Comments for The Naturalists' Notebook

Comment on Carr Mill Dam 20th March 2011 by Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 16:43:47 +0000

I was wondering about the difference in antennae ….
Thanks Sabena, always appreciated.

Comment on Carr Mill Dam 20th March 2011 by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:15:56 +0000

That ‘Monday effect’ again. Ignore my last answer, your lunch guest was a Window Gnat - Sylvicola fenestralis.

Comment on Carr Mill Dam 20th March 2011 by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:32:55 +0000

Your lunch guest was a Snipe Fly - Rhagio sp. With the clearly marked wings and the time of year I’d probably go for Rhagio scolopaceus. A useful key for Rhagio species in North-west Europe can be found at
http://home.hccnet.nl/mp.van.veen/KEYS/Rhagionidae/Rhagio.html

Comment on Parkgate High Tide 20th February 2011 by Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:58:47 +0000

John said he had identified the three small mammals we saw at Parkgate as a Mole, a Common Shrew and a Harvest Mouse. He has reported them to the MNA’s recorder, Dave H.

Comment on Owl Pellet by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:51:16 +0000

Rearranging the bones was a bit fiddly to say the least. The smallest tarsals were minute only a mm and even with forceps were quite difficult to handle. The two bones you mention are the ear capsules and the small bone beside the lhs ribs is the sternum. Worth the effort though, I’m pleased with the result

Comment on Owl Pellet by Barbara

Barbara — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 17:51:05 +0000

What a wonderful skeleton ! Even the fibulas are intact. That must have taken a while to arrange.
What are the two bones (a R and L pair) behind the lower jaws and before the first vertebra?

Comment on Childwall Woods 21st Nov 2010 by Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:21:01 +0000

Thanks for identifying the fungi, Sabena, I thought you would know! I will pass the ID’s along to Bill, who found the “limpets” and was keen to know what they were.

Comment on Childwall Woods 21st Nov 2010 by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:49:07 +0000

The first fungi photo showing the grey and white tiers on the beech log is a young Smoky Bracket Bjerkandera adusta. A good ID characteristic is their leathery or rubbery texture.
The second photo with the limpet-sized fungi on the twig is good old Turkeytail a.k.a Many-zoned Polypore Trametes versicolor

Comment on Ermine moth caterpillars at Frodsham Marsh by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:11:08 +0000

Last year in Rotterdam a car became cocooned with Spindle Ermine caterpillars silken web.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1188650/Thousands-marauding-caterpillars-trap-car-silky-web.html

Comment on Leighton Moss 23/5/10 by Sabena Blackbird

Sabena Blackbird — Wed, 26 May 2010 07:56:19 +0000

Also at Trowbarrow Quarry was pair of mating Hawthorn Shield Bugs (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale) and a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)