Water Voles

Rosie wanted to take some pictures of Cromford Village near Matlock. This is a very historic location, being in the forefront of the industriual revolution. This is how we came to be walking along the Cromford Canal, looking for Dabchicks (Little grebe) to photograph. At the Junction, we came across a couple of naturalists with very powerful cameras on tripods, aimed at the canal bank. They had been waiting for 4 hours to get some good pictures of Water Voles.
The water vole has been in decline in the UK for about two decades now. They are starting to show a comeback, with numbers on the increase. These ones were a little jittery and would take to the water at the slightest noise. The bank had been primed with diced apple to encourage the voles out of the water. It is wonderful to be able to take advantage of the hard work of competent naturalist photographers to get some easy shots.

This is the first time I have photographed water voles. They were very common when I was a child, we called them water rats. They could be found on the banks of virtually every river or lake at some point, way back in the 1960's.

Whilst the camera team were having lunch, one of the voles came out onto a rock. This enabled me to get some very good photographs. one of the couple's cameras was left beyond the vole, so there was only one camera able to record this moment. Natural animal photography is often down to an opportunistic moment in a days work.

These little rodents were grazing on grass and moss on the canal bank. It put me in mind of Ratty in "Tales of the River Bank" - he was a water vole.

BBC Feature Article: Andrew Parkinson

Arvicola terrestris is the latin name for the water vole. They are strict vegeterians, feeding mainly on grass and other small plants.

Shake, rattle and roll

I was half awake this morning as the objects on my bedside table started to dance and rattle. 'Oh! - earthquake' - I thought. 'It's a long way off,' - then went back to sleep.

This morning the whole country was buzzing about an earthquake centred on the Market Rasen fault in North Lincolnshire. The shock was a 5.3 quake, being felt from Glasgow to Kent and Wales to Amsterdam. That size of quake is unusual for the UK, but the level of damage was minimal, a few chimney stacks down in Gainsborough. A chimney stack fell through a house in Market Harborough and broke a man's pelvis. Another chimney stack came down in Market Drayton and blocked the main road. The comment on the local news was "such a British earthquake" - hardly any damage to talk of!

When Rosie saw the report on the news I told her about my experience - she had slept through the whole 10 seconds.

Later today I have been sorting through my boxes of fossils. I am missing a flint burin from my prehistoric stuff, and I would like to find where I have put it. In the search I came across these remarkable shells;
This shell is from the Lower Jurassic rocks of Long Itchington Quarry near Rugby. The fossilization has preserved the pigment of the shell in this Plageostoma gigantium. This is nearly 200 million years old and the pattern of stripes can still be seen.

This specimen is one of a group from the Ancaster Rag, which is part of the Estuarine Series near Great Ponton - just off the A1 between Grantham and Colsterworth. Of a similar Jurassic age, and with the shell colours accurately preserved in the shell surface, this fossil is from the Middle Jurassic - about 170 million years ago. This Plageostoma is not too dissimilar to modern species in its colouration. I am always amazed by the rare and splendid nature of some forms of fossil. The preservation of colour is very unusual in any fossil locality.

Max and the Tulips

It is always a joy when your cats are interested in everyday human life. Rosie came home from shopping with some tulips and Max has been enjoying the experience with gusto. He liked to sit and observe new things in the house. This simple jug of flowers was almost as interesting as the Christmas tree was.

This evening, the sunset down the street was unusual. A long bank of low furrowed cloud base was illuminated with a bright orange glow leaving a striped effect across the sky from North to South. Like all amazing sunsets, the light was constantly changing. It was difficult to choose a representative image - I took several pictures at the time. It is now dark and the memory of the sunset is fading.

The forcast is for a cold night (1 or 2 degrees Celcius) and wet weather in the morning. The old adage "Red sky at night, shepards delight" (hardly appropriate in this age of motorcars and central heating) may well hold, as the temperature forcast is warmer than expected for tomorrow. At least there will be no ground frost in this part of the county. This will allow my early seeds to get a good start in the garden.

At last - A Thrush

For several months I have been mindful of taking a photograph of a thrush. These birds tend to avoid people and fly off or keep at a distance. I have often seen them flying between the trees in local parks and have photographed them at a distance.
This little fellow, a Mistle Thrush, happened to settle on some recently cultivated and mulched garden where it was able to find a good supply of displaced snails. The bird was so distracted by this abundance of food that it did not seem to notice me or mind my presence. Needless to say, I now have a bunch of photographs of this thrush, enough to satisfy my need.

This morning I received a phone call from our friend Marcia. She is as old as Methuselah, but still manages to visit or keep in touch with half the population of this planet - or so it seems. She had fallen on a staircase in a cafe and injured her back - perhaps a cracked rib below her shoulder blade - very painful. Hope she recovers soon and all our best wishes are with her.

