COUNTRY LIFE

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COUNTRY LIFE BY <name key="LOUISE KETTLEWELL">

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CONTENTS

TITLE	PAGE

Introduction	1.
Woodland Seasons	2.
Flowers	4.
Leaves and fruits	6.
Ponds and Streams	8.
Fish	10.
Frogs, Toads and Newts	12.
Moths and butterflies	14.
Otters	16.
Foxes	19.
Rabbits and Hares	22.
Stoats and Weasels	25.
Deer	26.
Badgers	28.
Squirrels	30.
Bats	32.
Moles	34.
Hedgehogs	36.

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INTRODUCTION

In the country there are many forms of life ranging from tiny insects to the large trees that dominate the country scene.

A selection of these forms of life are shown in this project.

Information taken from:-

Seashore life and country life

Woodlands

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WOODLAND SEASONS.

SPRING

Bluebells carpet many beechwoods in the Spring. Their leaves appear as winter turns to Spring and the flowers follow in may just as the beech leaves are beginning to open and cut off the light. The blue-bell leaves continue to grow for another month or so, and then <sic>it dies</sic> away.

SUMMER

Throughout the Summer the beech leaves are spread out so that they get the maximum amount of light to make food for trees. There are bright patches here and there, but they <reg>receive</reg> light only for a short time. Trees decay very slowly so there <sic>is</sic> lots of dead leaves.

AUTUMN

Autumn is a beautiful time in the beechwoods, with the leaves taking on their wonderful golden and Coppery colours. Thin corky layers develop between the twigs and the leaf stalks and gradually cut off all water supplies to the leaves. The autumn winds then gradually blow the leaves from the trees.

WINTER

Even in Winter there is quite a lot of shade in the beechwood. A few mosses grow here and there especially on banks where they are above the carpet of dead leaves. The bark is often stained green by algae, especially on the shadier side of the trunk.

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SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

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FLOWERS

Flowering plants and ferns make up the woodland field layer. Most of the plants are soft-stemmed herbaceous species that die down in the autumn and send up new shoots in the Spring. Many of the flowers grow from underground bulbs or tubers - a well-known bulbous species is the Bluebell.

Like the Shrub layer, the field layer is poorly developed in beechwoods and other dense woodlands and it is not found at all in mature conifer plantations. It reaches its greatest development in lightly grazed wood-land clearings and places where trees have fallen and light is let in. Also there is a very rich field layer in the woods which are regularly coppiced. There's always some open areas in coppiced woodland in which flowers can flourish.

The field layer of a Sessile oakwood generally has fewer species than that of the pedunculate oak-wood because the soil is shallower and not so rich.

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RED HELLEBORINE

RAMSONS

BLUEBELL

GROUND IVY

HERB ROBERT

PRIMROSE

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LEAVES & FRUIT

Learning leaf shapes is one of the best ways to identify trees in woods. Flowers and fruits are also helpful. Bark patterns will help you to recognize some species. The wild cherry, for example is identified easily by its horizontal stripes and by the way in which the young bark flakes off in horizontal bands. The sweet chestnut has a spiral pattern on the lower part of the trunk.

Examine the winter buds of deciduous trees. Their shapes and colours will help with identification. Some of the easiest to recognize are the sharply pointed buds of the beech and the velvety black buds of the ash.

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Sweet Chestnut

Sycamore

Holly

Hornbeam

Ash

Oak

Wild Cherry

Larch

Silver Birch

DIFFERENT KINDS OF LEAVES

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PONDS AND STREAM

Pond plants can be divided into groups depending on the zones, or areas, where they grow. Many of freshwater plants also grow in streams and rivers. Water plants do not need thick stems to hold them and support them, because the water holds them up instead. Their leaves are rather fine and thin because they do not need to hold water as land plants do. Plants found in the shallow water zone are usually tall with long underground stems, called rhizomes, to hold them upright. These rhizomes spread and may crowd out the other plants. The banks of ponds and streams have soft, damp soil. Many kinds of different plants can grow there, and they are often brightly coloured.

