Hannah's UEA Ecology blog

Mute swan. Mute swan. On campus there are a few mute swans that can be seen on the lake. The scientific name for the mute swan is Cygnus olor  and they are in the bird family ducks, geese and swans. As all UK birds they are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 but this hasn't protected them completely and thus them having an amber UK conservation status. They are very large white waterbirds and are easily recognisable by their long S-shaped neck and orange bill. Protection of the species has increased recently meaning their numbers have begun to increase again. Lead poisoning on lowland rivers was one of the largest threats to swans but in recent years this has been overcome by a ban on lead fishing weights. There are around 6,400 breeding pairs in the UK and 74,000 UK wintering individual birds. Swans are large birds weighing up to 12 kg and having a wing span of over 2 meters. The main diet of a mute swan includes aquatic vegetation which they...

A water vole sitting in a stream.  water_vole_7.jpg The brown blob of a water vole. Perhaps the most exciting organism I have seen at UEA whilst being on campus is the water vole. We were walking along the river when a small brown mousy looking creature appeared. I tried to take a picture, as at the time we weren't sure what it could be, but the picture (as seen below) didn't aid the investigation too much. After doing a few google searches a water vole seemed to be the best fit for the mystical creature we had seen. Their scientific name is Arvicola amphibius and they are fairly small mammals. They weigh up to 300 g and are 14-22 cm in length. They are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 but face serious threat from the loss of their habitats and from the invasive species the American mink. They can be recognised by their blunt noses, small ears and furry tails. They are usually found along waterways such as rivers and in ditches around ponds. They...

A female mallard. There are many species of ducks that inhabit the UK including mallards, mandarins and long-tailed ducks. The scientific name for the mallard is Anas platrhynchos and they are in the ducks, geese and swans bird family. Their UK conservation status is amber meaning they are under concern but they are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The males of the species look different to the females of the species meaning they are sexually dimorphic. Male mallards are more colourful than females and have distinctive green heads and yellow beaks. Females are all brown compared to males who have white bodies. They are usually around 60 cm in length and have a wingspan of 81-98 cm. There are between 61,000-146,000 breeding pairs in the UK. A male mallard being followed by a female. There is a close link between food and number of mallards. If there is a lot of food resources in a pond then there will be a lot of mallards but this can lead to overpopulati...

A great tit being held in the photographers hold, Parus major . As a first year ecology student I have taken part in a lot of new experiences this year and one of my unlikely favourites has been bird ringing. I went into to the activity slightly nervous mainly because I knew we had to hold the birds and I didn't want to crush them like Lenny in Of Mice and Men. My nerves soon vanished after we were told how to hold the bird properly and how they were actually more hardy than they look. A dunnock being held in the ringers hold, Prunella modularis.   Bird ringing is done in order to collect information about the health of species and their distribution. There are many bird ringers around the UK who collect data and then enter it into a national database where a bigger picture of how species are coping can then be observed. This is important for the conservation of bird species as it can tell you which species thriving or which aren't doing so well and can lead to cons...

A male chaffinch. The scientific name for a chaffinch is Fringilla coelebs and they are in the bird family finches. Their conservation status is Green which means they are under least concern and therefore their populations are at a healthy state due to their protection under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. Chaffinches are one of the most abundant and widespread birds in the UK with a population of 6.2 million. They are well camoflauged due to their distinct patterning which enable them to be effect hunters as they can blend in whilst they feed on the ground. They are less than 15 cm long, have a wing span around 27 cm and they weigh between 18-29 g. Females and males of the species are easily distinguishable as males are more brightly coloured, like in the picture above, compared to the females who are dully coloured (mostly grey). When they fly both sexes of the species have a white flash on their wings which makes them easily recognisable. They mainly feed on insects...

A ladybrid sitting on a wooden beam. There are over 5,000 different species of ladybird across the world all with a variety of different names such as lady beetles and ladybugs. They have many different visual appearances most familiar being the seven-spotted red-and-black ladybird. Most ladybirds have dome-shaped, oval bodies and, species dependent, can have spots, stripes or no markings at all. The bright colours of ladybird's act as a defence mechanism warning other animals from eating them as it displays that they taste disgusting and if they are threatened they secrete a yellow oily fluid from the joints in their legs. The scientific name for a ladybird is Coccinellidae septempunctata and they are in the insect classification. Their lifespan is typically around one year with some living for a maximum of two years. They are surprisingly quick for their size as they are only around 1 cm long by can fly up to 24 km per hour. They live just about anywhere, thanks to t...

A blue tit being held during a ringing session. Blue tits are one of the most known birds in the UK. Their scientific name is Cyanistes caeruleus and they are in the bird family tits. Their population is doing well and the have green UK conservation status and they are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981. Their feathers are a mix of blue, yellow, white and greens. They are small birds weighing 11 g and having a wingspan of 18 cm. In the UK there are 3,600,000 breeding territories and in Europe 20-44 million pairs. A blue tit in its nest.  blue-tit-nest-amy-lewis.jpg They nest in any suitable hall in a tree or wall and often compete with other small birds such as great tits of house sparrows. They make their nests up to 15 m above the ground after both males and females have looked for an area to nest in. When the male finds an appropriate place he flutters his wings and goes into the hole calling in the hope that the female will follow. The female may...