Last time Marcia came to visit us at the Potteries from her Fenland Home, we took her to see friends in Manchester. There is always an interesting adventure to be had with this lady. I have seen her with a Steam Locomotive, handling an owl, traveling on inland water taxis and generally getting up to gentle mischief in all aspects of her life. We seem to have known her for years.

On one occasion, I collected her from a friend in Kidderminster who was a sundial expert, we had an adventure at Ironbridge on the way to Stoke, where she was awarded a certificate for her crossing, then spent some time looking at teddy bears before arriving at our destination. Just for starters!

Poo.....

What is that awful smell? It smells like doggy doo... Where is it coming from?

At 6.30 pm the last thing you need is a vile smell in the house. We do not have a dog, but that smell is unmistakable. Both of us were in our carpet slippers and neither had been out, so we had to look to the cats.

Max was OK. Oh no... Tom. Looks like he has been in the pond. His back end is sopping wet and he smells awful. Poor old boy. We will have to bath him.

Tom was a mature cat when we acquired him - very street wise and well respected amongst the cat and human community. I doubt that he has been bathed before in his life. He is normally so clean for an old boy.

I went to fetch the cat shampoo and Rosie found an old towel. We confined tom to the bathroom and turned on the hand shower to settle the water temperature. Then catch one Tom, put him in the bath and scrub. He was quite resigned to his fate and allowed me to bathe him with little objection. That cat really trusts me.

On investigation, I suspect that he fell into the pond, which is iced over in all but one corner, then in the scamper out he trod into some dog dirt. It was domestic, not at all like fox droppings, and well entrenched into his back paw.

The hair dryer was also a new experience for our Tom, but it did fluf his fur up a treat.

We now have a sweet smelling and soft cat, just needs a few minor salivary adjustments to restore normality.

More Reflections

A couple of days ago, whilst having a coffee and kitkat at the Trentham Lakeside cafe we witnessed the mooring of a pair of outriggers. They belonged to the Stoke-on-Trent Outrigger Club, and the team disembarked at the mooring to take refreshments at the cafe. Quite a novel turn for the Potteries.

Today, we resumed our walk along the canal at Stockton Brook. The sun was bright and the air was still, with a cool and crisp feel to it. The weather was ideal for pictures of reflections in the canal water.
Near Stockton Brook Pumping Station.

Reflection of a Canada Goose. The little devil was making such a noise on the bank. Who was he trying to impress?

Marmalade

This time of year is when the Seville Oranges are in season. When I was recently in the local supermarket I noticed a few bags of Seville oranges in a bin. They are here for a short season and these were good quality oranges, so I purchased two bags (5 KG) on the spot.

Of course, I then realized that our jam pan will only cope with 3 KG of fruit at a time, so this meant two days of labour. Rosie was not too keen about so many oranges, but her love of good marmalade got the better of her. So home we went - we need sugar - another trip out to get some - no butter muslin for the pips - raid the fabric basket and , ah, we have one piece, just big enough.

Rosie controls the pan and its contents and I shred the peel by hand. I like mundane and repetitive jobs occasionally. Day one took nearly 2 hour to shred half of the orange peel. The peal, water juice and pips were cooked for 2 hours and then the sugar and juice of a lemon were added. After 25 minutes at a rolling boil the marmalade was ready for potting. Out came the bag of pips.

Fortunately, Rosie had thought to wash a load of jars and lids, which had been sterilized in the oven. A quick couple of scoops in each jar and the stuff was ready to cool.

We were listening to the popping of the lids all evening. It is ages since we have made marmalade and each time the process seems to get easier and more efficient.
Yesterday we did the second batch and the peel shredding only took an hour. We now have enough marmalade to last the whole year. The sample tester was used today for breakfast with the bread I baked yesterday. Breakfast is always best when it is the rewards of your own efforts.

Feeding Birds

Whilst at Consal Forge Country Park, yesterday, we stopped for a while to watch the birds on the feeders. They have fat posts and seed platforms on the edge of a small scrubby forest area which attracts a variety of birds. This blue tit was feeding in a bit of a flap. This is one of the most common tit species in the UK and can be found throughout. Notice the blue cap on its head.The great tit is also a regular feeder in the Midlands. It is larger than the blue tit, having a black cap on its head and a black stripe down its breast.

This picture shows a great tit from the front. Many of the birds perch in the trees, waiting to get a turn at the feeders.

Here, a great tit and a chaffinch are feeding on seed spill from the feeders. The male chaffinch is a very distinct and easy bird to spot. The females are much plainer brown, but still display the white wing bars.

If you stand still for a while, the birds will feed only a few metres away from the observer. That is until a screaming child runs around the building, or a loose dog ventures past - then the little darlings scatter at a fast rate, venturing back after a minute or so, when the disturbance has passed.

We saw a Nuthatch

Today started with a fine sunrise and, for this time of year, a very mild morning. It was not long before the cats were out and about. After a while of tidying, I found Max and Chloe sitting in the sunshine together on the rain butts and compost bin. These are two cats who grumble if they are in the same room together. They are brother and sister, so that is no surprise.

