Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => General Forum => Topic started by: Anthony Darby on February 06, 2012, 07:05:06 PM
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Let's start February with a butterfly. Here is Rauparaha's copper (Lycaena rauparaha) photographed on its foodplant Pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia complexa), a clump of which was planted next to the conveniences near to the Sea Scout Hut at Devonport, North Shore, Auckland. The female laid a tiny pale blue egg as I watched, then flew off to lay another. There were sparrows on the bush above which account for the ragged wings of the males.
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Not that my husband is soft... but he put the heater on in the garage this morning while the mouse was in there waiting for release time.
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wait till I see him ... ;D
Nice flutterbys
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I'm thinking the first one might be an old faded female?
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Not that my husband is soft... but he put the heater on in the garage this morning while the mouse was in there waiting for release time.
It was only concern for the poor little mouse who was cold. ;D
I can't believe you actually release Homer and his mates. I have to tell you that here, he would have been a gonner long ago.
Lovely butterflies Anthony. I've never seen anything like them down this way. I don't think Te Rauparaha made it to the far south either. ;D
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You should see this one Lesley? http://nzbutterfly.info/resident/common-copper/index.htm Plant a patch of Puhoehoe.
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WOW Anthony what a stunning copper.
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Lesley, if we were to kill them (for a start, my daughter would be upset) or translocate them, then how would we know whether we have managed to plug the holes they're using to get in? We've just about narrowed it down to a possible tunnel from under Barry's shed to under the foundations somewhere. Marge is the champion so far, though SM1 and SM2 (shed mice) got in on the act for a while.
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I used to turn them into mice lollies for the snakes. :P
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SSSSHH! The walls have little round ears round here!
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I used to turn them into mice lollies for the snakes. :P
I love this. Did you put a stick in them before freezing and have to hold the lollies so the snakes could eat them? ;D
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When a mouse is frozen its tail is the stick. ;D
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Watch out Martin B! A big cat has been filmed close to Stroud
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4112450/Big-cat-news-6ft-leapard-like-beast-captured-on-video-in-Stroud.html (http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4112450/Big-cat-news-6ft-leapard-like-beast-captured-on-video-in-Stroud.html)
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what a load of tosh! it moves nothing like a cat and exactly like a dog, just looks like a fox to me ::)
I wish these so called experts would just shut up until they've got conclusive evidence, instead of grainy distant footage which proves nothing at all.
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looking again it does move like a dog
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When a mouse is frozen its tail is the stick. ;D
I love it even more. ;D
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just looks like a fox to me ::)
As it moves right to left 00:03-00:06 the gait is unquestionably that of a fox. Who are these "experts"?
In southwestern Nova Scotia several years ago I saw a cougar crossing the road. They have been seen by quite a few people but no one has ever presented concrete evidence. So official policy - they are not here; the only native cats are wildcats and lynx, neither of which have the long swooping tail.
johnw
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Can't think of any lynx between the last topic and this apart from it being furry. It's about 1 cm long but I've not identified the moth.
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just looks like a fox to me ::)
As it moves right to left 00:03-00:06 the gait is unquestionably that of a fox. Who are these "experts"?
In southwestern Nova Scotia several years ago I saw a cougar crossing the road. They have been seen by quite a few people but no one has ever presented concrete evidence. So official policy - they are not here; the only native cats are wildcats and lynx, neither of which have the long swooping tail.
johnw
self publicists who make some sort of living spouting rubbish to anyone who will listen :P
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Are we all watching the BBC 2 , bees butterflies etc.? Maybe we should be and adding our collective weight behind Sarahs initiative. East Yorkshire ' Countryside' is a desert!
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I'm thinking the first one might be an old faded female?
There are a lot of us about Anthony. ???
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Are we all watching the BBC 2 , bees butterflies etc.? Maybe we should be and adding our collective weight behind Sarahs initiative. East Yorkshire ' Countryside' is a desert!
