Blog Archives

Birth of a Scarce Swallowtail

26/3/2016

by Lesley McLaren

In January I wrote about finding the pupa of a scarce swallowtail on a wall of our house. I've been keeping an anxious eye on it ever since, especially this month as the butterfly should emerge in March; assuming it's still alive at all.

I must admit to wishing it would get a move on - we want to paint the wall and door next to it but can't until this lodger has left! I'm sure many people will think I'm being silly about wanting to preserve one insect out of trillions. But to deliberately destroy something like this, after all that effort and all that time, simply because it's inconveniencing our decorating plans, seems wrong. Nature makes the odds of its survival low enough.

A few days ago I noticed the pupa "shell" had darkened considerably, which I hoped was a good sign.

11th January

25th March

But then I got very worried when a fierce tramontane blew up. Gusts were moving the pupa and I feared that those silk threads weren't going to hold. Unless the movement was caused by the butterfly inside. Was it waking up?

I don't know the answer to that, but I was hopeful today when the wind dropped and the temperature soared to 24 degrees in our garden. The sun wouldn't strike the pupa until the afternoon though. Would it stay warm enough for long enough?

When I went to check again at about 2pm - hurray! - it had gone! I'd missed the birth while writing my previous blog! Damn. But the sight of that empty shell made me beam like a proud mum. And that was the first time I touched it. It was papery thin and delicate; I tried to carefully pull it off the wall so I could examine it more closely - only to find it still very firmly attached. I need never have worried about that wind. Isn't nature clever?

There was no sign of the butterfly in the garden, and I'm so sorry not to have seen it, but - daft as I am - I wished it a long and happy life. "Born" 26th March 2016 - the same day the first leaf opened on our vine, and I heard my first wryneck of the year.

Happy Birthday!

A reminder of what he or she looks like now:

2 Comments

Discoveries in the Undergrowth

26/3/2016

0 Comments

by Lesley McLaren

At the moment, when I hear rustling in a hedgerow, more often than not it turns out to be a human, bent double, foraging for wild asparagus or other delicacies I know nothing about. I must confess I'm never tempted by those tender green tips poking through the undergrowth in verges - can't help thinking of all the animals (dogs mostly and mine in particular) that have probably left their mark in passing!

I've found one or two very different things in the last few days, however, which I won't be adding to my Easter omelette either.

I don't normally collect feathers but couldn't resist bringing this one home because it's in such pristine condition. I didn't think it was the moult season, so was surprised to come across it. At first I thought it might be a kestrel's tail feather, but it's 22cm long - which would make for a very big kestrel - and research confirms it's from a buzzard's tail. According to a wonderful new book I've just bought (The Raptors of Europe and The Middle East by Dick Forsman) resident raptors start to moult during the breeding season. There are buzzards all year round where I found this feather, and nesting begins in March - so that puts me straight; I shouldn't have been surprised at all.

On a different day, I nearly stepped on this wonderful creature.

The orange-y colouring seems unusual, but she is a common spiny toad bufo spinosus (subspecies of the common toad). I believe they can change their colour to suit surroundings and she was quite well camouflaged against the leaves - less so when she moved to a grassier area. I say 'she' but have no idea if I'm right about that. I'm going by size alone (she was a big girl) and I didn't check the length of her nasal vent, or look for "nuptial pads" on the first three fingers...

Interesting to watch the way she moved when she walked away.

Common Toad from Lesley McLaren on Vimeo.

So what is everyone else looking for and plucking out of the hedgerows? Wild garlic? There are a lot of pretty white flowers around at the moment. They must be a type of allium, but which? They don't smell of garlic and their leaves aren't broad enough for wild garlic. The flower doesn't look quite right close up either. So I'm wondering if they are allium neapolitanum - Neapolitan (False) Garlic. Can anyone tell me?

0 Comments

Palm Moths and Weevils

26/3/2016

2 Comments

by Lesley McLaren

There's just over a month to go before this year's moths and weevils will complete their metamorphosis in our palms, and fly off, looking for mates. And so the cycle of life - and destruction of trees - will continue.

The abdomens of female moths are much longer than those of the males - so designed, I suppose, not only for egg storage but to assist with egg laying. You can see how effective this one is at getting into those hard-to-reach areas on the trunk of this palm. Such a shame they are so beautiful!

Small wonder it's hard to prevent infestation. And for those trees obviously affected and beyond rescue (treatment is costly and probably unlikely to work long-term), it's best they are destroyed over the next few weeks, to limit the spread as much as possible. A lost cause perhaps?

I tend to think the fate of the palm is sealed. We lost ours last spring (amazing how quickly it deteriorated), and another seven or eight have been felled nearby in the last six months. Others were left, sick and dying, throughout the summer. And you can understand why. The cost of hiring an accredited gardener is off-putting if not unaffordable for some people. A large proportion of the cost for ours covered special déchetterie charges. I believe the chipped fronds had to be taken to one, and the trunk to another. Our local tip doesn't accept any tree trunks or roots now. No surprise, therefore, that this is happening more and more:

It's disappointing to see fly tipping, nevertheless. As well as being unsightly, the scattering of felled palms around the countryside from spring to autumn will help spread the insects.

