Sunday 23 June 2013

Friday 14 June 2013

Some plants for those who are interested

I have been trying to get my head round plants as there are lots of them I don't know. It is always fun starting almost afresh on a big group as you spend long periods of time puzzling over some of the commonest of species which makes you feel a bit stupid!

Most of these are pretty common:

Yellow Rattle

Lousewort

Kidney Vetch

Sheep's-bit

Pink Sorrel

English Stonecrop

Wood Spurge

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Messing about in ponds........

Not much to post about recently.......

Last Friday I took the opportunity to show a new colleague around some sites on Dartmoor that are good for amphibians. Lovely sunny day, messing about with pond nets and a beer to finish - does it get much better?? I'll let the photos speak for themselves:

Toad Tadpoles at Hemerdon

Palmate Newt

Palmate Newt with deformed tail and massive cloaca!

Toad Tadpoles

Common Frog Tadpoles (massive bias towards Toad at all sites)

Shoreweed at Hemerdon

Baby Newt with gills

Dysticus marginalis mummy

Dysticus marginalis baby (with unfortunate Newt)

A hole that used to be Dartmoor

One of the prettiest pools I know

Aeshna juncea larva near Cadover