I agree Ron
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Two of us to start then Davey!
Unfortunately programme promised challenge and delivered nothing. This has to be one of the biggest challenges facing this country (and many others), and yet 'lawn politics' is allowed an equal say! Where are my Garden Tiger Moths? Thousands 30 years ago, now, here, none!
I thought given the initial publicity that this program would try to ignite passion, to poke people into action! Maybe it provoked them into planting a seed tray of marigolds! :'( :'( :'(
Guess localised micro action has to be the way forward. Good luck to all who try. >:( >:(
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Garden tigers used to be found on weeds growing under hedges. The muppets in the councils now strim or spray weed killer to "tidy them up" so there are none of these habitats left.
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Garden tigers are typical culture escapees - they simply cannot cope with our urban conditions and our highly mechanized agriculture.
Beside poisons, traffic light traps and too early mowing of meadows (=loss of food plants & reduction of biodiversity) are fatal for them. They appear only in 1. Generation during the year, so their reproduction rate is comparatively small to other moths.
It is not a UK-trend only that the numbers of this beautiful moth decrease significantly.
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I came across a pheromone trap for gypsy moths (Limantria dispar) on a small tree at Christmas. it used to be a British moth, but climate change did for it. It is a pest in the USA, having been introduced there. It is still found in Europe, but doesn't become a plague like it can in the USA. The common name for the tiger moth being garden tiger, so it is found in gardens. South, in his 1961 revision of his 1908 book "The Moths of the British Isles" says it "is not at all an uncommon object throughout the country, and is, perhaps, even more often noticed in garden, including those of suburban London.". I remember finding 'woolly bears' in my garden in Loughborough over 50 years ago. Pesticides then came in metal containers with a pump, but don't remember them being used except for flies.
I keep seeing this huge fish, nearly 2' long, in the storm water settling ponds, where the grass carp (which can grow huge) has been introduced to keep down aquatic vegetation. Couldn't get a good pic as it was being coy. This is not a grass carp.
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Anthony,
If it was being coy - maybe it's a Koi ;D
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Saw my first Garden Tiger Moth for many years last summer on Lindisfarne. In my new (still shiny!) field guide to British moths, it mentions the tidying up of hedgerows as a cause for decline, but apparently there is also some statistical evidence that links declining adult numbers with the more frequently occuring mild, wet January/cold February weather increasing the mortality of overwintering larvae.
Just like this year in fact.... :-\
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Peter,
the loss of hedgerows and unfavourable weather conditions are likely addtional causes.
I have no doubts if a population is already weakend one bad winter can extirpate them.
Continued losses of natural habitats and urbanisation don't get along with high biodiversity :'( >:(
It's time to change...but I'm not sure we can stop the species shrinkage :-\
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Here's the gypsy moth trap, the storm water sign and some views of the ponds (note the big grass carp), which have run off water entering and a (usually) small, steep, fast flowing channelled stream leaving. The paradise shell ducks have recently returned from their summer haunts and will stay until spring, feeding on the reserves nearby. The female has the white head. They both make weird, but different, sounds.
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Every winter i look for bats.these are the biggest we have ;D Myotis myotis or mouse-eared bat (in hibernation).
For me its the only way to get them on picture ;)
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Fantastic Sarmienta!
Where are the images taken? Where do you come from?
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Sarmienta.... I count at least 17 little noses - wonderful pictures. 8)
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We got 20 on the first pic! great photos. Seen bats all over the world. Never cease to amaze me. Best bats experience... Mulu in Borneo. A must see before death experience! Great photos Sarmienta, more to come?
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We got 20 on the first pic! great photos. Seen bats all over the world. Never cease to amaze me. Best bats experience... Mulu in Borneo. A must see before death experience! Great photos Sarmienta, more to come?
darn... I can only get to 18...... will keep trying!
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Just recounted 3x and only got 17 each time. suspect that ( as always Maggi ) you may be correct!
Would make a wonderful jigsaw puzzle!!
