Underwater Adventures

I decided to become inducted on underwater cameras. I photographed these images at Azola Pool at Trebah Gardens as part of my habitat presentation. 


I recorded many Tadpoles, Alderfly Nymph's, water boatmen and hover flies. The surface and bottom of the pool was covered in leaves and fallen debris from the trees and bamboo above. There was also a lot of pond weed algae and water lily’s, Nymphaea Helvla The water lily’s have changed dramatically from January to June. In January they were red brown in colour and dispersed across the pond. Now they are bright green and heavily clumped together covering the surface.


Below are some of the images I recorded. All copyright to Abbi Hughes.

I hope yo like my images.

Abbi 

Location : Trebah Gardens
Date: 5th June 2011
Time: 4pm - 5pm
Weather: Thick cloud cover, soft light, some wet spells.  
Map Reference: SW767273

Campus Creatures

I have a love of quotes and literature surrounding my passion for wildlife photography. Ones I have recently admired go as follows:

‘A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart.’

By Hal Borland

‘And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ‘

By Anais Nin

But one that held my imagination was by Emily Dickinson:

‘How strange that nature does not knock, and yet does not intrude!’

I found this statement very thought provoking and intriguing. I pondered it for a moment to draw my own conclusions.

I believe it states that nature is all around us and sometimes we don’t take the time to welcome it or acknowledge it.  It is always present to be admired but is not thrust upon us. Few appreciate natures full capacity of wonderment.

Taking ideas from this quote I decided to open my eyes to the nature under my nose.

On campus there is a wide variety of animal and plant life. We have many different habitats for the enjoyment of both students and wildlife. The Walled Garden hosts extended species of flora and fauna as well as wider open fields, woodlands and buildings that create more habitats.

I have recorded a list of species of fauna I have seen at the beginning of June.

Fox – Performance Centre

Rabbits – In front of Peter Lanyon Building

Badger – Path to the estate

Blue tits – Walled Garden

Great Tits - Walled Garden

Coal Tits - Walled Garden

Long tailed Tits - Walled Garden

Spotted Woodpecker - Walled Garden

Squirrels - Walled Garden

Swallows – Nesting Outside k4

Goldfinches - Walled Garden

Blackbirds - Outside k4

Sparrows - Outside k4

This list is just a few species seen in just one day. I then decided to record what I could find at night. Below are some of the images I photographed with a Nikon D300s and sp900 flash guns x3. I began my search in front of the Peter Lanyon building  aiming to photograph the foxes and rabbits that roamed in this area.

All images are copyright to Abbi Hughes!

I hope you enjoy them.

Location: Tremough Campus
Date: 1st June 2011
Time: 10pm - 12pm
Weather: Night Time, soft winds, clear sky.
Map Reference: SW775345

Fauna at Trebah

I have been visiting Trebah gardens on regular occasions recently I have documented some new species of fauna that I have not seen in the gardens before.


There are an abundance of Buff Tailed Bumble Bees (bombus terristris). Bumble bees generally visit flowers exhibiting the bee pollination syndrome. They can visit patches of flowers up to 1–2 kilometres from their colony. Bumble bees will also tend to visit the same patches of flowers every day, as long as nectar and pollen continue to be available, a habit known as pollinator or flower constancy. While foraging, bumblebees can reach ground speeds of up to 15 metres per second. The obvious (but not unique) characteristic is the soft nature of the hair (long, branched setae), called pile, that covers their entire body, making them appear and feel fuzzy. They are best distinguished from similarly large, fuzzy bees by the form of the female hind leg, which is modified to form a corbicula: a shiny concave surface that is bare, but surrounded by a fringe of hairs used to transport pollen (in similar bees, the hind leg is completely hairy, and pollen grains are wedged into the hairs for transport).


Images copyright to Abbi Hughes

I have also noticed large numbers of lady birds. This particular lady bird was found perching in between the fronds of a bracken plant. I love the strong contrast in colour between the red and green. The Coccinella septempunctata is the most popular lady bird in Europe and its elytra are of a red colour, but punctuated with three black spots each, with one further spot being spread over the junction of the two, making a total of seven spots, from which the species derives both its common and scientific name.

There has also been an increase in damselflies and dragon flies around the pools and streams. Here is an example I found recently, theRed- Veined darter Sympetrum fonscolombii who's species has become more popular in Britain and Ireland. 

I also went pond dipping to find any fauna that was living undetected beneath the water. I found tadpoles and alderfly larvae. 

I hope you enjoy my images and extra information on the relevant species.

Location : Trebah Gardens
Date: 21st June 2011
Time: 1pm - 3pm
Weather: Southerly warm and gentle winds, soft sunlight.  
Map Reference: SW767273

Trebah Gardens

The change that has occurred through Trebah gardens since my last post is phenomenal!
I have been studying the sub tropical habitats of Trebah gardens since december 2010 and visiting on regular occasions, at least once a week. 
I have concentrated on the beach path which runs from Trebah house, following the water streams and ponds to the sea that leads onto the Helford passage. 


