Wildlife Autumn 2007 (spring wildlife Down Under)

[annew]

Kittiwakes are very smart looking birds but by gum ( yes we do say that in Yorkshire, but not very often) they are NOISY! The colony at Bempton Cliffs in East Yorkshire is deafening, but sitting on top of the cliffs and watching the gannets hovering at eye level in the wind before transforming themselves into underwater missiles is magic.

[Lesley Cox]

Tom, I stood on my head to view the northern moon but I'd have to say it looked much like ours. I know this can't be right so I'm about to turn the computer monitor upsidedown and see if that makes a difference.

[mark smyth]

does this help?

[David Nicholson]

Apparently I'm being raided by a squirrel that can read plant labels (b!!**y squirrels!!).

 At ground level on my patio are:- a large gravel tray full of 9cm square pots which is most of my potted bulb collection-so far untouched; a couple of gravel trays of 7cm square pots with all kinds of potted seeds, some germinated some not-so far untouched. One ex bread tray crammed with 7cm pots of Lewisia species seed sown a couple of weeks ago, plus 2 x 9cm pots each containing a couple of Narcissus species bulbs from batches I have planted in the garden in order to have a go at hybridising. I thought it was odd when I went out this morning to find that one pot of Lewisia seeds had been moved from the tray and set down about a meter away and this had obviously made room for said squirrel to tip out both pots of Narcissus bulbs, none of which remain.

 I say again b!!**y squirrels!!

[ranunculus]

Would you like this posting to be repeated (and emphasised in red) in the 'Moan, Moan, Moan...Get it off your chest' section David....or would you prefer to join the Squirrel Defence League?

The address is:-

Care of Tufty Nutkins,
Elm Cottage,
Hazel Drive,
Walnut-on-the-Naze,
Suffolk.

[Maggi Young]

I had a cousin who suffered from walnut on the naze ... but he's okay now.

Your pesky squirrels are no doubt greys... why not eat them... they may not taste terribly good but you'd feel you were getting some revenge!

[David Nicholson]

First, catch you squirrel!! I forgot about the 'Moan' thread.

[Carlo]

For my ruminations on the rodent:

http://www.botanicalgardening.com/squirrels.html

[Maggi Young]

I know, Carlo, I know  .... but nobody said it was easy.

[ranunculus]

.....Now if you could kindly nip over to Devon with your car please Carlo.....?

[mark smyth]

did you watch Wild Gourmets last week? The last in the series. They ate fried squirrels

[Maggi Young]

Missed that , Mark. Not a lot of eating on a squirrel, though, is there? More a starter than a main course.

[David Nicholson]

For my ruminations on the rodent:

http://www.botanicalgardening.com/squirrels.html

Well written Carlo, wish was as erudite!

[Carlo]

Ah, Cliff...

the death-mobile is out for hire...

[Paul T]

Missed that , Mark. Not a lot of eating on a squirrel, though, is there? More a starter than a main course.

Maggi,

But if you got enough of them you could get a decent main course I'd imagine!! 

I just need to work out the recipe for the "4 and 20 blackbirds, baked in a pie" from old nursery rhyme.  Then of course I've got to catch the b..gers.