Blue
Tit (Parus caeruleus)
The
endearing blue tit (Parus caeruleus) is one of a host
of woodland birds that has undergone a successful
transition to gardens. This small and colourful bird does not migrate
and is present all year round. It is a very
acrobatic bird and can often be seen hanging upside-down on branches or
nut feeders.
INTERESTING FACTS......
- The blue tit is thought to be resposible for discovering that pecking milk bottle tops yields a tasty drink
- The yellow colour of the blue tit's chest is due to the caterpillars it eats
- Both parents feed an average of 7-8 young which fledge after approximately 19 days
HABITAT & FOOD NEEDS.....
- Blue tits feed high in broadleaved trees, but are just as at home in parks and at garden bird tables
- During summer
they feed on invertebrates, but as these become scarce, they switch
to other food
sources, such as seeds - They will nest in holes in trees and walls, as well as in bird boxes
ATTRACTING THE SPECIES TO YOUR GARDEN......
- Blue tits
are very inquisitive and are one of the first birds to appear at garden
feeding stations. They can
easily be attracted by peanuts, fatballs and seeds, and readily use nest boxes year after year - Please remember
birds all year round - even though winter is the hardest time for many
birds, a dry
summer can also affect their food source
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION & RECORDING......
- Both sexes
are similar with pale blue crowns, white cheeks, a dark stripe from
the bill through the eyes
and a dark collar band - Their bright
yelow breast has a narrow dark grey dividing line, and the wings are
blue with white wing
bars - The juvenile is similar, but its markings are less distinct and its head more yellow in colour
Silky
Wall Feather-Moss (Homalothecium sericeum)
The
Silky Wall Feather-moss (Homalothecium sericeum) is part of the
moss family known as Musci.
Although using Latin names may seem a bit pretentious to some people,
when it comes to 'hard to identify'
species such as mosses, the Latin names help place the plant at least
the correct genus or family, as well
as minimising confusion often found with local or regional names
INTERESTING FACTS......
- Although they are plants, mosses do not have roots but stems called rhizoids
- Male and female sex structures may occur on the same or separate plants
- They reproduce by releasing spores through an opening created when a 'lid' drops off
HABITAT & FOOD NEEDS......
- This moss can be found on rocks, walls, hard ground and trees
- Damp conditions
are essential for reproduction, as the male cells move through the water
film on the
plant surface, guided by a chemical secreted by the female structure
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION & RECORDING......
- Forms thick silky mats
- Often tinged a yellow or golden colour
- Leaves form the shape of narrow triangles and are finely pointed
- Fruit capsules are sometimes seen in winter on a purplish stalk, and are erect in a cone shape
Common
Frog (Rana temporaria)
The Common
Frog (Rana temporaria) belongs to a group called the 'brown frogs',
and February is the
month that they emerge from hibernation and prepare to spawn.
INTERESTING FACTS......
- Although
frogs and toads can be found in the same pond, frogs are much smaller
at 6-9cm, compared
to the toad at 8-13cm, and frogs usually hop whereas toads often walk - The 'embrace' during which the male fertilises the eggs released by the female is known as amplexus
- When frogs spawn, they lay between 300 and 400 gelatinous eggs
HABITAT & FOOD NEEDS......
- Common frogs
generally only spend time in water during the spring breeding season,
and can be
found in gardens without ponds or water features - Although
they will spawn in most ponds they prefer a degree of flowing water,
and will return to the same
ponds year after year
ATTRACTING THE SPECIES TO YOUR GARDEN......
- Do not transfer
frogs or frog spawn between ponds, as this could potentially spread
disease, such as
the fatal 'redleg'. For more information, please contact Froglife - If the conditions
are right, frogs will eventually make their way to your garden. They
require shelter with
moist air to prevent their skin drying out, and a plentiful supply of slugs, flies and other insects to eat
SPECIES IDENTIFICATION & RECORDING.......
- The males
and females differ in colour - dorsal surface and flanks (back
and sides) = can be yellowish
brown, brown, olive green, and can be spotted or striped - ventral surface (belly) = males are white/
pale yellow and speckled with grey/brown, whereas females are pale yellow to orange. - Common frogs always have a dark patch behind the eye and strong barring on the hind limbs
- Both male and female change colour and shape during the breeding season
- The tadpoles
start black but change to speckled brown, compared to the toad tadpole
which remain
permanently black