One such beastie is the sexton beetle, which has been described as the “undertaker of the natural world”. Working as a pair, a male and female beetle will locate the corpse of a small mammal or bird and start to dig into the earth beneath. The corpse then slowly sinks into the ground until completely buried. The female buries her eggs close to the carcass and when they hatch the larvae feed on the dead animal’s flesh. (Apologies if you’re reading this while eating). Unusually for insects, these beetles seem to look after their young fairly well, rather than just letting them get on with things. Not only do the adults both feed the larvae when very young, but they also secrete chemicals which prevent fungi and bacteria from causing too much decay in the carcass.

Sexton beetle.

There are several species of sexton beetle in Scotland, most of which are black with obvious orange markings on their wing-cases. Whilst I’m not suggesting that you go looking for dead things, if you do find an animal carcass it may be worth having a look to see if there are any of these distinctive and useful insects nearby.

On to slightly pleasanter things now. You may notice white, or occasionally pink, star-shaped flowers growing in our woodlands at the moment. These are wood anemones, members of the same family of plants as the buttercup. Despite the name, wood anemones actually don’t really like shady places. Their early flowering is a result of this, allowing them to take advantage of the spring sunshine before the woodland canopy becomes too dense and the light is blotted out. By the end of the month most anemones will have died back, leaving little or no visible structure

Wood anemone.

above ground. However, the plants remain alive, but dormant, underground until the next spring when they burst into life again. Wood anemones also spread largely through underground growth, since many of their seeds are infertile.

Whilst the flowers of the wood anemone are very attractive, the leaves have a somewhat musky odour, leading to the plant also being known as ‘smell-fox’.

Sand martins belong to a family of birds called hirundines, which also includes their close relatives house martins and swallows.  They are summer visitors, avoiding our winter by, very sensibly, migrating to sub-Saharan Africa. One of the earliest returning migrants, they can often be seen in late March but should definitely be around by April. In appearance they are smallish birds, with dark brown on the face, back and wings. The underside of the body is white, with the exception of a distinctive brown “collar” around the chest.  Martins and swallows feed on flying invertebrates, which are taken on the wing. As a result, large flocks can be seen over rivers, lakes and ponds feasting on the insects found there.

Sand martin feeding over water.

The sand martin is a good example of wildlife able to adapt to human activity. Traditionally they would build their nests in holes excavated in sandy river banks, or similar natural features. However, they have become very adept at colonising old quarries and other abandoned industrial sites. At Levenhall Links, in Musselburgh, they have even nested in piles of ash from Cockenzie Power Station.

One of our earliest flowering wildflowers is a small, dandelion-like plant known as coltsfoot. Its name derives from the shape of its leaves, which (vaguely) resemble a horse’s hoof.  It is also known as “son-before-the-father” because its bright, yellow flowers appear in early spring, whilst the leaves do not turn up until much later, once flowering is all but over.

Coltsfoot can be found in a range of habitats, often in places where the ground has been disturbed such as waste ground, spoil heaps and river banks. The plant produces seeds, very similar to those of the dandelion, which are dispersed by the wind. However, most coltsfoot grows from rhizomes – underground stems which spread from the parent plant and produce new growth every now and then.

Coltsfoot.

Herbalists used to use coltsfoot to cure coughs. The leaves were either made into a syrup or tea, or they could be dried and smoked – this seems a bizarre way to relieve a cough. Some research suggests that coltsfoot may possess anti-inflammatory properties, but that it also contains toxins which can damage the liver. All in all then probably best not to put it in your sandwiches.

Here in East Lothian the local rocks have influenced humans throughout history. Some of the earliest settlements in the area were on easily defended high ground such as Traprain Law and North Berwick Law. The rocks which make up the Laws were once molten magma that gradually cooled and solidified. These igneous rocks are relatively hard and have resisted the erosion that has worn away the surrounding land, leaving the two hills standing proud. 

Even in more recent times the effect of the underlying geology can be seen.  Coal can be found throughout East Lothian, but the more productive seams are in the west of the county. As a result many of the towns in this area grew up around the mining industry. To the east, limestones occur more frequently, so the mining disappears to be replaced by agriculture and the remains of lime kilns.

So what does all this have to do with wildlife? Weathered rock is an important component of soil and can therefore influence the plant species that can thrive in an area. This, in turn, will affect which animals can succeed there. So, it can be argued that geology, along with other factors such as climate, is the basis of every wildlife habitat and ecosystem out there.

 In addition, we can see the remains of ancient wildlife preserved as fossils. A visit to the coast in the Barns Ness/Whitesands area is guaranteed to produce some excellent finds. Much of the shoreline here is made up of limestone, and much of this limestone is made up of the remains of coral that lived over 300 million years ago. Various types can be found, ranging from large individuals (the solitary corals) to massive colonies of smaller corals. These latter form the so-called “spaghetti rocks” – the long, thin coral supposedly resembling everyone’s favourite pasta. Plant fossils can also be found, including the scaly bark and long roots of huge clubmosses. These can still be found living in Scotland today, but they are tiny compared with the tree-sized monsters that used to exist here. The fact they grew so large is evidence, believe it or not, that this area used to have a tropical climate. Ah, those were the days.

