Cossall - The Robbinetts
Arm (Flora & Fauna)
w/e 30 January
2005
All
this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490
On the outward journey along the Robbinetts Arm
we had been looking at the scenery and general views of the area
but as we began to retrace our steps to the car park, we became
more aware of the flora and fauna.
We noticed a number of logs
near the far end of the Arm and realised that this was not the
first woodpile that we had passed. It suggested that they had
been placed deliberately as woodpiles like this make excellent
habitats for hibernating insects. Although nothing was visible
on the frosty ground, beetles, ants, wasps, spiders are just
a few of the insects that can overwinter in wood and no doubt
mice, voles and other small mammals also enjoy the nooks and
crannies of the shelter.
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Nearby on the towpath, there
were several ridges characteristic of another small mammal, the
mole. These small burrowing creatures with pointed snouts, velvet
fur and long, powerful claws on their front legs dig below the
surface of the ground in their search for food, pushing the earth
back behind them and, when close to the surface, produce molehills
like these seen here.
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The hedgerows along the Robbinetts Arm are quite drab at this
time of year but early yellow flowers on some gorse added a splash
of colour. Gorse is a perennial, evergreen shrub of the legume family with spinelike leaves and although it can flower throughout the year,
it usually produces flowers in late winter or early spring (Jan
– Mar) attracting bees, who are the primary pollinators,
to this early season source of pollen.
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In the overgrown canal itself, we spotted a number of waterfowl
including coots and ducks whilst three geese circled overhead.
Here paddling swiftly in the icy water we saw a pair of mallards
making their way between the reeds and bulrushes. Male mallards
are easily distinguishable with their dark green heads and yellow
bills, whilst the female of the species is mainly brown with
an orange bill. In the UK mallards may be either resident breeders
or migrants with birds from Iceland and northern Europe spending
the winter here. Feeding on acorns, berries, plants, insects
and shellfish, they are a common sight in wetland areas.
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As we neared the end of our
walk, a group of birds emerged from the hedge and started pecking
at the ground. At first we thought they were coots but a closer
look showed they were in fact moorhens. The name moorhen is misleading
being a corruption of mirehen or marshhen, which gives a much
truer picture of its natural habitat. It feeds on water plants,
seeds, fruit, grasses, insects, snails and worms. It is very
similar in appearance to its larger cousin the coot, but the
coot is all black with a white beak while the moorhen has a brownish
body with a white stripe and a distinctive red bill with a yellow
tip.
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Reputed to be the UK's favourite
bird, the easily identifiable robin with its bright red breast
can usually be found in woodlands, parks hedgerows and even gardens
with plenty of undergrowth. These territorial birds eat worms,
seeds, fruits and insects and they sing throughout the year.
Towards the end of December robins begin to explore other robins'
territories as they look for a mate and by mid-January the majority
will be paired. As we changed our shoes and prepared to leave,
this solitary robin settled in the hedge, sat and watched. Whether
or not it was still looking for a mate or was just in search
of food I don't know, but it seemed quite content to sit and
be photographed. In the past whenever I have tried to photograph
robins, I have never had much success - the images were often
out of focus or the bird had flown but this time I think it has
turned out quite well. It has also caused me to ponder the origin
of the name "Robbinetts" - in the dim and distant past,
could it have had something to do with our feathered friends?
I don't suppose I shall ever know for certain but . . . .
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