A dunnock having its health observed during a bird ringing session. These beautifully understated birds weigh roughly the same as a 'AA' battery (24 g) and are the same length as two and a half golf tees (14 cm). The dunnock, Prunella modularis are in the bird family accentors and have an amber UK conservation status even though they are protected under The Wildlife and Countryside Act. They are very quiet and unobtrusive birds and are usually seen along flower bed edges or near to bushes. They move in a shuffling gait and come across quite nervy until two rival males meet and then they become very animated and aggressive. Their colouring is quite simple as they are just brown and grey. A dunnock on the look out.  Dunnock-min.jpg Dunnocks have gone through many adaptions in order to use different breeding strategies. Females mate with more than one male in order to make sure her genes are passed onto the next generation and in hope that they will both help rear her c...

A great tit being held during a bird ringing session, Parus major Great tits are the largest of the UK tits weighing 18 g and are a favourite in gardens and parks. Males of the species have slightly larger bodies than females.  Their striking appearance makes them easily recognisable. The main bulk of their feathers is green and yellow with a black head and white cheeks. In the UK there are 2,500,000 breeding territories making them have the green UK conservation status meaning they are under least threat. As all birds in the UK, they are protected by The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 which forbids intentional killing of the birds. A great tit sitting of a branch of a tree.  talgoxe_johan_n_611.jpg By late January, great tits have found their monogamous pairing and have established their breeding territories. They defend their territories from the end of winter and reoccupy them each year even if one of the pair dies as long as the brood has been successfully ...

A goldfinch being held during a ringing session. Goldfinches are some of the mist striking birds that can be seen in the UK. They have beautiful feather patterns including yellows and reds. Their scientific name is Carduelis carduelis and they are in the finches bird family. They have a green UK conservation status and are protected, as all UK birds are, under The Wildlife and Countryside Act if 1981. They have a bright red face and a yellow patch on their wings. They are very sociable creatures and breed in loose colonies. They feed on seeds and insects due to their thin beaks allowing them to get to inaccessible seeds from thistles. Primarily, goldfinches feed on seeds but depending on the season their diet slightly alters. In the early months of the summer they feed on things like small plants where as in later summer they feed on thistles A goldfinch in flight.  p0370m7y.jpg The females have the biggest role when it comes to nest making as they build the entire thi...

We used the leaf miner as an example of different methods of sampling. Leaf miners are small flies, moths or sawflies whose larvae burrow in between the two surfaces of a leaf. They can restrict the growth of plants and their health but they are not a massive threat to plants and if the plant is healthy enough to start with then it won't sustain too much damage. Many plants are susceptible to leaf miners including holly, cabbage, citrus trees and shrubs. In spring, as temperatures warm, larvae enter the pupal stage and then appear as young adults in April time. Females lay up to 250 eggs under the leaf epidermis and these eggs appear as raised spots on the leaf. After about 10 days the larvae hatch and tunnel through the mid tissue of the lead whilst feeding on the leaf.  A leaf miner, Liriomyza brassicae,  on a holly leaf. Photo: Olivia Davis In order to estimate the population size of the holly leaf miner, which is what we were doing, the abundance of holly trees in t...

A rabbit looking for food. Rabbits are one of the most loved pet species in the UK. Their small, cute and furry appearance gives them the appeal to be kept as pets. They are around 40 cm long and weigh under 2 kg. Their typical life span is around 3 years depending on whether they are kept as pets or are wild rabbits. They are native to Spain and were originally introduced into the UK for food and fur by the Normans in the 12th century but soon became very common. Rabbits are easily identifiable due to their long ears ad hind legs, grey-brown colour and white fluffy tail. Rabbits and hares are in the same family called  Leporidae  and there are 30 species of rabbits across the planet. They are herbivores which means they eat only plant-based foods mainly including grasses and cruciferous plants, such as  broccoli, but as rabbits are opportunistic feeders, some also eat seeds and fruits. They tunnel underground to create their homes in systems ca...

Pigeons may perhaps be the most commonly known bird in the UK. They are easily identified by their head shape being rounded and small with small slim bills. They also have very rounded bodies with a dense layer of soft feathers with neat, tapered wings. Their legs are scaled and short and they make a distinctive cooing call. The rock dove is the most common type of pigeon and is an ancestor of feral pigeons. Its scientific name is Columba livia and are in the pigeons and doves bird family. They come in many different shades including pale grey, dark blue, green, black, brick-red or cinnamon-brown. Their markings are chequered and darker than their main colour.  A wood pigeon,  Columba livia. Reproduction can occur for them at any time during the year but the peak times are during spring and summer. Once females reach 7 months they are able to reproduce and once mated all pigeons mate for life and once. They build nests from straw and sticks and put it on a ledge such...

