A Silent Spring for Seabirds

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring

Rachel Carson (Photo: Public Domain)

Rachel Carson's best-selling book Silent Spring gave a grim warning about the dangers of pesticides when it was published in 1962. It correctly predicted that DDT and other pesticides would take a terrible toll on wildlife, and in particular birds. Without birds singing it would be a Silent Spring, and hence the title.  Her book spurred on the environmental movement in a massive way, caused many changes and became a modern classic but it couldn't predict the extreme danger from plastic pollution that was fast approaching. In the 1960s when Carson's book came out less than 5% of seabirds had plastic inside them but by the 1980s it had increased dramatically to 80%.

90% of seabirds have eaten plastic

National Geographic has recently revealed in a shocking report by Laura Parker that today as many as 90% of marine birds have eaten plastic. That means most seagulls, gannets, shearwaters, terns, albatrosses, frigate birds, petrels, kittiwakes, razorbills, boobies, penguins and puffins are likely to have swallowed plastic. The birds mistake plastic for sea creatures and fish with dire results. They are unable to digest plastic, unable to excrete it and so the toxic material accumulates somewhere inside them. As the plastic builds up with each plastic item swallowed so the room for real food gets less. Plastic also contains toxins that can gradually poison a bird to various degrees and lead to its reproductive failure. Sharp-edged plastic items can puncture internal organs and lead to bleeding and death.

Washed up plastic trash (Photo: Public Domain)

This is happening worldwide because waste plastic is being carried down rivers, streams and sewers into the oceans, in addition to the discarded plastic rubbish from ships and left carelessly littering beaches and coastlines. Plastic is washing up on beaches and looks almost like dead fish. Plastic items including bottles, bottle-caps, cups, bags, straws, lighters, spoons, toys and pieces of plastic packaging are floating around or washed onto beaches and look like food to a hungry seabird. 

It is not just at sea because gulls that are so well-suited as scavengers, and which are increasingly colonising our cities and feeding from rubbish dumps are mistaking plastic for food too with disastrous results as can be seen in this video.

Seagull eating a plastic bag

It is estimated that by 2050 every seabird will have eaten plastic!

Albatrosses

Remains of a Laysan albatross chick (Photo: Forest & Kim Starr)

The magnificent albatross, in all of the species, is a type of seabird in which plastic pollution is causing widespread fatalities among the chicks. Parent birds are feeding all sorts of plastic items to their hungry babies not knowing that they are actually killing their young ones. The baby birds cannot regurgitate the plastic trash and cannot digest it either. The rubbish accumulates inside them and they become undernourished, stressed and eventually die.  The helpless parent birds can only look on in horror!

The following video shows how bad the situation really is:

Plastic in albatross chicks at Midway Atoll

All types of albatross are recognised as endangered species. Can you imagine a world without these birds? Can you imagine a world without seabirds where we can no longer hear the cry of the seagull?

Seagulls in flight (Photo: Public Domain)

 Can you picture rocky cliffs and islands no longer used as breeding sites for seabird colonies?  Plastic is one of the many serious threats to seabirds of all types and, the way things are going, it looks as if these birds are heading for extinction unless something can be done to halt their decline. 

Whales and turtles

Footage of whale who died after eating plastic bags

And it is not just the seabirds that are in danger because of plastic trash that they eat. Whales and turtles, as well as many other types of marine life are eating the material. Beached and dead whales are being found with masses of plastic bags and other rubbish inside them and turtles too are suffering the same fate of dying after consuming plastic. These marine reptiles eat the material after mistaking it for jellyfish.

Sea turtle eating plastic

Butterflies in November and British Butterflies that hibernate

The Red Admiral

The only butterfly you are likely to see flying in November in the UK is the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta). Conspicuous, not only because it is the only butterfly you are likely to see at the time of year, but also because of its bold colours of red, black and white.

