Some Ferns -Plants in Cracks and Crevices

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 Today's post brings up the 50th post of this sequence. I wondered at the start how long I could keep going with a different topic each day but I can manage a bit more yet. This is probably just as well because it looks as if the COVID "stay at home" rules might be with us until at least 29th March 2021.

The underlying rock type in this area is mostly limestone (changing to sandstone near Kirkby Stephen). We are close to a number of sites (Asby Scar for example) where there are important examples of limestone pavements.We often see plants that are common in the cracks and crevices of limestone country. Two of the most common are Maidenhair Spleenwort, and Harts Tongue Fern.


This is maidenhair spleenwort (a type of fern) growing in a wall in our garden. It is supposed to look like a woman's hair (not the hair on her head - the other bit!)
The other common fern is Hart's Tongue Fern.


This fern gets its name because it is supposed to look like the tongue of a deer ( a hart being an old name for a male deer - usually applied to red deer). Both of these plants are used in gardens in rockeries but are very common naturally here.

Diary Notes.
Another fabulously sunny day yesterday. I walked along the River Eden at Kirkby Stephen hoping to find a dipper to photograph, No dipper alas but I got some good photos of a heron and a red squirrel photo in the garden in good light.
I was delighted to spot a female stoat in the garden for 30 mins or so - no publishable photographs though. I do hope that this is a sign that she might be looking for a den to give birth in. 
Another sign of Spring was that a blue tit explored a little too far and was flying around inside the house. My job to get it out of the window to freedom - does this count as a contribution towards the housework?
It was very misty again this morning. I had camera traps out at the Eden of the pond hoping to catch deer coming in for a drink. In view of the mist I have left the traps in place to look at again tomorrow.











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