Hannah's UEA Ecology Blog

The holly leaf miner ( Phytomyza ilicis ) is a fly that lays its eggs between the upper and lower surface of a holly leaf. Initial damage is caused to the leaves by the female leaf miners piercing the leaf to deposit the eggs. The larvae feed on the leaf tissue which causes the mines which are pale blemishes on the leaf surface. Mines ruin the aesthetics of the leaf and may cause partial defoliation. In June-July, the eggs are laid on the younger, softer leaves. The older leaves on the trees have a thick and tough cuticle that the flies find it more difficult to break through. Leaf miners like to lay their eggs here because it provides a protected zone and a food source when the larvae emerge. The larvae first tunnel through the midrib of the leaf and feed outwards through the tissue for the winter. By March, the larvae should turn into pupae. The miners will emerge as adult flies in May and June. The success of holly leaf miners is limited by predation from birds, such ...

Pied wagtails ( Motacilla alba ) are small black and white or grey and white birds. They have long tails with white edges and a fine, black bill. They measure 18 cm. Juveniles are more brown with less distinctive marks and a dark patch on their breast. A twitter is their song of choice. Pied wagtails are an adaptable species found near rivers, canals, lakes and often in towns away from water. A defining characteristic of the wagtail is their constantly bouncing tail. They can be seen flying or running around in an effort to catch insects. They can be found across the UK. They are resident birds but may leave highland and northern areas of Scotland in winter. They gather in roosts in winter as well. Wagtails will build their nests in a hole or crevice. According to the RSPB, there are 470,000 breeding pairs in the UK. This is where they will lay 5 or 6 eggs. The eggs hatch after 12 days and the chicks can fly after 13 days but the parents will continue to feed them for...

The great crested grebe ( Podiceps cristatus ) is a slender water bird with a long thin neck. They are the largest British grebe species with a length of 46-51 cm and wingspan of 85-90 cm. The great crested grebe has white underparts and black upperparts. In the summer, their plumage has the addition of an orange, brown or red ruff. Both sexes have this. Their bill is orange and dagger-like. Juveniles appear like adults in the winter, with a stripey neck and head. They have an elaborate courtship display which involves the pair rising out of the water and shaking their heads. There are around 4,600 breeding pairs in the UK. They typically breed in inland waters but will sometimes be seen on the sea in flocks. The grebes make a floating nest of aquatic vegetation attached to waterplants. They raise 3-5 eggs which are incubated by both mother and father for 28 days. The chicks can swim soon after hatching and ride on their parents' backs for protection from predators, includin...

Lemon discos ( Bisporella citrina ), also known as yellow fairy cups, are tiny gelatinous yellow cups, up to 3 mm in diameter and 1 mm in height. The inner surface is smooth and bright yellow while the outer surface is a paler colour. They fruit in dense clusters on decaying trees, particularly deciduous trees like beech.   Lemon discos are widely common in North Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Central and South America. The fungus is found in late summer and autumn, it is common but easily overlooked due to its' small size. Their size also means they are considered inedible as it would be too time-consuming to gather enough produce to be used as food.

Hoof fungus ( Fomes fomentarius ) is constructed of layers of tubes that grow annually to form the shape of a hoof. The fruitbodies can live for years so there shape will form over time. The upper side is pale grey with darker concentric bands and ridged with furrows.The underside has pores and is a mix of pale grey-brown and darker brown. Each 'hoof' is 5-20 cm wide and 7-20 cm deep. Its' prior use was to light fires, giving it its other name of tinder fungus. Hoof fungus grows on dead or dying birch and beech trees and can be observed all year round. It infects through broken bark and causes rot. This fungus is commonly found in the north, particularly the Scottish Highlands, but it has been increasing in frequency in southern counties of England. The spores produced are white. In spring, a fruiting body can produce up to 887 million spores in an hour. A random fact about hoof fungus is that a 5,000 year old preserved iceman, Otzi, was found with three piec...

Jew's ear ( Auricularia auricula-judae ) is reddish-brown and resembles a human ear in the way that it curls up in a cup shape. When there is enough moisture, they are soft and gelatinous but dries hard and dark when there is not. They are 2-8 cm wide and 5 mm thick. Jew's ear can be found all year round as they can withstand freezing temperatures. New growth will appear in January and can be frozen solid and thawed out and still be fine. The habitat of this fungus is mainly living or dead elder trees, but can also be found on beech and sycamore. The common name is derived from 'Judas's ear' referring to Judas Iscariot who hanged himself on an elder tree after he betrayed Jesus Christ. Good news, Jew's ear can be eaten! It's not easily fried though, so soups and stews are recommended.

The shag ( Phalacrocorax aristotelis ) is a large, dark seabird which is superficially very similar to a cormorant which is from the same aquatic bird family; Phalacrocoradinae. The differences between their appearances are that shags are smaller, 65-80 cm in length compared to 80-100 cm for a cormorant. Also, shags have a green, oily sheen to their plumage and steeper foreheads.  Juveniles have dark brown upperparts and pale but grubby underparts. Adults have a small yellow patch at the base of the bill and a prominent black crest on their foreheads during breeding season.  Below are some blurry attempts of taking a picture of one I saw in the middle of UEA broad. In the UK they breed on coastal sites mainly in the North and West. They are usually seen in groups on the coast but can be seen individually on lakes and rivers inland. There are 27,000 UK breeding pairs and 110,000 wintering birds. Over half the population are found in less than 10 sites which makes them a ...

