Tag Archives: #Canal

Lurking in the Canal; Perch, the Highly Adaptable Piscine Predator

The European perch, Perca fluviatilis, is a highly adaptable predatory freshwater fish native to the British isles. It is found in a wide variety of habitats from ponds and lakes to brooks and rivers but has found a particularly thriving niche in our man-made canals.

Nursery Web Spiders

Nursery web spiders are fascinating creatures known for their unique parental care and courting behaviour. Their scientific name is Pisaura mirabilis and the second half of this, mirabilis (the root of the word miraculous), means ‘admirable’ or ‘remarkable’ and refers to the remarkable parental care the mother gives to her progeny. Another name commonly usedContinue reading “Nursery Web Spiders”

The Lancaster Canal

The Lancaster Canal currently stretches over 42 miles from the City of Preston to the village of Tewitfield near the county’s northern boundary, it is a very famous waterway for all sorts of reasons, for its scenic beauty, long history, wildlife, but not least because it is the longest lock-free stretch of inland waterway inContinue reading “The Lancaster Canal”

Red breasted Merganser

Red breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator, can be seen on Stocks reservoir at the moment from the bird hides, and on streams and rivers in the area too. This unusual diver is a partial migrant in the British isles, heading inland from the coast when bad weather arrives to find more sheltered places to fish. TheContinue reading “Red breasted Merganser”

The Grey Wagtail

The Grey Wagtail’s scientific name is Motacilla cinerea, Motacilla originating from the Latin word mota, meaning ‘move’ or ‘shake’, which is the root for words such as ‘motive’ and ‘mobile’ and cinerea coming from the Latin for ‘ashes’ or ‘grey’, being the root for ‘cinders’ and ‘incinerated’. Unlike a lot of scientific names which reallyContinue reading “The Grey Wagtail”