Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[jtay]

S'up Team,

How's this for luck...

Yesterday, I stumbled across a five leaf clover on my morning walk across the fields. In the same patch, I then found a four leaf clover.

Then this morning, I found another four leaf clover in the same field (not pictured as I gave it away to a lady I met along the way).

 

 

[jtay]

Spotted an otter this morning on one of the tributaries of the Avon. It's the first otter
that I've ever seen in the wild.

Chuffed to bits, but I think I need to invest in a better camera.

 

 

[picog]

Spotted an otter this morning on one of the tributaries of the Avon. It's the first otter

that I've ever seen in the wild.

Chuffed to bits, but I think I need to invest in a better camera.

 

IMGP0017_sm.jpg

 

IMGP0017_vsm.png

Nice one jtay! You are lucky to have seen the otter. Wonder if it has a mate?

[jtay]

Nice one jtay! You are lucky to have seen the otter. Wonder if it has a mate?

 

Thanks picog.

I'll keep an eye out and will post any updates, that's for sure.

[knocker]

Pine martens recorded in West Country by night-vision camera

 

First came the beavers, appearing mysteriously in a Devon river centuries after being hunted to extinction; now another intriguing animal believed to have vanished from southern Britain – the pine marten – may also have returned from the dead.

 

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/17/pine-martens-recorded-in-west-country-by-night-vision-camera

Edited March 18, 2015 by knocker

[Polar Maritime]

Nice to see her using my box i made last year, One of many nesting in my garden. Nature at its best..

[knocker]

Great photo PM

[knocker]

Huge jellyfish surge around the West Country's shore - but many are dying in spring storms

http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2015-05-13/huge-jellyfish-surge-around-the-west-countrys-shore-but-many-are-dying-in-spring-storms/

 

Anybody heard a cuckoo yet?

[picog]

Saw my first hornet a couple of days ago. That seems very early.

Mayflower (hawthorn) still not fully out which is very late for these parts.

Saw a magpie dive into a hedge and emerge with 2 sky blue eggs in its beak. It promptly ate one and dropped the second when it spotted me. By the time I got downstairs to inspect the dropped egg, it had gone. Guessing it may have been a robin's egg.

[Terminal Moraine]

The first white Lilac flowers opened at 300 mts here on May 15th, 13 days later than in 2014 and 16 days earlier than in 2013.

The first Hawthorn flowers at the same altitude opened on May 22nd, 7 days later than in 2014 and 16 days earlier than in 2013.

 

The earliest and latest first flowering dates since I started keeping records in the early 1980s are;

 

                          Earliest                             Latest

White Lilac       April 19th 2011                June 7th 1986

Hawthorn          May 1st   2011                June 15th 1986

[knocker]

The cygnets are about a week old. Started with seven and now there are three.

 

 

[knocker]

Have been watching Springwatch this week. Some very interesting stuff and some stunning photography including some brilliant footage of the Great Crested Grebe. Can't make up my mind about the presenters.

[knocker]

Family gathering

 

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

The Chicks are nearly ready to fly getting very noisy now and no room for the mother..

[Polar Maritime]

They flew the nest a few hours ago, Lovely to hold such a delicate little thing and see it fly off for the 1st time..

[knocker]

I'm optimistic that some of the Mallard ducklings will survive this year. There have been seven for a couple of weeks now and they are growing rapidly. Came across them this morning all having a zizz in the sun.

 

 

[Methuselah]

Is it my imagination, or is there a dearth of butterflies so far this year?

[knocker]

I haven't seen that many but then I don't seem to see many any year.

[knocker]

Is it my imagination, or is there a dearth of butterflies so far this year?

 

The season should just be beginning. White admirals and silver-washed Fritillaries have emerged and and Emperors are on their way.

Edited July 10, 2015 by knocker

[Polar Maritime]

Ive seen a few Peacocks fluttering about today.

[Jax]

Just seen an Admrial and two peacocks attend my buddleia

[PeteG]

Five Red Admirals on the lavendar and too many bees to count.

[Polar Maritime]

All the Thistles are in flower here.

[Methuselah]

I've just seen a few, today, the first since April; a Large White, a Red Admiral and a nameless Brown Thing!