Wildlife January 2013

[Anthony Darby]

One for sorrow, two for joy, three for a girl, four for a boy, five for silver.....here are the family of five Aussie magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen) that have graced our football pitches at Greenmount Reserve for the last few weeks. Their nest is in a big old pine tree at the northern edge. Thankfully, not one of the dozen or so huge ones that the council felled and sold. This is the only one left. The dead tree is a puriri (Vitex lucens). I think the local skylark population may suffer if they settle in the area?

[RichardW]

am lucky if I see few Siskin in March most years, but have had a small flock of about 20 Siskin & Lesser Redpoll for several weeks.

also seen lots of Woodcock over xmas, not so easy to photograph.



 

[mark smyth]

No Redpolls in my garden this year.

Did everyone watch Africa on BBC and Galapagos on Sky? Two fabulous programmes. Wildlife on HD is unbelievable

[Rob Potterton]

Hello, is this a Peregrine Falcon or Merlin?? or maybe something else?? Photographed at the nursery yesterday morning.

[RichardW]

Male sparrowhawk.

[Roma]

I didn't think there was such a thing as an ugly red squirrel but this is one.  He was around for a while in the summer then disappeared.  I saw him again a few weeks ago and he reappeared a few days ago.  The tips of his ears have been chewed off so he doesn't grow ear tufts and he has also lost the tip of his tail.  I don't know if it happened when he was a baby or if he's been fighting another squirrel or if he's been caught by a predator but he no longer looks cute. 

[mark smyth]

Roma maybe it is getting pox

[ronm]

Maybe not the best time to mention these little chaps !!



They seem to propagate to 45 and then  self destruct !!!!

[Susan Band]

Yeh Roma, it doesn't look that cute. Is it part albino? it looks a bit pale on the nose and eyes?

[Anthony Darby]

We get the black crickets in the garden later on in the summer. Here small crickets call all year, but I've not seen what is calling. Not seen many grasshoppers (lower pic is not cricket) at all. Big green bush crickets on the manuka bushes later on too. Lots of tiny mantids in the garden at the moment.

Maybe not the best time to mention these little chaps !!

(Attachment Link)

They seem to propagate to 45 and then  self destruct !!!!

Crickets more prolific yesterday.

[Anthony Darby]

This beggars belief! http://www.philstar.com/2013/01/05/893588/bluefin-tuna-sells-record-1.76m-tokyo

[Roma]

Saw my ugly squirrel again today.  He is definitely sick.  I think it is a respiratory infection.  I nearly tripped over him coming out of the garage after putting the car away.  I followed him round to the back of the house with him stopping then moving off when I got close.  He did climb up to the nut feeder and ate a few nuts.  I was able to get much closer to him than is usual with the squirrels.  He's not part albino, Susan.  They do have very short hair or hairless areas round the eyes and his eye rings are bigger than most.  I think he's rubbed hair off his nose burying peanuts. 

[mark smyth]

There is an inland Little gull Larus minutus just now in N Ireland. I've been so see it twice now. It's so cute. 

[angie]

Saw my ugly squirrel again today.  He is definitely sick.  I think it is a respiratory infection.  I nearly tripped over him coming out of the garage after putting the car away.  I followed him round to the back of the house with him stopping then moving off when I got close.  He did climb up to the nut feeder and ate a few nuts.  I was able to get much closer to him than is usual with the squirrels.  He's not part albino, Susan.  They do have very short hair or hairless areas round the eyes and his eye rings are bigger than most.  I think he's rubbed hair off his nose burying peanuts.

Roma how is the squirrel, did you see him/her today. It does look a bit sad but at least it is still eating.

Angie 

[mark smyth]

Roma are there any squirrel experts near you? What if it has pox and it spreads to others?