Having completed our mornings business, I started a batch of bread, then we went for a walk at Consal Forge Country Park. This has always been a favorite haunt, since it combines country and forest walks with a canalside stroll and a railway adventure - not to mention the pub half way round and a unique combination of lime kilns, steep forest staircases and a pottery.

At Consal station, I photographed an American steam locomotive pulling a "Wizardy day" special. The train was loaded with witches and wizards, hikers and enthusiasts of all descriptions. I also took a video clip of the train coming into the station. When we were stopped later by a group of tourists, I was able to play back the video on my camera and direct them to the fun.

On the return walk, we were lucky to see a low flying buzzard, just s few feet above our heads. Of course, my camera was swithed off and Rosie was unable to get the photograph since she was in the middle of the track and a car drove past at the crucial moment, forcing her to abandon the shot and step to the roadside.

We ventured into the woods and saw lots of purching birds flitting amongst the trees. I was delighted to spot a nuthatch, they are not so common around these parts. It stayed long enough for me to zoom in for a couple of shots.

Back home for tea and Rosies chocolate cake, and to complete my batch of bread.

National Memorial Arboretum

The National Memorial Arboretum is a site that commemorates the people who have died or been injured in war. It reflects the troops and civilians of the UK who died in the major conflicts of the last Century and all military active service deaths this Century.

Located near Alrewas in Staffordshire, on Croxall Road (DE13 7AR for those who have sat-nav) the site is a very worthy visit. There is a good quality cafe and toilets, a chapel, shop, exhibition hall, and shelter at the far end of the main roadways. I was very impressed with the warm welcome and free entry. The map and program are expensive and, if purchased, serve as an entry fee - worth paying.

The significantly dominating Armed Forces Monument on the mound has been well publicised recently though the site is vast and has over 100 monuments located in service groups around the arboretum. Our visit followed a period of unusually heavy rain and the River Tame had excessive flow levels, causing some flooding on the Monument site. A large number of immature trees had died as a result of the poor weather. This can be seen clearly in the Road Peace Monument in the picture below.

At the far end of the Car Park is the FEPOW building (contains disabled toilets) where there is a very fine exhibition of the Far East Prisoners of War from the second world war. There is a computer database of records and I found a Tom Pursglove (Air. 1191581) who was a prisoner of the Japanese at that time. The record commemorating his name was projected onto the wall nearby the computer touchscreen. This is worthy of some research.
One of the most striking monuments for me was that of the RNLI at the side of the River Tame. The massive mound monument is grand, but for me, it is the smaller monuments that hold a large amount of interest. This visit has certainly raised my awareness.

Whilst down at the waters edge, I saw a small bird fly out of some scrub at the waterside and off out into the distance. The flash of white on its wing and tail suggested that it may have been a plover, perhaps a ringed plover. There was a board inside the reception, with bird sightings on it. No ringed plover, but a young sparrowhawk, tree sparrow, and a leveret (baby hare). The wildfowl and perching berds were very much in evidence on the riverside. No doubt this monument will be a good conservation site when it is more established.

Jay in the woods

On several occasions, when walking through Trentham Forest we have seen the odd Jay. They are usually very ellusive and fly off very quickly. Today we came upon 3 Jays in the old wood. They immediately flew off before I could raise my camera. Not to be outdone again, I walked into the wood and followed them. My persistence was rewarded with a few photographs at a distance.
Jays are about the size of a magpie, and just as fast. They are only seen close to forest and often deep within the trees.

On Saturday, we went to the wedding of our neice, Sharon. The drive over took about one and a half hours along the A-roads and motorway. There was a general covering of snow at Stoke, but the weather was clear on the south side of the Pennines. There had been some snow around Chesterfield and our great neice Lauren had built a mini snowman. On our return journey we ventured across the Peaks where, at Hartington, we discovered that someone else had also built a little snowman on one of the outdoor tables of the pub. He looks a happy chappy!

All present and correct

Many years ago I started collecting fossil trilobites to use in courses that I ran on fossils and geology. Having recently discovered this collection again I have re-cataloged the specimens and updated their classification. Over the years some of species names and family associations of specimens have changed. I am pleased to say that I have found every specimen. The only missing one is allocated a name that has not existed, so I am not sure that there was ever a Cretocephalus specimen.

Cryptolithus bellulus

I was surprises to find so many fine specimens, many of museum quality. There were also some casts of very rare and unusual trilobites. Amongst the last draws were some jelly mold specimens from morocco - resin casts of fine specimens fixed in a reformed rock matrix and sold as real fossils.

........

Olenus truncatus .......... Olenus gibbosus

I am particularly pleased with a set of Olenid specimens of which many show the full carapace. The collection is good enough for me to create a pictorial website in order to document it to the world. Perhaps this may happen by the end of the year. At present I am enjoying taking photographs of the various specimens.