Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: alpines on July 08, 2011, 12:09:49 AM
-
Could anyone identify this beauty for us please. We found it nestling amongst the ornamental grasses this evening.
Thanks
Alan & Sherba
-
I don't know the American dragonflies but could it be a female widow skimmer (Libellula luctuosa)?
-
That is a fantastic creature. Truly wonderful. 8)
-
I agree. Lovely detail in the pic. 8)
-
Thanks Lesley and Anthony. We thought it was quite the most beautiful dragonfly we had ever seen...and once again Anthony comes up trumps. I did a search for Anthony's suggestion and eventually found another photo on the web with a positive ID. It is indeed the Female Widow Skimmer. Great spot Anthony. Thanks a million.
-
Superb photo of the dragonfly. Anthony you are a marvel. So good to have you on this forum.
I think I spotted in the garden this evening the first of the henlike birds that usually have red orange legs but this one had dark legs - it was gone when I had a chance to have a better look.
A crake or similar. Very jerky bird.
-
A couple of butterflies on our trip to Northern California
The first I have no idea about but the second which is seen everywhere is a Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus
-
It's a chequer spot (Euphydryas chalcedona) Tony. Its caterpillars feed on penstemons. The butterflies can be quite variable. It's related to the British marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia).
-
Swallows came again this year. After being here 16years they made a nest last year I was so happy. They left the day after the left flew their nest. I was disappointed but I am so glad they came back this year. I looked after there old nest which was on the downpipe, when I knocked the snow of the gutters I was so careful around the nest .After all that they decided to make a nest at my log shed instead. Still I am just happy they came back. Hope they stay for a while, its nice watching them over the pond in a evening.
There are five babies.
Angie :)
-
Congratulations Angela, that is a very smart little family you have there 8)
-
one of my favourite young birds after swifts ;) Those dark eyes are lovely
-
I think they are cute. Today I was busy in the garden and you could hear them every time the parents went to feed them. It was like feed me I can make the most noise. l bet those parents are sound asleep, it's a hard day feeding those kids.
Angie :)
-
Well done Angie, that's a delightful family to have in residence. I guess they'll come back year after year now.
-
Great photo to show how the nest is put together too.
-
Well done Angie, that's a delightful family to have in residence. I guess they'll come back year after year now.
I do hope they do. I watched for many years them nesting at neighbouring property and always wandered why they didn't pick mine.
Great photo to show how the nest is put together too.
Brilliant is it and to think they don't need a cement mixer to do their build ;D
Angie :)
-
Wildlife on a summer's day in a Scottish garden...
-
Fight!
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xoovoFCx6s
[/youtube]
but after 4 hours they are happy to sit side by side on the nest hollow.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzTmFRoNuI0
[/youtube]
-
Are you sure they're fighting, Mark?
-
Mark I bet that's the male bullying the poor female :o ;D
Today after all the heavy rain in the morning I went down to where the nest was and no sign of the babies, heart sank, they have gone again like last year but to my suprise sitting beside my pond there they were, so I am so happy. hope one doesn't fall in the water and drown. See how I worry, god knows what I would have been like if I had had children of my own to worry about.
First picture I thought only four had made it but no one was sitting all by himself, so the five have made it so far.
Angie :) :) :)
-
Today in the rain this poor wasp was getting a bit wet. I thought the bumps were water drops on his eyes ::) but after looking closely it wasnt water drops.
Angie :)
-
He's not a wasp, Angela... I think he's a hover fly of some sort. A good guy!
-
Anne definitely a fight with raised wings and talons grabbing at what ever they can reach
Yes it's a hoverfly - a wasp mimic - but what's on it's thorax/back?
-
Ewwwwww maybe it's been parasitized!!
-
He's not a wasp, Angela... I think he's a hover fly of some sort. A good guy!
Thanks Maggi. I just thought it was a wasp. I thought it was just the rain that kept him so quiet.
Mark I never noticed what was on his back. But I remember you had a picture with a bee that had insects on him, maybe something similar.
Angie :)
-
Angie what is the rose in the background of the babies?
