Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Paul T on February 01, 2011, 08:37:33 AM
-
Howdy All,
A Southern Hemisphere spider to start February. Very active little blighter, let me tell you. I also noticed him gathering up his web when it got damaged, stripping it back to the basic strands that still held it in place, bundling up the broken stuff and rolling it into a ball and tucking it away. Do they eat and re-use their spider silk? I've noticed it happen twice in the last week (2 different spiders), making it even more amazing when I've never noticed it ever before. ???
-
Wonderful images, Paul.
-
Thanks Cliff. :D
-
That's amazing - a recycling spider!
-
I think I read they eat it
-
Thanks Mark. Like Anne, I was amazed. Given it has happened twice this week with two different sorts of spiders, I'm guessing it isn't uncommon?
-
Here's a night visitor to our Cornus florida 'Rubra' at the bottom of our front steps. He (or she) appears each night. Slowly getting used to me coming and going with watering etc, so now it stays there. Last night there were two of them in different parts of the tree (i.e only 2.5m high, so not exactly huge cover), but tonight back to just the one. Thankfully it didn't mind being photographed tonight too much. You can see the first pic it's head is sitting in the leaves where it usually sits, and then in the second it has bent down to have a look at and keep an eye on me. ;)
-
Lovely pics Paul, especially the birds. The spider's recycling bundle looks like my knitting. ::)
-
;D ;D
-
I leaved home early today and met 10 squirrels. :D
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_7a2d2621.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_ac04dd7c.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_3f2ffd85.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_a3fd2d90.jpg)
-
Sooooooo cute!! ;D
-
I want one
-
That Russian squirrel reminds me of Arturo Toscanini! Wonderful ears.
For the birders out there:
In January Anna's Hummingbird was spotted in Newfoundland and Northern Lapwings in Nova Scotia. Plenty of sites on the accounts.
johnw
-
Not comparable in cuteness certainly, but when I leave home early for my Saturday job, (about 5.30am) I meet at least a dozen, usually more, rabbits on the road. Maybe one or two during the day if the weather's dry and they're anxious to find water. Love the squirrels.
-
There was a nice orb spider on a web slung from the balcony near our outside table on the patio (we had to buy one and two chairs as the furnished accommodation only had two outside chairs and no patio table). The other day a European wasp landed on the seat next to me with said spider in its jaws! :'(
-
I want one
Packed and sent. ;D
Thank you John, Lesley and Paul!
-
Today I saw only squirrels steps.
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_848d35df.jpg)
But I met elk!
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_59227c89.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_d2b55e8d.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_c2bfee7f.jpg)
It was not very patient and galloped from me after several shuts.
-
Lovely images Olga ... but not as cute as those squirrels! :D
Anthony
We hope you have settled in and are getting accustomed to your new surroundings ... progress reports always welcomed and appreciated when you can find the time.
-
Cliff specially for you. :) Some more yesterday squirrels.
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_c8cd7bd3.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_c6e4fba6.jpg)
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_f67b51a6.jpg)
-
Thank you so much, Olga ... number two is DELICIOUS! :D
-
Thank you so much, Olga ... number two is DELICIOUS! :D
It is smiling. :D
-
Olga is this a forest or your garden?
-
Wonderful pictures Olga.
Are they from a daily nature walk, or do you take them on your way to work? If so, I definitely need to change jobs.
-
Mark
It's a forest in Moscow. Very large (5x5 km or more). I live in two steps.
-
Thank you Peter!
They are from a walk at the forest near my house in Moscow. I often ski in the morning and always take a rucksack with my camera and food for birds.
-
Having taken my camera out for the first time since the turn of the year at the weekend, I thought I'd show some pictures of birds from a local country park. The are regularly fed next to the car park and are fairly used to people, so the following are taken with the camera resting on the car roof. The light was terrible, dull and overcast (so I increased the speed of the camera to ISO 2000, for the photography nerds out there); I was pleasantly surprised to get any usable images.....
1. Coal Tit (Parus ater)
2. Blue Tit (Parus caerulus)
3. Great Tit (Parus major)
4. Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
5. Chaffinch (Fringilla colelebs) - male
-
6. Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)
7. Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) - female
8. Blue Tit (Parus caerulus)
9. Blackbird (Turdus merula) - male
-
Beautiful, Peter. I particularly like the elegance of the nuthatch. Thanks.
