Anthills, ducklings, cygnets, a heron, lichen, and a canal

[spiralsheep]

I went for a walk in Powys in Wales.

Slwch Tump with anthills, gorse flowers, and a view to Pen y Fan (the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales, and Southern Britain, at a mere 886m). St Eluned was reputedly beheaded here in the 5th century.



The Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal on an aqueduct across the River Usk.



Duckling beggars being egged-on by their mum.



Cygnets with their parental swans, and a reflection of a narrowboat.



Spot the heron.



Lichen on a wooden gate.

Comments

[sid]

Baby birds and hidden herons!

Thank you for sharing. :-)

[spiralsheep]

You're welcome!

I secretly like the anthills best. They didn't occur like that where I grew up because of the local geology. Although I adore lichen, and hydraulic technology on canals too. [/easily pleased]

[centuryplant]

The anthills are quite something. I wouldn't have guessed that's what they were.

I wonder how many ants that represents.

[spiralsheep]

I'm not especially good at ant identification but the mounds might be made by yellow meadow ants, Lasius flavus, who are root aphid farmers. They're also known in southern England for ensuring the survival of chalkhill blue butterflies. I don't know how many ants would be in large nests like the colonies I capped but they extend about a metre underground with the mound above ground acting as air-conditioning engineering.

I'm glad I've never been in one of these meadows on winged ant day when all the queens and their potential mates fly.

I sometimes see what looks like cigarette ash on top of these ant hills. I'm told it's woodpecker (usually green woodpecker) crap deposited while the woodpecker is deciding whether or not to try digging for ants.