Wildlife

[Jon Tilson]

I had some brown efforts on my lawn too.. Though they would go well in an omellete, until I checked them
on google and found they were poisonous...

Can't be too careful.....so I'm sticking to brambles and sloes....

A similar flavour of Parrots have taken up well in Barcelona too....

Jonners

[trackerjack]

With the arrival of spring and me still not returned to work we get to walk a bit (sanctioned by my occupational therapist )
In our travels we pictured these beautiful common vipers sunning themselves in the sun on Liss common in Hampshire.
http://s139.photobucket.com/user/dolly- ... 8.jpg.html

http://s139.photobucket.com/user/dolly- ... 1.jpg.html


That was last Friday but on the Sat we walked on Hayling island and as the light of day was fading we spotted a seal hunting for fish in Langstone harbour. Up until a couple of years ago I had never seen a seal in Langstone but this is the second time as the last was off Thorney island and that time we saw several on a mud bank and were surprised at how big they are.
When as a child I walked in Pook lane Warblington I found out that frogs can withstand being frozen in ice as found them so. Forward fifty years to last weekend we found frog spawn in exactly the same place that I had made that astonishing discovery.
Wildlife has always fascinated me and is a totally free pleasure which is handy when you are not earning much

[sprint95m]

Spring is on its way.....
saw some kittiwakes last Monday. This being early for them to be back on the cliffs.
Whilst not as numerous as they were 12-15 years ago, they are still breeding here in their thousands.




Ian.

[RJF_70]

Have had Goldfinches and wagtails in on feeders for 1st time this year but only got some very poor pics so far, but wife did snap this cheeky young Squirrel helping himself to the peanuts this morning! Dog was barking and running around the cherry tree but it was totally unfazed!

[tony g]

Great Photo Rich/Mary, hes even smiling

Tony

[Galileo]

Never been to Langstone Harbour, but I did once get a serious request from our warden if I could sort out wifi so that he could use his laptop whilst out on his boat...

[Carledo]

Have had Goldfinches and wagtails in on feeders for 1st time this year but only got some very poor pics so far, but wife did snap this cheeky young Squirrel helping himself to the peanuts this morning! Dog was barking and running around the cherry tree but it was totally unfazed!

Cue "Mission Impossible" theme!

Steve

[RobSun]

I know a lot has been said about us noticing our wildlife more this year due to the virus. However yesterday my son and I were talking about how very many fewer moths, butterflies, bees, wasps, sparrows, but more finches, and even the humble house fly we had seen this year. Last year we were inundated with wasps, this year hardly any, including the more docile solitary breeds. We have had large numbers of Bees, Honey and bumble buzzing around in past years, this year noticeable by how few.

The worst loss has been the massive reduction in bats. We have had a colony of bats coming to roost at our property for years but this year they have failed to arrive. I used to complain about the droppings they left on the cars as the flew out every evening, now nothing. Last year I went out to count them leaving and they were already in full flow so missed the start, but still counted over 300 before I gave up after they stopped for a while and then the second wave departed. We see the odd one flying around hunting but this spectacle is sorely missed.

We can only surmise that wherever they winter the whole colony has been destroyed, deliberately or by disease.

[sprint95m]

Insect populations often fluctuate, which is why very long term (decades) counts are necessary.
Re. butterflies, here in Caithness this year has seen large numbers of small tortoiseshells after many
a year of very few.
This year I was supposed to be helping plant a vetch in coastal sand dunes to help the colony of small blue butterflies there
since vetch is the only food source for their caterpillars, but, alas the Covid restrictions have caused a postponement.

Wasps form new colonies every year and never will reuse a nest, so localised spikes or drops in numbers do occur often.
Rather understood, wasps are really an ally of us humans because they control the populations of some many real pests.


Shame about the bats disappearing like that.




Ian