Floral Favourites Dec 2016

Well the last month of the year is here and it began with a mixture of cold and frosty, but sunny, days. Then a run of mild, but foggy and misty, days followed. We had been lucky however to not have suffered any major winds or gales. We have seen some lovely rainbows too.

 

 

The garden finally looks like it should in winter - many plants like the hostas frosted into brown mushy heaps. The cold seems to have caught the green that many plants were still showing and reminded them of the season! The trees are bare, with piles of leaves gathering in corners and under hedges. Only the evergreen trees and shrubs are displaying any colour and form with their differing shades of green.

 

 

Most of the berries have now been eaten by the birds - apart from a few red holly berries which light up the scene as the shortest day of the year approaches.

However, despite the year drawing to a close there is much to look forward to. Spring is not that far away and signs of it are already in the garden!

Tiny green seedlings are sprouting from the dead heads of last years honesty plants. They were a couple of plants that were incomers from somewhere last year so I just bent over the dead stalks and hoped they might drop seed. Which they seem to be doing! The purple flowers are nice to look at and free plants are never refused.

 

 

As Christmas approached the weather forecast provided gloomy news. Storm Barbara was coming our way over the festive season - and then Storm Connor appeared on the tail of Barbara. A double whammy.

But perennial plants are not called that for nothing! Primulas flower, holly shines in the sun and the beautiful yellow buds of the mahonia are opening. The pretty pink buds of the chaenomeles are visible - just waiting for them to open. Hellebores too are budding under their protection of leathery leaves and spikes of daffodil and other early bulbs can be seen pushing their way through the soil.

 

 

 The hardy plants are definitely the stars in the garden just now.

 

 

December

 

December days grow short and dark

As the year draws to a close,

Flowers have faded, trees are bare 

Their skeletal shapes exposed.

But the guardians of the garden

In their livery of green,

Ever watchful of those more fragile

Will watch over the family scene.

Their shades and shapes are constant

In the garden throughout the year,

Watching till others wake and bloom

Making the garden picture appear.



 

December Wildlife Sightings from a garden in Annan

Birds have been the only wildlife we have seen in the garden this month - but the cold weather has meant we have had quite a few visitors in total. Our goldfinches are still daily visitors and frosty mornings have meant we have had to defrost water dishes so that the birds get a drink - or a bath! Just watching them have a bath - splashing water everywhere - makes you feel cold. (brrr)  It was nice to see a greenfinch - we don't see many of those in our garden.

 

 

Our monthly max is therefore as follows:

Blackbird - 2 male 2 female

Blue tit - 3

Carrion crow - 2

Chaffinch - 4 male 4 female

Coal tit - 1

Collared dove- 2

Dunnock - 2

Goldfinch - 22

Goose - 200+ flying over

Great tit - 2

Greenfinch - 1

House sparrow - 20 male 15 female

Pied wagtail - 1

Robin - 1

Starling - 40

Woodpigeon - 1

Wren - 1

 

With the weather and the Christmas holidays,  we haven't been out and about much to find the DGERC species of the month for December - which were Maidenhead fern and Map Lichen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maidenhead Fern

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         Map Lichen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DGERC species to look out for in January are Otters and Hart's-tongue Fern.

 

Otter  Lutra lutra

Otters are found in a range of habitats in D&G are although shy, are usually seen in early mornings or evenings. Those living in the River Nith in the centre of Dumfries have become more tolerant of humans and are often seen by residents.

Otters are sometimes confused with mink - but otters are much bigger. They can be 3-4 ft long with a powerful body and a broad muzzle. They have a grey-brown fur with a paler chest and neck whereas a mink is much darker. However - just to confuse the issue - both look darker in the water!

Otters are a protected species under national and international legislation.

 

Hart's-tongue Fern

Phyllitis scolopendrium

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hart's-tongue fern has simple, undivided and strap-like fronds, varying from a yellowish green to a dark green. They can grow quite long when in shade. The name comes from the shape of the fronds - which are supposed to resemble  the tongue of a deer (or hart).

It usually grows in damp, shady gorges, banks in woodlands as well as on rocks, walls and mossy branches.

 Remember DGERC are always grateful for records - even old ones!

Shancastle Loch and more 5/1/17

To get out and about for some fresh air we headed for Shancastle Loch near Moniaive.

 

The wildlife was relatively quiet but as we sat there nibbling our sandwiches, washed down with hot soup, we saw movement from geese, Teal, Wigeon on the parts of the loch which were not frozen.

 

Then we noticed the hillside and horizon were full of more geese.

 

 

Plenty of Rooks and Crows made a flypast and a fleeting glimpse of 3 deer wandering through the tree line.

 

There were a lot of buzzards on the roadside on fence posts and wires as we drove there and back.

 

We aimed to take a slight detour on the return journey but a wrong turn by the driver took us towards Carsphain rather than directly to Dalry but the scenery was exciting enough for Val to wind down her window to take photos!

 

In the sheltered valleys and roadside there were pockets of frost, not just at grass level . . .

 

 

 . . . but also in some trees.

 

 

We were rewarded with some stunning views as the sun started to escape through small gaps in the clouds.

 

 

As we neared Dalry we came across more wildlife confused by the lack of wet water.