-
Nice top-of-the-car cavalcade, Peter. I've actually had all of those in my garden this winter.
Olga: More great pictures. The squirrel in my garden is now out every day feeding on sunflower seeds - he/she looks just like yours, but is very shy and I can't get close enough for pictures...
-
Peter,thank you!
What beautiful pictures! :)
-
Here's a couple more taken during the week - on a long lunch break from work when I escaped to a local nature reserve ::)
Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), male and female
-
The first bird I saw in New Zealand was a European house sparrow (Passer domesticus). The second was a myna (Acridothermes tristis). Blackbirds (Turdus merula) are always present in our garden near Panmure basin, where there is a colony of pied shags (Phalacrocorax varius varius). A tui (Prosthemadera n. novaeseelandiae), pretending to be a bellbird (Anthornis m. melanura), although I yet to see it to check, wakes us up at 4.30 a.m.
Last night I took Heidi for a wander down to the post box (no pick until Monday!) and found this female Auckland tree Weta (Hemideina thoracica) on a Pohutukawa tree. In the afternoon I had gone to "Butterfly Creek", near the airport, to check out their butterfly house. As I was there speaking to Paul, one of the managers, a parcel of pupae arrived from Stratford upon Avon Butterfly House! I attach a pic of a male yellow birdwing (Troides rhadamanthus) from the Philippines. The last pic is "Scar", one of two huge male salt water crocs.
-
"Butterfly Creek" has salt water crocs? :o :o
-
Two big males. The one being fed is called Scar and came from Darwin after he broke out of his pen, destroyed the croc in the next pen before retiring back to his own jacuzzi!
-
Sort of sounds like they're undernaming themselves. When you hear "Butterfly Creek" you really don't expect there to be salties there. :o
-
You will be happy to have someone close by who keeps butterflies. Will you start again in NZ? Maybe you'll get a job at the butterfly place
-
Out for a ski today. I only heard two bird species (not easy to detect birds when you're breathing heavily :)). One small flock of Waxwings probably on Juniper berries (which is an important food for them towards the end of the winter) and I also heard Crossbills (I'm not good at separating the different species - we have 4, probably either Common or Parrot Crossbills, Loxia spp) and what's more there was one party with young birds already out of the nest (they are extremely early breeders and the young would have been in the nest when it was -20C!). Extraodinarily hardy species...
Sorry, no pictures (it was enough skiing up the hill without having to climb up a spruce tree too..) ;)
-
By coincidence, Stephen, a man on the Native Birds forum has also had a pair of crossbills fledge young this week.
-
Peter, lovely Bullfinches! I want to make pictures of ours but they are always at the trees top.
-
I counted five Auckland tree wetas in one tree not far from our rented house. Here is a male. I don't fancy being bitten by this, or the white-tailed spider I photographed on our living room ceiling last night. The book says "...sometimes enters houses in late summer......can be aggresive, and easily provoked into delivering a painful bite. Its fangs can inject a substantial quantity of venom, which is toxic to humans."
-
Glad you're having fun in Auckland alrady Anthony. :)
-
Fun indeed. There's so much to see! So much wildlife, which reminds me, must pick up the swimming shorts as we are off to a barbecue in Farm Cove this evening! 8)
-
Anthony,
We don't have the Wettas, but I could find you a few white-tailed spiders any time you'd like? And a zillion redbacks, and possibly a funnelweb or two (would take some time, and I couldn't guarantee that one), plus some garden spiders, heaps of other web-spinning miscellanous spiders, plus centipedes, etc. Come for a visit and I can give you the whole menagerie if you'd like? ;D
-
As much as I love nature can we get away from the spiders please ;D
I haven't been out much this year as the weather hasn't been great round by us (And I've stumbled across a wonderful forum - I can creep with the best) so here are a few from Christmas time.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5083/5274272984_f23025bd49.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5274272984/)
robin (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5274272984/) by nick_the_grief (http://www.flickr.com/people/e-bygum/), on Flickr
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5220/5393129249_427194a800.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5393129249/)
Wren (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5393129249/) by nick_the_grief (http://www.flickr.com/people/e-bygum/), on Flickr
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5092/5393130917_b14f96a262.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5393130917/)
Great Tit (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5393130917/) by nick_the_grief (http://www.flickr.com/people/e-bygum/), on Flickr
no more spiders please :P
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5398279837_b94019020c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5398279837/)
Spider (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5398279837/) by nick_the_grief (http://www.flickr.com/people/e-bygum/), on Flickr
-
Here's a couple more taken during the week - on a long lunch break from work when I escaped to a local nature reserve ::)
Bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula), male and female
Lovely shot Peter,
These are one of my favourites
-
Oi! Nick.... I thought we were getting away from the spiders? :o
Great bird pix, all, butI love the shot of the reflective wren.
