"Nature Watch (other than birds)"

  • 625 Replies
  • 182788 Views
*

DanielCoffey

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: South Ayrshire, UK
  • 636
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #480 on: June 21, 2018, 15:56 »
Was checking the building for Swallow's nests and spotted this unwelcome colony instead... persistent little devils kept coming back even while I was trying to wash the remains off the underside of the eaves.

There were one and a half decks of comb inside, pretty full of larvae. A few dozen adults were attending them too. At least the robins and blackbirds had a feast for their youngsters.
Wasps.jpg

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18311
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #481 on: July 01, 2018, 19:28 »
We have lots of caterpillars on the plot eating all the groundsel.  They were around last year as well, but they only eat weeds, so I don't mind them. 

There are also loads of pollen beatles.  How many exactly fit in a pumpkin flower - errrr many seems to be the answer  :lol:

Then I discovered someone looking very relaxed in a pot at home.  There are bulbs in here that came out of a larger container and have died down.  I'm keeping the compost moist so they don't dry out, but someone thinks it is for his benefit instead  :D
IMG_2561.JPG
IMG_2562.JPG
IMG_2559.JPG
« Last Edit: July 01, 2018, 19:29 by New shoot »

*

8doubles

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Hakin Pembrokeshire
  • 5266
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #482 on: July 03, 2018, 08:09 »
We have lots of caterpillars on the plot eating all the groundsel.  They were around last year as well, but they only eat weeds, so I don't mind them. 

There are also loads of pollen beatles.  How many exactly fit in a pumpkin flower - errrr many seems to be the answer  :lol:

Then I discovered someone looking very relaxed in a pot at home.  There are bulbs in here that came out of a larger container and have died down.  I'm keeping the compost moist so they don't dry out, but someone thinks it is for his benefit instead  :D
Cinnebar moth caterpillars ?
As the colours show they are not good for froggy to eat ! :)

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18311
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #483 on: July 03, 2018, 09:58 »
Cinnebar moth caterpillars ?
As the colours show they are not good for froggy to eat ! :)

That rings a bell.  Sunshineband saw them on my plot last year and I think that is what she said  :)

Froggy is at home, so he won't be eating any.  I have a wildlife pond where most of the webbed fraternity hang out, but this one has moved to the mud baths  :lol:

*

moose

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Near Dartford
  • 432
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #484 on: July 09, 2018, 20:20 »
We have just spent the last 5 minutes watching a hedgehog wandering around the garden. We have an upturned rubbish bin lid full of water and spotted hedgehog as it moved away from there, had a good look around the tomatoes and disappeared among the Jerusalem artichokes. Now I know where the strange bits of poo that started to appear a week ago have come from.

*

moose

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Near Dartford
  • 432
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #485 on: July 17, 2018, 13:41 »
Just spotted a Jersey Tiger Moth, a very pretty creature. Sorry no camera to take a picture.

*

DanielCoffey

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: South Ayrshire, UK
  • 636
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #486 on: July 23, 2018, 07:46 »
I had an unexpected encounter late last night... a neighbour's house alarm triggered and stayed on so I went out to investigate. While I phoned the alarm activation in to the local boys in blue (the owners were out of the house it seemed), I prowled the outside looking for signs of forced entry but there were none.

We had suffered a short power cut in the area for a few seconds about half an hour previously so one neighbour thought perhaps their breakers had tripped, resulting in the alarm triggering onto battery. He said he had a key (but not the alarm code) and would check the consumer unit. While he went off to get the key, a movement caught my eye.

Inside a ground floor conservatory window was a dark object about two inches in length. I had an LED worklight with me so I looked closer. Inside the room behind the blinds was a Pipistrelle bat... inside the house.

There was probably an upstairs window cracked open for ventilation so I called the Police and let them know it was not an incident that needed their attendance. Then it was off to my house for gloves, a bag and something to reach up for it. The owners have a very young girl so there was all the clutter that comes with having a three year old for it to hide in.

I shut it into the kitchen and made two attempts to coax it into the bag to no avail. It took off and moved under things. A Thomas the Tank Engine 4-piece jigsaw puzzle frightened it so much it started flying round the kitchen and flopped down on top of the units. One clear plastic bowl and a "Furry Pets Sticker Book" and it was secured!