Red Admiral (Photo: Public Domain)

The Red Admiral can still be seen flying on sunny days late in the autumn and will feed from rotting fruit, such as windfall apples and pears, and on ivy blossoms. It is the last butterfly to be seen in many parts of northern Europe too. It is also found in Asia and North America.

The Red Admiral is actually a migrant butterfly that arrives in Britain in varying numbers each year but it also hibernates and thus maintains a resident population.  Hibernating individuals emerge in spring and start the cycle again by laying eggs on the food-plants, which for this species, is mainly the Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica).

British butterflies that overwinter by hibernating

There are four more butterflies found in the UK, that although they are not seen flying as butterflies in November,  hibernate as adult butterflies. They are the Small Tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), the Peacock (Aglais io), the Comma (Polygonia c-album) and the Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni).  Actually, of these, the Comma can still be seen in early November in very mild autumns but usually it will be tucked away somewhere hibernating.

Small Tortoiseshell

Small Tortoiseshell (Photo: Public Domain)

The Small Tortoiseshell was once one of the most common British butterflies but has sadly been in serious decline in recent years, although the exact cause remains unknown.  It is thought to be susceptible to Climate Change, though pesticides and parasites are likely to have killed many as well. This pretty butterfly has caterpillars that, like the Red Admiral, feed on Stinging Nettles. 

Adult Small Tortoiseshells hibernate under cover and often enter buildings, including sheds and outhouses. If you find one in your house it is best to gently move it into a shed if you have one because the temperature inside a house is likely to waken the butterfly from its sleep too early, and it will waste its stored energy fluttering about.

This species, the Red Admiral, Peacock and Comma are all often seen feeding from the Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii) in late summer.

Peacock Butterfly

Peacock (Photo: Public Domain)

The unmistakeable Peacock butterfly is one of the most beautiful insects in the world with its four eye-spots displayed against its dark red wings. This common butterfly has caterpillars that also feed on nettles. Like the Small Tortoiseshell it will enter buildings to hibernate and also go into hollows in trees to pass the winter months in a dormant state.

The Comma

Comma (Photo: Public Domain)

The Comma has a ragged edge to its wings and from the underside, which is a mottled brown, it can look like a dead leaf.  There is a white comma-shaped mark that gives the butterfly its name. It is a common species too and its caterpillar feeds on nettles, Gooseberry (Ribes grossularia) and Hops (Humulus lupulus).  When it is small the caterpillar of this species is dark grey and whitish and looks like a bird-dropping. 

The Brimstone

Brimstone (Photo: Public Domain)

The Brimstone male is a bright yellow and the female is a paler creamy yellow with a greenish tinge.  This insect was once known as the "Butter-coloured fly" and is said to have been the origin of the term butterfly.  It has a very long life for a butterfly, though much of its time alive is spent in hibernation. 

The caterpillar will only feed on the two types of buckthorn - Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) and the Alder Buckthorn (R. frangula). This limits the distribution of the species to areas in which the females can find these shrubs. 

The adult butterflies hibernate in ivy and evergreen vegetation and are usually the first species to emerge in spring, and can be seen flying as early as January in mild winters. 

The other species of butterflies found in Britain all spend the winter months as eggs, chrysalises or as larvae. 

November Moths fly in November

The November Moth

The November Moth (Epirrita dilutata), as its name aptly suggests, flies in November, although it can also be found earlier on in September and October. It is a species in the Geometrid moth family, the family that gets its name because of the "looper" caterpillars that are also known as "inch-worms" because of their habit of extending their bodies in a loop as if they are measuring a short distance.

November Moth (Epirrita dilutata) Photo: ©entomart

The November Moth is still flying in the dark and colder days of late autumn when many other species of butterfly or moth have disappeared into hibernation or a stage that gets them through the winter. The forewings of the November Moth are mottled in dark and light grey. as well as brownish shades and this variable colouration pattern blends in well with the background afforded by tree bark or an old stone wall making the insects well camouflaged. 