-
Excellent pics. I was going to post another spider pic, but perhaps not. ;D I got some great pics yesterday of a dragonfly as well..... it was most accommodating and posed for pics for a while before it flew off.
I'd always heard that our wrens were different to your wrens (not even vaguely related apparently) and now I can certainly see the difference in shape.
-
Your're welcome Maggi - this is what I do when not gardening or working :)
Be interested to see what your dragonfly look like Paul
Here's one of ours from the last summer ... 2003 I think ;D
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5089/5295775545_6cd1beb09a.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5295775545/)
4 Spotted Chaser - Pooley NR (http://www.flickr.com/photos/e-bygum/5295775545/) by nick_the_grief (http://www.flickr.com/people/e-bygum/), on Flickr
-
Nick,
Yours is a much "chunkier" model of dragonfly than the one I photographed, although quite similar colours. I love the little black and gold area of etching at the base of the hind wings. I don't think I've noticed that on any of ours, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. ;) I'll sort the pics out of mine and upload tomorrow. Off to bed now as nearly 11:30pm here.
-
If it litterally is allowed to show flown cases I can contribute with two nice, colorful larvae of moths. The imagines are not that showy.
#1 Cucullia lactucae Lettuce Shark (what a name ???)
#2 Lasiocampa trifolii Grass Eggar
-
Beautiful pictures from everyone, especially your birds Nick. I love them all but the Great Tit does it for me. We have nothing like that here.
-
This morning my husband watched 2 female blackbirds apparently trying to kill each other for a good three minutes. He said they were pinning each other down and pecking viciously. Never seen females exhibiting this behaviour (outside the city centre on a Saturday night anyway).
-
Beautiful pictures from everyone, especially your birds Nick. I love them all but the Great Tit does it for me. We have nothing like that here.
Ahh but you've got the Kakapo Lesley
-
Well I don't have a flock of them in my garden Nick, that's for sure. In fact, I've never seen one except in TV docs, photos etc.
Anne, what HAS happened in my garden, a few years ago, was the deliberate murder by a bellbird of a tiny waxeye. They drink from the same sugar-and-water bottles, waxeyes giving way to the bellbirds who in turn give way to the tuis. While a waxeye was drinking, the bellbird swooped in and grabbed him in his claws (it was a male) and carried the little one to the ground where he pecked the eyes and chest viciously. I rushed out thinking to save the waxeye but it was already dead. The whole episode took less than 10 seconds. That spring we say a dozen or so waxeyes dead on the ground, all with similar wounds and then there were no more for a couple of years. We've had them recently though.
All NZers love their bellbirds and tuis. They're beautiful and both have fantastic songs but both are very agressive and territorial.
-
Todays wildlife. :)
Empty summer flat...
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_22380bab.jpg)
Little sparrow
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_72f2febf.jpg)
Hiding in snow :D
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_c306b1a5.jpg)
-
Olga what a stunning picture of the sqirrel.
On the way to work today there was a very young joey (kangaroo) standing in the middle of the road. I pulled over with intentions of shooing it off the road as I had a car approaching from my rear. Happily it hopped over a fence and into the trees. It was the youngest one I have seen on its own. I wonder if its mother is dead.
