A Birthday, Some Photos and Volunteers
An email (think it was sent yesterday but only arrived this morning) from Adam at Cape Wrath, with photos! ' Been amazing up here but the swell and wind are holding us back from getting onto some of the stacks and islands. Still been able to get quite a bit done though, Sand Martins last night, Kittiwake colony this afternoon plus Black Guillemots, gulls, Red Breasted Merganser and we even saw a Corn Crake chick!'
His first photograph shows a Guillemot.
His second shows the Scottish Primrose, Primula scotica, quite a rare flower now.
And finally Happy Birthday to John.
Later in the afternoon Tony sent a photo of Sophie and Adam holding gull chicks that had just been rung. (If I have the species wrong there will be a correction tomorrow!)
A busy day at Foxglove commenced with the arrival of volunteers. Ken and Eddie strimmed many net rides in preparation for CES 7 on Sunday, (weather permitting!!) they looked really beautiful when they had finished! Other volunteers headed to the moor to remove thistles and an excellent job they did too. However they do not wish to see another thistle for a long, long time! Other volunteers removed weeds and grasses from under the seats placed around the red route and the butterfly transect was carried out. Hurworth School came for a visit and with help from more volunteers, were led on a minibeast walk, a habitat walk and they pond dipped.
In the afternoon it was identification time - Male and Lady fern and Common and Water Figwort and just to add to the mix yet another speedwell. Some progress was made but it is back to the reference books tomorrow! Invertebrate life was the task for Brian, John and Richard. John was really pleased with this photo of a Small Skipper and fly on a thistle - one that had not been pulled up!
Brain caught this Cucumber Spider in its web.
By the end of the afternoon the observation board was filling up and one good record was a toad, having recently left a pond.
Volunteer work is always varied and they turn their hand to whatever is asked of them - many many thanks for all your hard work today.