-
The mass on the hover flies back seems to be like a deposit left by feeding on something sticky. There are drops of something on its head and eye which would suggest that.
-
Anthony I thought he was busy trying to clean himself. Probally pinched a bit of my custard slice when I wasn't looking. I thought the drops where his eyes :-\
Pat I don't have the name of the rose. My husband likes roses and we have a few in the garden. Here is a close up of the flower from last year. he knows the names but I always forget.
This other rose I bought was from Homebase. This has been worthwile a good performer for our Aberdeen climate, its called Lucky. After all the days of really heavy rain it is still trying to open its flowers.
Ist rose ?
2nd rose Lucky
Angie :)
-
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/scattery/IMG_6441_1.jpg)
-
Hi Kevin, good to have you on the forum. Where in Ireland do you live?
-
Oops! Bit of a problem you have there, Kevin.... herons and ponds don't mix too well, eh?
-
Maggi
It a sparrow!
-
Blimey, so it is... never saw him there... was too busy worrying about the heron and any fish! ;D
Well, Sparrows and ponds are not much of an issue!
-
Hi Kevin, good to have you on the forum. Where in Ireland do you live?
County Limerick, Mark.
I have a new back garden which was started 2½ years ago and a new front garden started 1½ years ago. Virtually all the exotic plants that I planted, died in the last two winters.
I posted that post by mistake really, because I meant only to lurk at the moment as I haven't a clue presently about alpines, although I do have a raised alpine bed out the front as part of a red sandstone pavement. It has just sempervivums and sedums in it.
My present project is an arid bed under a glazed pergola area and the next after that, is a boundary of alpine troughs around the patio.
-
Oops! Bit of a problem you have there, Kevin.... herons and ponds don't mix too well, eh?
Yep. We had, we estimate, 300 sticklebacks in the back pond (90' x 30') and I noticed recently that they seemed to be getting less and less. Then going to work on Monday I saw Henry, or is it Henrietta?, Heron and I grabbed my camera and took a quick shot. The heron was being mobbed by about six or seven small birds at the time.
The pics not good as I only had an ordinary lens. I zoomed in on the pic on the computer and enlarged the little bit with the heron in it. We have Moorhens who come into the pond each morning. We had ducks as well but I rapidly discouraged them as they are filthy birds, pooping non-stop everywhere.
I don't want goldfish as they don't seem natural to a "natural" pond.
I'm just wondering "If I got a big pike, would he do in the heron?" ;D ;D
-
Could be risky, Kevin, if you've got small children a pike big enough to do for the heron might be child hungry...... :-X :-X
-
Hi Kevin, glad you have come on the forum, lurking isn't much fun. Don't worry, I to dont know much about alpines just learning . But I do have a lot of fun on this forum and it's the best place to make new friends.
Oh I wish I had ducks, I just get the heron and he can take some big fish. I am fed up of her selecting my lovely Koi. Still soon I will have solved this problem ;D
Angie :)
-
Thin, almost invisible, trip wires (nylon thread) on the approach to the pond may work as herons usually land and walk to the pond?
-
Anthony that's what I have over my pond. I started just with the edges now I have it crossed the fishing wire across the pond. The heron I have always manages to get in somehow. Think he is just clever. I wonder how long they live for.
Angie :)
-
Newt in pond last year. He looks well fed!
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/scattery/IMG_4832_1_1.jpg)
One of the moorhens.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/scattery/IMG_5104.jpg)
Piccie of pond from kitchen window last year. The vegetation has filled out more this year.
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j49/scattery/IMG_5095_1.jpg)
-
The newt is probably a gravid female Kevin?
-
Lovely pond, Kevin. Do you swim in it? It must be a magnet for local wildlife
-
Hello everyone! :)
Bug is laying its eggs at my Pinus nigra var. austriaca needle.
(http://cs10644.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/y_130c7f89.jpg)
Another wildlife at the same pine.
(http://cs10644.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/97713647/y_b5511bc5.jpg)
Evening view at the foggy lake...
