Natuurmomenten

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

Ablution, to come clean with yourself

Every morning, we start the day by taking a shower, brushing our teeth and if necessary shaving or combing our hair. We normally have two hands with normally five fingers each, so there is not an awful lot of difficulty in that activity.
If you are a male Pochard however, you have to find other ways to do the business. Balancing on a piece of wood with only your bill to make some effort is not for the faint-hearted.
Standing save ashore, when you don’t have to do the balancing act as this Tufted Duck is showing looks already much easier. But still the restriction of only a bill to take care of things is rather limiting.

There is always a graceful exception to the rule: this Stork is able to balance on just one leg and still groom itself perfectly.

In this blog I will show various methods of ablution of various animals with only one purpose: to do your best to look the part.

I will show you a Black-footed Penguin, a bathing Red-crested Pochard, a Meerkat with a lot of sand to clear out of it’s fur and two Black-capped Squirrel Monkeys helping each other. Especially the mammals, like myself, have a huge advantage with their arms and claws.

No matter what method they use, cleverly or just out of necessity, I am very pleased that all animals (except perhaps for pigs) take some time to clean, groom and polish them for my pictures. Which gives me the opportunity to show off on their behalf.

Monday, 27 May 2013

Wildfowl & Wetland Trust

Today I renewed my membership of the Wildfowl & Wetland Trust (WWT). This organisation was founded in the UK in 1946 by the late Sir Peter Scott and is one of the world’s largest and most respected wetland conservation organisations working globally to safeguard and improve wetlands for wildlife and people.

When Sir Peter Scott founded the WWT, his ideas were unique. He was the first to recognise the wisdom of the combined approach of taking action to save wetlands and their wildlife, while encouraging the public to care about the natural world. He also pioneered the notion that conservation education should be uplifting and fun for people of all ages - that wetlands are places to enjoy as well as to respect. Sir Peter's principles remain at the core of WWT's work and are central to our future plans. The WWT complements wetland conservation work carried out worldwide with a network of UK visitor centres comprising 2,600 hectares of globally important wetland habitat. (Source: WWT website)

So far, I have visited WWT London many times but WWT Arundel only once. And every time it is a mere pleasure to perambulate from bird hide to bird hide, of course with the camera close by, and enjoy the birdlife through all the seasons. It was in WWT London that I saw the Common Teal for the first time. During a little boat trip in WWT Arundel you can see the delicate but beautiful Water Voles peeping their heads outside the reeds, to see who is on board.

The best example of the conservation work that the WWT does must be the saving of the Madagascar pochard. Until recently, the Madagascar Pochard was believed extinct, the last sighting having been in 1991. In November 2006, however, staff from the Peregrine Fund (TPF), rediscovered the species on a small lake ‘the red lake’ near Bemanevika, 300 km north of the last known site; 20 mature birds and possibly nine ducklings were reported at the end of 2006.
Despite numerous logistical difficulties this proved successful, and at the end of 2009 three clutches had been successfully hatched with over 20 ducklings reared and held in temporary accommodation in advance of the construction of a conservation breeding centre. Project staff maintain a constant presence at the red lake to ensure protection of the birds and the lakes and surrounding forest have been submitted for designation as a protected area (Source: WWT website).

As a tribute to this wonderful organisation, I have posted some of my pictures, taken in one of the two aforementioned visitor centres. Next stop, as far as I am concerned: WWT Slimbridge, the first centre that Sir Peter Scott opened.

Friday, 3 May 2013

Great Crested Grebe

The Great Crested Grebes are definitely back in the waters and are preparing for their mating rituel. I have yet to see this beautiful ballet, but the footage on the internet promises something spectacular. In Dutch this bird is known as a Fuut; the Latin name is: Podiceps Cristatus.

