Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 03:57:49 AM

Title: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 03:57:49 AM

A kakapo egg hatching is a rare event. Reparing a crushed egg and then getting it to hatch is a miracle! http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9784559/Kakapo-hatches-despite-crushed-egg (http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9784559/Kakapo-hatches-despite-crushed-egg)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Steve Garvie on March 04, 2014, 07:59:25 AM

Quote from: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 03:57:49 AM

A kakapo egg hatching is a rare event. Reparing a crushed egg and then getting it to hatch is a miracle! http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9784559/Kakapo-hatches-despite-crushed-egg (http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/9784559/Kakapo-hatches-despite-crushed-egg)

Great news and story!
I wish other countries would follow New Zealand in extending such resources to save their rare species. So many creatures are now on the brink of extinction!

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: mark smyth on March 04, 2014, 08:23:04 AM

Quote from: mark smyth on March 03, 2014, 02:08:24 PM

Its only 2c outside today but its so warm hot! I'm running around like a blue a$$ fly picking snowdrops to photograph and then I'll be topping up the tan

oops! I thought this was the weather thread -  ???

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 09:48:29 AM

I'm pleased to say that we never get 2^oC, but autumn started on time on 1st March with a cold southerly blowing and 12^oC overnight! Still, reached a comfortable 24^oC during the day, so the cicadas were singing and the crickets chirping, and the monarchs flying. I even destroyed a Chinese paper wasp nest on my lunch time walk with Heidi. I often wonder whether kicking a wasp nest out of a bush and stamping on it is a wise move, but it worked. ;D

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 10:44:16 AM

Here's a clip from a friend showing a male jewelled gecko Naultinus gemmeus from Otago catching a fly. How to hunt flies (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOdCY94yag#ws) and a report on Red Mercury Island by the same chap. http://dylanvanwinkel.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/red-mercury-island-2013/ (http://dylanvanwinkel.wordpress.com/2014/03/01/red-mercury-island-2013/)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: David Nicholson on March 04, 2014, 11:02:24 AM

Is it not March in NZ? :D

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Maggi Young on March 04, 2014, 11:51:31 AM

Quote from: David Nicholson on March 04, 2014, 11:02:24 AM

Is it not March in NZ? :D

Officially declared March everywhere now , David!

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: David Nicholson on March 04, 2014, 11:56:45 AM

 ;D

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 05, 2014, 05:04:48 AM

March here first.  ;)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: mark smyth on March 05, 2014, 06:34:44 PM

The first sea eagle to fledge in Ireland has been found shot.
http://www.thejournal.ie/white-tailed-eagle-shot-dead-tipperary-1346362-Mar2014/?utm_source=facebook_short (http://www.thejournal.ie/white-tailed-eagle-shot-dead-tipperary-1346362-Mar2014/?utm_source=facebook_short)

There is no way the shooter could have mistaken the eagle for a legitimate target

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 06, 2014, 06:09:35 AM

There are some despicable people out there!

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: johnralphcarpenter on March 06, 2014, 11:04:21 AM

Probably a farmer or gamekeeper. They hate raptors.

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 07, 2014, 09:17:15 AM

Quote from: johnralphcarpenter on March 06, 2014, 11:04:21 AM

Probably a farmer or gamekeeper. They hate raptors.

............to maintain the myth they harm farm livestock.

Here's the little kakapo again. Lisa One...a few days old (March 2014) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6XxLy1zVfc#ws)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: mark smyth on March 07, 2014, 05:06:18 PM

Quote from: Anthony Darby on March 04, 2014, 10:44:16 AM

Here's a clip from a friend showing a male jewelled gecko Naultinus gemmeus from Otago catching a fly.

fast mover. I thought it was going to stalk it

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 07, 2014, 08:42:47 PM

The nocturnal geckos are stalkers. The diurnal (green) geckos, even though they have the nocturnal slit pupil, are ambush predators.

Here's some amazing footage of truly amazing birds: http://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc (http://www.youtube.com/embed/REP4S0uqEOc)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: François Lambert on March 11, 2014, 12:23:28 PM

The last week gives us very nice spring weather.  The Salix Caprea have started flowering - but compared to previous years they are not all in flower together, just a few trees now in full bloom and the others still waiting.  Last Sunday we saw this small bee feasting on the pollen of the trees  8)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: mark smyth on March 11, 2014, 08:22:23 PM

Spring migrants are being reported! A wheatear has been seen in Ireland and a swallow was seen at sea heading the south coast of Ireland

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Matt T on March 12, 2014, 12:17:34 AM

Whooper swans seen flying north here today and a little grebe heard calling. Lapwing and skylark have been singing for a while!

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: David Nicholson on March 12, 2014, 09:01:28 AM

Quote from: mark smyth on March 11, 2014, 08:22:23 PM

Spring migrants are being reported! A wheatear has been seen in Ireland and a swallow was seen at sea heading the south coast of Ireland

Saw Swallows last Saturday at Lanhydrock in Cornwall

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: Anthony Darby on March 17, 2014, 06:50:01 AM

This is sad, but what can you do when cats are free to roam. http://halo.org.nz/new-zealand-falcon-falco-novaeseelandiae-rare-endemic-found-new-zealand-bird-one-native-predators-remaining-conservation-status-nationally-vulne/ (http://halo.org.nz/new-zealand-falcon-falco-novaeseelandiae-rare-endemic-found-new-zealand-bird-one-native-predators-remaining-conservation-status-nationally-vulne/)

Title: Re: March wildlife
Post by: emma T on March 28, 2014, 09:20:15 PM

I love kakapo , I'd love to visit codfish island and help save them