# Specialized Habitats And Microenvironments **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 6, 2021, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150 "2021-08-06T12:34:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2025, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/201 "2025-06-04T13:42:30Z")
Haven’t seen the ducklings or the goslings for a while, but the cygnets are growing nicely. At least four survived this far, perhaps five: [![](https://i.imgur.com/w3Binuf.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/w3Binuf.jpeg) The fox would like some, but he is alone, the adult swans are two, and he does not like getting wet: [![](https://i.imgur.com/V1ZwTEG.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/V1ZwTEG.jpeg) The reason I find the word cygnet so nice is that in my mind when animals have french names, the British eat them, when the name is germanic, they raise them or they are simply animals: Pig/swine → pork, lamb/sheep → mutton, cow/bull → beef. And so on. So swan / cynet suggests a delicacy I was not aware of. On the other hand swans in England are property of the king and not to be hunted. So there must be another reason for the nice name. Apart from that, the beaver has shown himself again, elusively and mostly from behind: [![](https://i.imgur.com/YcZjTCu.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/YcZjTCu.jpeg) [![](https://i.imgur.com/UCmIYXk.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/UCmIYXk.jpeg) and the deer’s antlers are growing: [![](https://i.imgur.com/wiflxzL.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/wiflxzL.jpeg) The mosquitos are doing great too, the darn things. It has been a warm and dry spring, now it is trending towards hot and humid. I expect a storm this afternoon or tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2025, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/202 "2025-06-22T10:42:02Z")
I had never seen snakes here before, but there are some. [_Natrix natrix_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_snake), the grass snake, is harmless for humans, grows up to 60 to 100 cm and lays here eggs around this time of the year. Except when something kills her: [![](https://i.imgur.com/RrCM9Vd.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/RrCM9Vd.jpeg) Perhaps she managed to lay her eggs before she died, although I like the frogs too. Snakes eat not only frogs, but also snails, that is much better for the garden. This one was 70 cm long and seems to have exploded from within, almost like in the movie Alien: [![](https://i.imgur.com/SvYjk3B.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/SvYjk3B.jpeg) No idea what may have done this. I would imagine the racoon or the fox would have eaten the snake, and an animal like a frog or a mouse would not have been able to free itself this way after being swallowed. Anybody has a clue what happened here? ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/203 "2025-06-25T18:34:28Z")
I, too, am mystified as to what could have happened to your snake. Very odd. One thing I will say is that they are devilish hard to spot, so you may have many more than you realize. I have seen them twice in my life, the second time being when I inadvertently trapped one in a net on my allotment/community garden. Another plotholder, who knows about such things, was able to free it, get it checked over, and released. The first grass snake spotted on the allotments in more than a decade, but I’m convinced they are there all the time, and in numbers. You could consider an allotment to be an urban specialized habitat. We grow vegetables, so we attract pests (Oh Boy, do we!) - so there is a constant supply of slugs, mice, shrews, squirrels and no doubt rats (though I haven’t seen one yet). Unsurprisingly, that attracts predators - slow worms, foxes and the occasional bird of prey. Anyways, here’s another photo murderously cropped by google - click through for the full photo. A couple of days ago I made my annual visit to a particular microenvironment (see posts 1, 69 and 74), where violet helleborines grow. I found three spikes this year, not yet in flower; but posting because I think the violet hue is very clear\* at this stage of development. They only ever occur in a space of perhaps 5 square meters and very much (as far as appearances go), where they shouldn’t be. [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczPxgER7xY9CssKBOJ-nlJc2gU-nhjFJWYCvhGUr-uS1F5m9h7UqsR4ZFvbLYMQD7mt6zBb6aAfaEs8iHxSz6geTx-c-16M5WWoLoU3JQDoKals3I7Y=w600-h315-p-k "New photo · Wednesday, Jun 25 📸") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/DZXVbktNfA9xKQ948) j \* - I should add that I’m color blind, so feel free to take issue here! ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/204 "2026-06-08T14:16:31Z")
Back to the microenvironments, it’s this time of year where the birds get more birds. The crane baby looks so fluffy: [![](https://i.ibb.co/mCqZqvZp/DSCF0567.jpg) ](https://i.ibb.co/mCqZqvZp/DSCF0567.jpg) > **[DSCF0568 hosted at ImgBB](https://ibb.co/VcTLfvFt)** > > Image DSCF0568 in the Pardel-lux's images album and the ducklings are adorable: > **[DSCF0264 hosted at ImgBB](https://ibb.co/Fbss2CgJ)** > > Image DSCF0264 in the Pardel-lux's images album And this fellow looks dangerous for birds: > **[DSCF0198 hosted at ImgBB](https://ibb.co/d0YDTBGv)** > > Image DSCF0198 in the Pardel-lux's images album > **[DSCF0199 hosted at ImgBB](https://ibb.co/qYb04xtz)** > > Image DSCF0199 in the Pardel-lux's images album Blurry? Indeed, he never stands still. ETA: Sorry something went wrong with the uploading, only shows a link. But I think the pics are there if you click on the thumbnail. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/205 "2026-06-08T20:06:18Z")
Yeah, the links work perfectly. Man, am I jealous of your cranes. I’ve never seen one in the wild. We drove to the Somerset levels to go crane spotting and we came up empty. (Aside: specifically the valley of the river Parrett. Yep, you have to go to the Parrett to look for a crane. ) Is your nocturnal guest a marten? j ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/206 "2026-06-08T20:13:17Z")
Different subject: we’re on the south coast this evening. Hayling Island is pan flat and so low lying that the roads have helpful signs to tell you how much water you’re under. There’s a lot of salt marsh around here. It’s not that uncommon, but it’s not something that you often find yourself standing right next to. [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP1GczOf9lxvwu7EKbLu4lcnkEWn36rgJETV-JmUrejUgqMrYqsE6bGpiWlgKnBymtc7sbAlfEDRauwRvR0D5Dt3Uec4xLdIz5K6OyEQnMTSWvAVx8MdOAo=w600-h315-p-k "New photo · Monday, Jun 8 📸") ](https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP7sLKYUNNsEHKBsC9VrFqovmcWwF2zQ9SW9kLK9D5HolhAePSSu7Jj9l3zLtWY8A?key=TG8tcVFudUNSNHlfN1UtdTVXNWE3U0QzMXVIcklB) That greenery isn’t grass. It’s almost entirely succulents. j ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2026, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150/207 "2026-06-08T20:27:52Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Is your nocturnal guest a marten? I believe it is, but I have never had a picture that was not blurry. It seems to be constantly on the move, so that I could not figure out the exact species. And it always shows at night, where the camera switches to black & white. Colour would be helpful for identification too. Searching the net I find to my surprise that martens are considered **[invasive species](https://www.stadt-brandenburg.de/presse/der-irrglaube-lebendfalle-illegale-fallennutzung)** (link in German) in Brandenburg (the _Land_ around Berlin). I thought they belonged here, but they are mentioned in the same breath as racoons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specialized-habitats-and-microenvironments/948150.md?page=10)