As I mentioned earlier, the Great Crested Grebe has an elaborate mating display. Like all grebes, it nests on the water's edge, since its legs are set relatively far back and it is thus unable to walk very well. Usually two eggs are laid, and the fluffy, striped young grebe are often carried on the adult's back. In a clutch of two or more hatchlings, male and female grebes will each identify their 'favourites', which they alone will care for and teach

Unusually, young grebes are capable of swimming and diving almost at hatching. The adults teach these skills to their young by carrying them on their back and diving, leaving the chicks to float on the surface; they then re-emerge a few feet away so that the chicks may swim back onto them (source: WikiPedia)

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, or RSBP for short, was formed to counter the barbarous trade in plumes for women's hats, a fashion responsible for the destruction of many thousands of egrets, birds of paradise and other species whose plumes had become fashionable in the late Victorian era

There had already been concern earlier in the century about the wholesale destruction of such native birds as great crested grebes and kittiwakes for their plumage, leading to such early legislation as the Sea Birds Preservation Act of 1869 and the Wild Birds Protection Act of 1880, but the trigger which led to the foundation of the Society for the Protection of Birds in 1889 was the continued wearing of ever more exotic plumes. Indeed the young Society was so successful that it was granted its Royal Charter in 1904, just 15 years after being founded (source: RSPB Website).

To celebrate the beauty of this very strange bird, I will finish with three more pictures I took in the last couple of years.

Saturday, 20 April 2013

First Butterflies

Small Copper

In Dutch: Kleine Vuurvlinder. In Latin: Lycaena Phlaeas.

The last butterfly I took a picture of was a Small Copper back in October 2012. There could have been more butterflies later, but I just did not look for them afterwards. However, there were not so much butterflies anyway last year. A combination of available flowers and the bad weather of last Summer resulted in a significant lower amount of butterflies. This trend will hopefully not continue, because I wouldn't want to think about what would happen to the balance in nature.

Back to the Small Copper; I have only seen one ever, but it is a beautiful little insect. You can find them almost anywere, which is just as well, since I only spotted this one.

Today I finally spotted butterflies again. In fact they are all from the same family: the Nymphalidae. All three are active in the early Spring and can be found in open landscape and grassland. They are the Comma, the Peackock (both seen today at Copse Wood, Middlesex) and the Small Tortoiseshell (seen earlier today at Croxley Common Moor) respectively.

I did see one or two Brimstones as well (in Dutch: Citroenvlinder. In Latin: Gonepteryx Rhamni) but they did not want to be caught in front of my camera. Let's just hope there will indeed be more butterflies this year. The signs were positive today, since they were all chasing each other in packs of four. These proceedings have hopefully resulted in some reproduction.

Comma

In Dutch: Gehakkelde Aurelia. In Latin: Polygonia C-Album.

Peacock

In Dutch: Dagpauwoog. In Latin: Inachis Io.
MAE © 2013

Small Tortoiseshell

In Dutch: Kleine Vos. In Latin: Arglais Urticae
MAE © 2013

Sunday, 7 April 2013

Small Birds

Taking pictures of small birds is no job for the impatient camerman! They are most of the time very active and they will almost always hide behind a small leaf or are too far away to properly spot them. And once you think you have a good camera angle, you have to react quickly with your zoom and autofocus, because they are flown before you know it. Therefore it is with some pride, that I can show some results.

The Long-tailed Tits that I have seen so far, fly up and down from tree to tree or bush in an almost regular pattern. They can be seen in woodland, farmland hedgerows, scrubland, parkland and gardens. In winter they form flocks with other tit species. Once you have seen them,you will not forget the distinctive long tail and their beautiful black/white/brown colours.

They are very social birds, and will constantly call each other. They eat insects and caterpillars. In Dutch they are called: Staartmees; in Latin they are called: Aegithalos Caudatus.

The most common and well known of the tits is the Great Tit (in Dutch: Koolmees; in Latin: Parus Major). But being common, does not mean being ugly. You can see a picture further down.

These however are Blue Tits (in Dutch: Pimpelmees; in Latin: Parus Caeruleus).

They eat insects as well as nuts.

The Robin cannot be left out from this blog. They have the most beautiful songs and they are not shy at all. They will not fly away when you try to take a picture, which does help.

I have regularly seen a Robin sitting next to me when I was working in the garden. Just inspecting my hard work...

In Dutch: Roodborst. In Latin: Erithacus Rubecua.

And finally one other very well known bird: the Chaffinch (in Dutch: Vink; in Latin: Fringilla Coelebs).

It took me quite a while, before I could take a picture. Which is a shame, because they have beautiful colours.

They can be seen wherever there are trees.

