Wood forget-me-not and Chaffinch
By: Uea Ecology Ben
Tags: Wildlife, Wildflowers, Plants, Garden, Nature

Wood forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, is a native wildflower of damp woodland but it is now found widely used in gardens (Wildlife Trusts). It displays small flowers in late spring which are a brilliant blue in colour. Sometimes, as in my garden, the plant will produce pretty pink flowers instead. Together, the blue and pink look stunning!

The plant has hairy stems and oval-shaped light green leaves. It is found throughout England but is most common in the south and east (Wildlife Trusts). The forget-me-not is associated with true love and memory (Plantlife). It readily self-seeds, as one would expect of a wildflower, and if you plant them in your garden, by next spring you will have them growing in a multitude of places. Being a native of woodland it is most content in a shady garden or border but will also give beautiful colour in the sun provided it does not get too dry (Royal Horticultural Society).

The flowers provide welcome nectar to early spring bees and to hoverflies. In my garden, they are also frequented by butterflies.

References

Plantlife https://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/forget-me-not-common (last accessed May 2020)

Royal Horticultural Society https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/41558/Myosotis-sylvatica/Details (last accessed May 2020)

Wildlife Trust https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/wildflowers/wood-forget-me-not (last accessed May 2020)

Chaffinch

The chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs, is one of the commonest visitors to the bird table. A very attractive bird, the male is a rusty red colour with a sleek grey cap and striped brown wings. The female is less colourful, being just brown, but she does have white shoulder patches (Wildlife Trusts). They are slightly larger than a robin and shaped like a sparrow.

Chaffinches eat a mixed diet of both seeds and invertebrates, and particularly like caterpillars (Woodland Trust). It is one of the ten most reported birds in the Big Garden Birdwatch (Discover Wildlife).

Interestingly, the male birds remain further north during the winter; the females spend the winter further south in Europe (B.T.O.).

The somewhat duller plumage of a female chaffinch.

Chaffinches seem to be particularly susceptible to disease and are often spotted with swollen leg growths. These can be caused by mites or by Chaffinch papillomavirus (B.T.O.). The birds may be able to survive with these growths but some become lame and others pick up secondary infections (B.T.O.). Another virus the birds can catch is trichomonosis and this one is always fatal (Discover Wildlife). This reminds us all that it is very important to practice good hygiene if feeding the birds in our gardens. Feeders should be cleaned frequently with a mild disinfectant solution and old food removed regularly. Of course, it is vital that any disinfectant is rinsed completely from the feeders to avoid poisoning our feathered friends.

The chaffinch has a loud complicated song which is often heard in woodland and garden.

References

British Trust for Ornithology (B.T.O.) https://www.bto.org/understanding-birds/species-focus/chaffinch (last accessed May 2020)

Discover Wildlife https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/birds/facts-about-chaffinch/ (last accessed May 2020)

Wildlife Trusts https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/birds/finches-and-buntings/chaffinch (last accessed May 2020)

Woodland Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/animals/birds/chaffinch/ (last accessed May 2020)