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Great Reedmace

Meadowsweet Plant

Great pond-Sedge

Spiked water Milfoil

Soft rush

Canadian pondweed

Stickleback

UNDERWATER PLANTS

Plants grow under the water in the middle of the pond apart from some flower heads which rise above the surface

FLOATING PLANTS

Some plants that grow near the centre of the pond float with their roots hanging in the water

ROOTED PLANTS

Plants growing in fairly shallow water around the edge of this zone have their roots in the mud. The leaves float in the water or stand out.

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FISH

There are nearly 40 kinds of freshwater fishes in Britain. Most freshwater fishes spawn, or lay their eggs, in shallow water.

Fish in a pond

Most pond fishes are rounder and fatter than the slim, streamlined fishes of running water. They swim more slowly too. The Carp basks near the surface of warm, weedy ponds. It eats plants and sucks up mud to sift out worms and insects. Ponds can become <reg>overcrowded</reg> with Rudd. The fish are very small because there <reg>isn't</reg> enough food for them to grow. The Tench, (a pond fish) lives among water plants and often lies buried in mud on the bottom of small ponds. The perch likes to be in clean, shaded water. It eats small fish like minnows.

Fish in a stream

The Dace is often found in large schools near the surface of the water. The Bullhead hides under stones in the day. It comes out at night to feed on insects and small shellfish.

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In a pond

Perch

Carp

minnows

Tench

Rudd

In a Stream

Dace

Grayling

Trout

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FROGS, TOADS AND NEWTS

Frogs, toads and Newts are born in water, but spend most of their adult life on land. These animals are called amphibians. The young tadpoles <reg>develop</reg> from eggs, called spawn laid in the water. As they grow older, their gills and tails slowly <reg>disappear</reg> and lungs and legs take their place (although newts keep their tails). Then the young amphibian leaves the water except when it returns to the pond to breed in Spring.

The common frog lives in damp grass and undergrowth. Its basic colour can change to <sic>matchs</sic> its surroundings.

In the day, the common Toad hides in holes in the ground. It hunts for food at night.

A toad grows a new skin several times in the Summer.

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TOADSPAWN

In spring, toads may travel for ten days to reach their breeding ponds. They mate like frogs but lay eggs in ribbons about 2m long.

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MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES

Moths generally fly at night and rest by day. Many of them are very well camouflaged to protect them from birds. Others prefer to hide amongst the leaves. The speckled yellow and the broad-bordered bee hawkmoth fly in woodland clearings in the sunshine, but the others are nocturnal.

Butterflies are sun-loving insects. They enjoy sunbathing on the leaves. Most of them take nectar from flowers, but the purple emperor prefers to drink honeydew deposited on the leaves by aphids. This butterfly spends most of its time flying around tall Oak trees, although it sometimes comes down to drink from muddy pools and also has a liking for rotting meat.

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MALE

FEMALE

LESSER PURPLE EMPEROR.

WOODLAND MOTHS

Speckled yellow

Puss moth

Pine Hawkmoth

Large Emerald

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OTTERS

Otters live by rivers and the sea. They are nocturnal and wander long distances at night . During the day they rest in their well-hidden nests, called holts. These are made in hollow trees or at the end of tunnels in river banks, some-times with an underwater entrance. At night otters are easily disturbed, but quiet daytime visits to look for signs will not worry them.

Otters are very playful. You can sometimes see them leaping in and out of the water just for fun.

Otters swim and dive well using the strong tail as a rudder and the front legs for steering and balance.

Cubs have to be taught to be able to go in the water, but they know how to swim.

As soon as the cubs have learnt to hunt, they male leaves them. The female stays with them for several months.

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SIGNS AND TRACKS

Otters live mainly on fish, as well as eating shellfish, water birds and frogs.

Each otter's foot has five toes joined by a web. In deep snow the tracks often appear with a furrow between them made by the otter's body.

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FOXES

Foxes are members of the dog family, but unlike dogs who are social animals foxes tend to be loners. Dogs rely on their eye sight and speed, foxes rely on their noses and ears and are cunning. Foxes are difficult to watch, they travel further and change their homes often. Foxes live in all kinds of places from woodland to moorland. May and June is the best time to see foxes when the cubs are young and playful when <sic>to</sic> adults bring them food. A fox's home is called an earth. A female fox is called a vixen

Cubs are born usually in March or April.