Pipistrelles are really small when landed - about an inch wide, an inch and a half long and covered in really fine fur. Tiny little eyes too. They are audible when making chirps. I took it outside and released it.

Adventure over... and when they are back they can close that window!

*

DanielCoffey

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: South Ayrshire, UK
  • 636
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #487 on: October 05, 2018, 20:16 »
This tiny little Common Toad was warming himself on the tarmac yesterday. It was about 2cm from nose to butt and let me get really close!

I was quite surprised by the colour as most of the adults I have seen round here are much duller than this.
CommonToad.jpg

*

robinahood

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Nottingham
  • 430
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #488 on: February 04, 2019, 18:10 »
Thrilled to see a starling murmuration just a few minutes walk from my home in the city outskirts this evening, they dropped en masse into some big conifers, silent when flying except for the short of their feathers, but what a noise once they landed! Absolutely beautiful sight, it made me smile.

*

DanielCoffey

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Location: South Ayrshire, UK
  • 636
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #489 on: February 04, 2019, 19:08 »
We have something like that here in Ayrshire with the Jackdaws. In the late autumn and winter they gather in huge social flocks around us at dawn and dusk making a total racket (and crapping on everything) for half an hour then split up into their family groups.

There are always a few crows and rooks mixed in but they play very energetically in the air in enormous groups of several thousand before settling into the largest trees.

This is what a very small group of them looked like the other morning when it was snowing...
Corvids.jpg

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18311
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #490 on: February 21, 2019, 10:47 »
First clumps of frogspawn spotted in the wildlife pond at home  :D

*

snowdrops

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Burbage,Leics
  • 19501
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #491 on: February 21, 2019, 13:36 »
First clumps of frogspawn spotted in the wildlife pond at home  :D

Exciting, I keep looking & listening for their croaking
A woman's place is in her garden.

See my diary pages here
and add a comment here

*

New shoot

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading
  • 18311
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #492 on: March 01, 2019, 20:22 »
I keep looking & listening for their croaking

I didn't get out of work until 11.30 last night (sigh), but it had its bonuses.  Our bathroom is on the back of the house on ground floor. After my shower, when all was quiet and still outside, I could hear a full chorus of them purring away with their night time 'come hither' calls to the females  :D

*

sunshineband

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Reading, Berkshire
  • 32056
  • Tallest Sunflower prizewinner 2014
    • A Little Bit of Sunshine
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #493 on: March 02, 2019, 12:18 »
Just been watching a scurry of four grey squirrels rushing hither and thither round the gardens looking as though they were having  a great time in the sunshine
Wisdom is knowing what to ignore - be comfortable in your own skin.
My Blog
My Diary
My Diary Comments

*

RubyRed

  • Experienced Member
  • ***
  • Location: Derbyshire
  • 150
Re: "Nature Watch (other than birds)"
« Reply #494 on: March 16, 2019, 20:05 »
We have been at this house for 20 yrs and the first thing we did was dig a large wildlife pond. 18ft by 12ft. The first year we had over 30 frogs. Fab. Lots of spawn. Over the years it levelled out never getting so many but keeping a healthy amount. In the last few years I've been saddened by only seeing about 8 frogs and small amount of spawn. As an aside one year we had a clump of white spawn that developed but was eaten by birds. Also all our spawn has been laid by st Patrick's day,17th March. Anyway, 2 years ago I dug a smaller pond and this year the big pond is empty and once again we have over 30 frogs. I'm over the moon. In these days of dwindling wildlife i move mountains to provide for all mine insect or mammal. Chuffed to bits at so many frogs to go with my newts and toads.



xx
Clasiscal music piano piece for Poirot's last case called "Curtains."

Started by Goosegirl on Chatting on the Plot

7 Replies
650 Views
Last post March 04, 2023, 09:38
by Goosegirl
xx
"A piece of pie", by Damon Runyon...

Started by Growster... on Chatting on the Plot

0 Replies
778 Views
Last post November 29, 2020, 06:17
by Growster...
xx
Downloading "Kon Tiki" to read.

Started by Kleftiwallah on Chatting on the Plot

1 Replies
807 Views
Last post January 27, 2022, 18:35
by Yorkie
xx
Collecting "Non-sensitive" data

Started by mrs bouquet on Chatting on the Plot

2 Replies
1468 Views
Last post October 13, 2019, 15:28
by mrs bouquet
 

Page created in 0.139 seconds with 50 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |