Red in Nature

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Red isn’t the commonest colour in nature – but here are just a few examples. Firstly the Red Admiral butterfly – more brown and black than red, but still a striking beauty.

Red admiral

Red admiral

Secondly, a goldfinch. Not exactly gold – why it wasn’t called a red faced finch I do not know as that is one of it’s most striking characteristics. These finches come to the bird feeders only a couple of times a day. Which is probably just as well as they are feisty little fellows, and they try and keep the other birds away while they are there.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Next our cheeky robin friend. Here in Ireland robin’s are sometimes called Robin Red Breasts.

Robin

Robin

This is a sundew. A tiny, but extraordinary plant that grows in our bogs. Those sticky leaves, traps insects and then digest them!

Sundew

sundew

And finally Robin’s pincushion. Nothing to do with robins, it is in fact a rose bedeguar gall, formed when a gall wasp lays her eggs, usually on a wild rose stem. When the grubs hatch they produce a chemical which produces this abnormal growth.

Robin's pincushion - a type of gall

Robin’s pincushion – a type of gall

Inspired by this week’s Len artist photo challenge – find something red

 

21 thoughts on “Red in Nature”

  1. Leya

    Astonishing reds! Great shots all of them – that gall is intriguing, and I do not see it very often. Love the sundew – and now I have an English name of it, thank you! I have only come across it in the mountains up north in Sweden. Beautiful shots of the birds as well – not many goldfinches here anymore. Thank you so much for posting these beauties!

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      Thank you so much for your kind comments. Last year was the first time I saw this particular gall – it is fascinating. And sundews are just cool:)

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      It is pretty cool isn’t it. I photographed this in The Burren in County Clare last year. It was first time i had seen it too and had to look it up:-)

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  5. Heyjude

    All lovely natural reds! I love the goldfinch, I get a lot here and they are always pushing each other off the feeders and also very messy eaters! But such gorgeous colours. And I have never see that gall – very interesting!

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      We get a flock coming through occasionally during the winter but just seem to have a couple that visit the feeders regularly.

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  10. Jane Miller

    Brilliant selection – dear Robin and stunning Goldfinch. Really difficult to get the goldfinches to feed here unless I’m away. Didn’t realise they were a bit aggressive with other birds Would they chase a feisty robin away? And as for the gall, never seen anything like it – so beautiful.

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    1. Murtagh's Meadow Post author

      I am not sure who would win between goldfinches and Robin. I suppose they don’t usually interact as Robin won’t feed from the feeders and that is only where the goldfinches will feed or else they will be taking seeds naturally

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