(http://cs10384.vkontakte.ru/u6450879/31156622/y_0ab90b0b.jpg)
-
Really beautiful pictures Olga
-
The newt is probably a gravid female Kevin?
I agree Tony, probably Smooth or Common Newt Lissotriton vulgaris vulgaris. It was the first kind of newt I breed in one of my tanks when I was a child.
Kevin, you should look now for larvaes sitting in aquatic plants or on the ground.
Ready developed newts (length 3-4cm) leave the water around end of august.
-
Kevin I am jealous of your waterlilies. Really nice pond, I struggle growing waterlilies, don't know what I do wrong. Maybe just not enough sun.
Olga lovely pictures again 8)
-
Does anyone in the UK have a book that explain bird names - common and scientific?
-
What exactly is it you are looking for?. Is it translations from English such as Wheatear from Anglo Saxon "hwit ears" which translates as white rump - actually a bit ruder than this !!, or the translation from Latin. Again there are many variants for bird names depending on your locality. Most of our bird names come up to us from the original languages spoken in the UK and Ireland and are possible corruptions from even older tongues.
I remember a book on this subject some years back. I think it was birds Britannica.
I have often wondered if the Swift was named after its speed or whether speed was named after the bird - most probably the former.
-
Tom, the swifts latin name Apus literally means no legs or no feet. The English must be from their speed. Most European languages call them wind gliders or something similar.
I've been asked to put a talk together on garden birds and I thought it would be good to include literal translation of their latin names. I've added some extra birds that may be found in a large garden.
I'm missing translations for
Bullfinch
Redpoll
Goldfinch
Collared dove
Stock dove
Robin
Long-tailed tit
Pied wagtail
Blackcap
Willow warbler
Sedge warbler
Brambling
Siskin
Fieldfare
Redwing
I should buy a book.
Some have great translations
Dunnock - singing little brown job
Chiffchaff - money changer leaf warbler
Song thrush - darkness loving nightingale thrush
-
Have you tried Google translate or Babelfish?
-
I have Anne and thanks for the package that arrived yesterday
-
two swifts have a 'chat' with each other. I think they are a male and female. One has a higher pitched scream. The peeping sound is what two swifts do when preening each other
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJp83tzgeOM[/youtube]
-
This site is a start, but you've probably found it? http://sbpoley.home.xs4all.nl/scinames.htm. Just doing a little digging and you can find the rest in Wiki e.g. collared dove translates as Streptopelia = collared dove and the song is a coo-COO-coo, repeated many times. It is phonetically similar to the Greek decaocto ("eighteen"), to which the bird owes its specific name.
-
We resumed playing the swift recording since we had very little action going on in our swift boxes. Today there was a group of 8 birds circling the house and approaching the box, sometimes landing on the guttering nearby. One went into the middle box (naturally not the one with the camera) and wasn't seen to emerge over the next 4 hours that we were videoing it. Fingers crossed.
-
It's a good sign Anne. Listen for a churring sound that swift chicks make
Who says swifts are black? All bird books do.
They are actually brown with brassy gold highlights. The camera doesnt pick up the highlights
-
I have several bird books from yesteryear. One, that is very interesting, is "A Bird Book for the Pocket" by Edmund Sanders. First printed 1927. Mine (used to belong to my uncle Tommy) is sixth impression 1945. The index is fascinating: Aberdevine= Siskin; Accentor = Hedge Sparrow; Avocet.....omitted; Beam Bird = Spotted Flycatcher; Bevy = family (of Quail) etc etc.
-
I saw a swallow today, when I was on the way home from work. The first for the season. He/She seems to think spring will be early. But this morning was the coldest frost of the year by far, -6C when I left for work at 5.30am and -8, 2 hours later! The ice on my car didn't thaw until 11am. I drove through thick frost like a polar bear's coat, about 6cms thick and fluffy. I've never seen it like that before. I was the first on our hill road to take a car and was extra careful and slow, making me 5 mins late for work, the first time in more than 8 years. ???
-
That must have been welcome Lesley? They've never left us. I saw a group on the Greenmount Reserve (football pitches ::)) last week, and they are usually flying about when I take Heidi on her walks.
