We hope you have enjoyed the SRGC Forum. You can make a Paypal donation to the SRGC by clicking the above button

Author Topic: wildlife  (Read 217516 times)

Anthony Darby

  • Bug Buff & Punster
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9647
  • Country: nz
Re: wildlife
« Reply #645 on: April 04, 2016, 10:24:03 AM »
The Edinburgh Butterfly House tried it as a publicity stunt, giving away hundreds of both species of buckthorn. The plan never worked. I even planted two in my hedge in Dunblane. Wonder it they are still there? A question was raised at one of the Gardener's Question Time programmes recorded it Dunblane asking what hedging plants were recommended. The answer came back "buckthorn to attract brimstone butterflies". Not in Dunblane they won't. You'd need a continuous corridor up the M6!
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution"
http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/Choir/The-Choir.html

Tristan_He

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1223
  • Country: wales
Re: wildlife
« Reply #646 on: April 04, 2016, 10:17:44 PM »
The Edinburgh Butterfly House tried it as a publicity stunt, giving away hundreds of both species of buckthorn. The plan never worked. I even planted two in my hedge in Dunblane. Wonder it they are still there? A question was raised at one of the Gardener's Question Time programmes recorded it Dunblane asking what hedging plants were recommended. The answer came back "buckthorn to attract brimstone butterflies". Not in Dunblane they won't. You'd need a continuous corridor up the M6!

I've planted a few alder buckthorns Anthony, though more chance here I think (though brimstone are not so common in Wales either). They are just starting to get to a decent size so fingers crossed. How long ago was the Edinburgh Butterfly House thing?


Anthony Darby

  • Bug Buff & Punster
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9647
  • Country: nz
Re: wildlife
« Reply #647 on: April 05, 2016, 02:03:27 AM »
Would have been the early 90s, I think. Would need to check. Martin Feather was the manager then.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution"
http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/Choir/The-Choir.html

Gerdk

  • grower of sweet violets
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2928
Re: wildlife
« Reply #648 on: April 05, 2016, 08:36:54 AM »
Who has done it?

I would be glad if someone could tell me who is responsible for the cutted shoot tips found beneath a Serbian
spruce (Picea omorika).
I observed squirrels, crows and wood pigeons in that tree but unfortunately I never wasn't able to catch one of
them in the act. The problem exists since autumn.

Please have a look at the pics added!

Gerd
Gerd Knoche, Solingen
Germany

Karaba

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 467
  • Country: fr
    • My 2015-2016 seed list (in french)
Re: wildlife
« Reply #649 on: April 05, 2016, 09:06:26 AM »
Squirrels cut the shoot to eat the bud. In mountain forest, I often found thousand and thousand of these shoot tips in winter. I think that they eat buds especially when seeds are missing.
See also http://beaverboardwalk.blogspot.fr/2010/03/spruce-buds-and-squirrels.html
Yvain Dubois - Isère, France (Zone 7b)  _ south east Lyon

Gerdk

  • grower of sweet violets
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2928
Re: wildlife
« Reply #650 on: April 05, 2016, 09:16:11 AM »
Direct hit - that was quick indeed!

Thank you Ivain!

Gerd
Gerd Knoche, Solingen
Germany

ian mcdonald

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2340
  • Country: gb
Re: wildlife
« Reply #651 on: April 05, 2016, 07:54:13 PM »
One of last years brimstones on the local patch, img. 1000379.

annew

  • Daff as a brush
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5397
  • Country: england
    • Dryad Nursery: Bulbs and Botanic Cards
Re: wildlife
« Reply #652 on: April 06, 2016, 09:06:07 PM »
Great ptarmigan shots - excellent camouflage.
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

Tony Willis

  • Wandering Star
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3205
  • Country: england
Re: wildlife
« Reply #653 on: April 07, 2016, 05:04:39 PM »
On the pond this morning. It was eating the frogs one after another. The nice thing was it washed each  one before swallowing it. Clearly well mannered.
Chorley, Lancashire zone 8b

annew

  • Daff as a brush
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5397
  • Country: england
    • Dryad Nursery: Bulbs and Botanic Cards
Re: wildlife
« Reply #654 on: April 07, 2016, 08:59:20 PM »
Our newts have eaten ALL our frogspawn. >:(
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

ashley

  • Pops in from Cork
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2806
  • Country: ie
Re: wildlife
« Reply #655 on: April 08, 2016, 10:06:34 PM »
Helen took a series of photos today of a regular garden visitor.
Ashley Allshire, Cork, Ireland

ashley

  • Pops in from Cork
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2806
  • Country: ie
Re: wildlife
« Reply #656 on: April 18, 2016, 06:34:34 PM »
Wonderful adder photos Ian.  None here, thanks (?) to St. Patrick.

Angry bird: a territorial goldcrest (Regulus regulus) threatening his reflection in a window (Helen's photos, not mine).
Around this time every year we have to tape white paper inside the glass to make provocative reflections less obvious.  Just as well there are no close neighbours to wonder about our sanity ;D
Ashley Allshire, Cork, Ireland

Maggi Young

  • Forum Dogsbody
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 44564
  • Country: scotland
  • "There's often a clue"
    • International Rock Gardener e-magazine
Re: wildlife
« Reply #657 on: April 18, 2016, 08:09:41 PM »
Super photos of the Goldcrest - VERY handsome little chap!
Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland Zone 7 -ish!

Editor: International Rock Gardener e-magazine

ashley

  • Pops in from Cork
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2806
  • Country: ie
Re: wildlife
« Reply #658 on: April 18, 2016, 10:25:22 PM »
They're beauties all right Maggi; the female with her yellow crest in the upper two pix, and the orange-crested male in the lower ones.
It amazes me that such tiny birds come through the winter and sometimes migrate long distances over water.
The nest is also a wonder, mostly of moss and cobwebs, and the eggs are absolutely tiny.
Ashley Allshire, Cork, Ireland

annew

  • Daff as a brush
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5397
  • Country: england
    • Dryad Nursery: Bulbs and Botanic Cards
Re: wildlife
« Reply #659 on: April 21, 2016, 12:29:36 PM »
Wonderful adder photos Ian.  None here, thanks (?) to St. Patrick.

Angry bird: a territorial goldcrest (Regulus regulus) threatening his reflection in a window (Helen's photos, not mine).
Around this time every year we have to tape white paper inside the glass to make provocative reflections less obvious.  Just as well there are no close neighbours to wonder about our sanity ;D
That male really does look VERY cross for such a tiny body!
MINIONS! I need more minions!
Anne Wright, Dryad Nursery, Yorkshire, England

www.dryad-home.co.uk

 


Scottish Rock Garden Club is a Charity registered with Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR): SC000942
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal