Wednesday 20 July 2011

Not a lot goin on

The Safari thought we had little to report today until the gardening team arrived at lunchtime that is - then all hell let loose!

The Peregrine was on tower at tea time yesterday but didn’t roost overnight unless it was ‘round the back’ which would be unlikely given the wind direction.
All was quiet on the Patch 1 front this morning, no Green Woodpeckers and not a lot else apart from Woodpigeons. A singing Coal Tit in a large conifer of one of the gardens was best of the safari.
The tide was well down on Patch 2 a few bait diggers patrolled the water’s edge keeping the multitude of gulls well to the south picking through the detritus of the various strandlines left by the receding tide.
Out at sea we had nothing what-so-ever. But a couple of families were already one the beach, one poking through the washed up shells and another with fishing rods going down to the water. The latter lot shouted to each other that they’d seen jellyfish so curiosity got the better of us and we went down to investigate. Sure enough there were a few medium sized Compass Jellyfish and a couple of very small Lion’s Manes, the first we’ve seen for a while and much smaller than the last ‘batch’. What could have been a very small Moon Jellyfish was also there, only about two inches (5cm) across. We had a quick look for other stuff, specifically any Sea Mice without success, but came across this unknown seaweed which we’ve not recorded before.

Any ideas...


At lunchtime we watched the Coastguard arguing with two fishermen, with a toddler, who didn't seem to believe that the tide was coming in behind them - it was we were watching it from the safety of the seawall - they were locals too - how bonkers is that!


The gardening club blazed into the veg patch which has been neglected so far this year. Out came a huge Spear Thistle which we noticed had been eaten inside out. Whatever it was munching away the little hole suggests its done a flit...any ideas...



Then we found a tiny Pink that wasn't planted...any ideas flowers are only about 1cm across perhaps a mm or two less.



The leaves were lanceolate and grass like...tbh never seen anything like it before but we're pretty sure that it's a wildflower not something escaped from a garden.



This looks like a spider hunting wasp, it wasn't behaving for the camera, this duffer was the only pic it sat still enough for.



Another triccky little fellow that didn't manage to get in the right place was this micro...is it good enuogh for an ID?



Under the clumps of grass we were weeding out we found three of these lurid green caterpillars, they're bright but the camera hasn't captured their full brightness! Again any ideas...



One we could identify was this Campion moh caterpillar, this one found in a White Campion seed head.



This we initially identified as a Barred Yellow but now we think it's probably a varient of Yellow Shell.



Then when we got home this little chap crawled out of our coat pocket. Name anyone...



What a great set of gnashers it has.



Where to next? somewhere where there's somethng we can actually identify wouldn't go amiss.


In the meantime let us know if you know what any of the mystery organisms are...and how much of your outback is mysterious.


5 comments:

cliff said...

Evening dave - could your stowaway beetle be Harpalus rufipes, a beetle that's fond of Fat Hen & Strawberries. It's also known as the Strawberry Seed Beetle.

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

That's some knowledge of beetles you have there Cliff! There was loads of fat hen until the gardening club got to grips with it - no strawberries though :(

Cheers

D

cliff said...

All my knowledge is stolen from reference books Dave, take them away &, with my dodgy memory theseday, I'm clueless.

Oh, & from said books, I'm wondering if your little pink wildflower is some sort of Willowherb???

Unknown said...

I'd say sugar kelp, Laminaria saccharina aka Saccharina latissima for the seaweed.

Lancashire and Lakeland Outback Adventure Wildlife Safaris said...

Thanks Laurence...iSpot came back with that one two but I'm not convinced. There is deffo no midrib and the strand down to the holdfast was 3 feet long but broken, looking on Google images that seems too long for sugar kelp. Could it be something similar? My knowledge of seaweeds is pretty poor.

Cheers

D