-
Pat,
It may just have been such a good year that Mum has decided to produce another offspring before winter? I know that kangaroos can turn their breeding on and off and produce multiple offspring in a good year, and I'm assuming that you've had a lot more rain this spring/summer like we have? If so, I'd imagine that if the joey was eating grass Mum may just have evicted junior to prepare for the next junior? ;D
-
Great photos, I've often been to Bolam Lake to take photos of the birds there from the car window. The light is often dull so an excellent job with the bird pics. I'll have to try again.. Adorable squirrels. I took this one at Wallington last year (I think)
-
I resized your squirrel, Ann ( that sounds rather impertinent, but I I hope you know what I mean! )
She really looks like she's giving you a good look over to see if you've got anything tasty to hand.... she doesn't seem at all anxious.
-
Well seeing as we're having a squirrel fest ... (and no spiders in view)
Caught in the act !! (Abernethey forest)
-
Saw my first tuis this morning. An adult and juvenile. The former disturbed a large cicada which flew off with the tui in hot pursuit. A few aerobatic loops and the tui caught it. The juvenile was still watching from a magnolia tree as the adult bashed the insect on the branch of a nearby puriri tree. They both then flew off.
-
Ann, what a pretty red squirrel! :D
Nick, I like very much you feeding cylinder design! Think it is very comfortable for birds.
-
Hi Olga,
These are pretty standard over here. That type is plastic tube and metal perches/feeder holes (heavy duty) but you can get smaller ones as well that are all plastic. THey have a screw fitting in the bottom as well so you can attach a tray to catch seed or mount them on a pole.
I've got one the same as the one in the picture and about 3 or 4 smaller all plastic ones they all seem to get well used ;D
See attached link (http://www.birdfood.co.uk/products.php?area_id=2&nav_id=32 (http://www.birdfood.co.uk/products.php?area_id=2&nav_id=32)
-
I gave two talks on swift conservation last week in Devon. 75 people attended including biodiversity officers, local RSPB, local wildlife trust, wildlife enthusiasts, planners amd pupils from a school.
They have asked me to go back in May
-
Thank you Nick! I can only dream about such thing! And I need something much bigger because I can not fill it every day.
-
Yesterday I met a bullfinch
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_458f4859.jpg)
and a... camel. :D
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_5a31c5a8.jpg)
-
Yesterday I met a bullfinch
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_458f4859.jpg)
and a... camel. :D
(http://cs9643.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/x_5a31c5a8.jpg)
Must be a true sign of global warming, Olga.
That Bullfinch must just have returned from the Tailors'... his suit looks brand new. :D
-
Olga,
We see bullfinches along the road near our house but they have never come into the garden or to the bird feeders.
Camels - they are everywhere!
Paddy
-
Must be a true sign of global warming, Olga.
I expect a hybrid camel x elk. ;D
We see bullfinches along the road near our house but they have never come into the garden or to the bird feeders
Paddy
The same here! I dream to shoot the bird all winter and never see them low at the shrubs or at feeders. Only at the top of trees. They like berries as I know not dry seeds.
-
We hardly ever have Bullfinches in the garden but the last time Olga posted pictures Ian saw a pair that day as he walked to the swimming pool. He was hoping for more when Peter posted his but that didn't happen!
Olga, for an elk/camel hybrid your photos would sell around the world!
-
We used to get them on our Honeysuckle in winter eating the "dried" seeds but since I had to move it they don't come into the garden anymore :'(
I've been out photographing with a few donkeys in my time Olga but never a Camel ;D
-
Do camels really mate with elk? And a camel on the loose in Russia? My concept of the world is turning upsidedown. ??? wonderful pictures though Olga, as always and I love the bullfinch. I wish the early settlers in NZ had brought more of their European species with them.
-
Do camels really mate with elk?
Yes Lesley ... it results in one 'el of a kamel ... ! :D
-
Lesley - be thankful you don't have bullfinches. They may be beautiful but are very destructive. In the Spring when their natural food of seeds has run out they turn their attention to your soft fruit bushes and will strip the buds in no time.
-
My father in Sutton Coldfield puts out a mixed bird seed and regularly has a family of six bullfinches on the feeders. We occasionally get them in the garden here - they are so beautiful I don't begrudge them some fruit blossom.
-
I'll try to be thankful Maureen but they are so pretty. I'd like blue tits too and I know they can be a pain but.....