Cormorants sitting on a pontoon on the lake at UEA campus. A double-crested cormorant.  Double-Crested Cormorant Cormorants are one of my favourite species of bird. They are larger waterbirds that have a reptilian look due to their long necks. They feed on fish and are normally seen with their wings held out stretched in order to let them dry. They have a wingspan of around 150 cm and weigh over 2 kg. The Uk has very important wintering numbers for global standings. There are 9,018 breeding pairs in the UK and in winter 41,000 individual birds. Cormorants have very powerful beaks which is one way they distinguish with shags. Their scientific name is Phalacrocorax carbo and they are in the bird family cormorants and shags. They are doing quite well under the protection of The Wildlife and Countryside Act which has allowed them to have a green UK conservation status meaning they are under least concern. Due to them being in the same family as shags, they are very similar bir...

A grey heron  1024px-Graureiher_Grey_Heron.jpg The scientific name for the grey heron is  Ardea cinerea and they are in the bird family herons, storks and ibises. Their population is doing well under The Wildlife and Countryside Act and they have a green UK conservation status meaning they are under least concern. They are very easily recognisable with their tall long legs, long beak and monotone feathering. They feed on fish but do also eat small birds and small mammals such as amphibians. They also eat some rodents after fields are harvested in agricultural areas. They weigh up to 2 kg and have a wingspan of just under 2 m. In the UK there are 13,000 breeding nests and during winter in the UK there are 63,000 individual birds. Grey herons are the largest bird you could see in your garden but despite their size they are very light weight. A pair of heron building a nest.  Ardea_cinerea_building_nest.jpg Herons breed in colones that are called heronries. They ar...

Snowdrop beginning to flower in early January  Galanthus nivalis,  or snowdrop, are a very familiar sign of spring and of the end of the colder winter months. They are in the family Amaryllidaceae which they share with other perennial and bulbous flowering plants such as daffodils, onions and garlic. Snowdrop are herbaceous plants which means they have no apparent woody steam which aids their identification. They grow from a bulb and are perennial so regrow for many years. Typically they flower in the early months of the year from January through to March. Their flowers do not have petals but have tepals that look like petals. In total they have 6 tepals arranged by the 3 inner tepals being smaller with a notch in the tip with the larger tepals around the edge. Their leaves are fairly narrow and are a dull grey-green colour, smooth to the touch. They grow in damp areas such as moist woodland and riverbanks. When they flower in the early months of the year queen...

A robin sat in a tree looking out for any danger or food Robin red breasts are familiar garden creatures that are very inquisitive and friendly. They are in the bird family old world flycatchers and chats and have the scientific name Erithacus rubecula . They are considered as many peoples favourite bird and are especially associated with Christmas. There is no difference between the males and the females in the species but the young look different to the adults as they don’t have the distinctive red breast but are spotted golden brown instead. They sing throughout the year and at night sing next to street lights. They do have an aggressive temperament when it comes to territory in order to drive away intruders. The robins diet consists of worms, seeds, fruits, insects and other invertebrates. Robins usually locate their nests on or near the ground in small nooks and crannies, climbing plants or tree roots and any other areas they can find that contain a fully concealed cavit...

Photo credit: https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/do-magpies-really-steal-shiny-objects/ The scientific name for the magpie is Pica Pica and they are part of the crow family. Their main diet is omnivorous and they are natural scavengers that source their food from any opportunity they can find. They mainly eat grassland invertebrates like beetles or caterpillars during summer and during winter they have a more plant based diet such as berries or grains. Their scavenger instinct sees them eating household scraps or pet foods and even catch small mammals and birds and sometimes young rabbits. They also take eggs out of other birds nests and consume the young. Magpies save food for later dates by making a small hole in the ground with their sharp beak, put whatever food they have in it and then cover it over to come back to when food is scarce.  They are characterised by their black-and-white plumage, long tails and their nosy, chattery nature, which along with an arrog...

Ivy climbing a tree to reach maximum sunlight for growth The common ivy that most of us pass by day by day is actually called Hedera helix and is a lot more than meets the eye. It is an evergreen plant, which means it doesn't lose its leaves throughout the year, and it can climb heights of up to 30m or 98ft high which is equivalent to just under 7 double decker buses! It is only able to climb due to its specially adapted roots called aerial rootlets. They are roots that are above the ground that contain matted clingy pads that grip onto the substrate and aid the upwards growth of the plant. This adaption allows the ivy to reach maximum sunlight and grow in a niche that few other plants have evolved to be in. This enables the ivy to have a natural advantage when it comes to gaining sunlight for photosynthesis. This unfortunately means that ivy has been accused of strangling trees and blocking sunlight from the trees’ leaves. As the ivy climbs the tree it covers its bark and ther...