Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[jethro]

Had a wander round my own garden for a change, don't know about nature being confused by the odd weather we've had, I'm certainly confused by the horticultural reaction to it. Snowdrops in flower - these ones are reliably in flower on Valentine's day so six weeks early for them. Primroses in flower - again about six weeks early for me. Daffodils - well up, fat flower buds, usually flower late March/early April so incredibly well advanced. Rhubarb - stems four inches long, on a par with the Daffodils for advancement. Roses - still the odd flower refusing to acknowledge it's winter. Marguerite daisies - still flowering well in a pot which should have been taken in at the end of September for fear of frost damage. Hellebores - various groups of them around the garden, all of which should now be flowering but there's not a leaf  stem higher than an inch tall let alone a flower spike. Winter flowering Clematis which should have started blooming at the end of November is convinced it's still September and is refusing to fatten up the flower buds, at this rate it'll be Easter before it flowers. And the Clematis Armandii which normally flowers in February decided to start flowering in September and has been blooming ever since.

 

It's like watching a 1980's sitcom.......Confused? You will be.

 

[4wd]

^{In 2004 we had snowdrops in bloom by 13th January and Nasturtiums alongside from the previous year - but it was a sheltered corner where the light frosts had not quite finished off the soft nasturtiums (they didn't last much longer!)
At the moment  things seem pretty normal here with snowdrop and daffodils just poking through - which are often noticed at Christmas unless buried under snow. 
Don't have nasturtiums but they wouldn't have survived -2.7C late November.}

[knocker]

By chance just found out a little more as to why Charlie the Cormorant (he's back) and other birds take up the spread wing posture. (see above)

The structure of cormorant and Anhinga feathers decreases buoyancy and thus facilitates underwater pursuit of fishes. Hence their plumage is not water-repellent, but "wettable." It has been suggested that the function of the spread-wing postures in these birds is to dry the wings after wetting. Biologists once thought that deficient production of oils from the preen gland necessitate wing-drying behaviors. We now know, however, that the degree of waterproofing of feathers is primarily due to their microscopic structure, not to their being oiled. In addition to helping wing feathers to dry, other suggested functions for these postures include regulating body temperature ("thermoregulation"), realigning of feathers, forcing parasites into motion to ease their removal, and helping the perched bird to balance.

Spread-wing postures may serve different purposes in different species. Anhingas, for example, have unusually low metabolic rates and unusually high rates of heat loss from their bodies. Whether wet or dry, they exhibit spread-wing postures mostly under conditions of bright sunlight and cool ambient temperatures, and characteristically orient themselves with their backs to the sun. Thus, it appears that Anhingas adopt a spread-wing posture primarily for thermoregulation -- to absorb solar energy to supplement their low metabolic heat production and to offset partly their inordinately high rate of heat loss due to convection and (when wet) evaporation from their plumage.

Cormorants, in contrast, apparently use spread-wing postures only for drying their wings and not for thermoregulation. Although cormorant plumage also retains water, only the outer portion of the feathers is wettable, so an insulating layer of air next to the skin is maintained when cormorants swim underwater. This difference in feather structure may explain why cormorants can spend more time foraging in the water than Anhingas, and why cormorants can inhabit cooler climes, while the Anhinga is restricted to tropical and subtropical waters.

Also I would be grateful if someone could tell what this little fella is

 

Edited January 4, 2016 by knocker

[Flash Elvis]

9 minutes ago, knocker said:

By chance just found out a little more as to why Charlie the Cormorant (he's back) and other birds take up the spread wing posture.

The structure of cormorant and Anhinga feathers decreases buoyancy and thus facilitates underwater pursuit of fishes. Hence their plumage is not water-repellent, but "wettable." It has been suggested that the function of the spread-wing postures in these birds is to dry the wings after wetting. Biologists once thought that deficient production of oils from the preen gland necessitate wing-drying behaviors. We now know, however, that the degree of waterproofing of feathers is primarily due to their microscopic structure, not to their being oiled. In addition to helping wing feathers to dry, other suggested functions for these postures include regulating body temperature ("thermoregulation"), realigning of feathers, forcing parasites into motion to ease their removal, and helping the perched bird to balance.

Spread-wing postures may serve different purposes in different species. Anhingas, for example, have unusually low metabolic rates and unusually high rates of heat loss from their bodies. Whether wet or dry, they exhibit spread-wing postures mostly under conditions of bright sunlight and cool ambient temperatures, and characteristically orient themselves with their backs to the sun. Thus, it appears that Anhingas adopt a spread-wing posture primarily for thermoregulation -- to absorb solar energy to supplement their low metabolic heat production and to offset partly their inordinately high rate of heat loss due to convection and (when wet) evaporation from their plumage.

Cormorants, in contrast, apparently use spread-wing postures only for drying their wings and not for thermoregulation. Although cormorant plumage also retains water, only the outer portion of the feathers is wettable, so an insulating layer of air next to the skin is maintained when cormorants swim underwater. This difference in feather structure may explain why cormorants can spend more time foraging in the water than Anhingas, and why cormorants can inhabit cooler climes, while the Anhinga is restricted to tropical and subtropical waters.

