Heathland

Last Sunday, I was very lucky to get a chance to join the RSPB local group's field trip. And even more luckily we saw Dartford Warblers in a heathland. It came into my view through the telescope while I was sketching the Stonechat on the post. One of the members told me that in the June issue of Birdwatching magazine, there was an article saying "Find the Stonechat, find the Dartford Warbler."



ノビタキを探すと見つかるオナガムシクイ。嵐ヶ丘は、こんな風景なのだろうか・・・。
Magazine article discuss if the Stonechat likes the Dartford Warbler or the other way round. According to the study in Spain in winter by Zamora et al (1992), it is Dartford Warblers that are following a Stonechat and they change foraging technique, feeding more on the ground than in the shrub when they are with a Stonechat. They assumed that Dartford Warblers can feed safely on the ground because the Stonechat keeps attention to the predators from the post.

Anyway, this was the very first time that I found an article I wanted to read in Anglia Ruskin's e-journals!




The adult was feeding the young.
Some of the heathers' flowers already had purple flowers and they were beautiful in the stark scenery. I would love to come here when the whole area turns purple!

Trials of using dip pen and inks...I mixed the colors of the inks like Karin does!