Coltsfoot

March is the month when Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara explodes into beautiful, bright yellow colonies along roadsides and on waste and disturbed ground. Easily mistaken for Dandelions, they in fact flower earlier and are one of the few plants that benefit from the relentless mowing and strimming of roadsides by local councils. The flowers appear on leafless, scaly stalks with the leaves do not appearing until the seeds are set, usually in May. The plant gets it's name from it's leaves which superficially resemble a Colt's foot in cross section, although other common names include Horse's Foot and Bull's Foot. Coltsfoot is native to Europe and parts of Asia and is also found in North and South America where it has been introduced.

Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara (Roadside near Wilstone Reservoir)

Mandarin Duck

A pair of Mandarin Ducks have been hanging around the small pond close to Monument Drive in Ashridge Forest, near Aldbury Village. Though not exactly tame the pair are fairly tolerant of the hoards of dog walkers, joggers and screaming children that invade the forest every day, and hopefully will breed nearby, despite the noise and disturbance. Mandarins breed in cavities in trees in dense woodland near ponds and streams and soon after the ducklings have hatched the mother flies down to the ground and encourages the young to leap from the nest. When all the ducklings are safely out of the tree they follow their mother to a nearby water body. Incredibly the nest can be as much as a mile from the nearest water. Mandarin Ducks in Britain are all the descendants of escaped or deliberately released birds and the population is now in excess of 7000, exceeding the number of birds in China and Eastern Russia which has declined to only 1000 pairs, mainly due to habitat destruction. Strangely, the Mandarin is of the few duck species that is not hunted for food as apparently the meat tastes terrible.

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male & female - Ashridge Forest

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, female - Ashridge Forest

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest

Mandarin Duck Aix galericulata, male - Ashridge Forest

Spring....At Last!

Small Tortiseshell Aglais urticae

The Butterfly season is well under way thanks to the spell of warm, dry weather that we have been enjoying for the last week.
Whilst working today, I spotted several Brimstones making the most of the sunshine, along with a Small Tortoiseshell, a Peacock and my first Holly Blue of the year. Orange-tips and Commas were also been reported locally at the weekend. Today Wilstone Reservoir hosted a flock of 20 beautiful Little Gulls and with small numbers of Sand Martin, Wheatear and Chiffchaff all arriving in the last few days it feels as if Spring really is here at last.