-
garden snail
-
My blue tongued skink just loves those! :P
-
It was indeed Anthony, very welcome. :) I suspect the swallows in NZ don't go to Africa or wherever, but just take an Air NZ flight as far as Auckland. He may be regretting coming south so soon though, as the pics on the southern hemisphere will show. (In a few mins.)
-
Lesley, after what you said about migration, I looked them up in one of my reference books.
Welcome Swallow-Hirundo neoxena-first bred in N.Z. in 1958.
Outside the breeding season, they form into flocks of about 500 birds and can be found in Southlands and coastal Otago. I don't know what they do on N.Island - presumably just "hang about" They must be tougher than our Swallows as our birds would have no chance of surviving our Winters. Presumably, your birds have the option of going North in Winter without the perils of having to cross the Sahara desert.
If I have worked it out correctly, your 25 July equates to late January in the UK. Every year we have reports of a few Swallows arriving on the South coast of England in January.
Anyway, your Swallows were originally Australian immigrants and do not return to their ancestral home after breeding. What does that say about Australia ?
-
This pair of chicks were spotted in a nest in a tiny crevice in a limestone cliff on Boe in the Dolomites.
-
Thanks Tom for that information. Interesting. I think they are probably quite widespread in the South Island now, more than just Southland and Otago but always nice to see.
Anyway, your Swallows were originally Australian immigrants and do not return to their ancestral home after breeding. What does that say about Australia ?
I'd better not say it. ;D ;D ;D
-
Anyway, your Swallows were originally Australian immigrants and do not return to their ancestral home after breeding. What does that say about Australia ?
I'd better not say it. ;D ;D ;D
If they left in 1958 they probably don't realise the government has changed since then!
;D
cheers
fermi
-
Good one Fermi.
We seem to have swallows here most of the year. I saw some the other day circling around. It is great to see them lined up on our fences.
Also had a boobook owl near a kitchen window the other night. Sounded like an extra large gum moth. :o :o I went out and threw my dressing gown over him to catch him - took him through the kitchen to the front of the house where it is more open and let him fly off. See them around here quite often.
-
Here's one for Maggi....I know she loves spiders. This is one of our 'friendly' spiders. Note the "zig-zag" web these creatures make. (Argiope aurantia)
-
Love the spider! 8)
We spent a few days in Napier staying on Westshore, so I could walk Heidi on the Westshore Beach, which was usually totally deserted. On Thursday morning I decided to take my camera.
-
was the seal lost or is it a small species?
-
This little fellow is probably a New Zealand fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri). Females grow up to 1.5 metres and 70 kg; males up to 2.5 metres and 180 kg. It is possible its mum was somewhere out to sea? He/she seemed quite at home and less than a minute after the meeting with Heidi it was quite far out in the bay.
-
Last year caterpillars of some sort ate my Dianthus seeds. Earlier this year I saw minute cream eggs on some flowers and now the seed pods have caterpillars again
Anthony do you recognise this caterpillar?
-
I suppose it's another for Maggi.
It's a bit on the skinny side, needs a good feed.
(Nasty subject to photograph, there's not a lot to focus on.)
At least it waited until the paint was dry.
-
Maggi will be happy it's not a spider - so am I! It's a harvestman
-
Let me assure you that while a critter has that many legs I am far from happy.
Awfully kind of you folks to "dedicate" these creepy crawlies to me... but I really can live without them. :-X
-
I'd say your garden has many of these lurking among plants stems. They eat lots of nasties
-
I don't mind what's lurking... so long as I don't see it ;D
-
No spiders this time, although there could Maggi ;D
Here's a shot from Sherba of a Lunar Moth relative, Antheraea polyphemus. Apparently, the adult moths don't eat. They just stay alive long enough to mate. Sounds good to me ;D ;D ;D
-
Perhaps its my age.... but I'd vote for the food myself......