-
Lesley - be thankful you don't have bullfinches. They may be beautiful but are very destructive. In the Spring when their natural food of seeds has run out they turn their attention to your soft fruit bushes and will strip the buds in no time.
We get them every spring just in time for my Amelanchier buds. They come from no where just in time for the buds to open. They strip both shrubs so I never get to enjoy the white flowers anymore. One year they started to attack a very large Acer palmatum dissectum. I watched from my conservatory window all the new buds being picked of and thrown to the ground. The Acer still looks sad two years on but has survived. As for the Amelanchier they are still there but I cut them down to the ground. So last year these lovely birds came at the same time but no dinner for them. I can imagine what you all must be thinking but I was proud of my Acer, taking it from my last house was a big job so no bird was going to destroy my plant if I could help it. Waiting to see if they come back this spring if not I can let my Amelanchier grow again and maybe enjoy the their white flowers again.
Angie :)
-
Oh dear, I have to thank Lesley for her chuckle. My wonderfully immature mind had a field day with blue tits being a pain. ::) Thank you so much for the (unintended) laugh. It really is good for the soul. ;D
And back to seriousness.... the bullfinches look gorgeous, and that is a rather impressive Camel, Olga. Do you get many of them in your area?
-
I'm trying to imagine a camel with antlers... :o
-
:) What a big discussion on a camel!
Of course it is not wild... It ran away from a circus at the forest border and soon was returned home. I don't know did it has a time to communicate with elk. :) But it really eat branches like elks.
I've never heard here about bullfinches are destroyers. May be because there are no any plants her they for their taste. Only winter berries like ashberry.
-
For those archnid fanciers..... I've put a spider up for ID down in the ID section with the plants....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=6740.msg186890#msg186890
Thanks for any help in identifying it. 8)
-
Bullfinches are common garden birds here in Norway and figure on Xmas cards like the Robin does in the UK. In this year's national garden bird count the Bullfinch was seen in 54% of gardens (4th most common). Here's the complete list - Google Translate does a good job on many of the species.
http://www.fuglevennen.no/data/ut/land/natur/ln9/?c=hagefugl&periode=2011-01-22/2011-02-06&side=arter (http://www.fuglevennen.no/data/ut/land/natur/ln9/?c=hagefugl&periode=2011-01-22/2011-02-06&side=arter)
Click on ny species and you will see a map over the whole country.
The top ten are Great Tit, Blue Tit, Magpie, Bullfinch, Greenfinch, Blackbird, Nuthatch, Yellowhammer, House Sparrow, Redpoll
In my garden, Bullfinches are regular visitors from October to March. I also see them regularly on a Norway Maple (Acer platanoides) in my garden (they take the seeds - they can take as many as they want as this is a rather invasive species on my shallow soil). They then disappear (their breeding habitat is in the forest) for a month when a few return briefly when the apple buds are swelling in May. I've never seen them on Amelanchier - I guess they prefer apple if it's available?
-
Stephen don't say the prefer apple. I bought six apple trees last year. I never seem to see much of them. Just in the spring when the buds are ripe. I have a pine forest right at the back of my house so I suppose that's where they spent most of there time.
Very interesting link.
Angie :)
-
Angie: Think of it as a scientific experiment. You can tell people that you planted the apples as distraction strategy so that you can finally get to harvest those wonderful Amelanchier berries... ;)
-
A friend on FB posted this picture yesterday. Roe Deer are struggling in the record deep snow in the south of the country:
(http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/180934_10150093878126231_557051230_6867226_982130_n.jpg)
-
Stephen don't say the prefer apple. I bought six apple trees last year. I never seem to see much of them. Just in the spring when the buds are ripe. I have a pine forest right at the back of my house so I suppose that's where they spent most of there time.
Very interesting link.
Angie :)
I participated in that count too ;)
What I thought to say was here he bullfinches prefere flower buds of plum trees! I had to cut down my two plum trees due to that bird >:(
-
Stephen don't say the prefer apple. I bought six apple trees last year. I never seem to see much of them. Just in the spring when the buds are ripe. I have a pine forest right at the back of my house so I suppose that's where they spent most of there time.