The Pale November Moth (E. christyi) and the Autumnal Moth (E. autumnata) are in the same genus and so similar in appearance to the November Moth that it can be hard to tell one from the other.  The last-named species is the most common and widely distributed of the three moths though, and it occurs in a wide range of habitats, including our gardens where it can be a pest. 

Pale November Moth Epirrita christyi, Davos-Sertig, Switzerland Photo: Dumi

The November Moth has a green and red caterpillar that feeds on a variety of trees and shrubs, including apple, hawthorn, hazel, ash, birch and oak. The eggs overwinter and hatch in the next spring. 

The November Moth is found throughout the UK and in Europe from Scandinavia down to the Mediterranean. 

Actually there are a good number of moth species that can still be seen flying in November, moths that can withstand the colder temperatures. Many of these insects will feed from the last flowers growing in our gardens and also from the blooms of the ivy. Look out too for the attractive and rather aptly named Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) moth  and the Silver Y (Autographa gamma).

Angle Shades Photo: ©entomart

The Angle Shades is a migratory species that is very common in some years with a green or brown caterpillar that feeds on many garden plants and weeds. 

Silver Y (Autographa gamma) Photo: Olaf Leillinger)

The Silver Y has a Y-shaped letter on its wings and is another migrant that has a larva that accepts a wide variety of food-plants. This latter species feeds by day as an adult too and can be seen flying in the late autumn sunshine. Both the Angle Shades and Silver Y are Noctuid moths and are not related to the November Moths in any way, apart from still flying at this time!  

But why not get a great book about British moths and find out what species you can find in any season, and yes, there is a December Moth and a Winter Moth?

Edible wild mushrooms found in November

November fungi

In a mild autumn there are still plenty of edible wild mushrooms and fungi that can be foraged for in November, as long as there are no hard frosts. Even after frost some species are still to be found and persist into December. It is surprising how many good edible fungi can be gathered in November so let us take a look at some of the best species.

Chanterelle

Chanterelle mushrooms (Public Domain)

The Chanterelle (Canthrellus cibarius)  is one of the most popular edible fungi and is quite common in some areas of woodland, especially in beech forests. It is a characteristic orange-yellow in colour, funnel0shaped and smells of apricots.  It grows from July until December and is very popular as an edible wild mushroom that is often sold in delicatessens and markets in Europe. Be careful not to confuse it with the toxic False Chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca) which is a darker orange colour and tends to grow under pines and on heaths.

Wood Hedgehog or Hedgehog Fungus

The Hedgehog Fungus (Hydnum repandum) gets its name from the downward pointing tiny spines or teeth that are found under its buff-coloured caps in the place of gills. Like its alternative name of Wood Hedgehog implies, it is found in woodland from August to November. It tastes bitter and needs to be boiled in water for a few minutes before further cooking or eating to remove the bitterness. 

Parasol Mushroom

Parasol mushroom (Public Domain)

The Parasol Mushroom (Lepiota procera) is really one of the best edible fungi you can find when foraging. It is large, easy to identify and tastes great after cooking. It grows in fields, often near trees and in the margins of woods. Discard the woody stems and fry the caps or cook as ordinary mushrooms.

Fairy Ring Champignon

Fairy Ring Champignons in a French garden (Photo: Strobilomyces) 

The Fairy Ring Champignon (Marasmius oreades)  is an edible mushroom that grows as its name suggests in rings. It can be found on lawns and on short grassland. There are often many of these fungi in a "fairy ring."  This wild mushroom dries well and is good for storing.  It has a slight almond fragrance. 

Ceps and other Boletus species

Cep (Public Domain)

The Cep or Edible Boletus (Boletus edulis) is a very well-known and popular edible fungus. It is distinctive with its "penny bun" cap and spongy gills. It is quite common in mixed woodland and also grows in grass near trees.  It can be found from August to November on good years. There are many other smaller boletus species, many of which are edible but, as with all wild fungi. you need to be sure of identification. This is where a good fungus guidebook, such as Peter Jordan's Field Guide to Edible Mushrooms of Britain and Europe comes in handy. 