Trebah has transformed into a summer wonder, bright garden flowers like iris's, primulas and rhododendrons are in full bloom, woodland foxgloves cover the clearings, hydrangeas are beginning to come into flower and of course the tropical gunneras and aurum lily's such as lily of the nile and the skunk cabbage are creating a spectacle within the gardens. 


The Gunnera Manicata has had the most dramatic change. In April we could see new growth had emerged. The new leaves appear on stout prickly stems and can grow to up to two meters in width making it a striking plant. The cone shaped panicle is the flower of the gunnera and can grow to 2ft high and 1ft wide. These first flowers have appeared with the leaves and develop very slowly changing from red to more mature brown. Now as you can see by the images below the gunnera have grown 8-10ft high with 2-ft panicles that are mainly the duller brown colour. Having spoken to the head gardener it is said that they are still not yet fully grown. Beneath the gunnera is a damp humid habitat that holds home to marsh marygolds, (caltha palustris) and buttercups, (ranunculus repens) and creatures such as the orb web spider (Larinioides sclopetarius), capturing their prey, mosquitos (Anopheles quadrimaculatus),


Images can be seen below. All images copyright to Abbi Hughes

Here are also some of the Landscape images I took whilst at the bottom of the garden around Mallard Pond. 

Mallard pond, as hinted in the name, is home to about three mallards, one male and two female. It also inhabits a vast number of multicoloured and sized japanese Koi Fish that the visitors are encouraged to feed. Around the edge the gardeners have planted hydrangeas, and bullrushes that you can find ladybirds, dragonflies and damselflies of red and blue as well as butterflies, namely peacock, and the eastern comma.


The hydrangea's in hydrangea valley are starting to burst into flower. This is unusually early but the sunny warm periods we have had lately have sped up their growth. The hydrangeas at trebah are usually of a white and blue colour. This is due to the acidic soil. If the soil was slightly alkaline we would get pink and red flowers, white flowers are not affected by the pH.

I hope you enjoy my images and I am determined to keep up my research on the gardens as I really enjoy the tranquil and peaceful situation with a large and exciting collection of flora and fauna in its varying habitats to photograph. 


I hope you enjoy my images! 


Thank you Abbi Hughes


Location : Trebah Gardens
Date: 14 May 2011
Time: 10pm - 3pm
Weather: Southerly warm and gentle winds, strong sunlight, occasional cloud covor.  
Map Reference: SW767273

 

Baby Badgers On Campus

At the bottom of Tremough Campus there is a badger (Meles meles) set that has some newcomers.  The set is  situated beneath clusters of brambles and nettles in a clearing close to areas of woodland.  I have been studying  and recording the badgers behaviour over the past couple of weeks and have noticed that the baby badgers, of which there are three, are being left alone for long periods of time before the mother returns.  In this time  the baby badgers, otherwise known as kits or  cubs, have been exploring their new habitat in both daylight and dusk unprotected. 

I have taken out some background research on badges and how they raise their young. Some of the information I have recorded can be seen below and was found from the website called Badger facts and breeding, www.wildlife–web.org.uk.

Badgers can mate in every month of the year, but particularly from February onwards. If conditions and food are good, a female can mate in her first autumn and have her first cubs around her first birthday.
One of the most interesting things about badgers is 'delayed implantation'. This trait, unique to members of the  Mustelidae family (badgers, weasels, etc) allows the female to become fertilized but 'choose' to actually begin development of the baby badger at a later date, when the weather changes and food is more readily available. This gives her cubs the greatest chance of survival.

When cubs are born they weigh about 100g (3.5 oz) and are little more than 12 cm (5 inches) long. They can be 1kg (2 lb) by three months, over 3kg (6.5 lb) at four months, 6kg (13 lb) after 6 months and then when they are 1 year old they will weigh about 9 kg (19.5 lb).
The cubs stay underground in the badger set are fed by their mother. Their eyes open after 5 weeks, and after this they will emerge from the set - but not go far at all. Within 5 months of being born badgers will be familiar with their immediate environment and will have learnt the most important areas and landmarks.
After three months the mother will begin to regurgitate worms and other insects to move the cubs onto solid food. The mother will try to move the cubs onto solids as soon as possible, as giving milk on her own fat reserves. They will start to find their own insects in their fourth and fifth months. 

With the badgers now out of set we can assume that they are between five weeks and five months old. 

Recent news that I have gathered about the badgers is rather sad. Both mother and father have been  killed in traffic accidents as the set is close to a main road in Penryn. The Cubs have been removed and have been taken to the local rescue centre to be looked after and hopefully return to the wild when they can fend for themselves. 

I will try and find out more information about the progress of these badgers and update you soon. 

Abbi

Location: Tremough Campus
Date: 7th May 2011
Time: 8pm - 9pm
Weather: Dusk, cloud cover but warm southerly winds.
Map Reference: SW775345

The First Cuckoo

It's the first of May and this is also the first time I have heard the unforgettable and instantly recognisable call of the Cuckoo (Cuculidae). 


The cuckoo is a dove-sized bird with blue grey upper parts, head and chest with dark barred white under parts. With their sleek body, long tail and pointed wings they are not unlike kestrels or sparrowhawks. Sexes are similar and the young are brown. They are summer visitors and well-known brood parasites, the females laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, especially meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers. 


