restricted times. Have a listen or download it to your iPod for later: 

Steve Daniels and Lyn T Osbaldeston present The Author Reads

And finally... keep an eye on the website throughout the week for News From The Old Cornmill and recipes from Steve's Wild Kitchen involving the Ramsons, Oyster Mushrooms and Lesser Celandine Leaves.

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

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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.

Water, Water, Everywhere

January has been a wet month in these parts. The average rainfall over the past ten years, according to my little rain gauge, has been 83mm. This year we have had over 150mm. It was particularly wet last week when some fool with a digger started terraforming the olive grove behind the house and unleashed a torrent that found its way, unerringly, to the small hole where the co-axial cable enters my lounge. My thanks to Demos Ierapetras (AKA the local council) who sorted the problem promptly and efficiently and limited my discomfort to mere paddling.

Out & About

Crocus-leaved Romulea (Romulea bulbocodium)

However, the sun has managed to break out this morning so let us walk along by the normally dry river beds and see and hear them gushing with exuberance. Alongside the Poppy Anemones, Mandrakes and Friar's Cowls that we saw in Toplou Gorge earlier this month the Broad-leaved Anemones, (Anemone hortensis) and Salad Rocket (Eruca sativa) have also started to come into flower. Not that I'm into making salads in this weather, it's more a time for hot soups – but more of that in Fieldcraft and Foraging. I see that we also have this delightful little Crocus-leaved Romulea (Romulea bulbocodium) down here by the side of the track. Named after Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome due to its preponderance in the Roman countryside apparently.

Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris ssp. suffriana)

Insects have been a bit scarce but the beetles are starting to make an appearance including a January favourite, The Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela campestris ssp. suffriana). Photographing them when they are on the move is somewhat difficult as they can zoom along at over 20kph so it's best to catch them when they are otherwise, ahem, preoccupied. I think we'll leave them to it.

White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)

Birds too have been a bit thin on the ground (and in the air for that matter) but I see that we are being accompanied by our old friends Huginn and Muninn, the Ravens from the nearby elevation of the 40 Saints. The other birds to look out for at this time of year are the Wagtails. As yet I've only seen the White Wagtails (Motacilla alba) but the Yellows, Greys and others will doubtless soon fly in during the next month or two.

I'll tell you what, there's a lot of fallen leaves about, beginning to rot down in the wet. You grab a handful while I try to find a resealable bag. We'll take them back to the lab later and see who's living down there.

Fieldcraft & Foraging

Now, you can't have helped but notice this little yellow flower, Wood Sorrel (Oxalis pes-caprae). Along with other Sorrels in the genus Oxalis it has been eaten around the world for millennia. It has a slightly lemony taste and the leaves are quite thirst quenching on a hot day. There have been concerns over its toxicity as it contains oxalic acid (but so too does broccoli, grapefruit and spinach) and the risks to people with normal kidney function are virtually non-existent. Personally, I like to use it is a garnish on soups, salads and that old 1970's favourite; the prawn cocktail. Which gives me a chance to introduce another new section: Steve's Wild Kitchen where I'll be posting original recipes using the food that we forage on our little walks. Enjoy.

In The Lab

Somewhere in my bag I should have that leaf litter sample that you collected earlier. The proper way to extract creepy crawlies from leaf litter is by using a Berlese Funnel (available from Watkins & Doncaster for about £170 pounds including VAT).

If, like me, your budget doesn't quite run to that at the moment you can knock up your own for under a quid until you've saved up enough for the real thing. 

Put a 60p funnel from your local market into an old jam jar, stuff a bit of old mosquito netting over the spout, cover the top with clingfilm and stick it under an angle poise lamp. (For the solar powered model put it outside in the sun with a sheet of glass on top).

We'll also need something to catch the critters when they fall through (which they will as they don't like the heat) and the professionals use industrial ethyl alcohol. Personally I use raki (the local moonshine) which has exactly the same effect but the insects die happier.

Right, we'll leave that for a day or two and then come back and see what we've got...

which is; a centipede, a couple of snakefly larvae (which are no more flies than butterflies are), another larva of indeterminate origin and a pair of very small beetles. A varied little haul.

And if you haven't had enough of me waffling on yet, and it's still raining outside, you can always snuggle down in the warm with an earlier series of #CreteNature using the catch-up links below.

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 - (Current series start)

Sponsored by SVCwithEtsy https://svcwithetsy.etsy.com 

And if you still haven't had enough...

Not Just For Twisted Women by Steve Daniels  A light-hearted look at life through the eyes of the fairer sex. Kindle Edition 1.99 pounds sterling (or equivalent). Paperback Edition 4.99 pounds sterling (or equivalent)..   Read snippets, samples and stuff at Steve's Books

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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)