Tarn Moss revisited!!! (pic heavy again)

[Cazzie]

Well I got back there yesterday on a lovely sunny day for a change - yeah! Got my permit from the Field Centre this time and spent 5 lovely hours mooching about all on my own

I've got tonnes of pics (sorry dial-uppers) but I'll put a few on each day so as not to overload the forum images

So for anyone who's not been to Malham Tarn or the reserve Tarn Moss here's a few pic's to show you all.

Tarn Moss is all the area beyond the big purple beech in centre'ish of this shot and it goes right up to the waters edge of the Tarn itself.



Then a couple of the boardwalks. You have to stay on them as the area is somewhat boggy and also to obviously keep the habitat unspoilt There's often been sightings of a Hen Harrier over this area but it didn't show yesterday sadly.



Found the Sundews along this bit!



Now this chappie was in a hawthorn on the path next to Tarn Moss and I think it's a male Redpoll - can anyone varify please? If it is, then this is a new one for me yeah!!!!



Sorry full zoom on this one, but isn't he lovely!!!


This little Wren had me entertained for ages as it hopped in and out of the boards just yards in front of me. I stopped for a bit to look at something else and then there it was flat out on the boards sunbathing!


Now I've no idea what this bird is and sorry about the quality, but it was a way off. Looks like it's got red eye's to me?!? Any idea what it could be?



Right I'll leave it there for today and add some more piccies tomorrow - watch this space!!!

[Oscar2006]

Linnet and Spotted Flycatcher

[GuyF]

Looks like the had another nice day out, the place looks very different when it's not pouring!
I agree with your id of Redpoll, and the other bird is a Spotted Flycatcher.
Guy

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

It looks beautiful Cazzie, I'll put it on my places to go list and have my own day mooching.

BWD

[Cazzie]

There you go see, I couldn't decide on a Linnet or a Redpoll. According to my RSPB book the Linnet has a white'ish cheek patch and the Redpoll has a black chin and white wing bars which I think mine shows doesn't it?

Spotted Flycatcher eh! That's another new one for me too - thanks!

Got some lizards and stuff to show tomorrow

Edit: It's well worth a visit BWD when you're next in the area!

[Oscar2006]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

There you go see, I couldn't decide on a Linnet or a Redpoll. According to my RSPB book the Linnet has a white'ish cheek patch and the Redpoll has a black chin and white wing bars which I think mine shows doesn't it?

If we could hear it, the ID would be a whole lot easier.
My first impression was Linnet, but didn't observe your first picture which does show better wing markings for Redpoll.
If I could just make up my mind, I would not be so undecided

[Cazzie]

Originally Posted by Oscar2006

If I could just make up my mind, I would not be so undecided

You a Gemini by any chance?!? lol!!!!

It had a bit of a repeated buzz like song as I recall

[aeshna5]

A male Lesser Redpoll for sure. It's ages since I've seen a corker like that.

[Cazzie]

Lesser is there a Lesser Redpoll? Sorry, showing my ignorance here lol

Must admit he was highly coloured, even more so than the piccy in my RSPB book

Glad you like him Aeshna5 - I'm pretty chuffed with snapping it myself!

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

Lesser is there a Lesser Redpoll? Sorry, showing my ignorance here lol

Must admit he was highly coloured, even more so than the piccy in my RSPB book

Glad you like him Aeshna5 - I'm pretty chuffed with snapping it myself!

Lesser Redpoll is the species that regularly breeds in UK (much rarer than it used to be!). A few years back the taxonomists split this from Common (formerly Mealy) Redpoll which is a more northerly species but occur as passage/winter visitors. Then there are the Arctic Redpolls........

Hope this clarifies a little?

[Cazzie]

Thanks for the info Aeshna5 - yep, I get where you're coming from

Right, so here's the last batch of pics from my day out on Sunday....

A red Damsel - ID needed please!



Hmmm...? So what are these red 'fingers' poking out of the silver birch?



Got a Sundew - yeah! Didn't realise how diddy they were in real life. This one had a flower head.



Male Hawker - Southern?



This Damsel was practically white - unusual or not? Sorry piccy isn't too good, the wind was getting up by this point...



Now what is this going to be - any ideas?



I was indeed wondering if there were any lizards about and once I'd seen one on the board walks, I found at least 10 along the way lol! This one was amusing as it had it's back feet up over it's tail sunning itself.



Are these all Common Lizards does anyone know? There's certainly a difference in colouration amongst them all.



and another....



and another.... maybe preggers this one?, it's certainly lost it's tail at some point...



and finally an orchid just about finished flowering - is it a Marsh Orchid can anyone varify?



So that's it from one day at Tarn Moss in Malham.

Hope you enjoyed as much as I did!

[aeshna5]

Red damsel is a male Large Red Damselfly- robust with black legs + black on abdomen
Hawker is a Common Hawker- yellow costa + notice paired spots down abdomen (in Southern there is a band not spots over S9 + 10), has yellow "T" on S2 + more obvious thoracic stripes.
Pale damsel is a male Common Blue
Lizards are all Common
Sundew is Round-leaved Sundew (1 of 3 spp)
Orchid I think is Northern Marsh from shape of lip, but Dactylorhizas can be tricky especially with hybrids + back-crosses.

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

Now what is this going to be - any ideas?

Grass of Parnassus

[Cazzie]

Grass of Parnassus eh Rob! What the eck's that then? lol!

Thanks for your reply Aeshna5!

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

Grass of Parnassus eh Rob! What the eck's that then? lol!

Thanks for your reply Aeshna5!

This is Grass of Parnassus - taken on Tarn Moss, so this is what your little white things will turn into.

[Cazzie]

^ Oooo! They're rather nice and that's a great shot of them, thanks Rob! I only saw 2 plants in the whole area along the boardwalks, so hopefully they'll spread about a bit - they are native aren't they?

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by Cazzie

^ Oooo! They're rather nice and that's a great shot of them, thanks Rob! I only saw 2 plants in the whole area along the boardwalks, so hopefully they'll spread about a bit - they are native aren't they?

Native but with a distinctly northern distribution and it's a late flowering species so the best is still to come. In another week or so there should be lots more coming alongside the boardwalk.

Two others to look out for are Sneezewort and Saw-wort - neither are particularly common as they are restricted to wet habitats such as those on Tarn Moss, but both are out at the moment.