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Now I can't find where I thought the 18th one was.... Ian says 17.... helluva cute, whatever!(the bats, though Ian has a certain charm......)
Edit.... after another count!! Yes, it would make a marvelous jigsaw.
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PS Ron... I'm not always right.....but I work hard to be the loudest....... ;) :P
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An otter has been seen this week on Linlithgow Loch - the first time that anyone knows of. It scampered across the ice before slipping into open water and swimming to the shore (tracked by the line of bubbles by astonished onlookers.) Even the swans and ducks were surprised apparently. It hauled itself out and disappeared into a garden. What makes this remarkable is that although the loch and its environs is an SSSI, it occupies a semi-urban location. It is bounded on the North by the M9 motorway, and on the South by the town. The High Street is within spitting distance, and during the big freeze last year, the swans used to come into the High Street to beg for food from the shops.
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@Armin :) The mouse eared bats are taken in a cave in Germany (Eifel) They are very rare in were i live .......Holland.
I don't have much picture of bats,because of disturbing them with the the warm breath (they might be awake).
Especially the Horshoe bats are very fragile.They are also very rare in Belgium and France .My favorite bat is the Barbastella last picture.
And all of you are winners ;D ;D ;D 17 mouse eared bats. ;)
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Told you so Maggi !! ;D ;D ;D ::) ::)
Great pictures. Got it that the barbastellais the second picture, is the first picture the Horseshoe bats? Total respect to you for your sensitivity regarding their environment. :) :) :)
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All,
Great bat photos.
One of the few advantages of the recent very cold weather is the number of birds visiting the garden.
I had to google for this one - not seen them before.
It may be a lesser Redpoll. Some of the birds have a very distinct red moheican stripe on the head, other do not.
A group of around a dozen frequent the garden and compete with the Goldfinches for the niger seed
Also had a fieldfare that has appropriated the rotting apples under the Bramley and chases off the blackbirds, a linnet, long tailed tits and Siskens,
Regards,
David
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We had a greenfinch pinching sunflower seeds yesterday.
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@Armin :) The mouse eared bats are taken in a cave in Germany (Eifel) They are very rare in were i live .......Holland.
I don't have much picture of bats,because of disturbing them with the the warm breath (they might be awake).
Especially the Horshoe bats are very fragile.They are also very rare in Belgium and France .My favorite bat is the Barbastella last picture.
And all of you are winners ;D ;D ;D 17 mouse eared bats. ;)
Sarmienta,
thank you - really interesting shots of some rare bats.
Just yesterday the local newspaper here reported that some bats (Myotis mystacinus) woke up from hibernating due to the current strong cold!
According to the report the bats left their hibernating homes to seek warmer places. 5 bats were found exhausted i.e. in front of house doors, under windowsills, chimneys ect. As they can't find insects in the cold usually they have to die of hunger.
Fortunately a local bat specialist was called and took care of them. He feeds them with mealworms.
The guy hopes they will survive the next coming weeks until he can release them again.
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Armin,
I just noticed that you live in the same area i visit.
I belief the M mystacinus do find problem s with these cold temperatures,because they seems to be the most common species find in every cold edge of caves or cellars. In caves all species do have there own places depend on temperature and humidity etc..
Thanks for your interest in Bats
Picure of M mystacinus.
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Sarmienta,
thanks. Your comment seem to confirm what the report in the Newspaper said.
I'm a bit curious - which place did you visit around where I live?
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Well............ it,s a bit further than i thought :-[. the caves with the mouse eared bats are close to Koblenz.
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Well thanks... I wondered a bit because there are no important caves for bats around my area.
Only a few small mine shafts. But all are closed due danger of collapse. Usual no access for the public.
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Are bats in general protected in Germany, as they are here in UK?
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First frogs have appeared in my pond today,it seems very early. Also three ducks which given it is only 2 metres across is quite a surprise. Same three I think as last year.
