The Red Fox ……..

The familiar fox that is most common in legend and lore is the red fox, but there are over 30 species of fox living in an amazing variety of environments all over the world. In general, foxes are small members of the dog family, the largest of which is the typical red fox.

Most other species are considerably smaller.

The red fox is the most wide-spread carnivore in the world, living in every region of the Northern Hemisphere including Central America, and having been introduced by humans to Australia, where they are so successful they are considered a major pest.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018-2021 CRUSH Photography©

Acknowledgements: Extracts taken from: "Animal Facts En more...

Hits: 118

The unmistakable, black-and-white Tufted Duck lives up to its name – look out for the black tuft of feathers on its head. It can be seen all year-round, but often flocks together with other ducks in winter.

About

The UK’s most common diving duck, the Tufted Duck nests on flooded gravel pits, lakes and reservoirs, and gathers in large flocks in the winter, often mixed with Pochard and Coot. Tufted Ducks feed on waterweed, plant seeds and aquatic invertebrates.

How to identify

The Tufted Duck is very distinctive: the female is entirely chocolate-brown, while the male is black with white flanks and a long tuft at the back of the head.

Distribution

Found throughout the country, on lakes, reservoirs and flooded gravel pits.

Did you know?

The scientific name of the Tufted Duck, fuligula, means ‘sooty throat’. Like most ducks, the ‘drake’ (male) has nothing to do with the incubation of the eggs or raising the young. The ‘hen’ (female) has eight to eleven eggs in a brood; the young becoming independent once their true feathers have fledged.

CRUSH Photography©

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019-2021 CRUSH Photography©

Acknowledgements: Extracts taken from the Wildlife Trusts

Hits: 195

Gentiana is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the gentian family, the tribe Gentianeae, and the monophyletic subtribe Gentianinae. With about 400 species it is considered a large genus. They are notable for their mostly large, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are often of an intense blue.

Gentiana – often found in the wild.

Many gentians are notoriously fickle plants, difficult to cultivate and in some cases reluctant to flower. However Gentiana sino-ornata is not only one of the easiest and most reliable, but also one of the loveliest with spectacular 5cm (2in) bright blue trumpet-shaped flowers. These appear in early and mid-autumn, protruding on very short stalks from the mat of almost mossy textured light green foliage. Lime free soil is essential for this desirable rock garden plant. The Royal Horticultural Society has given it its Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2019-2021 CRUSH Photography©

Acknowledgements: Extracts taken from the BBC and Wikipedia

Hits: 114