Page 14 - 2010 AMA Autumn

£50 ARTICLE
FAUNA
IN THE UK Barry Whale
In the previous edition of ARMY MOUNTAINEER I attempted to
away. Close up the Meadow Pipit will appear a yellowish colour, introduce you to some of the more common flora of our upland
although you may catch sight of its white outer feathers in flight. environment; in this edition I hope to similarly enthuse and edu-
They live on insects and small seeds and berries.
cate regarding some of the mammals and birds that make a day in
our unique mountain environment so rewarding.
Adder
Peregrine Falcon
Camouflaged in a dark grey and
with distinct pointed wings, the
Peregrine Falcon is thankfully
making a comeback in the UK.
Previously a rare sight, they are
benefitting greatly from a reduc-
tion in agricultural chemical use
that built up in their food chain
and from climbers respecting
access agreements that protect
their vital nesting areas high on
North facing vegetated cliffs.
Approaching the nests is still ille-
gal as they may not return to their
young if disturbed by humans.
They can produce some exilerat-
ing displays high in the air and
when swooping to catch their
pray they can reach speeds of
over 200 miles an hour! There is often a distinctive loud bang when a Peregrine Falcon takes out a smaller bird; a noise you won’t for- get in a hurry.
Meadow Pipit
This is believe it or not the most common song bird in the British hills. You will very often see them whizzing around in pairs like true acrobats particularly over grassy/heath areas. They are very small birds (approx 14cm long) and weigh in at a maximum of 25g. It is more common to find them when you stumble close to their nests in the spring, when they take to the skies in an effort to draw you
After recently being startled by the biggest adder I have ever seen in Britain at Tremadog I thought it prudent to add them to the list! Adders are the only snake that can be found as far north as the Arctic Circle and the only venmous one in the British Isles. You will normally find them basking in the sun on or around rocky and heather areas. Adders will feed on mice, voles, lizards, frogs and other small animals. Bites to humans will only occur as an abso- lute last resort by the snake and it is more likely to hiss frantically at you first. If you are unlucky enough to get bitten, rest assured that death is rare, although I suspect its going to hurt a bit! The male Adder grows up to 80cm long and has a bright white or grey body with a black zig zag pattern down its back. Whilst the female has a brown body and a dark brown zig zag on her back.
It was once thought that dried Adder skins could cure rheumatism and headaches, whilst powdered Adder skin was believed to cure
12 ARMY MOUNTAINEER