Very interesting link.
Angie :)
I participated in that count too ;)
What I thought to say was here he bullfinches prefere flower buds of plum trees! I had to cut down my two plum trees due to that bird >:(
I don't feel so bad now knowing that someone else has done the same. ::) ;D
Stephen, like that picture.
Well if the bullfinches don't get my apple trees the dear probally will ;D
Angie :)
-
Those poor, poor deer. Really tough on the one in front. ::)
-
The worst enemy for roe deer in winter is dogs. They can cope with the snow but dogs frighten them and they die of exhaustion. If the snow has layers of ice (what we call "skare" in Norwegian) it is even more dangerous for the deer to try and run.
-
Even without snow the birds have problems getting enough food. This robin takes a sunbath in the cold weather (+2C) today.
-
Howdy All,
Just to show you we have cute little songbirds as well........ a blue wren posing on gravel at a local nursery today. ;D They're small, and very flighty little beggars, so I was very happy to actually get a decent pic. He even sat in place on a fence later for a couple of other shots, and had a bit of a sing for me as well. ;)
-
And here's a cute little chap we found on our front doorstep last night, sitting under the front light waiting for insects. My wife had just walked by and hadn't seen him, so he or she is lucky they weren't a squished little frog. :o
This is a Peron's Tree Frog (Litoria peroni). Distinctive in that it has a cross shaped pupil (makes it instantly recognisable). I've included 3 pics here, 2 of which show different angles, but the 3 in sequence show his pupil changing shape as it responded to the camera flash. I took 3 quick shots and then stopped as I didn't want to disturb him any further. Only when I looked at the shots later did I notice the change in the pupil between the 3 of them. I don't know if it is of interest to anyone else, but I thought it was cool. ;D
-
VERY pretty Paul ... and beautifully captured.
-
I don't know if it is of interest to anyone else, but I thought it was cool.
Me too. Any reason for the cross-shape??
(Love the wren too)
-
Gail,
No idea. I do wonder whether there would be advantages to a cross shape pupil when it came to peripheral vision? I really don't know. ::)
-
I like the frog but the blue wren is stunning!
Here is some mountain wildlife from nearby Banff National Park... including a wolverine, something most people, me included, have never seen.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/plan/plan1/decembre%202010-december%202010.aspx
-
Lori,
Yeah, the blue shimmer on the head and neck feathers is pretty beautiful if you get close enough to get a good look. They're very flighty birds, which makes a lot of sense as it keeps them alive. ;) Speed and constant movement is what maintains them against predators in most cases I think. They have the most uplifting song..... I can never be unhappy hearing them, always getting a smile out of me.
Wolverine on the other hand might be a bit different!! :o Very cool, but better from a distance!!
-
Wolverine on the other hand might be a bit different!! :o Very cool, but better from a distance!!
Well, I think Homo sapiens are a lot more dangerous than any other animal, but having said that, we always give any wild animal it's space... even the little, cute ones. ;)
-
... but having said that, we always give any wild animal it's space... even the little, cute ones. ;)
And a Bull Elk needs some space ;D
-
I like your wren and frog, Paul. Our wren, too, has a wonderful song. It never ceases to amaze me how such a deafening blast of sound can come from the lungs of one of our tiniest birds.
-
Super pics everyone and I really love the blue wren Paul. Did you take the frog pics with flash? That could explain the pupil becoming smaller with each shot.
Lori, many years ago, I guess about 50, I had a pair of ankle boots which were wonderfully comfortable for walking and were entirely waterproof. Now I would never buy such things because they sold as being wolverine which I'd like to think is now a protected animal? Anyway, why I mention it is because they were not black as the pics in your link but were of short rather bristly fur/hair of a greyish colour which glistened silver in the sun. On thinking about that now, I wonder were they seal or even baby seal. If so, I'd like to go and bury myself deep in a bog.
-
Lesley, that does sound like sealskin. When I was a kid, I was given a little stuffed seal made of real sealskin so in good conscience, I guess I should be bog-bound too. :-* (It was actually a souvenir from Hay River, Northwest Territories from my sisters... which is a little odd since Hay River is far inland and North America has no fresh water seals*... ???)