Eurasian coots or common coots have all black plumage with a white shield above a white bill. They are 36-38 cm in length with a wingspan of 70-80 cm. Juveniles can be brown or grey with a pale face and neck. They have brown-green legs which have lobed flaps of skin on the toes which function like webbed feet when swimming. When they fly, their feet patter across the water's surface to take off and their legs trail behind. http://keywordteam.net/428928-european-coot.html Coots feed by making shallow dives in the water and grazing by the waterside. Their diet consists of vegetation, seeds and small animals like insect larvae. The distinctive sound of this bird is a loud ' kwock ' call. They are year-round residents in Britain but the winter population is boosted by an influx of migrating birds from north and east Europe that join in the south and west of Britain. Their estimated wintering population is 190,000 birds. A coot's nest is a mound of plants bu...

One of my favourite wildlife experiences was witnessing a grey heron watching the water patiently for its' prey at dusk in early February at the UEA lake. This distinctive wetland bird is characterised by its' long legs and lengthy neck. Grey herons ( Ardea cinerea )  measure to a length of 90-98 cm with a wingspan of 175-195 cm. They have a long, spear-like, yellow bill. Adults are grey with black feathers on the front of their breast and neck. They have black feathers on their crest too. Juveniles lack the crest and are more grey and grubby-looking. They also have shorter necks. In flight, herons have strong, slow wing-beats and hold their neck drawn up the shoulders in an 's' shape. The long legs extend beyond the tail.  Herons can stand by water waiting for hours at a time for fish, especially eels, amphibians and small mammals like ducklings and rodents.  Grey herons nest in colonies in tall trees or reedbeds. They fashion a large platform of st...

Snowdrops are one of the first signs of brighter spring days in the new year. They flower in January-March, often amongst the snow. These white wonders are perennial spring bulb plants which regrow every year. The stalks are up to 25 cm tall from which the flowers hang down like 'drops' before opening. The leaves are narrow and all grow from the bottom of the stem (basal). Each flower has its' own stem and two leaves. It is considered a native British species but could have been introduced by the Romans in the 16th century. They are native to a large area of Europe and have naturalised in many other areas including southwest Asia. Snowdrops grow best in damp woodland in cooler climates and can grow in acidic or alkaline soil. The scientific name of this species is Galanthus nivalis . ' Gala ' is Greek for milk and ' anthos ' translates to flower. The ' nivalis ' part is Latin for 'snow-like'.

Cow parsley is a perennial herb found widespread in hedgerows, woodland and verges on the roadside. It has a height of 40-150 cm and features small white flowers in dense flat-topped heads. The flower umbels are 8-10 cm across. The leaves, as seen below, are long and fern-like. The leaves start growing in winter and the flowers emerge in April-June.  Cow parsley is part of the carrot family but does not grow the vegetable and is often mistaken for Queen Anne's lace which has lookalike leaves and flowers but has a wild carrot underground. So if you find cow parsley, you might be disappointed! It is also aesthetically similar to poison hemlock so watch out! Their ability to produce large amounts of seed which spread easily by wind and water make them a nuisance weed. It is even considered an invasive species for many areas of the US and the sale of cow parsley has been banned in some areas.

The second field trip of the Autumn led us to the dunes of Winterton-on-Sea. They hold the grand title of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) however, the wind-chill factor there is one to rival Chicago's. The site demonstrates good coastal succession with open sand which then binds into embryo dunes, grey dunes and acidic heathland, making a varied habitat ideal for many species. One species that you could not miss on the dunes was marram grass ( Ammophila arenaria ). This hardy, resilient plant is native to the coastlines of Europe and North America. It is a perennial grass that grows up to 1.2 metres in height with grey-green, rolled leaves. When marram colonises, the network of roots stabilise the sand to allow dunes to form. They like windy conditions to disperse their seeds and dry, free-draining sand. The development of dunes creates habitats for larger plants and animals, for example, terns. Although it can wi...

Blue tits ( Cyanistes caeruleus ) are small birds with blue and green backs, yellow underparts, white cheeks and a blue crown. The juveniles look similar to the adults but with muted colours and yellow cheeks. They are only 12 cm in length and weigh 11 g. In the picture below the bird on the left is male and the female on the right. As you can see, the male has a brighter blue plumage. Blue tits are residents in most of mainland Britain and Ireland. In summer they live in lowland habitats where there are mature deciduous trees with suitable nest holes. To supplement their diet in winter, they will visit other habitats like gardens with bird feeders. At this time of year, there are 15 million birds. The diet consists of insects, fruit and seeds. Their breeding season is in April-May. They build a nest from moss and grass in a hole in a tree or nest box. 6-16 eggs in  a brood hatch after 14 days and the chicks fly 16-22 days later.