Botany on the Lizard...

I’ve had this holiday to the Lizard in Cornwall booked since last August and was really looking forward to spending a week in this beautiful county. We came here a lot as teenagers and had been lucky enough to see a lot of the rare plants years ago. Now I thought I could return and get some new photographs while relaxing in the far away feel of the Lizard.

Kennack sands to Cadgwith

Kennack sands is a quiet holiday spot with a couple of caravan parks locally. The beach is divided into two by a small headland/dune system. This area provides a small number of Common Broomrape as well as large numbers of the invasive Three cornered Leek and Thrift. The leek, although becoming a problem, is a very attractive plant.

Common Broomrape, Kennack Sands: Duncan Harris

Three Cornered Leek: Duncan Harris

Thrift: Duncan Harris

 Walking the coast path towards Cadgwith provides Early Purple Orchid and the occasional Green-winged Orchid. About half way I was pleased to find Yellow Vetch, the most rare plants are often easier to find than these localized ones and it was a new one for me. Nearby the introduced Rosy Garlic was just starting to bloom.

Rosy Garlic nr Cadgwith: Duncan Harris

Yellow Vetch: Duncan Harris

 St Michael's Mount and Kynance Cove

A day trip to St. Michael’s Mount was a must. Not for any particular plants but the place itself is magical if a little crowded. Low tide when we arrived meant we could walk across on the exposed causeway. A real touristy thing to do it still supplied Rock Sea Spurred on the harbour walls . Back on the Lizard proper a visit to Kynance Cove gave up some more flowers. A popular destination since Victorian times the walk down gives stunning views of the cove as well as the rare Western Clover by the steep path. After the obligatory cream tea we walked back by the supply road to the café and found loads of the lovely Bloody Crane’s-bill as well as a small patch of Hairy Greenweed.

St Michael's Mount nr Marazion: Duncan Harris

Rock Sea Spurry: Duncan Harris

Kynance Cove, Lizard: Duncan Harris

Western Clover, a Lizard speciality: Duncan Harris

Bloody Cranesbill: Duncan Harris

Hairy Greenweed, Kynance Cove: Duncan Harris

Lizard Point

 Lizard point itself is only a couple of miles from Kynance and possibly the best spot of all. The walk down from the village soon supplies Tree Mallow and as you reach the point itself the cliffs are covered by more invasive species. The large creamy coloured Hottentot Fig smothers nearly everything as does a close relative the Dew Plant. Along the cliffs westwards Subterranean Clover was seen along with more Western Clover but unfortunately too early for the three mega rare ‘Lizard Clovers’. A nice surprise though was Spring Sandwort right beside the path.

Tree Mallow, Lizard Point: Duncan Harris

Hottentot Fig, smothers the cliffs: Duncan Harris

Subterranean Clover: Duncan Harris

Spring Sandwort: Duncan Harris

Just to show there’s more than just the plants some Atlantic Grey Seals were visible on rocks offshore and although we didn’t see them that day Choughs had been flying around before we arrived.

Grey Seals, Lizard Point: Duncan Harris

A great place for a holiday no matter how much or how little time you want to put into looking at the wildlife, and there’s always something else to go back for another day.

Note: Thanks to Duncan for his excellent report and botanical photos!

Black-winged Stilt...

This gorgeous male Black-winged Stilt is currently gracing West Moor near Hambridge on the Somerset Levels and I managed to get out to see it today with Dave Helliar. They don't turn up this close to home too often and I always try to see them if I can, such graceful, beautiful birds - one of my favourites for sure! It certainly performed well and for most of the time it was just four of us there watching it, a private show! Exceptionally tame bird too, it didn't seemed to be bothered by people close by.

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt, male, West Moor: R. Harris

Black-winged Stilt: Dave Helliar

Black-winged Stilt, wing-stretching: Dave Helliar

Despite the heat haze I managed a little bit of video too for good measure - just look at those legs!

Black-winged Stilt: R. Harris

Sand Lizards...

Where do you take a visiting Canadian colleague (and their partner), who's into herpetology? Luckily for me the decision turned out to be fairly easy as Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis was high on their hit list and I knew just where to look for them.

Saturday looked promising from a weather perspective, so we headed off towards Dorset to start our search. It wasn't long before we found our first lizard, a large, if slightly faded male.

Sand Lizard Lacerta fragilis, male: R. Harris

This was closely followed by more males thermoregulating in the April sunshine. Those we found got progressively greener as the morning went on.

Sand Lizard Lacerta fragilis, male: R. Harris

Sand Lizard Lacerta fragilis, male: R. Harris

Sand Lizard Lacerta fragilis, male: R. Harris

We also found a Slow Worm Anguis fragilis and our last find of the day, a lovely young male Grass Snake Natrix n. helvetica, who was just starting to slough. That's all six native reptiles plus Wall Lizard seen so far this year.