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Are bats in general protected in Germany, as they are here in UK?
Ron,
from 22 bat species occurring in the Germany all without exception stand on the 'Red list of endangered species' - threatened by becoming extinct.
Reasons are multiple: loss of habitat, broadly use of insecticides, loss of billets, high traffic, poisoning by use of wood preservatives i.e. in roof beams, interferences during hibernation, and sadly, still pursuit and vandalism (fears stired up by 50+ years of dracula movies!)
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Great to have another batman on here ^..^
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Thanks Armin.
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Great to have another batman on here ^..^
I love and respect (as much as possible) the nature and its creatures :D
Nature can live without humans but humans can't live without nature.
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Well said, Armin.
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Yesterday I was lucky and shoot a Pyrrhula pyrrhula.
(http://cs6002.vk.com/u6450879/97713647/y_5858f6f2.jpg)
We met also a family of moose but they run from us so quickly I can't shoot them. :-\
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Cracking pic of a bullfinch. 8)
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I watched a programme called "Wild India" which showed golden langurs. There was one which leaped from a branch of one tree to the branch of another on the right of the screen. We then had a close up of its hand and reduced thumb, followed by "another" langur leaping from a tree to one on the left of the screen. A quick rewind and a couple of pauses later showed that the second sequence was just the first, but flipped 180o. ::)
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Regarding wildlife in our gardens...Last week i had a visit of a big cat (Lynx) walking under my Magnolia's...They are pretty common here but not usually in my garden....and i got the answer why there ain't any Roe deers here this winter....//Jonny
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The cuckoo comes in April and sings his song in May
Two of the BTO's tagged Cuckoos have started migrating north again.
http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/meet-cuckoos (http://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking/meet-cuckoos)
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In April comes the cuckoo
In May he sings all day
In June he changes tune
In July he gets ready to fly
In August go he must
There are several variations but this is the one I learned as a child.
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Regarding wildlife in our gardens...Last week i had a visit of a big cat (Lynx) walking under my Magnolia's...They are pretty common here but not usually in my garden....and i got the answer why there ain't any Roe deers here this winter....//Jonny
I still reeling from Jonny's lynx.... cuckoos seem 'tame' by comaparison ;) :D
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Regarding wildlife in our gardens...Last week i had a visit of a big cat (Lynx) walking under my Magnolia's...They are pretty common here but not usually in my garden....and i got the answer why there ain't any Roe deers here this winter....//Jonny
Please send it here, Jonny. The roe deer eat everything in my garden.
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Cant you fill the freezer with venison?
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Please send it here, Jonny. The roe deer eat everything in my garden.
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you could have almost all of them for me...no problems at all :-)....shall i send a couple of Wolfs too?...They lurks around here ...not been in my garden...yet...closest was 80 meters away..never manage to get a pic of them ...but i did wake up one morning...and it sound like a brass orchestra on steroids was outside....2 Cranes on one side of the house and another pair on the north side..they Had a little "discussion" regarding who's garden it was....(sorry for the bad pic. quality)............//Jonny
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Lynx and wolves! :) No wonder you have no deer. I had no idea that wolves were found so far south in Sweden; have they spread to your area recently?
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Hi Peter.
I spotted the first tracks back in 1993 so they have been here more or less since then...Cant say i want more of them....it's enough now...always keep an eye on my dogs even when they are in my garden and close to my house...otherwise they can turn into a snack pretty fast....it's a really infected debate here in Sweden about them...but it's always easy to say yes to something you don't have any problem with....when you live in a city.....like most of the fanatic yes-sayers do.......//Jonny
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First bumblebee of the season on Sunday. Just look at the size of the mites :o
I saw a butterfly yesterday but it was too far away to identify. Probably a Small Tortoiseshell.
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Are those small spot on the bumblebee mites Roma? Is that usual? I've never seen anything like them here and I see a lot as the bumbles persist in coming in the house and have to be rescued.
