Frogs and Feeders; Bullhead and Butterbur

 Spring really seems to have got underway. Already I noted Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage in flower and not too far away a frog orgy producing lots of frog spawn

 

I usually start reducing the bird food I put out once spring begins. I checked one of the bird feeders and found after six years it was no longer fit for purpose. I will need to buy a new one in September.

Still on Cuerden Valley Park, we had our first education visit of the year delivering river studies. Our Education officer covers the river geography and I don wellies to help the school children search for river invertibrates. 

     

It was a nice dry day, except for those who forgot they only had short wellies and had the river come over the top of them despite our several warnings. Good job they brought spare dry socks. Lots of Mayfly nymphs and a rather gorgeous Bullhead fish. It's an indicator of a clean river and was returned back to the water once the photo was taken.

 

I decided to walk home and spotted some Butterbur just in flower at the bottom of our Meadow Path.

 

Tyto, Toads and other critters

 A colleague mentioned they had seen a Barn Owl emerging from a nearby building. Enthused, I went to see if I could discover any owl pellets. This serves two purposes. First confirmation of the bird's presence and second, examination of the pellets helps us to see what prey the owl has been eating. We found at least three pellets plus the farmer kindly allowed us to have a camera installed temporarily to try to obtain more evidence of the bird. Here is a photo of the pellets. They may look disgusting to some, but remember the owl ejects them from its mouth, not its backside.

 

I had a good week in the middle of February with a few surprises. At a meeting of the Lancashie Wildlife Trust Speaker Team, I was given a special certificate in recognition of 35 years volunteering for LWT. Only a few of those were on the speaker team. In the afternoon, the Friends of Cuerden Valley Park gave me a Lifetime membership for the work I do for them over the year. Finally when I arrived home, I checked the mail and saw that someone had sent me a Valentine. It is a Leap Year after all.

At the weekend I went to say a sad farewell to one of the Watch Leaders who has felt it right to retire after 30+ years of running the group. It was a great session. She had  asked https://crittersinteractive.co.uk/  to bring some of their animals. There were snakes, stick insects, toads and a slow worm. My favourite was this large frog. 

 

The day after this I went checking round Cuerden valley Park and found Lenten Rose flowering and also  Lungwort. Spring seems to be getting earlier.

     

 A visitor to Cuerden had noticed some bees going to and coming from a tree that had recently been blown down in a storm. She asked if she could contact a bee expert to see what they could do. As a result a lady from the Bee Centre, which is based not too far away came to rescue the bees and take them to a place for TLC and placed in a new hive. We are very grateful for their involvement. I believe caring for creation involves insects as well as cuddly creatures.

  

Mammal Checks and moving cameras.

 It has been a frustrating couple of weeks with incessant rain and a poorly laptop meaning my blog writing has been curtailed. On the earliest drier day I went away from my local patch on Cuerden Valley Park to check out reports of badger acivity. Some supposed paths were only tracks made by dogs entering a bramble patch in a ditch, and snuffle holes on careful examination, proved to be roe deer slots. 

We did find some King Alfred Cakes fungi and some Yellow Brain fungus, so our trip was beneficial.

We returned to Cuerden Valley Park so that I could change the position of one of our trail cameras. During winter I have it over the reservoir to monitor winter visiting birds such as these sleeping wigeon and often a Goosander. 

 

 

 

I move it once the bluebell shoots start to show so I do not cause any disturbance for these gorgeous flowers. The camera then goes to our hedgehog feeding station to monitor their emergence from hibernation. This means we can then increase our provision of food when applicable for these 
wonderful creatures.