Country File

[Ithoriel]

And that post would have made more sense if I'd pointed out that I live less than a mile, as the crow flies, from Edinburgh zoo. Doh!

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Was wondering - I know Scotland is pretty wild - but lots of big cats !!!

[Orcs]

Was wondering - I know Scotland is pretty wild - but lots of big cats !!!

Its not the big cats you need to worry about , its the women ! 

[Leon]

Been on a mini-tour of Yorkshire this week, , seeing gannets, puffins, razerbills and guillimots for the first time at Bempton Cliffs. We missed the wandering albatross though by half an hour! Saw seals at Flamborough Head lighthouse, poking their noses out of the water looking like floating bottles.

We love it at Bempton and Flamborough, hopefully we can get back there soon.  The highlight last time was a rather random mole who decided to pop out of the ground next to the path we were on.

[Heedless Horseman]

Sigh. 'Should' have finished cleaning out garden pond and cut back surrounding veg when it was nearly empty... now nearly full again! Still, at least one happy Frog...

[Techno II]

Don't, Keith !

I've got to 'machete' a path to the oil tank, so that matey will be able to get to it when we order some more oil, in the next few days.....everything has been growing at a completely berserk rate over the last few weeks......Then there will be the annual 'go around the fields and play find (and dig out) any ragwort' we can spot.

Easy to spot the odd bits that have the yellow flowers on them already.....otherwise it's head down and look for any small plants.

Cheers - Phil. (My back's definitely not looking forward to those jobs. )

[Steve J]

I've noticed quite a few fields around have have been left to grow wild and as a result are full of ragwort. I can only imagine that it's to qualify for the new Environmental Land Management Scheme, as before they were regularly grazed by horses.

On another note, still very few butterflies still, despite plenty of food plants for them. Loads of bees though which is good.

[Raider4]

Saw a load of these in the garden yesterday:


Apparently for the Cinnabar moth (which we had in plenty a few weeks ago), and they feed on ragwort (so I've got that as well. Not good, I take it?)

[Techno II]

I've noticed quite a few fields around have have been left to grow wild and as a result are full of ragwort. I can only imagine that it's to qualify for the new Environmental Land Management Scheme, as before they were regularly grazed by horses.
On another note, still very few butterflies still, despite plenty of food plants for them. Loads of bees though which is good.

Seen a good few more butterflies, recently......But they move so fast, I simply can't identify them.

I could say.....Because there used to be a lot around here....That they were definitely NOT Red Admirals.

Bees ?......There seem to be only 'wild' bees around here.
Once a year...almost without fail....the living room ends up with a dozen, or more, of the wee souls...that come down the chimney, and into the living room.
It's easy enough to open a window, and coax them out.

Saw a load of these in the garden yesterday:


Apparently for the Cinnabar moth (which we had in plenty a few weeks ago), and they feed on ragwort (so I've got that as well. Not good, I take it?)

Hmmmm.... I'm not sure exactly what the score is with ragwort, Martyn....I've got a feeling that you're supposed to get rid of it, if you spot it, on your land.
The problem with ragwort is that it contains a (cumulative) poison which basically slowly destroys the liver. (I believe of any mammal...ourselves included.)

Horses.....will leave the plant completely alone....provided they've got SOMETHING else in the field.
The biggest danger (for gee-gees) is that dried ragwort CAN end up in bales of hay.......Which the gees don't notice......and scoff.
Like I say..It's a cumulative poison...so it doesn't act like something like arsenic....It slowly builds up in the liver.

Cheers - Phil.

[sultanbev]

Ragwort is a keystone species to at least 37 insects, so it should be left in place unless you have to get rid of it because your horses might end up eating it because of the reasons stated - normally animals will avoid eating it. With over 75% of insects gone from the planet since 1970, we owe it to the rest to do anything to keep them around. Insects pollinate 40% of our crops, and much of our fruit.

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/ragwort-poisonous-ragwort-mythbuster

If you have cinnabar moth caterpillars that's a good sign as far as I'm concerned, and as far as nature is concerned.

[Orcs]

We Have suddenly started to get lots of ragwort in our lawn, don't remember it before this year.

There does seem to be loads a couple of fields away from our back garden, but someone keeps about 6 horses in that field, so I hope they are all right and not eating it.

[Steve J]

I've certainly noticed a lot more ragwort this year, not only in fields, but also our back lane and in some gardens. I'm going to grow some in my wildlife patch for the reasons Mark has given. Seeing one a few years ago covered in caterpillars was a sight to behold .

[Techno II]

I've just looked it up.

Legally, you're obliged to stop any chance of it spreading.
That's why 'councils' try and remove it from road verges...eventually.

Not my rule. 

Cheers - Phil

[sultanbev]

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/ragwort-problem-plant-or-scapegoat

"Ragwort and the law
Under the Weeds Act 1959 a landowner or occupier may be ordered to control the spread of ragwort. The Ragwort Control Act 2003 allows for the creation of a code of practice. Neither of these Acts makes ragwort control compulsory in the absence of an order. However, there has been a tendency to misquote the legislation and imply that there is an automatic legal responsibility to control the plant, which there is not.

There is also frequent confusion about the terminology used in the Acts which names a group of "injurious weeds". This does not mean that the weeds concerned are dangerous or cause injury. The Weeds Act was a consolidation of earlier legislation and was not debated in Parliament but it is clear from the original discussions in the 1920s that it was referring to harm in agriculture in the context of largely pre-industrialised farming practices. Some of the other species listed in the Act are non-poisonous or even edible.

Vitally, under Section 13 of 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act it is illegal to uproot any wildflower including ragwort unless carried out by the landowner, occupier, someone authorised by them, or by a specified official."

[Heedless Horseman]

Digging up Wildflowers  is probably a 'lost cause', anyway... most are very unlikely to survive transplantation, so best left where they want to be. Maybe one of the few bits of sensible legislation in recent years!

Saying that... Many years ago, Grandfather dug up some Bluebells, (Not the native species, but some sort of hybrid), and planted the farm garden. By MY time, they were ABUNDANT and many old photos or Cine film of 'Happy Days'. When we had to shift, Ma dug many up.. and, again, they did well... more memories.
But, time passes. As tree cover shaded them out and dried the ground... they started to weaken. I planted a great number of 'Native' bulbs from commercial sources... but NONE came up. Other plants, some just unwanted... but other immigrants mistakenly introduced... out compete. Not many left now. Probably a 'toss up' as to which will 'go' first...our old Bluebells, or me!
But... 'Happy Memories'... and the Family Gravestone has Bluebells carved in the Marble... should outlast all concerned! LOL!

Seed collection... maybe also legislation about this, too? But, when I used to... ALWAYS, only take 'some'... and leave most to be where they want to grow.

Ps: 'Council Grasscutters', and Management, REALLY NEED some 'education'! So many times do I watch a patch of 'some' wildflower, starting to establish'... then, along comes a mower or strimmer. Really Saddens Me. Feels like 'hope', cut down for 'neatness'.