Wildlife October 2009

[Rodger Whitlock]

Rodger, Lesley thanks for that little exchange, the image of Victorian society intently watching for the ripening of strawberries gave me something of a giggle. Was tis an Oscar Wilde quote Rodger, or simply one he would wish to have had attributed to him?

I don't think it's a Wilde aphorism. His bon mots always had a sharper edge than that.

And since I paraphrase the sentiment, Google is no help whatsoever in unearthing the original source.

[Paddy Tobin]

Oscar Wilde said, "This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last."

Paddy

[johnw]

Two Wildisms we particularly liked in a Dublin park.

johnw

[mark smyth]

Last night I heard what must have been 100s of redwings, Turdus iliacus, flying over. Just now I saw a huge high flock flying west

[Lesley Cox]

I love the little tree frog. He looks as if he's waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting passer by.

[Arykana]

[mark smyth]

Dick Newell a common swift enthusiast will be on BBC1 this evening at 7.30pm UK time talking about his nest box projects in the Cambridge area. Unfortunately the programme is only available in England but if you have SKY TV the programme will be on channel 981 at the same time

Dick has nest box projects in church towers where the nest boxes are behind the louvres.

[Anthony Darby]

I first saw this little butterfly in Mallorca in 1990; the South African Geranium Bronze (Cacyreus marshalli).

[Stephenb]

Last night I heard what must have been 100s of redwings, Turdus iliacus, flying over. Just now I saw a huge high flock flying west

Interesting! Yesterday there was a report of 1,000 Redwings flying over the Norwegian island Utsira (off South West Norway) - on the way over to you no doubt! In our area (further north), this year's migration had stopped the last weeks due to really wet weather, but a high pressure ridge built up yesterday between steady stream of lows passing over Scotland headed our way, allowing safe passage for the Redwings - that's my theory anyway!

We've still been seeing Swallows this last week which is unusual, unable to escape south due to the apalling weather...

For me, the sound of Redwings flying over on their way south on clear autumn nights is one of the characteristic sounds of autumn and I always get a thrill hearing it. Little things please little...

[Lesley Cox]

Good to know that swift enthusiasts are common in the UK.

[Maggi Young]

For me, the sound of Redwings flying over on their way south on clear autumn nights is one of the characteristic sounds of autumn and I always get a thrill hearing it. Little things please little...    

 Never! Stephen, the joys to be found in the wonder of the natural world are ENORMOUS and should always   be lauded as such , I believe!

[mark smyth]

Anthony I hope you watched 'Life' tonight!?

[mark smyth]

Starlings take food from a prairie dog
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oTjPRtArXbw/R7eQi8xyJ1I/AAAAAAAAAes/R9uv8_uI-bg/s1600-h/funny-picture-1079777786.jpg

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

A teeny tiny little spider on one of my Acer palmatums the other day.  Kept moving around to the opposite side of the branch as I tried to photograph it.... so the photo isn't as closeup as I would have liked.  It had tiny spines all over it, for breaking up the outline I would imagine?

Please click on the pic for a larger version.

[Anthony Darby]

All I can say is it's a male.