A most attractive moth, well pictured by your clever lady..... taken while you were having supper? ;D
-
;D ;D ;D
-
Nice harvestman Fred. Difficult to identify small brown caterpillars Mark. I have bred polyphemus from New York. It feeds on oak and beech leaves as a caterpillar and has relatives in Asia, such as the Assam silkmoth (Antheraea pernyi, which has been naturalised on Mallorca, and the Australian emperor gum moth, which used to be lumped in with it. The last is also found in New Zealand, but is now Ododiphtera eucalypti, not Antheraea eucalypti. I have 30 cocoons in the garage. ;D
-
The lunar moth is a real beauty. I've always wanted to see these since reading "A Girl of the Limberlost" and "Freckles" by Gene Stratton Porter. Old, old books, but beautiful.
-
Luna moth (not "lunar")... of which I have only ever seen one - they are a beautiful ghostly green!
-
Luna moth (not "lunar")... of which I have only ever seen one - they are a beautiful ghostly green!
Thanks Lori. I wondered about that but I was following the lead of the above "expert." ;D
-
It's not a luna moth, it's a luna moth relative, Lesley. The luna moth (Actias luna) is green with tails, and again has relatives in Europe, Africa and Asia.
-
It's not a luna moth, it's a luna moth relative, Lesley. The luna moth (Actias luna) is green with tails, and again has relatives in Europe, Africa and Asia.
Yes, I know.... (it was me who started this. :) ) I was just pointing out that the term is "luna", not "lunar".
-
..........and I was correcting Lesley, not you Lori. 8)
-
But maybe Lesley was actually referring to luna moth, not to the relative shown above... ?? 8)
-
But maybe Lesley was actually referring to luna moth, not to the relative shown above... ?? 8)
You could be right Lori?
The lunar moth is a real beauty. I've always wanted to see these since reading "A Girl of the Limberlost" and "Freckles" by Gene Stratton Porter. Old, old books, but beautiful.
I have a copy of Gene Stratton-Porter's "Moths of the Limberlost", which my piano teacher gave me for my birthday in January 1970. Alas, it's not an illustrated version. I notice the spelling in this, and "Song of the Cardinal" and "Laddie", the spelling in UK English, which is interesting for a book written by an American.
-
..........and I was correcting Lesley, not you Lori. 8)
How DARE you? ;D
No I was referring to Alan's picture, as "a beauty" assuming though that it was one of a number of different lunar (sic) moths. Happy to be corrected by you both, and I had in my mind the ghostly pale green one, which was the inspiration for Elnora's beautiful dress. Funnily enough I also have a copy of "Laddie" and a couple of others, which I've never read. All picked up at the local Regent booksale where wonderful books go for 50c or a $1, to raise funds for the Regent theatre here in Dunedin. The sale goes for 24 hours, 12pm-12pm just one day a year and there are up to 100,000 books on sale.
-
Laddie is quite a read. The Song of the Cardinal much simpler. My mother has these copies. I'm going to have to get rid of some books! Went to a book signing with Jeffrey Deaver. He was quite entertaining, so I bought the new James Bond book and another Lincoln Rhyme thriller.
-
Thanks Lori. I wondered about that but I was following the lead of the above "expert." ;D
That was no expert. That was me ;D
-
Thought I'd round the month off with something taken today that won't give Maggi nightmares. ;D
Great Crested Grebe
-
A beautiful bird Peter.
-
Took these pictures last week at Te Mata Peak, just outside Havelock North. The yellow admiral (Bassaris itea) flew past me very fast and then settled on a rock.
-
Looks lovely Anthony, ship that blue skies over here please.
Angie :)
-
Here's a view of the Craggy Range Winery and the Tukituki River. The picture from below was taken from the car park, which is to the immediate right of the lake and the queen wasp was sunning itself on one of the row of little beech trees in the middle of the car park. Cape Kidnappers (where Captain Cook's Tahitian translator was nearly kidnapped) and its famous gannet colony is off to the far right in the first pic.
