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Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.


Jane Louise

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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

A slightly better pic this morning. He's certainly in top form at the moment.

 

Wren 22.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

There have been a couple of swans on the boating lake at Perranporth for quite a while and as in past seasons they had some eggs and hopefully some cygnets to come. But I was talking to a woman this morning down at the lake and sadly the pen has been killed. It was thought by a fox but the according to the vet it looks much more likely to be a dog.

I wonder whether the cob will fly away and come back with another mate? This happened a few years ago at Swanpool, although that was a fox, and he came back with another mate.

Edited by knocker
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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

^ A similar story here. The last time I was at SWT Balgavies ( return of the male osprey posted above ), there was a note in the hide that one of the regular swan pair had been killed by a collie.

The reserve does tolerate dogs-on-leads in the reserve, but a couple – descriptions provided in the note – had been walking with the dog,  out of control and unleashed when the attack took place. I think there is a video of the incident too.

I’ve not been back to Balgavies since, so don’t know whether or not the couple have been traced (or prosecuted).

Edited by ciel
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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.

Dogs should be kept on leads at this time of year unless on open ground as wildlife is far to busy and become easy pray for dogs especially by the waterside.

Here my Mrs Wren just now tucking in for the night.

20170519_181025.jpg

Edited by Polar Maritime
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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

There is a big notice down at the local country park which says dogs not permitted in the area around the lake, But I've seen a number of people with dogs, mostly on a lead but not all, I still wonder whether the disappearance of all the cygnets last year was down to a dog(s).

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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

Paid a quick visit to the sand martin quarry this afternoon, but there is still not much activity. The quarry has been in a gradual state of collapse over the years, and so maybe the habitat is becoming less safe for their burrows.

Rabbits, however, after having been almost eradicated last year are back in numbers. This poor chap appears to have an injury to the right side of his head. The left ear seems to be working fine, though!

5921aa15d9f5f_Rabbit-ear2.thumb.jpg.7c4f866e51e872637b61ea40aa377fa6.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Exile from Argyll
  • Location: Exile from Argyll
On 2017-5-19 at 18:12, knocker said:

There have been a couple of swans on the boating lake at Perranporth for quite a while and as in past seasons they had some eggs and hopefully some cygnets to come. But I was talking to a woman this morning down at the lake and sadly the pen has been killed. It was thought by a fox but the according to the vet it looks much more likely to be a dog.

I wonder whether the cob will fly away and come back with another mate? This happened a few years ago at Swanpool, although that was a fox, and he came back with another mate.

Did you see the latest on the cob; he had a lucky escape but might have been better to relocate him altogether.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-39991386

Witnesses to the latest attack, on Saturday, described three or four springer spaniels pinning the swan down as he tried to make his way down the beach.

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne
37 minutes ago, Gael_Force said:

Did you see the latest on the cob; he had a lucky escape but might have been better to relocate him altogether.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-39991386

Witnesses to the latest attack, on Saturday, described three or four springer spaniels pinning the swan down as he tried to make his way down the beach.

I'm not sure how relocation works. For example they could pop him down to the local lake here with the other swans but I'm not sure they would accept him.

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

A senior member of the St Ives squadron

cocked.thumb.jpg.7444505d34b7271f3492430f5c6be278.jpg

There are seven more tiny ducklings. They were swimming around in what I took as some sort of algae but on closer inspection I'm not sure. A bit odd.

tiny.thumb.jpg.7b3dd23cc05e067cb9a4ec9ef8614c30.jpgcircle.thumb.jpg.bbb19063310bbc9c512e3c09d71952b6.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

On the subject of dogs and in particular dogs off their lead. I was down at the country park this morning in the area next to the lake where notices clearly state, "dogs not allowed - wildlife area". An elderly couple passed me with one dog on a lead and the other running around as if demented. If they had been couple of hours earlier then they couldn't have helped passing very close to the four older ducklings having a rest next to small pond. :angry:

Not only that, the park covers a large area and the small area around the lake is where dogs are not allowed. Well in theory.

 

chicks.jpg5922fea3bfe43_chicks3.thumb.jpg.90f152ac656d3320674baa13b9a47d94.jpg5922fed86ee40_chick4.thumb.jpg.a665b563633420e4df89e94f74c6a954.jpg

 

 

Edited by knocker
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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

Fish farm parasite plague lays waste to wild salmon

Quote

Farmed salmon on sale in supermarkets are killing off their wild cousins by filling the oceans with infestations of sealice, according to a study.