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I think these mite just use the bee as transport. I don't think they harm the bee and may be useful in eating fungal spores etc?
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So they are not verrhoa mites Anthony? ( i hope not :()
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Not sure where these belong so I plumped for wildlife.
Fascinating little subjects.
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I found this today growing on a branch of a dead hedge.
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Did you try it Michael? :P :P
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No way. :)
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More from today's constitutional.
1. Canada goose
2. 3. 4. Greylag goose
5. 6. 7. Tufted duck
All these new since my last visit, the Mandarins have disappeared :(
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In the last two days of February we have had a pine marten visiting the fat feeders that I put out for the birds. This is the first one I have seen in the almost 37 years we have lived here, so I was quite excited. I grabbed my camera and took several pictures through the kitchen window. My son informs me that the name has changed from pine marten to American martin, but I am sticking with "pine". This one is a Canadian, after all. ;)
It was around this morning too, so Rob got to see it before he left for work.
There are more pictures on our Flickr site.
Sharon
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Wow! Excellent waterfowl photos, Fred, and absolutely superb pine marten photo, Sharon! I've only ever seen one pine marten, which was when staying at a hostel in the mountains in the winter... a feisty little critter who hid under the cabin foundation and snarled at us!
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I concur Lori's comment - excellent images! 8) 8)
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Pine martens love peanut butter, which, in our house, would be its only use, supposing we lived in an area where it is found.
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In the last two days of February we have had a pine marten visiting the fat feeders that I put out for the birds. This is the first one I have seen in the almost 37 years we have lived here, so I was quite excited. I grabbed my camera and took several pictures through the kitchen window. My son informs me that the name has changed from pine marten to American martin, but I am sticking with "pine". This one is a Canadian, after all. ;)
It was around this morning too, so Rob got to see it before he left for work.
There are more pictures on our Flickr site.
Sharon
Wow! What a great experience to get these photos. Look at the size of those furry feet!
Please Folks, go to Sharon's flickr site and see more photos of this beautiful animal.
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In the last two days of February we have had a pine marten visiting the fat feeders that I put out for the birds. This is the first one I have seen in the almost 37 years we have lived here, so I was quite excited. I grabbed my camera and took several pictures through the kitchen window. My son informs me that the name has changed from pine marten to American martin, but I am sticking with "pine". This one is a Canadian, after all. ;)
It was around this morning too, so Rob got to see it before he left for work.
There are more pictures on our Flickr site.Sharon
This is fantastic Sharon. They have tried several times to re-introduce the pine marten to Nova Scotia. No one has ever seen one to my knowledge, yet I hope. The porcupine population is out of control here and has been for years and this is their only known predator.
johnw
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I didn't know that about porcupines. Luckily we don't have too many around here. We have had two dogs that tangled with them - a nasty experience. Would much rather have martens, if only to keep the squirrel and vole population under control.
Anthony, I also put out a mix of oatmeal and peanut butter for the birds - I haven't seen the marten taking that on yet, but he might, if I run out of fat.
Sharon
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Wow! Excellent waterfowl photos, Fred
I concur Lori's comment - excellent images! 8) 8)
Thank you, I just wish I had a Pine Martin to take pictures of.
As my post of lichens drew such a wave of apathy ;D
Here's another ;D
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Not apathetic Fred, just been having fun trying to identify them - that wasted a good ten minutes looking through an old field guide when I should have been doing something productive. ;)
I'll stick my neck out and call the first two (yellow) lichens Xanthoria parietina, the third one enveloping the rock Parmelia sp, possibly P subreducta, and the final one Parmelia sulcata. Any real experts out there prepared to correct my poor lichen i-d skills?
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Beautiful animal and bird pictures everyone, and the lichens are lovely too Fred. :) Our Marley would look quite like a pine marten if he were slimmer and his ears sat up. Up does stand on his hind feet when wanting something. His tail is more fox-like.
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Two bumblebees on Daphne mezereum yesterday - too flighty for photos