-
Hi Anthony . Thanks for the pics . Was at Te Mata Peak in May . Went up in a bus which was a fairly exciting experience . We only just found out about queen wasps They are all through my firewood stack ( eucalyptus spp ) . Some are hibernating between the pieces of wood and others are hiding under the bark and when I bring the firewood in they come to life and fly round the house . I think the count is around 50 now
-
It's a beautiful spot. European wasps are a real pain and in milder parts of New Zealand the nests continue to grow from year to year, so can get really enormous! The largest wasp nest on record measured twelve feet long with a diameter of five feet nine inches! It was discovered on a farm in New Zealand in 1963. :o
-
It's a beautiful spot. European wasps are a real pain and in milder parts of New Zealand the nests continue to grow from year to year, so can get really enormous! The largest wasp nest on record measured twelve feet long with a diameter of five feet nine inches! It was discovered on a farm in New Zealand in 1963. :o
Oh great.... just when I was relaxing with Peter's lovely photos of the grebes..... :-X
-
While I was sorting out trillium seeds today on my kitchen table, a wasp was trying to pinch the seeds from the capsules right under my nose. Cheeky blighter!
-
While I was sorting out trillium seeds today on my kitchen table, a wasp was trying to pinch the seeds from the capsules right under my nose. Cheeky blighter!
Anne, like emails, it's the attachments the wasp wants. The seed is then discarded, which must be one way they are dispersed in nature?
-
I know it's August but these were taken in July.
Most of my squirrel pictures are taken on the windowsill or peanut feeder which gets a bit boring, but I managed to catch this one on the shed roof with her arms folded on her chest. I love to see them in this pose.
I don't often see a treecreeper this close.
This poor juvenile crossbill hit the kitchen window on Saturday
-
Anthony, I've tried and tried to train my wasps to clean my trillium seeds for me, with the elaiosome as their wages, but they don't seem interested. I don't know, young wasps today, eh?
-
;D
-
Anthony, I've tried and tried to train my wasps to clean my trillium seeds for me, with the elaiosome as their wages, but they don't seem interested. I don't know, young wasps today, eh?
Probably don't get that same old buzz? :D
-
Oh Cliff, always the sting in the tail :D
-
Oh Cliff, always the sting in the tail :D
I like to keep it topical, Shelagh ... whilst it SWARM!!! :D
-
Roma is the crossbill in the freezer?
-
Roma is the crossbill in the freezer?
Didn't look to have that much meat on it to me? ;D
-
Roma is the crossbill in the freezer?
No Mark. I did think about it but left it on the windowsill. It was still there on Sunday but had gone by Monday morning. Plenty carrion eaters around - crows, magpies, cats. Foxes and buzzards as well but less likely culprits.
-
I know that it’s now August, but it has taken some time to get these photos linked to a definite identification, and they were taken in July and I thought that they may be of interest. I was fortunate last month in having the opportunity to travel to Lithuania where my wife was attending a conference - I was just along for the ride.
A couple of years ago the Scottish photographer Niall Benvie spent some time in Latvia, and in his writings was enthusiastic about the wildlife to be seen there. I was not sure whether Lithuania would have the same abundance, but in the three days that I had a hire car to drive around (the roads were good and their driving manners impeccable, by the way) I was staggered by the variety of wildlife to be seen. Obviously, with the short time available, I was unlikely to see much in the way of large mammals (only a marten as road kill), but hopefully the following photographs of insects/birds will give some flavour of what is there in profusion. Flower-wise, I was a bit late in the year for interesting plants in lowland/woodland areas, although I did see lots of Cimaphila umbellata, previously posted here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=7532.60
The butterfly numbers and variety in particular made one realise how poor our butterfly fauna is in the UK, probably as a result of our more ‘advanced’ farming methods. Lithuania still has a long way to go to catch up with the prosperity seen in the rest of the EU, and I only hope that they can preserve their incredible variety of wildlife in the drive to improve their living standards. Would I go back? – most definitely.
Anyway, enough of the plug for Lithuanian tourism, here are the photographs, mostly taken in the south of the country, between Kaunas and the Dzūkija National Park near the Belarus border. First some damselflies/dragonflies (the English names will appear under the photographs):
Coenagrion puella ♂
Calopteryx splendens ♂
Calopteryx splendens ♂
Calopteryx splendens ♀
-
Libellula quadrimaculata (♂ I think)
Aeshna isosceles - mating pair (the male seems to have had a hard life, he’s been run ragged by the females!)