Their recent population decline makes this a Red List species. Numbers have declined by 37% in the last 15 years, making this call even more important to have heard.


Cuckoos can be seen throughout the UK, but are especially numerous in southern and central England. Adults arrive in late March or April and depart in July or August, with young birds leaving a month or so later.


The Cuckoo song was heard in a woodland area close to my house in Ashridge, Hertfordshire. 

Location : Alderton Drive, Ashridge Date: 1st May 2011 Time: 12pm  Weather: Warm winds, sunny spells.   Map Reference: SP 968132

Flora flowering in April

Around my garden in Ashridge Hertfordshire I have noted and researched into some of the flowering plants that have come out or ready to open in April and May.

Below you will find my research and photographs.
All images are copyright to Abbi Hughes.


To begin with we have Wistaria sinensis 

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  ·      Can grow up to 100ft and it is originally from China
  ·      It is one of the finest and most popular varieties of Wisteria
  ·      It has dark-mid green leaves consisting of 11 leaflets
  
  
  ·      8-12 inch long racemes of fragrant mauve flowers
  ·     A raceme is an un-branched flower arrangement which consists of individual flowers which are stalked and spirally arranged. Eg hyacinthus
  
  
  The Climbing hydrangea's buds have started to be produced- hydrangea petiolaris
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  ·      Japanese climbing hydrangea.
  ·      It is a vigorous climber
  ·      Grows to 60ft or more in height
  ·      Grows on walls (ours is situated on a west facing wall)
  ·      SIt has serrated leaves which are ovate with a pointed apex
  ·      Dark rich green above the leaf and pale green and downy on the underside of the leaf
  ·      It has cream white flowers that are produced in june
  ·      Budding now
  
  
  Welsh yellow poppy- meconopsis cambric
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  
  ·      The welsh yellow poppy is short lived but seeds itself freely
  ·      The leaves are slightly hairy and flower in colours ranging from yellow to orange
  ·      Freely born from june but are currently flowering in april

  Magnolia ·      Magnolia liliiflora nigra ·      Originates in Japan ·      OHolds ovate deciduous leaves which are mid green but have red purple  chalice shaped leaves that open april along with the flowers which open april – july ·      Red purple chalice shaped flowers ·      Height 6-8 spread 5-7 ft Apple blossom ·      Bramley blossom is out along with the bluebells and Colombime- Aquilegia (Columbine)  atrata Lilac tree ·      Syringa vulgaris- oleaceae ·      Is the common lilac tree ·      Hardy deciduous shrub, popular for late spring flowers but are open now- It is very fragrant ·      It can grow to a height of 8-12 ft and spread of 5-10 ft ·      Flowers during may and june ·      The leaves are heart shaped, ovate and have pyramidal panicle shaped flower  Campion lychnys Flos-govis ·      European flower ·      Perennial that can grow to 24inchs ·      It has purple/red flowers ·      Flowers appear june – aug Polgonatum – solomon seal ·      Liliaceae ·      Herbaceous perennial ·      It has arching stems with small pendulous clusters of tubulous flowers ·      Born from upper leaf axils ·      Native to Europe 2-4ft ·      Oblong clasped leaves ·      Flowers in clusters of 2-5 Maxican orange – choisya ·      Rutaceae ·      It is an evergreen shrub ·      Native to mexico ·      Glossy green leaves that are highly aromatic when crushed (smell of oranges) ·      Born in april and may but can flower intermittently until winter Clematis Montana ·      Rubins ·      Native to the Himalayas ·      Can grow to a height of 40ft and spread of 20ft ·      Deciduous flowering plant ·      Vigorous growth ·      It has dark green leaves that are trifoliate ·      Pale pink flowers ·      Flowers from July to August Geranium ibericum ·      Violet blue flowers Forget me nots- myositis ·      Latin boraginaceae ·      Salva shaped flowers with bell shaped cealyces. Viola ·      Pansy violaceae ·      5 petals which are strap shaped What I like to call the 'yellow pom pom flower' is the – kerria japonica plentiflora ·      It starts to flower april-may ·      It's a hardy bush species with glossy green branches ·      yellow orange balls of flowers that grow on the end of the previous  seasons shoots tight bud paeonia ·      pionia officianalis rubra plena ·      Native to France through to Albania ·      Has deeply cut mid green leaves that are sometimes hairy beneath ·      Holds single crimson flowers ·      These single crimson flowers are produced from may-june pieris Formosa forrestii ·      Native to the Himalayas ·      Copper red lanceolate oblong leaves when young ·      These leaves start to turn green later in their life ·      White floers carried in drooping panicles that flower between april-may

I hope you found the information on these flowering garden plants interesting and enjoyed my photography to help you identify them. 

Thank you

Abbi 

Location : Alderton Drive, Ashridge
Date: 31st April 2011
Time: 10am - 1pm
Weather: Bright, harsh sunlight, warm southerly winds, no cloud cover.  
Map Reference: SP 968132