Daphne laureola 月桂瑞香、大戟月桂、桂葉芫花、洋瑞香

Common name: Spurge-laurel
Scientific name: Daphne laureola 月桂瑞香、大戟月桂、桂葉芫花、洋瑞香
Genus: Daphne 瑞香屬
Family: Thymelaeaceae 瑞香科, Mezereum family

Origin: native

Note: Toxic if eaten, skin irritant. Toxic to pets

Date: 24th March

[275] A small, glabrous evergreen shrub, found in woodland.

[281] Another plant with branch.

[278cropped] Stem showing the alternate leaves and flower stalks arising from leaf axil.

[276] Leaves dark, glossy green.

[279] Underside of the leaf.

[265]

[272cropped] Inflorescence of 5-10 flowers in axillary groups.

[263cropped] 4 sepals, fused sepal bases from a tubular hypanthium 花托筒, petals absent.

[268cropped] The above flower is likely a freshly opened one.

[262cropped]  There are totally 8 stamens, arranged in 2 whorls inserting onto the upper half of the hypanthium. 1 pistil but it is deep inside and could not be seen above.

[266cropped] 4 stamens above and the other 4 below, in 2 whorls.

[271cropped] It could be clearly seen that the 4 sepal lobes are unequal.

[271cropped2] 2 whorls of stamens. Yellow pollens could be seen above.

[265cropped] This is a special flower with 8sepals and more than 8 stamens.

Taxus baccata 歐洲紅豆杉

Common name: Yew
Scientific name: Taxus baccata 歐洲紅豆杉
Genus: Taxus 紅豆杉屬
Family: Taxaceae 紅豆杉科, yew family
Class: Pinopsida 松柏網
Divison: Pinophyta 松柏門

Origin: native

Date: 16th March

The following photos are male plants:

[0064] An evergreen tree or shrub, can reach up to 25m. Dioecious. Bark reddish brown and scaly.

[0061cropped] Twigs green. Midrib prominent on both surfaces of the leaves.

[0057cropped] Leaves pale green below.

[0055] Very young male strobili. 

[0060] mature male strobili.

[0052]

[0059]

The following photos show different stage of the male strobili:

[0056cropped]

[0054cropped]

[0052cropped2]

[0052cropped1] Look carefully powder-like pollens could be seen above.

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The following photos are female plants:

[0081]

[0078] Different stages of female strobili

[0073]

[0068]

[0078cropped] Different stages of developing female strobili.

[0073cropped]

[0068cropped] Open female strobilus.

[0076cropped] Female strobilus with pollination drops at its tip, ready to receive pollens.

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The following buds are found on another individual. These buds are longer than that of the female strobili posted above. No ideas to what are these. Maybe are (1) vegetative buds for lateral branch; (2) a longer form of female strobilus; (3) galls......

[0086]

[0086cropped]

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The following galls were found along with the female strobili on the female plant. They are buds (either vegetative or reproductive buds infested by bud mite. One of the example of bud mite is cecidophyopsis psilaspis 香榧癭蟎)

[0071]

[0074]

[0071cropped]

[0074cropped]

Anthus pratensis 草地鷚

Common name: Meadow Pipit
Scientific name: Anthus pratensis 草地鷚
Genus: Anthus 鷚屬*
Family: Motacillidae 鶺鴒科, the pipits 鷚 and wagtails 鶺鴒* family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: * '鷚' is pronounced as '謀' in Cantonese. 鶺鴒 is pronounced as '炙(zik3) 令(ling4)' in Cantonese.

Status: Locally common resident; migrant; winter visitor

Date: 12th June

[20251] Slimmer bill (vs  slightly stronger bill in tree pipit, Anthus trivialis 林鷚)

[20256]

[20260]

[20263]

[20265]

[20267]

[20270] Breast buff white, streaked black; long, thick black streaks on flank. (vs sparse thin black streaks on flank in tree pipit, Anthus trivialis 林鷚)

[20259] Singing: 'sip sip' sound (vs 'teeess' or 'speeze' or 'spiz' in tree pipit, Anthus trivialis 林鷚)

Carduelis carduelis 紅額金翅雀

Common name: Goldfinch
Scientific name: Carduelis carduelis 紅額金翅雀
Genus: Carduelis 金翅雀屬
Family: Fringillidae 雀科, 燕雀科, 雀科 the finches 雀類, euphonias 歌雀 and allies family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: 

Status: Common resident.

Date: 3rd July

[30321] Buff-white below with dark brownish breast patches.

[30322]

[30330] Red, white and black face. Yellow band on the wing.

[30334]

[30323] Singing

Passer domesticus 家麻雀

Common name: House Sparrow
Scientific name: Passer domesticus 家麻雀
Genus: Passer 麻雀屬
Family: Passeridae 麻雀科, the Old World sparrows, snowfinches and relatives family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: 

Status: Common resident.

Date: 5th May & 29th Aug

[50002] Male breeding. Grey band on crown, red-brown hindneck, pale grey cheek, black throat and bib. Underparts unmarked pale grey. Bill thick, triangular, black.  (vs brown crown, white cheek with black spot, small black bib, almost complete white collar in Passer montanus 麻雀, 樹麻雀, 歐亞樹麻雀, tree sparrow) [5th May]

[29th Aug]

[50005] Singing.

Certhia familaris 旋木雀, 歐亞旋木雀

Common name: Treecreeper 爬樹鳥, tree mouse
Scientific name: Certhia familaris 旋木雀, 歐亞旋木雀
Genus: Certhia 旋木雀屬
Family: Certhiidae 旋木雀科, the treecreeper family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: 

Status: Common resident.

Date: 30th Nov

[0019] Brown-backed 'creeper' with white underparts.

[0008]

Cyanistes caeruleus 藍山雀, 藍冠山雀

Common name: Blue Tit
Scientific name: Cyanistes caeruleus 藍山雀, 藍冠山雀
Genus: Cyanistes 藍山雀屬
Family: Paridae 山雀科, the tits 山雀, chickadees 北美山雀* and titmice* family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: *chickadees and titmice are native to North America.

Status: Common, widespread resident.

Date: 29th Aug, 15th and 30th Nov

[50134] Blue cape, white forehead (vs black forehead in Parus major 歐亞大山雀, 大山雀, great tit), dark eye strip, white face, yellow breast and blue and white wings.

[50133] Blue cap.

[29001, 30th Nov]

[29th Aug]

Turdus merula 烏鶇

Common name: Blackbird
Scientific name: Turdus merula 烏鶇
Genus: Turdus 鶇屬
Family: Turdidae 鶇科, the thrushes 鶇* family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: 鶇 is pronounced as "東" in Cantonese.

Status: Very common resident.

Date: 15th Nov

[50132] Adult male

[50129] All black except for a yellow eye-ring and bill.

[50130]