The male or dog fox leaves food outside the earth, but does not help the vixen care for the cubs.

When the cubs are 6 weeks old they play outside the earth. They fight over food.

Foxes sometimes bury food and re-turn to collect it later.

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TRACKS

Fox

Dog

Fox tracks are like those of a dog, but the claw marks are slimmer and more pointed, and there is a much wider space between the marks of the front and back pads.

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By Summer, the cubs are <reg>beginning</reg> to hunt alone. Their mother teaches them how to catch voles, mice etc.

To catch <sic>a</sic> earthworm, a fox care-fully watches to detect its exact position. Then the fox grabs it.

In winter, food is scarce and adult foxes may protect their own food supply and territory by driving young foxes away. Foxes mate in winter. The foxes will have a family of <reg>their</reg> own in Spring.

Foxes may scavenge in rubbish dumps, looking for bones and other scraps. Fruits, like blackberries, are also welcome food for a hungry fox. Under cover of night, foxes may attack farm poultry. When foxes kill birds they bite their head <reg>off</reg> first. Foxes will also scavenge for food in dustbins, even though this means <reg>taking</reg> the risk of <reg>approaching</reg> houses.

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RABBITS

You can see rabbits in almost every type of country-side, especially on commons, sand dunes and in woodlands.

Rabbits live together in groups of burrows called warrens. They usually come out at dawn and dusk, but you may see them at anytime. A female rabbit is called a doe and it has ten babies each year.

Rabbits use their forepaws to dig their burrows. They push the soil out behind them with their hind paws.

Rabbits are eaten by birds of prey, foxes, stoats and weasels. They either run away or kick with their hind legs.

Rabbits are sometimes called "landscape gardeners" because the plants that they eat disappear from the area around the warren.

Rabbits spend a lot of their time resting and sleeping in their burrows.

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Grasses

Corn

Vegetables

Trees

FOOD

Rabbits eat grasses, corn, crops, root <NOTE desc="hyphenated word">vegetables</note> and young trees. Rabbits feed on trees up to 60 cm from the ground.

4cm

Rabbit

6cm

brown Hare

Although Rabbits and Hares look alike, they are easy to tell them apart. Hares are bigger and have longer ears with a black tip, longer hind legs, and are usually solitary. <reg>Hares'</reg> tracks are larger.

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HARES

Hares live on farmland, moors, dunes and in woodland. They feed mostly at night and live alone, except during the breeding season. You could see female hares resting in <sic>her</sic> form. The form is a hiding place hollowed out of soft grass where the hare spends the day resting.

Leverets

Baby hares, called leverets, are born with fur and with their eyes open. The doe which is a female hare leaves them alone in a form and visits them regularly to suckle them.

Feeding

Hares live mainly on grasses, but they also damage fruit trees and vegetables, particularly in winter.

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STOATS AND WEASELS

Stoats and weasels are mainly nocturnal. These animals are carnivores, which means they eat other animals.

Scent and hearing is what they hunt with rather than sight. They are quite inquisitive and they sit up with their hind legs to look around.

Stoats and weasels both attack animals bigger than themselves like rabbits.

Rabbits are very frightened of stoats and weasels. They leap and <sic>attacks</sic> the rabbits with <sic>its</sic> sharp claws.

Weasels are long and slender and can easily crawl down small holes or into cracks in walls or rocks.

Weasels follow mice and voles into their burrows to catch them.

Weasels and stoats hunt in family groups called packs.

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DEER

In britain deer herds are most common in the Scottish high-lands and in woodland parks belonging to country estates. Deer are shy of strange objects, so hide in a tree or be-hind a wall or rock to watch them. The best time to see deer is at dawn and dusk. During the rutting or breeding season some deer can be bad-tempered.

The "roaring or <sic>belling</sic>" of a male red deer is very loud.

In october the fallow buck marks out a rutting territory. He tears bushes with his antlers, <reg>scrapes</reg> the ground with his hooves and marks the area with scent from glands under his eyes.

Red deer tear down twigs and buds from trees up to 2 metres from the ground. Deer have no fixed homes.

