Resourseful chaps those island fishermen!
Mystery plant 1
Mystery plant 2
Black bog rush...the snook
Hares foot clover...the Heugh
Sea arrow grass
Marsh arrow grass
Even the sea won't get rid of the Bur's
He didn't enjoy having these removedA beautiful day yesterday was spent at Holy island. I prefer the northern part of the island away from the village. The snook is my favourite site here and the beach on the north shore is one of Northumberland's finest. I was even in the sea swimming with my children though they did have to coax me in. We even shared a sand bank with a seal at one point.
The only thing about the dunes here is Pirri pirri bur, it is the plant equivalent of the Midge. No fewer than 13 species of butterfly with Grayling being the best though there were hundreds of painted ladies. Quiet on the bird front though. Two plants caught my eye both pictured above, The top one was what I thought was a Cudweed of some type but I just cannot name the bottom one at all. I wonder if someone could shed some light on these.
8 comments:
Hi, Nigel. And i thought the top one was one of the Mints. I`m with you on the 2nd one, haven`t got a clue.
Paul Cassels took his dog to holy island one autumn and had to shave it to get the birrs out!
Dean...I've looked at every conceivable plant including the mints but I cannot put a name to it. Both plants were very small, only a few centimetres high.
Ipin...I managed to get all the burrs off him but he didn't like it as a lot of fur came off with them.
Darn you for seeing graylings....
I'm up north on the bank holiday weekend, and wonder if they will still be around then?
Perhaps you could brief me on some places to visit?
I don't know if the Grayings will still be on the wing then but Holy island is worth a visit if you are up this far. Check the tide table and park at the second or third lay by in off the causeway about a mile from the village. Go over the dunes and you are into the snook one of the best botanical sites in the county. Even on a bank holiday you will have this part of the island pretty much to yourselves and explore the vast acreage of duneland but make sure you leave the pirri pirri bur seeds on the island or they will spread all over Kent. Another site is North Blyth, less attractive but a good site. The area around Boulmer birders patch is another excellent area for plants but lacks the Grayling. I'm sure Stewart will give you a few places to think about visiting.
Thanks for the tips, Nigel.
I'll bring some houndstongue seeds as exchange - I've picked loads off my clothes.
Hi,
I've got a similar photo to your no.1 picture, I think it's the Water Mint viewed from above
As for your 2nd photo I've got the same flower on my blog and it's been a puzzle to me, but I think I my have solved it, I'm pretty certain it's the base of the flower "Selfheal" after the flower head has died back, but I haven't corrected my blog yet.
Best wishes David.
O&N Thanks for the id. I'd like to think nothing can get past me but some things throw up some difficult challenges from time to time
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