Anyway, wolverine fur is long, and, so the lore goes, was used for trimming parka hoods in the arctic because it did not freeze up. (Having related that tale, the property that a substance might have that would somehow prevent water vapour from freezing on it eludes me...)
*Oops, wrong again...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freshwater_seal
Well, at least the Northwest Territories has no fresh water seals... ?
-
I need to be buried in a bog also because I have a winter Parka with a fur edged hood made from and I quote "road kill"
-
Oh Mark, did you kill it? Last Satuirday when I drove to work at 5.30am I killed 2 rabbits. There were 7 altogether on the side of the road and two just darted out under the wheels. I couldn't have missed them to save myself. I sent a text to Roger who retrieved them. Cain and Teddy finished them last night. :P
-
Lesley will I send you a spade ;) As far as I know I have only killed one bird and millions of flies
In the UK in the 80s we couldnt have driven very far without the windscreen getting covered in dead flies. It doesnt happen anymore. I only hit moths at night and bees by day
My coat was made in USA/China/far east by Polo.
Out of curiosity if we call China the far east what do NZers call it? We call you down under. What are we?
-
I see, and more regularly hear, Kingfishers (Halcyon sancta vagans) most days, but they are usually on the neighbours' TV aerials or further away. Today they were catching cicadas on the puriri tree in the garden!
-
The chorus or clapping cicada (Amphisalta zealandica) can be deafening in local woods but they are still noisy in in smaller numbers in our garden. We appear to have both species of mantis - the introduced springbok mantis Miomantis caffra and the native Orthodera novaezealandiae. Judging by the number of oothecae on the house wall they are common!
-
Anthony how's the new country? Are the children settled?
-
New country's brilliant. Kids love it. Finding the sun blinding, especially when trying to take pics. Need to get a filter for my camera lens, but which one?
-
I suppose you are learning new wildlife fast?
This is what I always though was a swift moth caterpillar but what is it?
-
Is it a cutworm - yellow underwing ?
-
spot on!
-
Swift moth caterpillars are white Mark. Both make excellent gecko food! 8)
-
Strange birds flying today :o
-
Sorry photos are not good but they fly so quickly.
These bats have been flying for several hours in the daytime for the last couple of days.
I have not noticed this behaviour before. Does anyone have any ideas as to why.
-
Lots of reports of day light active bats this week. Although they should be hibernation the above average temperatures have brought them out to top up fat reserves. They will be out properly during April.
Even though they are in deep sleep they are able to wake in about 15 minutes
I think the temperature that brings them out can be as low as 8C. That's the lowest temperature that insects can fly.
How was it flying? very direct at tree top height or low down and like it was drunk?
-
Hi Mark thanks for your reply.
They are all flying treetop height and very active.
The temp here has been warm so your probally right.
Hope they get settled again as I have had them in the lofts for 30+ years
-
Strangely enough Mark, we call China China, and where you are, we call Northern Ireland. :)
-
Probably Daubentons Bat. They inhabit woodlands and frequently fly in daylight
-
Thanks Tom, I had not heard of Daubentons Bat.
Its a new one for me in this area, I shall have a try at getting a better photo if they are out again.
The Long eared and the Pipistrelles are the ones I have in the lofts. The more the merrier, hoping they will keep the swift moths under control. :)
-
Tom Daubentons is silver underneath. I was thinking of Leislers or noctule because of the narrow wings
-
I'm not going to be able to find out unless I get a better sighting
I believe that the Leislers are rare, so its probally going to be noctule.
I shall have to wait, maybe the uncle can id when he's down later in the year.
They have a bat house at Slebech Park. A large no of different bats including both types
of horseshoe, a great place for wildlife.
-
Lovely bats, Cheryl, whatever they are!
Here's a rough guide to wing outlines:
http://www.bedsbatgroup.org.uk/newsletter/identifying%20bats.pdf
-
Thanks Maggie, those outlines of flying patterns will be very useful.
-
Noctules often fly during winter when the weather is mild. The only time i have encountered Daubentons are on warm evenings flying low over water.
-
Sand Martin today seen in Wales. A Swallow and Wheatear last week in Cornwall. Spring almost here?
