Pond-skimming. Netty is rescuing pondweed and animals especially damselfly nymphs to return them to the water.
We spent the time skimming off as much of the duckweed that was blanketing the surface of the pond as possible using pole nets. The idea is to let light filter down to the bottom of the pond to encourage the more delicate pondweeds. In the process, we had a good opportunity to check the status of some of the pond life that we don’t usually get to see, as the underwater plants are rather few beside the boardwalk – most likely because the continual sampling keeps them from growing much. But the rest of the pond is another story.
Rigid Hornwort, its shoots stiff as if covered in limescaleCanadian pondweedDamselfly nymph with leaflike tail appendagesA stubby damselfly nymph with spiky tail appendages
There were at least two kinds of damselfly nymph, possibly bluetail and azure damselflies, judging by a pondside look at the book without a handlens. The little camera in close-up mode is just about capable of resolving detail at this scale, given good light. The various damselfly nymphs have differently-shaped tail appendages, which the book says are diagnostic.
Leaflike tail appendages of a long slender damselfly nymph, with feathery venation just about visible: I must have a look with the microscope and book!
We also caught a newt or two. We carefully put all the minibeasts and interesting bits of pondweed back in the water.
HoglouseLeech on finger 1Leech on finger 2A fine big Water Scorpion
Leaf Spot on Oak. The spread of the fungus is limited by the tree’s defences, resulting in circular patches of damaged tissue.Margaret and Netty trying to get a Garden Spider to sit still for its photographGarden Spider on leafRed (and Grey) FoxSouthern Hawker dragonfly in Gunnersbury Triangle, 4 October 2017Tricholoma knight fungi
We also saw Fly Agaric, Trooping Funnel, Collared Earthstar, and Deceiver.
Armillaria mellea Honey Fungus by rotting Birch logs. The fungus is both parasitic (killing trees) and saprophytic (rotting their wood afterwards).
Hips Haws Berries – autumn is definitely on the way nowHimalayan Balsam (Policeman’s Helmet) – either a delight or a scourge, depending on point of view, but still, an elegant plantAlfalfa – the king of forage plants, which is what its name means in Arabic (apparently)Southern Hawker, a magnificent dragonfly of late summer and autumn. Banded Demoiselles and Common Blue Damselflies were still flying, tooRed Admiral, basking on the Wraysbury brambles
Fish and Chips to Take Away, with watchful Herring Gull Customer, HastingsFish Stall, netted against Herring Gulls, Hastings. The stallholder reported that they had lost a Dover Sole and a Plaice to gulls in the past few days, so the netting is anything but purely decorative. Customers choose through the netting, and then pay and collect through the quickly closed door!A fine Plaice … stainless steel sculpture, Hastings. The rainbow coloration is created by the heat of welding the spots on to the skin, forming thin layers of oxide which interfere with light (structural coloration).Rowan in leaf, flower and fruit, Wakehurst PlaceGolden-Ringed Dragonfly, Wakehurst PlaceWheatear, below Pett cliffs, which are inhabited by Fulmars; the gulls were accompanied by noisy Oystercatchers, and a Little EgretTiny hemispherical Jurassic shark tooth, Pett cliffs
Not illustrated are the family of three Spotted Flycatchers and the Redstart surprisingly seen in a Sussex hedge! At this time of year they could easily be migrants from somewhere further north, of course. The Peregrine falcon that had a go at a Rook, however, was probably a local.
Herald Moth on Netty’s glove, whirring its wings to warm up. Its food plants are Willow and Aspen; we found it under a Grey Poplar so that’s probably what it grew up on. We found another specimen a minute later. They were cold and groggy on this cool, rainy day.Clipping path edges: the ivy had grown over the edging poles, sometimes by a foot or so.
The English seem unemotional … except for their passion for nature