Also I would be grateful if someone could tell what this little fella is

Looks like a Greenfinch to me

[knocker]

5 minutes ago, Flash Elvis said:

Looks like a Greenfinch to me

I think your right, probably a female. Cheers

[Nouska]

7 minutes ago, knocker said:

I think your right, probably a female. Cheers

Looks more like a female chaffinch with the white band on the wing - female greenfinch doesn't have that.

[knocker]

3 minutes ago, Nouska said:

Looks more like a female chaffinch with the white band on the wing - female greenfinch doesn't have that.

I see what you mean Nouska. That wing marking is quite distinctive. I'm trying to get to grips with all the birds in my local country park. So far I've only managed a glimpse of the Kingfisher and lately the weather hasn't exactly been conducive to a quiet stroll.

[Nouska]

1 minute ago, knocker said:

I see what you mean Nouska. That wing marking is quite distinctive. I'm trying to get to grips with all the birds in my local country park. So far I've only managed a glimpse of the Kingfisher and lately the weather hasn't exactly been conducive to a quiet stroll.

We've got kingfishers coming to the pond in the garden but though I get beautiful detail through the binoculars, never managed to capture a decent picture because of shaky old hands.

[Flash Elvis]

22 minutes ago, Nouska said:

Looks more like a female chaffinch with the white band on the wing - female greenfinch doesn't have that.

You could be right there, although Chaffinch are more brown than green.

[knocker]

41 minutes ago, Nouska said:

We've got kingfishers coming to the pond in the garden but though I get beautiful detail through the binoculars, never managed to capture a decent picture because of shaky old hands.

They are not that easy to photograph you need a lot of time and patience. I saw an incredible photo the other day where the photographer had caught the Kingfisher absolutely vertical with it's beak just touching the water with a perfect reflection. He'd spent hundreds of hours to get that shot.

[knocker]

Popped down to the country park this morning in the weather window and there was Charlie drying his wings

[knocker]

Cracking programme on BBC4 last night Natures Wonderland: Islands of Evolution. Last night was Hawaii and shades of Darwin and the Galapagos. Fascinating stuff.

[knocker]

Fairly quiet down at the lake today. One thing that has become very noticeable of late is how 'aggressive' the swans have become as a result of loads of people feeding them. I was just strolling along the path this morning when a couple of them spied me, hopped out of the water, strolled down the path towards me until we were beak to beak and began pecking at my hand. I can see this ending in tears if a little kid gets frightened as they can be quite imposing. Anyway the morning was brightened by a cheeky Robin who insisted on making my aquaintance.

[Gray-Wolf]

Well my pond frogs are still out and about??? I start to wonder if they will ever be absent this winter?

[Terminal Moraine]

A friend of mine who lives down in the local valley had the first Daffodil flowering in his garden on January 24th, the earliest date since I started keeping regular records in 1981.

Prior to this the earliest date was Feb' 8th 2008.

[Evening thunder]

The daffs are out all over the place down here and have been for a while. Some were out in December too.

I just wonder what it will look like in March when they should normally reach their peak..

[knocker]

Reflections

Edited February 1, 2016 by knocker

[Flash Elvis]

Where we live we have Blackthorn Bushes in Bloom already and have been for about a week now!!!

[knocker]

Sod's Law was in full swing this morning. In this brief weather window I popped down to the country park. I was standing by the small lake which was suddenly bathed in sunlight and at the same time the kingfisher alighted on a branch right in front of me and actually lingered. I swiftly raised my camera, focused, and then the battery ran out.

[mushymanrob]

On 09/02/2016 at 3:14 PM, Flash Elvis said:

Where we live we have Blackthorn Bushes in Bloom already and have been for about a week now!!!

yep they are out all over the place. but without bees to pollinate them its looking like a poor year for sloe's.

[Flash Elvis]

18 minutes ago, mushymanrob said:

yep they are out all over the place. but without bees to pollinate them its looking like a poor year for sloe's.

I hope not this year we had a bumper crop and my Sloe Vodka was a nice treat at Christmas 

[Methuselah]

But, for Sunday's game, fast vodka might be more helpful?

[knocker]

Popped down to the local country park yesterday and all was fairly quiet. Judging from the noise from the rookery everyone is busy gearing up for spring. There was one item of interest. A lone Eurasian Wigeon has appeared which is not that surprising as I imagine there are a few down at Hayle but I've never seen one here before. Not that that means much.

[knocker]

It was like Spring down at the lake this morning and things were stirring. Plenty of the usual Robins , Great Tits, Blue Tits, the odd Goldcrest and three Nuthatches. Got  one very poor photo of the latter but they are elusive little blighters.

The Eurasian Wigeon is still around and he seems to get on well with the Mallards.

And Sidney was in skittish mood.

Edited February 24, 2016 by knocker

[Beverley Lass]

I was surprised to see a Tortoiseshell butterfly merrily flitting about

on my morning walk and that was after a -4º C frosty night .

There was warmth to the sunshine though  

B.