… is commonly called Biting Stonecrop or Wallpepper or Goldmoss Stonecrop. The leaves have a sharp taste, from which it gets its Latin name ‘acre’, meaning sharp. I tasted it recently for the first time and at first thought it was tasteless, then the sharp peppery taste developed and I was pleased to have a drink with me. Anyway, it is now in full bloom on the shingle, but this golden display will only last a week or so.
The biggest disappointment of the spring has been the failure of the Little Terns to nest for the second consecutive year. This could be due to increasing disturbance from people and dogs, the “greening” of the beach as False Oat Grass becomes dominant, or a collective memory of year upon year of failure due to Kestrel taking the chicks.
On a more positive note, about 500 pairs of Sandwich and 200 pairs of Common Tern are nesting on the islands and they seem to be doing well. The Sandwich Tern chicks are now quite large and there are lots of fish being carried in from the sea (photo). Today we had a brief visit from the first Roseate Tern of the year.