Blewits

Lepista personata near Sofia, Bulgaria (Photo: Paffka)

The Field Blewit (Lepista personata) is a fairly large edible wild mushroom that grows in fields and pastures where its brownish caps can be hard to see if they are among fallen leaves. The stout stems underneath the caps give the fungus its name though because they have a bluish shade to them.  It can be found from October to December and was a very popular wild mushroom in the Midlands area of Britain at one time. These fungi are reminiscent of tripe when cooked. Although generally regarded as good to eat this fungus has been known to cause allergic reactions in some people. 

The closely related and very similar Wood Blewit (L. nuda)  has a slimmer stem and more of a blue or violet-purplish colour. Like its name suggests it is found in woods. It grows at the same time of year and is also edible

Wood Ears

Dried Wood Ears (Public Domain)

The Wood Ear fungus (Auricularia auricula-judae) used to be known as the Jew's Ear but in these days of political correctness its name has been changed to Judas Ear or Wood Ear.  And it is aptly named because these weird fungi really do looks like ears. They are fleshy, clammy to the touch and pinkish-brown and shaped like ears.  They grow on the old branches of elder.  This fungus survives freezing temperatures and can be found all year around, though it is at its best in October and November. It dries well and can be used in soups and stews. They are very popular in Chinese cuisine.

There are actually many more edible fungi that can be found in November so why not get a good book about foraging or edible fungi, a book such as Richard Mabey's Food For Free, and go out and see what you can find? 

Magic Mushrooms and the magic of mushrooms in autumn

Why are mushrooms so magical? 

Mushrooms have something magical about them whether they are the hallucinogenic varieties or simply because of their weird forms. The way they appear so quickly after rains is just like magic. And mushrooms have always been associated with fairy tales.  Gnomes, pixies, elves and fairies are often depicted along with toadstools, with the red and white spotted fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) being one of the most popular mushrooms associated with the fairy folk.  How many times have you seen pictures of gnomes or fairies sat on these fungi or even living in them?

Alice in Wonderland in Public Domain

And the hookah smoking caterpillar in Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland is depicted sitting on a mushroom!

Wild mushrooms in the Fall

Autumn is the time when all sorts of wild mushrooms appear, seemingly overnight in many instances. This is the time of year when it is easiest to discover fungi growing in the countryside, in parks and gardens.  Some species are, of course, edible and many people go out foraging for these edible species, species like the Edible Boletus or Cep (Boletus edulis).

Cep in Public Domain

There is something exciting about discovering wild mushrooms. It is like feeling we are in touch with our hunter-gatherer ancestors of long long ago. 

Every year the mushrooms and toadstools start to appear not long after the autumn rains have soaked the ground.  We find clumps of fungi popping up in grassland, in the forests and even in our flower-beds and garden plots. 

The Fly Agaric

Fly Agaric Photo: larsjuh) 

The fly agaric is one of the most colourful toadstools we can find in autumn. It mainly grows under birch trees and pines and is so easy to spot because of its brightly coloured caps. This fungus is hallucinogenic and has been thought to be connected with the origins of Santa Claus. This is because its effects when consumed can include feelings of floating, also because it is used as an entheogen by tribal people and shamans in Lapland and Siberia where there are reindeer, which are the animals that help pull Santa's sleigh at Christmas.

The Liberty Cap

Liberty Cap Magic Mushroom Photo: John Johnston

The liberty cap (Psilocybe semilanceata) is probably the most well-known "magic mushroom" because of the psilocybin and psilocin it contains, which substances cause intoxication and hallucinations when consumed. This has caused it to become considered as a drug and it is illegal to possess these mushrooms in the UK now. 

The liberty cap grows in fields, on grassy hillsides and on large lawns in parks. It is very common in some areas and continues growing until the first real frosts. 

You can read more about the fly agaric and the liberty cap in my book Herbs of the Northern Shaman. 