Saturday, 30 March 2013

Zoological Society London

The London Zoo is part of the Zoological Society London or ZSL for short. Their website states:

Founded in 1826, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is an international scientific, conservation and educational charity whose mission is to promote and achieve the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. Our mission is realised through our groundbreaking science, our active conservation projects in more than 50 countries and our two zoos, ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo.

Although the orignal zoo in London is still a typical old fashioned one with small enclosures for the animals, they are expanding and changing in order to give the animals more space. This is definitely achieved at their other location in Whipsnade, but they are changing the London Zoo as well. In this blog, I would like to show how this looks from behind the camera.

The American Flamengo's are so brightly coloured, that you can see them from far away. It is almost as if the zoo keepers re-paint them on a regular basis.

There are about two dozen of these birds at Whipsnade. They always look very releaxed with their feet in the little pond.

Even a Rhinoceros needs a bath every now and then. And although you never know with these short-sighted and grumpy animals, this one seems to enjoy it. There are quite a few Rhinos at Whipsnade, with plenty of room outdoors to live a happy life.

The new Penguin Beach is a real attraction in the London Zoo to al visitors, whatever age. Twice a day, the keepers feed the penguins and explain some things about them as well. This is however irrelevant for the ever watchting Grey Heron, who waits for it's moment to land on the beach and (hopefully) get something to eat as well.

And finally a greeting (?) from the Chimpanzees, who don't seem to be bothered by all the attention. One is just eating his 2 out of his 5-a-day apples, and the other is practicing on it's wave skills. The Chimpanzees do have a very nice playing area with lot's of room at Whipsnade.

Monday, 25 March 2013

Croxley Common Moor, an unknown jewel

More than a two years ago, I discovered a hidden gem, just outside the tiny village of Croxley Green (Herts). Just next to the Grand Union Canal (walking down from the Tube station), and crossing the river Gade, there is a beautiful field with low bushes and some trees: Croxley Common Moor or CCM for short.

The website of Friends of CCCM states:

Croxley Common Moor has been registered as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the rarity of its plant life; it is also designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in acknowledgement of the contribution local residents make to its management. This protection is essential because there are only one or two similar river valley sites still in existence in Hertfordshire.

I have been walking many times over the Moor, wandering what new species I would catch with my camera. And there are quite some "firsts" that I would like to share.

Only recently I saw my first Long-tailed Tit. This brown and white bird which is called Staartmees in Dutch and Aegithalos Caudatus.in Latin, has indeed a very long tail. It is a very restless creature, so taking a picture of it is quite a challenge. But is worth the wait, since it is indeed a very beautiful little fellow.

Now Spring is gradually arriving the birds all seem to become more restless and quick; taking pictures requires more patience for sure.

And since I am proudly showing some firsts, I have also taken my first (and so far my only) pictures of this very colour butterfly called: Small Tortoiseshell. Everybody knows it, but I haven't seen them very often. This one was very happy sitting on a thistel and had the courtesy to stay put while I was taking pictures. In Dutch it is called Kleine Vos and in Latin it is called Aglais Urticae.

The British Butterfly website from Steven Cheshire confirms my fears:

Recent years have seen a rapid decline in numbers of Small Tortoiseshells across Britain. The primary reason for this decline is thought to be due to the expanding range of a tachinid parasitoid fly called Sturmia bella which was first recorded in Britain in 1999.

Let's hope the decline can be stopped.

One of the typical dilemma's for the Friends of the CCM is the Ragworth growth. This yellow plant is poisonous to livestock and cows do graze on the CCM on a regular bases to keep the habitat in it's original form. Therefore the friends have to keep the ragworth in check by weeding (with volunteers) every month in the Spring and Summer. But this activity has to stop once the caterpillars of the Cinnabar Moth (in Dutch: St. Jacobsvlinder; in Latin: Tyria Jacobaeae) arrive, because it is the only thing they eat.

And so the preservation of nature is always a matter of making the right choices at the right time.

You can see more pictures of the CCM at the special FlickRiver Group that I have set up. But why don't you have a look for yourself? It is worth the travel to Croxley Green. Just cross the road from the tubestation, Go left and follow the small road (right turn after 100 yards) down to the canal. After crossing the lock you will find the entrance of the Moor.