Out and About

Saturday, June 6th 2015

On Wednesday we were slightly surprised to see some yellow showing in the Flag Iris buds.  By Friday they were out in full bloom.  These bright yellow flowers can be seen through the Scrape ponds and in the lake.

Common Dog Violets grow everywhere and have been in flower for many weeks. Their purple colour often shows easily through the green vegetation. 

Along Risedale Beck Water Avens or Geums as they are sometimes known, grow in profusion.  Last year there were no mutations found at all, even in their regular growing place.  One has appeared this year, in a different area.

Trying to take a close up of Bogbean the earth under my feet moved!  On closer inspection tiny grasshoppers were found!  There is one in the middle of the photograph!  Camouflage in action!  Over the next few weeks they will moult several times until they are about two to three centimeters in length.

The bird ringers continue to return to boxes where chicks need to be ringed.  The weather has been very cold and windy; don't be fooled by the blue skies!   Hats, coats and gloves are needed.

Peregrines are schedule one birds and a special license is needed to ring these rare birds.  They do not nest in boxes but on cliff ledges.  Two chicks can just be seen.

A vast amount of organisation is required to ensure everyone is there to help.  Climbers from Low Mill very kindly give of their time to collect the chicks from the nest.

The chicks are put into bags and lowered down to the ground where they are carefully ringed, with a BTO ring and a coloured ring, so that when seen through binoculars or telescope they can be identified.  There was a surprise at the nest as there were three young, not just the two that had been seen.  This is the correct and safe way to hold the chick,  both for the chick and the ringer.

To weigh the chicks they are returned to their bags. Two females chicks and one male were ringed, females weighing much more than the male.  They were then carefully returned to the nest.

A huge thank you to everyone who has been out and about ringing chicks and recording flora and fauna.

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