Weird fungi like the Earthstar

Earthstar Photo: Orangeaurochs)

Earthstars are some of the weirdest fungi you can find in autumn, and they can persist right through the winter months. They look like some sort of strange alien life-form with arms like a starfish and an inflated sac in the centre that can puff out clouds of spores.  These fungi can actually move but this depends on weather conditions which enable the arms to move the body of the fungus up from the surrounding earth. Often they will break away completely but this does not matter because the fungus is still able to disperse its tiny spores that are blown away in the wind.

One of the most well-known earthstars is Geastrum triplex.  It is mainly found growing under beeches, although I had a colony of this weird fungus growing for many years under a large privet bush at the bottom of my garden.  It was like magic, how they arrived there, like a mini invasion of alien beings from the stars and looking like stars.

The Private Life of Plants: Earthstars

Herbs of the Sun, Moon and Planets will be my next book

Sunflower Photo: Steve Andrews

I am happy to announce that I have had my book Herbs of the Sun, Moon and Planets accepted for publishing next year by Moon Books. It is already in the production stage and has some great endorsements from other authors including +Rachel Patterson and +Christopher Stone, as well as from druid Terry Dobney, Keeper of the Stones at Avebury.

But how can there be herbs growing on the Sun, the Moon, and the other planets, you are probably asking, well, the answer is that they do not grow on these heavenly bodies, but were ruled over by them, according to the ancient herbalists. Nicholas Culpeper is one of the most famous herbalists that was responsible for deciding which herbs were ruled by which planetary ruler.

The theory put forward by these past herbalists and herbalist schools of thought, was that specific deities associated with planets, such as Mars the god of war, and Venus the goddess of love, ruled over specific herbs that had characteristics associated with the deity that had dominion over them. For example, plants ruled by the Sun might have yellow flowers or petals that radiate outwards, like the sunflower. 

I do not believe that the planets have any effect on plants growing here, apart from the obvious light from the Sun that they need to grow, but the subject is certainly a fascinating one, don't you think? 

Herbs of the Sun

Besides the sunflower, some other herbs ruled by the Sun, include the St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), which has bright golden-yellow starry flowers, and the eyebright (Euphrasia), which has a flower that is has been associated with the eyes and is said to be good for the vision when used as a herbal remedy. The Sun is, of course, the light-giver for all plants on Earth.

Mistletoe postcard in Public Domain

 The mistletoe (Viscum album) is another herb of the Sun, and is a herb sacred to the Druids who worshipped the Sun and collected this herb at the time of the Winter Solstice. It was regarded as a herb of the Sun because it was cut down with a golden sickle and was thought to be sacred because it grew in a place between the earth and sky.

Herbs of the Moon

Herbs of the Moon are usually white or have white sap, or perhaps they bloom at night. Rounded leaves are another feature they can have. The water lily is a herb of the Moon, and so too is the jasmine (Jasminum spp), which has white perfumed flowers that emit their fragrance at night. The lettuce is also ruled by the Moon because it has a white latex inside its stems.

Herbs of Mercury

Mercury was regarded as the messenger of the gods, so herbs associated with this planet have something to do with communication. 

Fennel - from Koehler's Medicinal Plants. Public Domain

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), with its delicate foliage, aroma of anise, and tall and graceful appearance is a herb of Mercury, and it certainly communicates to our senses. The mint and lavender are also ruled by Mercury and these herbs are very aromatic too. 

Herbs of Venus

Venus the goddess of love is also associated with sex, sensuality and femininity. Herbs that are ruled by Venus must have some association with these characteristics. 

Greater Periwinkle in Public Domain Photo: Rosser1954

The vervain (Verbena officinalis) and periwinkle (Vinca major) are two herbs that have been used in witchcraft to attract love, so it is not surprising to find them included in the herbs of Venus.  The rose, as already mentioned, is often used as a symbol of love.  The catnip (Nepeta cataria) or catmint, is another herb of Venus, and cats certainly love this plant! 

Herbs of Mars

Herbs ruled by Mars have some characteristics that make you think of aggression or war, or perhaps their red flowers, berries or sap reminds us of blood.  

