Wildlife May 2011

[mark smyth]

for pecking out eyes?

[Lesley Cox]

Mark, someone will no doubt correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the UK magpie is in New Zealand.

[Anthony Darby]

Quite correct Lesley. No European magpies here. As with many animals, the Australian 'magpie' is so-called because of its resemblance to a species from the old country, being pied, i.e. black and white.

[Stephenb]

Good to hear that. Expect non breeders in a few weeks. These are the birds you will target. They havent arrived in the UK

Not sure I understand - why should I target non-breeders? So that they will know where to come next year? Why is the migration of non-breeders so delayed?

[Anthony Darby]

Are they non-breeders because they are too late? Are they last year's youngsters and need another year on the wing?

[mark smyth]

Swifts that are arriving in Norway now have nest sites to go to where they laid and raised chicks last year. Playing the CD lure will not make they leave their tree hole or hole in a building for a comfortable nest box. They are fixed on the nest year for every year that they live.

Travelling with them may be swifts that are now breeding age, around 3 years, but no-one know for sure. These birds help form the large screaming parties. They hope to one day find a nest close to or among the breeders.

Following about a month later are the non-breeders which are 1, 2 or 3 years old. They are non-breeders because they are either too young or are breeding age but have no mate or nest site. They will want to find a mate and a nest site and this is where the lure comes in. They are fooled in to thinking there is an existing colony and they come to investigate and find unoccupied nest sites. They then go off to find an mate and come back.

If they are too young they will either occupy the nest and defend it, bring in some nesting material or make a nest. These are usually called practice nests. If they are breeding age they will lay their first egg around 10 days after getting together. Swifts attract swifts so once you get your first they should pull in others

They are late this year because of the wind from the west which later this weeks becomes an easterly again

Lots of reports of swifts fighting for nests this year and throwing out eggs. When weather is bad the swifts dump an egg or all because of the lack of food.

In the videos below two females fight over a nest site. The pair has already laid eggs. Males fight males and females fight females. A swift tries to dump the egg out of the nest entrance. A new egg is laid
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxcoC_X_3BM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae_2Yl8BcKE[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvUIrXZCkLw&feature=related[/youtube]

[Stephenb]

Thanks for the clear explanation, Mark! There's much more to swifts than I realised! Good to understand what's going on...

[mark smyth]

Someone needs to write a new book

[angie]

Someone needs to write a new book

Yes guess who 

Angie

[mark smyth]

havent a clue 

Just in about swifts nesting in Bialowieska Forest Poland

"Common Swift - a stable, regularly breeding population. In 1985 to 1994 it was estimated at 600 - 700 pairs. The general occurrence of Swifts nesting in the woods is one of the peculiarities of the Bialowieska Forest. Its typical breeding habits are open flood-plain and Hornbeam, sometimes coniferous forests. In the forest, unlike in the cities, it usually breeds in small agglomerations of a couple of pairs. Besides, like elsewhere, it also nests in villages. Once there was also a small breeding colony in nest-boxes in the Bialowieza Glade".

[mark smyth]

real or fake? The lower jaw looks too big

[mark smyth]

and .... http://shobestudios.photoshelter.com/gallery-img-show/2010-Whale-Feeding/G0000G7Akxq4FgnE/?&_bqG=7&_bqH=eJxL8jVzsgjPSS5MLC7zMAjw9EhzKi6tDMpLKzexMja0MjK1snKP93SxdTcAAndzx.yKQhO39DxXtQCQqJq7Z7y7o4.Pa1AkNkUAPf0b4A--&I_ID=I0000v3fFtzN93iU

[Anthony Darby]

I.e. faked.

[ranunculus]

Could some kind person please confirm whether the pictured swallowtail is a) the Iberian swallowtail or b) the Spanish swallowtail?
The image was captured in the Picos de Europa National Park at the end of May 2011.

[Maggi Young]

I think your butterfly is a "simple" swallowtail....Papilio machaon as opposed to the Spanish, Southern or  Scarce swallowtail - Iphiclides podalirius f. feisthamelii

Main difference is the amount of blue near the wing tips, I think.