Wildlife 2007

[mark smyth]

Speckled Wood - Pararge aegeria - quite common along overgrown paths, hedgerows and open woodland

[Lesley Cox]

Anthony, the bird wings are now found only in a single valley (with arisolochia) due to logging so probably the place you mentioned. I don't recall the name. Ruud had to have an armed escort as there are so many bandits in the area and people, especially foreigners are considered fair game for robbery, kidnap and murder.

[Anthony Darby]

Notice how much lighter the spots on Tom's Speckled Wood buterfly are. Originally described as Pargarge aegeria oblita, it is now lumped in with the English (Northern European) subspecies P. a. tircis. The nominate form (P. a. aegeria) has orange spots is found in southern Europe.

What a shame paradise has to be spoiled. One of the most beautiful Birdwings is appropriately names Ornithoptera paradisea. It is one of two 'tailed' birdwings, but they are still discovering new races of this and other Birdwings in West Papua (erroneously called Irian Jaya: it should never have been given to, sorry, annexed by Indonesia - but that is another sad story ). The problem with these huge butterflies is they need a large area of forest to thrive e.g. the caterpillar of the second largest birdwing O. goliath, prior to pupation, climbs down its 100' Aristolochia vine and bites right through the stem, which is very corky and often over 1" thick. This kills the vine so when the butterfly emerges it has to search elsewhere for foodplants. This ensure dispersal of the adults. The abundance of this species has been improved (they are much commoner now than 20 years ago) by butterfly ranching for pupa and specimen sales, whereby locals can make a living and maintain viable populations at the same time. Alas, Ornithoptera alexandrae is CITES appendix 1, so it is illegal to trade in it in any form. In the eyes of the Papuans it is therefore worthless.

[Anthony Darby]

Had a fabulous view of a Red Kite (Milvus milvus), which was flyingliesurely over my parents' back garden in Doune, Perthshire, four miles from my home, yesterday. What a shame most of the fledgelings will be poisoned by idiots in the name of 'game' conservation.

[Paddy Tobin]

Anthony,

What a wonderful experience! It is years since I have seen a kite, mainly because I have not being going to where they are to be seen. With birds of prey in mind, one of my most enjoyable bird spotting experiences was watching a perigrine falcon prey on fulmars on a sea cliff.

Last week, in Glenveagh National Park, County Donega, the first golden eagle in a century hatched in Ireland. This is part of a programme to reintroduce the species to Ireland and the birds which were introduced came from Scotland.

Paddy

[TC]

For those who do not know what a Red Kite looks like, here is a photo I took down near Loch Ken.

[mark smyth]

what a stunning photo

[Anthony Darby]

Marvellous photo Tom. I tried to fetch my mum's camera, but only succeeded in ripping the sleeve of my very favourite shirt on the kitchen door handle.

Been watching bum bees lately. Watched one servicing some purple irises. Between flowers it used its middle legs to wipe off the pollen stuck to its back and pack it onto its pollen 'baskets' on its hind legs. Yesterday I watched a red-tailed worker trap itself inside the slipper of Cypripedium 'Philipp'. After about five minutes of trying, it finally managed to squeeze out through the gap at the back. I watched land, and it was clearly not a happy bunny as it went mental trying to clean off the pollen smear. Of course, if it learned from its 'mistake' then the flower lost out.

[Anthony Darby]

Interesting day today. First, I had four Painted Ladies (Cynthia cardui) in the garden, indicating a massive migration from the continent this year. Then, a swarm of bees down the road: worth a silver spoon, I reckon? Certainly local bee keeper Magnus Peterson was pleased when he arrived to claim them.

[mark smyth]

Just back from a trip to Oxford Natural History Museum to look at the famous swift colony. Saw a Red Kite or two - actually 20+ common as muck between Oxford and Henly on Thames

[Rob]

I saw a hornet in the garden today.

It must be 20 years since I last saw one. Thankfully they are rare around here.

I wonder if the warm weather is encouraging them to move north, or if it will be 20 years before I see another?

No pics as I went back into the house rather than annoy it!

Rob

[Hans J]

I saw a hornet in the garden today.

It must be 20 years since I last saw one. Thankfully they are rare around here.

I wonder if the warm weather is encouraging them to move north, or if it will be 20 years before I see another?

No pics as I went back into the house rather than annoy it!

Rob

We have here every year hornets - thats not a problem !!!
Sometime they breed near of our roof and they visit us if we eat outside on our terrasse
No fear

Hans

[John Forrest]

I heard an unfamiliar bird in the garden and went to investigate. It was, as usual, hiding amongst the tree foliage but then flew up onto my Radio FM aerial. Wasn't expecting such an exotic, nor that its weight would dislodge my aerial.
Can anybody identify this Parrot please?

[Carlo]

Ring-necked Parakeet...Psittacula krameri...

an escapee, no doubt...

[Carlo]

It's probably the blue form of the Indian Ring Necked Parakeet, ...P. krameri manillensis...