Flora and Fauna - February

By Michele Ann Young

I am sorry to have been missing for a week. A couple of deadlines caught me up. Today we have a regular monthly feature.
The flower pictured is a snowdrop. I did mention it in a previous blog, but I thought this picture was worth a thousand words. And snowdrops are just so February.

Our naturist as this to say about February weatherwise:

The thermometer is often down below the freezing point, but is generally found at noon between 36 and 46 degrees; towards the end of the month it sometimes rises to 50 degrees or even 52 or 54 degrees. The severe weather, generally breaks up with a sudden thaw, accompanied by wind and rain; torrents of water pour from the hills, and the snow is completely dissolved.

Rivers swell and inundate the surrounding country, often carrying away bridges, cattle, mills, gates etc.

It seems to me this would make an interesting bit of drama in a book, so I will keep track of it, in hopes I can make use of it one day.

And the reason for our picture is this little snippet.

Many plants appear above ground in February, but few flowers, except the snowdrop, are to be found. This ‘icicle changed into a flower’ is sometimes fully opened from the beginning of the month.

My choice for the fauna is this magnificent hunter. A hen harrier. They are also found in North America. They are very much endangered in Britain. In winter found on fields and rough pasture, particularly coastal areas, marshes and often roosts communally in favoured reedbeds. The males are found in the Outer Hebrides and further south in the winter. Whereas in summer they are found in the uplands.

I hope you enjoyed this foray into the natural world.
Until next time, Happy rambles.