Dragon Trees in Public Domain

The dragon tree (Dracaena draco) with its sword-shaped spiky leaves and red sap that is known as dragon's blood is, not surprisingly, regarded as a herb of Mars.  The meadow buttercup is another herb of Mars, and you are probably wondering why this pretty yellow flower is regarded as a herb that has anything to do with warfare and aggression? The answer is that its sap is very acrid and can burn the skin. This is why it is known to science as Ranunculus acris.

Herbs of Jupiter

The gassy giant planet Jupiter is associated with expansion and with deep thought and philosophy.  There are several trees that are governed by Jupiter, presumably because their branches spread outwards.  The lime tree (Tilia europea) is one of these, and so is the oak. 

Thorn Apple in Public Domain

The poisonous herb thorn apple (Datura stramonium), which can cause hallucinations and death, is another herb of Jupiter. It can produce out-of-the-body experiences and is used by tribal shamans and in witchcraft but is a very dangerous plant. It is also known as Devil's Weed and Hierba del Diablo in Spanish. It is included in my Herbs of the Northern Shaman because of its hallucinogenic properties and because of its use for ceremonial and magical purposes. 

Herbs of Saturn

Saturn is thought of as the "Grim Reaper" and it is associated with old age and death. 

Hemlock in Public Domain

Poisonous herbs, including the deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), monkshood (Aconitum napellus), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and hemlock (Conium maculatum) are considered as plants ruled by this planet. All of these herbs are included in my Herbs of the Northern Shaman too because they have all been used in witchcraft and were ingredients of flying ointments. They are very dangerous plants though that can have fatal consequences if ingested.  

Japanese wood block print by Utagawa Hiroshige. Morning Glory. 1866

The morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor) is another of the herbs of Saturn, and some varieties such as Flying Saucers and Heavenly Blue are so beautiful they look as if they could be from another planet!

The Ladder Snake is aptly named because of the ladder markings on its back

Ladder snake (Elaphe scalaris) Photo by Pascal Dubois

The ladder snake (Rhinechis scalaris) is an attractive harmless snake found in Portugal, Spain, southern France and some parts of Italy. It is also found on Menorca but is thought to have been introduced there. 

The ladder snake is in a group of snakes known as “rat snakes” because they have a tendency to feed on rodents. It is also known as Elaphe scalaris, which is the genus the other rat snakes are in.

The ladder snake takes its name from the dark markings between two blackish parallel lines down its spine that look like the rungs of a ladder. 

The ladder snake is more highly coloured when young when this patterning really stands out.  These juvenile snakes are a yellowish or pale brown in colour with the ladder marking in a contrasting black. There are dark markings on the sides and belly of these snakes too but the colours fade as they grow older.

Young Ladder Snake Photo by Steve Andrews

Adult ladder snakes reach around 160 cm and are mainly a dark brown or greyish for their main colouration.

Ladder snakes can be found in a variety of habitats, including scrub-land, clearings in forests, orchards and vineyards. These reptiles also have a liking for stone walls in which they can hide and hunt their prey. They also frequent rocky ground where there are plenty of boulders.

Ladder snakes feed on mice, shrews, small rats, birds, lizards, spiders and some other insects. Young snakes take small lizards and baby rodents, and also have a liking for spiders and grasshoppers. Adult ladder snakes will hunt birds in their nests by climbing into bushes and trees. Ladder snakes are active by day and night. 

Female ladder snakes lay between four and 24 eggs. The mother snakes will remain with the baby ladder snakes for a few days.

The ladder snake is in the Colubridae family of snakes, many of which are also non-venomous. The ladder snake will bite in defence, however, and will hiss if captured.

Because the ladder snake has a very wide distribution and lives in many habitats it is not regarded as in any current danger. Its conservation status is of Least Concern. Some ladder snakes become road casualties though, and the danger of getting run over by traffic is serious threat to many other types of reptile and amphibian.