I fear that our towns, villages and coastal resorts will be palm free very soon, and I only hope that when these exotic moths and weevils run out of that food source, they don't turn to native plants.

2 Comments

Spring in the Emporda

17/3/2016

0 Comments

by Robin Noble (Photography by Martine Howard)

As I rather vaguely “forecast" in my last, something like winter has come eventually to the Pyrenées-Orientales; today is cold, wet, and very grey. We managed, however, in the last week, to have three lovely sunny days in an almost deserted Costa Brava, which was delightful. On the way home, we spent time at one of our favourite places, the wetland nature reserve in the Emporda. As we approached, we passed through an astonishing shower of seriously heavy rain (the purple of roadside almond orchards glowing eerily in the gloom), but it then cleared away completely and all was lovely. In fact, the combination of that rain, and generally high water-levels meant that the whole reserve was wetter than we had seen it before, which the ducks certainly seemed to be enjoying.

There were a lot of birds there, of course; and lots of duck: mallard, inevitably, but also dozens of shovelers and the tiny teal, as well as wigeon, with dabchick, coot and moorhen everywhere. The storks were very visible, as ever, with two species of egret, grey heron, ibis, and a mute swan making her nest on a tiny island in front of one of the several hides. Among the waders were a few curlew and redshank, (which reminded us very much of the UK), and, as before, we had fantastic views of snipe with the very complex patterns on the back.

Dabchick (Little Grebe)

Snipe

The improbable stilts were stalking about, just beginning to come into summer plumage with the black patch forming on the head. A pair of avocets made an interesting contrast. Among the land birds, a wren and a robin added a touch of home, a kestrel hovered overhead, and the chiffchaffs and Cetti’s warblers called continuously. (Spring is coming!). The first few swallows arced above the shining wetlands to prove it, too. And while there were, sadly, no cranes or flamingos on this occasion, we had one very special sighting to make up for that.
As I joined Martine in one of the excellent hides, (this one quite tall, with a splendid outlook over a channel between two very wet meadows), she gestured to me to be quiet and sit down quickly; there was a kingfisher sitting on the top rail of the fence below us. It was some distance away, it is true, but in the wonderful light, the brilliant colours were very noticeable-a dazzle of blue and orange when it eventually flew.

Also very evident were quite a number of the elegant fallow deer, walking briskly through the shallows between the duck; they seemed rather nervy, and it was probably due to the fact that there were parties of school-kids making their way noisily around the Reserve. We managed to time our hide visits quite well, and were leaving each time they arrived, which was as well as it would hardly have been feasible to share the limited space with them. But they were clearly enjoying the sunshine, the countryside, and a day out of school, and perhaps one or two of them at least may have been inspired by the visit to think about the wonderful world of nature which we as a species inherited, and, in some special places like this, can still enjoy. Let’s hope so!

0 Comments

Resident Woodpeckers and Returning Migrants

9/3/2016

0 Comments

by Lesley McLaren

You know it's mild when you have to cut the lawn in February and March. Although "clover and dandelion patch" would be a more accurate description of what passes as a lawn in my garden. But that tramontane did blow very cold yesterday, and some recent rain has left a reminder of winter on the top of Néoulous, making a striking contrast with early nectarine blossom.

Walking in this same area a few days ago, I was skirting a copse when I heard a woodpecker drumming. Then it started laughing, which confirmed it was a Green - not Great Spotted. That was no surprise because I usually hear one on these walks. But it was soon answered by another one in the same copse. A breeding pair perhaps? And then a third, a little further away and somewhere behind me. I stopped and waited because the calls were getting louder - the birds were approaching. Green Woodpeckers seem exceptionally shy and I very rarely see one, but there was a good chance that day because the trees weren't in leaf yet. And, sure enough, after a couple of minutes I did glimpse both birds. I stood there for several minutes watching and recording them on my brand new, very clever mobile phone. This would be great for our birdsong page - so much better than the one already up there!

Later, at home, I excitedly uploaded the recording onto my computer - only to find I'd been pointing the microphone at my stomach. Clearly this operator is a lot less smart than her phone! A missed opportunity that may never repeat itself, but such is life.

In other news, the spring migration has started. The local bird group (GOR) is back at the hillock at Canet St Nazaire and this last Saturday alone counted a staggering 2,853 mistle thrushes and 1,888 common cranes. Kites, marsh harriers and short-toed eagles are also beginning to pass through - in smaller numbers. On www.migraction.net (which records the GOR's sightings) I see there have also been a few swallows (including a red rumped one) and house martins. As usual there's always more about when a medium strength tramontane is blowing. So when it warms up again a little more - but before those tiger mosquitoes emerge again - I shall have to go and see what's about. If the Great Spotted Cuckoos return I'd like to try and record their peculiar call this year - and must remember to point my phone in the right direction.

0 Comments

Birth of a Scarce Swallowtail

Discoveries in the Undergrowth

Palm Moths and Weevils

Spring in the Emporda

Resident Woodpeckers and Returning Migrants

Authors

Archives

Categories