The number of wild fish fell by more than 50 per cent after the worst outbreaks of sealice. Lice cling to the flanks of salmon and eat their skin and flesh.

Even a handful of the lice, which thrive on salmon farms, can be fatal to young fish.

“Returns were more than 50 per cent lower in years following high lice levels on nearby salmon farms,” according to the study published in Aquaculture Environment Interactions.

Plagues of sealice in Scotland and Norway have cut production of farmed salmon and pushed up the price of fish. The lice have also developed resistance to standard pesticides.

“Wild salmon populations were already under pressure from climate change,” Samuel Shephard, the report’s co-author, said. “Now we know it is getting hammered by the lice as well.”

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/fish-farm-parasite-plague-lays-waste-to-wild-salmon-fdmwccncl

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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

Some observations from the garden, this fine morning.

Housebuilding

SP03.thumb.jpg.3848bbf66a6c5dd4b014778054cb9a00.jpg

Mobbing

mob02.thumb.jpg.121bb5de4337558ed70e2c63210b41ee.jpg

Sunbathing

sunbathing.thumb.jpg.899c6d92c29ef20d471f56012ebc6ddc.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

My main observation is I'm quite convinced the Jackdaws have me under surveillance  I sneak out early doors when it is very quiet and top up the bird feeders. Within a minute of completion mayhem reigns

On a more mundane level

wood.thumb.jpg.47c9e4cecd3d339bb16d6990b488852c.jpg

Edited by knocker
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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.

Blackbird chicks are coming on well, And the Wren chicks must of hatched as it's collecting worms like there's no tomorrow!

20170529_102921.jpg

20170529_103447.jpg

Edited by Polar Maritime
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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

^ Yes, there is some frantic foraging at the moment. He looks a bit weighed down.

foraging.thumb.jpg.7e647ac7f6d6eae27c3541867aacb2f2.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.

The young Blackbirds have flown the nest this morning, It looks like the Swifts are starting to build a nest in the outhouse now on the wooden perlin and and Wren is still busy feeding the young.. 

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Posted
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.
  • Location: Derbyshire Peak District South Pennines Middleton & Smerrill Tops 305m (1001ft) asl.

Just been in the outhouse and the Wren chicks are 'chilling' happily together. With there mother chirping away in the plantation at the bottom of the back garden.

20170607_184416.thumb.jpg.ec11615ef13852e7f91316f0f53a7a5d.jpg

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
1 hour ago, Polar Maritime said:

Just been in the outhouse and the Wren chicks are 'chilling' happily together. With there mother chirping away in the plantation at the bottom of the back garden.

20170607_184416.thumb.jpg.ec11615ef13852e7f91316f0f53a7a5d.jpg

 

 

They look almost ready to fledge, PM.

I still don't know the location in the garden of my Wren's nest, but the male continues to sing from various posts.

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Posted
  • Location: Camborne
  • Location: Camborne

I took these snaps of a bald Great Tit the other day looking like a miniature vulture. I have seen one or two others similar. Apart from the head the rest of the plumage seems fine and they appear to be active enough. I searched around on the web for a reason for this but only came up with stress as the explanation so if anyone can shed light.

593cd73311b08_stress2.thumb.jpg.7ae7e8a0ebb6603f16a6bf43c60d119e.jpgstress.thumb.jpg.ccb93fee36db46914965a2b99a912a7d.jpg

Moving on the three earlier ducklings are quite big now and still in the family group

adult.thumb.jpg.41163090beee108092c8f8d4ac05f08e.jpg

And the single one is still going strong although it's bit of a toe curler

chin.thumb.jpg.f42fe0e341fafc83b39a6f0af031f7fd.jpg

Up, up and away

593cd9224366f_up3.thumb.jpg.962ac12839410d756595c56607be8921.jpg

And the new kids on the block

family.thumb.jpg.af66ae43be52c01aada5065810c54a87.jpg

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Posted
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell
  • Location: Fettercain/Edzell

Visited Dirleton Castle and grounds today, having a few hours to fill while my dog was receiving her third, and penultimate cycle of chemo in Edinburgh.

Quite a few "Sidneys" in the grounds. Have to say, I was quite surprised, as I thought the red variety were well established in East Lothian.

5941865d2730e_0greysqu.thumb.jpg.83786a56a0d9e74ac621b9448016b1a2.jpg

 

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