rgcooper2023's Journal

Native to Zimbabwe, the southern giant African pouched rat is also common in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The doe is matriarchal and is supported by nurse rats when suckling her pups (1-3/litter). Adult males weigh 1.5 to 2.0 kg and females weigh 1.2 to 1.6 kg . Their cheek pouches are used to collect food which they carry back to their colonies which are then stored in food larders. From their nose to the tip of their tail, they are ca.70-80 cm with dark brown to reddish fur on their backs and a pale belly. The tail is bi-coloured, brown with white at the distal third of the tail. Bucks scent mark using cheek and anogenital rubbing, in addition to urine. Mitochondrial cytochrome b phylogeny demonstrated that they are unique and distinct from C. gambianus. They are very easily tamed and within one hour of capture, readily take a slice of bread from their human handler. After training with rewards of mashed banana, they are extremely useful to humans including in unexploded ordinance, tuberculosis and drug detection.

A fantastic and impressive example of Fatsia japonica (Araliaceae) (Japan and South Korea) observed growing outdoors (in the U.K.). Commonly known as the castor oil plant or fig leaf palm, it grows up to 4m in a decade. An evergreen shrub with 7-8 dicotyledonous splayed, leathery, palmately lobed leaves, and small white flowers in terminal compound umbels, it produces a beautiful cluster of ornamental, non-edible black berries. It grows well in moist and well-drained soils in partial shade and can be propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings. Cultivated, it likes rocky and informal, courtyard and banked gardens. It can be adversely affected by scale insects, thrips, mealybugs, leaf spot and honey fungus.

Described is the collection of a segment of the Peanut cactus (Lobivia silvestrii) in Mabelreign, Harare, Zimbabwe and planting it in sandy soil in a pot, with the resultant impressive, deep red floral display. It's accepted scientific name is also Echinopsis chamaecereus and Chamaecereus silvestrii, and its different names may be associated with the fact that it was initially collected by botanist Carlo Spegazzini, but not located in later expeditions of Roberto Kiesling, who instead described Echinopsis sp. Lobivia/Echinopsis sp. is found in Bolivia, Peru and Argentina. The prolific cacti stems are globular with fine spines (vestigial leaves), the flowers are a deep red-orange colour and are large and funnel-shaped with a short tube. The large attractive flowers have three sets of radial petals: eight inner, middle and outer, respectively. There is a preponderance of short, radially situated anthers in the middle of which is a large stigma. The flowers are non-scented and wither are a few days. The finger-like stems are a pale green and are initially erect but then become prostrate and curve downward. The plants are cylindrical or globose in shape and require a moderately rich compost consisting of 1 parts of loam, leaf soil and sharp sand, and 0.5 part dry cow/herbivore manure. Off-sets are easily separated, root easily and should be pointed upwards, placed in the sunshine and grown to produce specimen cacti. This cactus is easy to cultivate in pots containing well-drained sandy soil which are watered once a week, and it flowers abundantly in the summer. They can survive outside in freezing conditions, but are more prone to rotting, so, ideally, they should be kept indoors and preferably on a windowsill (Cooper, 2022). Possible parasitic infestations include mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites.
Reference: Cooper, R.G. 2022. Plants & Wild Species. E-book/Print. Lulu Press Inc., Morrisville, N.C., U.S.A. pp. 30.

Mute swan (Cygnus olor)

Location: 27/5/2024, Rushall Canal between Gillity and Fiveways Bridges, Park Hall, Walsall, UK

A remain-on-territory nesting pair of protected (since 1387) mute swans (ca. 4 years old) were spotted, the hen of which had moved her nest to a new location at the end of a garden adjacent to a hedge alongside Rushall Canal. Their former, still visible, nest was located ca.100 yards beyond Gillity Bridge (date engraved 1866), constructed of sticks and lined with soft down feathers. Whilst the cock swam about within the vicinity, presumably guarding the nest, the clutch of eggs was unknown, but, ordinarily, number 5-7/nest, hatching after 36 days. The hen was always seen incubating her eggs, dragging down feathers under her belly, and, as there were no signets in sight, one could presume that either a fox or large pike had probably eaten them. There was no indication of vandalism nor of lead poisoning from fishing weights (banned in 1987). The cock was very friendly and swam right up to the canal’s edge to eat bread crumbs and other treats offered from pedestrian walkers. It was large (ca. 1.30m) with a long, graceful, S-shaped neck and pointed tail. It had a classic orange bill with a black knob base and its head feathers were a dull yellow-orange. It was constantly scooping its bill in the shallow water of the canal and eating floating bits of bread, pondweed, algae and snails. There are ca.25,000 breeding pairs in UK.

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

Location: 27/5/2024, Rushall Canal between Gillity and Fiveways Bridges, Park Hall, Walsall, UK

A lone, sedentary, resident, silent moorhen (ca.30cm) was spotted perched on matted reeds, perhaps a nest, located on the edge of Rushall Canal beyond Gillity Bridge (date engraved 1866). It had an impressive black plumage and a classic red bill with a pointed, yellow tip. Its legs were a pale yellow-green. It repeatedly moved its head to the left and gazing across the surface of the canal waters. Known to eat plants like duckweed, pondweed, seeds and berries, it is also partial to earthworms, snails, spiders, insects, small fish and eggs of other birds. Breeding between March-August, a nest is constructed among aquatic plants, eggs are incubated for 21 days, sometimes shared by other hens, and both parents and the young from earlier broods feed to chicks. Being fed up to 45 days, they become independent at 52-99 days. Conservation issues arise from canal side management that removes bankside vegetation, and maintenance of canal banks must be on a rotational basis where some areas are left uncut. Feral mink, foxes and large pike, may be a threat to adult birds and/or their chicks. There are ca.270,000 breeding pairs in UK.