Fossilised colonial corals at Barns Ness

Fossilised clubmoss root.

On my recent wanderings around local woodlands I’ve been noticing quite a few goldcrests. These are (along with the closely-related firecrests) Britain’s smallest birds and can be difficult to spot. This time of year is a good time to see them, partly because many of the trees are bare, but also because there can be an influx of these birds from Northern Europe to the UK during the winter.

Their name derives from the broad, colourful stripe on their heads – yellow in females, yellow and orange in males. Other than that they are a fairly non-descript bird, being a dull grey-green with a pale belly, although a pale ring around the dark eye can give them a rather staring, almost startled expression.

Female goldcrest. (Courtesy of J. Wood)

Goldcrests feed almost exclusively on insects and spiders. Their short, narrow bills are well adapted to catching this prey – ideal for picking small beasties from the underside of leaves and twigs. They tend to favour conifers but can be seen in mixed woodlands and will sometimes visit bird tables and feeders during harsh weather.

The fact that there is little or no foliage on the trees at the moment may make it easier to see small, lurking birds, but it doesn’t help us in identifying the trees themselves. So, how do you tell one tree from another when there are no leaves to look at?

Well, some may have characteristic outlines or shapes, but one of the best clues is to look at their twigs and buds. For example, the twigs of ash trees are grey, with opposite pairs of black buds and are tipped by one large bud. Beech trees are also quite distinctive. They have slender brown twigs which bear long, tapering buds. These have the appearance of small, tightly wrapped (and rather pointy) cigars.

Ash buds

Beech buds

 The “King of the Buds”, as it were, has to be those of the horse chestnut. They are huge, shiny, and brown. If that’s not easy enough to spot, they are also sticky to the touch. Below the buds the twigs often show horseshoe-shaped scars left by the previous year’s leaves. It is these that give the tree its name.

Horse chestnut buds.

Forthcoming Ranger Service Events:

Sunday 24^th February. A Hidden History. Explore part of the new Haddington to Hailes footpath along the Tyne. Discover the history of the ruined castles and forts of the surrounding countryside on this 15km circuit. A moderate walk on grass tracks, footpaths and quiet roads. No dogs please.

Hikes are charged at £4 per person. Details provided when booking. To book a place phone 01620 827421.

Auriga

High in the night sky during February is the constellation of Auriga, the Charioteer. One story suggests that he represents a legendary king of Athens called Erichthonius. He is carrying a female goat and her kids. Why, has never been explained. The bright star in Auriga, almost directly overhead, is Capella, which is a latin word meaning ‘she-goat’. Although it looks likie a single star, it is actually two yellow giant stars that orbit each other every 104 days!

The snow bunting is a bird which, as the name suggests, likes cold weather. There is a small breeding population in northern Scotland, with up to 100 pairs. However, the majority of snow bunting that we see are winter visitors which have migrated from their arctic breeding grounds, mainly in Greenland and Scandinavia. Their plumage can be quite variable but there is always a considerable amount of white involved, especially on the wings. In summer plumage the males are a very distinctive black and white, but in winter all snow buntings tend to be a mixture of buffs, browns and white.

These birds can often be seen on the ground in small flocks, feeding on any seeds that they can find. In the air they really live up their name – with a dancing, fluttering flight they have been said to resemble drifting snowflakes. This is a wonderful sight, especially against a dark winter sky.

The best places to see snow bunting in East Lothian are along the coast. One of the finest sites is at the lagoons at Musselburgh, where these birds can be seen feeding in the grassland or flitting along the sea-wall.

Right then, a word now about some of the unsung heroes of the plant world.  Mosses tend to be small and often live in dark, damp places. As a result they are often overlooked by all but the keenest of botanists. Despite this, mosses can play a significant part in the health of our environment. In addition to providing habitats for invertebrates, mosses also have the capacity to absorb large quantities of water. This ability can reduce the potential for flooding by slowing the flow of water into rivers and streams. It may seem hard to believe but the floods of recent years may have been much worse if it wasn’t for mosses and other plants soaking up at least some of the excess water.

Sphagnum mosses form the basis of Scotland’s peat-bogs. As such they have provided fuel for the people of the Highlands for centuries. These bog mosses also store huge amounts of carbon dioxide and so can play a major role in combating climate change.

So, let’s show some respect to mosses. They may be small and soggy. They may ruin the look of your lawn. It may also be incredibly difficult to tell one type of moss from another. But they are an important part of our ecosystem, just like any other plant or animal.

Below Orion’s belt are what look like two stars that make up his sword. These are actually multiple stars in a nebula, an area of hot gas from which stars are formed. On a clear night the fuzzy appearance of the nebula can easily be seen with a pair of binoculars. Following Orion across the sky are his two dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor. The bright star Procyon in Canis Minor can eaily be seen to the left of Orion. The brightest star in the sky, Sirius in Canis Major is a short distance below it. Sirius is also known as the dog star and is the name of another character from Harry Potter. In fact, many of her characters are named after stars and constellations.