April - May 2017
The new tins had been numbered with Roman numerals.
One of the rangers must have done that. They’re a sophisticated lot. We’ve been
back in one of the more remote parts of the Gibside woodland, cutting back the
tangle of bramble and honeysuckle that had taken advantage of the clearings we
had carved out earlier in the year. We lopped down a few more birches while we
were on, to let in more light. It is grass snake time again, and we were there
to set up a new monitoring site in addition to the eight already dotted around
the estate.
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The new site |
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A log pile covered in honeysuckle |
This site is a bit out of the way, bordered north and
south by intermittent streams, and surrounded by trees – oak, rowan, ash,
beech, wych elm, holly, hazel and lots of birch. Though predominantly trees,
there are margins – streamside, field edge, nearby track side and, of course,
the clearings themselves – where non-woody flowering plants thrive. Here there
are bluebells, wood sorrel, ramsons, primrose, yellow pimpernel and the exquisite
moschatel. In some parts, people refer to grass snakes as water snakes.
Hereabouts there are a few ponds, and we’re not too far from the River Derwent
– though it is uphill all the way. The streams might help.
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A lovely wych elm tree near the site entrance |
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Wych elm seeds |
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Rowan |
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Hazel |
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Ramsons |
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The delicate flowers of moschatel |
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Bluebells |
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Yellow pimpernel |
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This sedge gave off clouds of pollen when touched |
Anyway, with it being a new patch, it has new ACOs –
artificial cover objects that is: bits of corrugated iron. These days they’re
made of some other material, but we just call them tins.
The tins are there because, underneath, they make an
ideal grass snake shelter and, on top, a fine basking place, making any snakes
more visible to the observer. The numbers aid recording. And Natrix natrix might
well be tempted by the Roman numerals, but don’t count on it.
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An inquisitive Common pheasant |
Steve Wootten & Phil Coyne