3rd December
Another murky day, I did venture out however to do an errand. I seriously can’t remember seeing any wildlife at all today though. There’s been a few birds in the garden, all of which I’ve written about before, but I’m not willing to use my get out clause of this being a separate list just yet! But I will use a cop out anyway as I pass this species pretty much every day.
Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum L.
A very common non-native tree here in the UK. Can grow tall, up to 30 metres in height. I walk by one every day in my home town. There is a mature tree growing right outside the post office, in the middle of the pavement no less. In fact when they re-did the pavement a few years ago they made sure it went around the tree. Better than taking it down altogether (which they normally do to mature street trees in my home town). Horse chestnuts produce the familiar conkers which kids used to collect (someone said they don’t now which is a shame). Despite being non-native (they are native to the Balkans) they are not invasive and don’t appear to out compete or interfere with native wildlife.
Advent species so far:
- 1st: Goosander Mergus merganser
- 2nd: December Moth Poecilocampa populi
- 3rd: Horse Chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum
A Species a Day 