Friday, 5 June 2009

Field Course: Boggy Places















Second day out on the Ecology trip. This time went to Fairwood, then Broadpool and finally Arthur's stone (all illustrated). In the first location, in addition to the studied grasses there was water-retaining Sphagnum moss, Common cotton grass (Eriophorum angustifolium), Early marsh orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata) and the insectivorous Common sundew (Drosera rotundifolia). There were also Drinker (Philudoria potatoria) and day-flying Common heath (Ematurga atomaria) moths as well as Common frogs (Rana temporaria). At Broadpool, many of the above plants were joined by Ragged robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi) and White water-lily (Nymphaea alba). A pregnant Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara) lounged by the pool. By Arthur's stone, there was Bristle bent grass (Agrostis curtisii) at the end of its range as well as Common milkwort (Polygala vulgaris). Skylarks (Alauda arvensis) climbed noisily into the sky.

3 comments:

Lily said...

It's been great so far =)

Prof Brain, I've just had a robin fly into my room through one of those suicide proof windows that opens all of 7cms! I know this isn't small for a robin but it's quite small to get into by accident.
I caught it and let it go as quickly as possible. But surely this doesn't happen very often. Gave me the fright of my life!

Paul Brain said...

It is amazing how animals get through small gaps. I remember being asked by a brewer about the size of mesh needed on windows to stop bats ending up in the vats!

Lily said...

It is indeed.
And I was just feeling sad that my plans to go out bird watching were ruined by the weather. Apparently the birds are coming to me!

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