Grass Snake Natrix natrix helvetica, male.
Just about to slough its skin: R.Harris

Grass Snake Natrix natrix helvetica, male: R.Harris

Grass Snake Natrix natrix helvetica, male: R.Harris

Always fun to see a person's reaction to Grass Snake musk the first time they smell it. I wasn't laughing though when I realised the hand wipes I carry for just such an occasion, were in the other car! Oh well, we'd just have to stop at a pub to wash our hands and quench our thirst.

Early Spider Orchids...

Although Roger and I have seen Early Spider Orchids many times over the years it’s been a long time since we saw them in good numbers. As its name suggests they’re one of the first orchids flowering in the year, so with the promise of good weather we decided to head to the Isle of Purbeck. This area along the south Dorset coast is one of the main strongholds of the orchid in the UK and also the place where we first saw them over 30 years ago. The Early Spider was one of the first rare plants we ever went in search of and certainly the first rare orchid that we ticked off.

Leaving early it was a little over an hour until we were driving through the lovely Dorset countryside. Purbeck is rolling hills running down to some of the most stunning coastline in England. Parking at Worth Matravers we headed off down one of the many footpaths that join up with the South West Coast Path. After about 45 minutes we were on the coast proper and walking along the beautiful chalky cliffs.

Purbeck Coast, home to Early Spider Orchids

Me (Duncan) adding to my botanical photo collection 

The grassland here is botanically rich and later in the year is a riot of colour, in April it’s a bit more subdued but that makes it easier to spot the orchids. Most are only a few inches high, once you have your eye-in they become easier to see, little green stems with dark brown blobs on them. Closer the similarity to a spider becomes evident, beautifully marked flowers with quite a diverse range of markings.

Early Spider Orchid, Purbeck: D. Harris

Early Spider Orchid, Purbeck: D. Harris

Early Spider Orchid, Purbeck: D. Harris

Early Spider Orchids, 3-4 inches of
velvety-brown rareness: R.Harris

Early Spider Orchid, Purbeck: R. Harris

Early Spider Orchid, var. flavescens
Purbeck: R. Harris

We were fortunate enough to see hundreds if not thousands in the two fields we walked and you have to remember that only a short walk inland and you lose them altogether. After a couple of hours we headed back to the car, the walk uphill a lot harder in the by then brilliant sunshine.

In addition to the orchids we had exceptionally close views of a Skylark, a couple of kestrels including this smart male, a single Wheatear, and singing Blackcaps. Noticeable by their absence were the expected Willow Warblers, Whitethroats and hirundines!  A short drive back to Wareham Forest provided good views of Sand Lizard Lacerta agillis as a nice way of finishing the trip.

Kestrel, male: R. Harris

Skylark, Worth Matravers: R. Harris

Skylark, Worth Matravers: R. Harris

Skylark, Worth Matravers: R. Harris

Sand Lizard, Lacerta agillis: R. Harris

Wall Lizards...

It's been a couple of years since I last saw the Ventnor Wall Lizards Podarcis muralis. You really have to see them on a warm sunny day to see them at their best and today reached the dizzy high of 15 degrees with clear blue skies, so it was time to take another look.

I was surprised to see so many males, at least 9 and only a couple of females - it's always been the other way around on previous visits. They showed very well indeed, these green-backed individuals are of the race P. m. nigriventris with their ancestral roots in northern Italy.

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Common Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis nigriventris, male

Also had another large female Adder Vipera berus soaking up the sun this morning.

Adder Vipera berus, female 

Common Adder Vipera berus, female 

Common Adder Vipera berus, female 

With a couple of days of our holiday left, I wonder if there are anymore adders to be seen? I've also been running the bat detector at our holiday cottage and had four species on the wing this week: Common pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Brown long-eared and Serotine! I just love the Isle-of-Wight.

Adders...

I've been visiting the Isle-of-Wight regularly now for many years during the Easter holiday and this year's no exception. It's like stepping back in time, in more ways than one, and we always have a relaxing time here.

It's also one of the best places I know of these days for seeing Common Adders Vipera berus. In my part of the South West they have all but vanished but here I can almost guarantee sightings in the Spring. This visit yielded the first specimen within an hour of landing on the Island. 

Common Adder Vipera berus,  nr Freshwater, I-O-W
This one is just about to slough. 

And with the Nikon P900 I can get a decent shot without disturbance, nice to walk away and leave this one sunning itself - it's important not to disturb them, particularly when they have recently emerged and are gearing up for the breeding season ahead.

2nd April: Another female today near Blackgang Chine - what a beauty! This was about as big as you normally see in the UK.

Vipera berus, female- Blackgang Chine, I-O-W

Also had a Red Kite nearby at St Catherine's Oratory, which drifted in off the sea.

Red Kite, I-O-W