Lestes dryas ♂
Sympetrum sanguineum – immature ♂
-
Platycnemis pennipes – immature ♀
Now for some butterflies:
Brimstone (Gonepteryx rhamni) feeding on Vicia sp.
Dusky Meadow Brown (Hyponephele lycaon) feeding on Scabiosa (?) sp.
Essex Skippers (Thymelictus lineola) drinking alongside a river – shows the usefulness of English names, they were a long way from Essex!
-
Green-veined White (Artogeia napi)
Heath Fritillary (Mellicta athalia)
Holly Blue (Celastrina argiolus) ♂
Purple Emperor (Apatura iris) – first time I’d seen one of these, very exciting and so large, I thought initially I’d seen an escape from a tropical butterfly house. :o
-
Purple-shot Copper (Lycaena alciphron) ♂
Scarce Copper (Lycaena virguareae) ♂
Scarce Copper (Lycaena virguareae) ♂
Silver-washed Fritillary (Argynnis paphia) ♂
-
Silver-washed Fritillary, Dusky Meadow Brown and a Ringlet (Erebia sp) that I have not been able to identify to species level, not helped by the fact that my butterfly identification book predates the fall of the Soviet Union, so the distribution maps covering Lithuania are somewhat vague! ;D
Small White (Artogeia rapae) ♂
And finally some birds, mostly taken using the car as a mobile hide with a long lens poking out of the window – I stopped for the photos! There wasn’t much traffic on the side roads, and this allows you to stop almost anywhere you see anything interesting:
Buzzard (Buteo buteo) – they were very common. I also got good views of a Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus) hunting near the road, but the photos, taken in light drizzle, were poor.
Great Reed Warbler (Acrocephalus arundineceus) – another first for me, and a photo to prove it!
-
Nutcracker (Nucifuga caryocatactes)
Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) – yet another ‘tick’ for me. These birds obligingly perch on roadside cables when hunting and let you drive up to them.
Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniculus) ♂
-
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) juveniles on nest
White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) adult
Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola)
-
Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella) ♂
Just in case anyone thought photographing the white storks on the nest was difficult, they are actually ridiculously tame, being both protected, and I suspect revered, as Lithuania’s national bird. Those householders unlucky enough not to have a nesting pair at the end of the drive on a pole generally placed a model stork in the garden just to keep up with the neighbours!
White Stork nest and my trusty hire car (only 177,000 kms on the clock!)
-
Gosh Peter, I'm in heaven. 8)
-
Gosh Peter, I'm in heaven. 8)
I agree stunning my fav was the purple shot copper,and also the purple emperor,was it the only one Peter.I once was told if i wanted a shot of a purple emperor i was to take a container of my urine and tip it out were they are and they will come down to take the salts out of it.I wonder if i was being wound up.
-
That's the way to draw them down from the tree tops Davey.
-
That was the only one I saw when it landed on a damp patch the path in front of me, and I only had time for one picture.
Had I known about the urine trick, I might have found it there when I returned down the path half an hour later. ;)
-
Anthony,
Heaven is a good way of describing it for the naturalist. On the two full-day trips I made to a nature reserve and national park, my time there was limited as I was always stopping on en route to look at something interesting, and the smallest of patches of waste ground in the corner of a cultivated area would have a high density of butterflies. Something we never see in the UK these days, nor in other parts of western Europe - I have just returned from seven days in the Savoie Alps, and say maybe twenty butterflies in a week.
-
Beautiful images Peter ... I shall return to them when I can view them all without the aid of this damn magnifying glass.
-
Peter,
fanastic wildlife - thanks for the beautiful images. I'm glad still some 'untouched' places exist.
-
Gosh Peter, I'm in heaven. 8)
Better send me a new address then. I didn't realize you'd moved from Ak.
Wonderful pictures Peter, of birds and butterflies that we will never see here. I guess that's what Anthony means. :)