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Red

Fallow

Muntjac

Reindeer

Roe

Sika

FALLOW DEER

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BADGERS

Badgers are common in britain, especially in hilly, wooded country. They are nocturnal animals, which means that they hunt, eat and play at night. During the day, they rest in their underground homes which are called setts. Badgers have poor eyesight, but their senses of smell and hearing are very sharp.

Badgers rub their fur and clean their claws on trees.

Badgers eat earthworms, rabbits, fruit, small rodents and wasp nests.

The Sett

Setts can be dug as long as 20 metres and are often on more than one level with several entrances. Sometimes badgers can share their sett with foxes. Every winter, the badgers clean their sett out.

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THE SETT

Ventilation hole

Mound of earth

Entrance

Sleeping chambers

Breeding chamber

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SQUIRRELS

Most red squirrels live in forests of coniferous trees, like pine and fir, in remote areas. Although squirrels will dart away if anyone disturbs them, they will come back and look who the thing is. Unlike most animals, Squirrels can use their forepaws as hands. The big bushy tail helps the squirrel to balance as it runs along branches and jumps from tree to tree. Squirrels can leap as far as five metres or more between branches.

Nests, called dreys are about the size of <sic>an</sic> football. They are made from twigs, but the inside is covered with moss and leaves.

Squirrels eat seeds, buds, fungi, cones and fruits. They have a favourite feeding place, like a tree stump.

Every Autumn, squirrels bury or hide their food. Some of it is eaten during the winter, but most is forgotten and lost.

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BATS

Bats are the only mammals that can fly. Their finger bones are very long, and skin is <reg>stretched</reg> over them to make a wing, which is attached to the hind leg. When bats fly, they spread their hind legs to keep the wings open. Most European bats also have skin that stretches between their legs, enclosing the tail. This skin can be formed into a pouch for catching flying insects. Bats live in woodland and near lakes and streams.

Pipistrelles

You may see <reg>pipistrelles</reg> in towns as well as in the country. Their flight is quick and jerky. However, it is almost impossible to know a particular species of bat in flight, because they all look alike in the dark.

Greater Horseshoe bats

Horseshoe bats get their name from the shape of the <sic>freshly</sic> part of the nose called the "nose-leaf." The greater Horseshoe bats <sic>flies</sic> very low and picks up insects from the ground as well as in the air.

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HUNTING IN THE DARK

Echoes

Bats rely on their sharp hearing to hunt in the dark. They make high-<reg>pitched</reg> noises as they fly. From the returning echoes, bats can tell the exact position of flying insects.

Pipistrelles

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MOLES

Moles live almost anywhere where the soil is soft enough to dig and where earthworms are plentiful. Moles are found on farmland, parks and on football fields. They live alone and spend most of their time underground. They are mainly nocturnal, but they sometimes appear during the day. Spring is the breeding season for them. Moles have soft grey-black, velvety fur which lies smoothly in any direction. The snout is pink and very sensitive. They hear quite well, but their small eyes are covered by fur or skin.

A sure sign of moles is a series of small heaps of earth called molehills. These are mainly made by moles pushing surplus soil out from their burrows. If the earth is fresh, the molehill is new. Older ones have grass growing on them. An extra large molehill is called a fortress. Inside is a nest for sleeping lined with dead leaves, moss and grass. A smaller fortress is for breeding. Burrows are so narrow that a mole's fur is <reg>squeezed</reg> clean as it travels through. Hunting burrows are deeper.

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molehills

Fortress

NEST

Exit tunnels lead to the surface at an angle

Mole

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HEDGEHOGS

Hedgehogs are common, and are one of the easiest mammals to watch. Hedgehogs grunt and snuffle and sometimes squeal loudly. When they are frightened, <sic>a hedgehog rolls</sic> itself into a tight ball with <sic>its</sic> prickles sticking up. Many of them are killed by cars. In winter, hibernating <reg>Hedgehogs</reg> often die when rubbish dumps and piles of leaves are burnt. Baby hedgehogs are born blind. Their spines are soft at first, but when they have hardened, they are sharp. A female Hedgehog is called a sow, and a male Hedgehog is known as a boar. Hedgehogs hibernate from late october to march in a nest of grass, moss and leaves.

Hedgehogs will eat things like frogs, birds, eggs and even adders.

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