Wildlife September - November 2012

[mark smyth]

Thanks Anne and Anthony

[mark smyth]

Wildlife and geology

I saw a sand martin colony last week in a very interesting sand bank that was literally up a mountain. Was this bank at one time under water?

[Graham Catlow]

Allium senescens montanum ssp. glaucum is in full flower just now and is an amazing food source for many insects. The air is just buzzing with things that I can't name. It's a pity I couldn't get a photo of them all on the flowers and in flight.
I had not realised until today that it has a very delicate scent.

[mark smyth]

Lovely Allium and visting insects

[Anthony Darby]

I grew that by mistake. Seeds sent as Tulbaghia violacea.

All sandbanks were originally the bed of a lake or slow moving river Mark.

[Olga Bondareva]

Best wishes from Garrulus glandarius 

[Anthony Darby]

One of my favourite crows.

[fredg]

Only seen wild Jays once, on a visit to the local woods ( Sherwood Forest  )

[Anthony Darby]

We used to get them visiting our bird table when we lived in Callander (Perthshire) in the early 70s.

[mark smyth]

Jays are quite common here now with many in the local park. They are also moving in to housing areas with large well established gardens

[mark smyth]

The Scottish wild cat is almost extinct
http://blog.arkive.org/2012/09/scottish-wildcat-could-be-extinct-within-months/

[Olga Bondareva]

Jays are common here. Big clever birds. I like them for blue marks on the wings (my favorite color).

[Roma]

In the greenhouse yesterday morning I found two robins and a squirrel.  I'm closing the door as well as the louvres at night now.

[Anthony Darby]

The Scottish wild cat is almost extinct
http://blog.arkive.org/2012/09/scottish-wildcat-could-be-extinct-within-months/

This is so sad, but what can you do with huge feral^* populations. ^*populations of wild breeding domestic cats rather than cats that a just free to roam. New Zealand has a large feral cat population too.

[jomowi]

In the greenhouse yesterday morning I found two robins and a squirrel.  I'm closing the door as well as the louvres at night now.

Was it any consolation that it was a red squirrel, Roma?  Guess they are just as destructive as the greys whether knocking things over or eating bulbs/plants?