-
Sand Martin today seen in Wales. A Swallow and Wheatear last week in Cornwall. Spring almost here?
:o they wont live long if the weather turns nasty but it would be good if this warmth stays.
Swifts are back in Israel but thats normal for this time of year
-
Mark, just wondered when you expect to see your first Swift. In South Yorkshire, i usually see my first over my local reservoir between 22nd and 25th April and late April/early May around their nesting sites.
-
Spring seems to be moving on. Here's a couple of photos taken yesterday of waders on passage on the Nothumberland coast.
Firstly a Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Secondly a selection of waders; from left to right Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), Sanderling (Calidris alba), and Redshank (Tringa totanus)
The best photos of a somewhat shaky sequence - I should have taken a heavy tripod for the long lens. :-\
-
Mark, just wondered when you expect to see your first Swift. In South Yorkshire, i usually see my first over my local reservoir between 22nd and 25th April and late April/early May around their nesting sites.
Gary, I usually seen my first around 25th also. The first bird back in a box was on May 3rd 2010 and May 6th 2009
http://saveourswifts.co.uk/diary2010.htm (http://saveourswifts.co.uk/diary2010.htm)
Do you have or intend to put nest boxes on your house?
-
Mark, there are quite a few pairs of Swifts nest in the vicinity of my house including a pair in my neighbour's house. Putting up nest boxes is something i have been contemplating. Which direction do your nest boxes face? Which type of box do you find the most successful and are they easily obtainable in the UK?
-
Gary you have 8 weeks to get nest boxes up. Swifts arent bothered about where their nest is. Most people say not exposed facing south but they do nest under hot pan tiles in southern Europe.
I have two nest boxes facing north, 8 south west but under the eaves of the house and 11 facing west. Those that face west get direct sun - when it shines - from 3pm.
Last year I had 10 pairs but could have had 14. Due to the cold May caused by north winds if I remember correct 4 pairs abandoned and never came back. 5 pairs raised chicks and the other 5 didnt do much except bring in some nest material
The cheapest box is one you make yourself. Your local wood yard can cut exterior ply and all you need to do is screw it together. It will cost you under £5. I can mail you a swift lure CD
-
On Sunday in a couple of hours a friend and I remade my under eave nest boxes to give the swifts more room and a taller front so I can get my hands on the chicks.
If your eaves are flat underneath it is so much easier to make a square box
-
Mark, thanks for the info. They look quite easy to make. I will make 2 or 3 to start with and see how it goes. Do you find a tape lure works better?
-
Three is a good start because swifts will fight over a new nest box. The lure is to attract the non breeders and those that have to reached the age to get a mate and lay eggs. Swifts never leave a nest site to go to a new one.
email me your address and I'll get the CD away today
-
Many thanks Mark. I have the birds of Europe and Swift is on that CD. I presume this will work. Can't wait to get started.
-
You need the CD because it has duetting swifts defending a nest on it. Screaming swifts is different. The lure makes non breeding swifts think there is a colony in your nest boxes. When they look in a box and no swift is there to defend it they move in.
Anne Wright, forum member, got two or three pairs in as many days when she played the CD.
-
Did you all see the eagle carrying a lamb in the UK papers yesterday?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8350393/Takeaway-meal-golden-eagle-snatches-lamb-from-hillside.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8350393/Takeaway-meal-golden-eagle-snatches-lamb-from-hillside.html)
Rumours in the UK birding world say the lamb was already dead and stiff
-
Thanks Mark just sent you an e mail
-
NZ's short-tailed and long-tails bats are, as far as I know, the only insectiverous bats to feed on the ground
-
Anthony how large is the hawkmoth?
Anne I cant find your Youtube swift video
-
Search for 'Tockwith Swifts'.
-
Thanks Anne
Belgian swifts on TV
http://www.rtbf.be/video/v_au-quotidien-nichoirs-a-martinets?id=834923&category=info (http://www.rtbf.be/video/v_au-quotidien-nichoirs-a-martinets?id=834923&category=info)
-
Gary this is Anne's set up. I thought it had sound the last time I listened.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqoqRkAxi4Q[/youtube]
-
Still enjoyable without the sound. Your tape lure CD arrived today. Thanks Mark.