Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[knocker]

deleted

 

Edited April 30, 2018 by knocker

[ciel]

 

This Photographer Caught a Bird That Caught a Shark That Caught a Fish

https://petapixel.com/2018/04/30/photographer-catches-a-bird-catching-a-shark-catching-a-fish/

[ciel]

After the rain cleared this afternoon, a visit to SWT Balgavies to suss out the Osprey pair.  The loch was quiet. Eventually the male returned looking quite bedraggled and fish-less.

After drying out he hopped onto the nest where the female is now incubating.

In the meantime, treated to a trio of Red Squirrels. This little female was hogging the feeders.

Apart from the above, there were a few Swallows, House and Sand Martins  feeding over the loch.

[knocker]

[knocker]

[knocker]

Heron up the top of a tree from across the lake yesterday morning just after the sea fog cleared.

[knocker]

South Georgia declared rat-free after centuries of rodent devastation

World’s biggest project to kill off invasive species to protect native wildlife is hailed a success

Quote

The world’s biggest project to eradicate a dangerous invasive species has been declared a success, as the remote island of South Georgia is now clear of the rats and mice that had devastated its wildlife for nearly 250 years.

Rats and mice were inadvertently introduced to the island, off the southern tip of South America and close to Antarctica, by ships that stopped there, usually on whaling expeditions. The effect on native bird populations was dramatic. Unused to predators, they laid their eggs on the ground or in burrows, easily accessible to the rodents.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/09/south-georgia-declared-rat-free-centuries-rodent-devastation

[knocker]

Mozaic

 

[ciel]

 This Swallow was giving the barn a recce this morning. There have been several Swallows and Martins arriving over past day or two, over three weeks later than on previous years.

After the rabbit population was all but eradicated by a virus a couple of years ago, numbers seem to be on the increase again. This cute wee youngster is one of two born in the garden this spring. Not growing any veggies this year and so not really bothered about their presence.

 

[knocker]

Yesterday morning down at the lake

[knocker]

First moorhen chick I've seen this year

 

[knocker]

Regal

[knocker]

Follow me chaps

[knocker]

Narcissus

[ciel]

Stopped off for a short while at Balgavies Loch reserve this morning en route to Arbroath. It felt very cold, windy and was very quiet.

The female osprey was hunkered down on the nest and the male was nowhere to be seen.

 

A heron flew in, but after a drink  and preen, just disappeared into the undergrowth.

 

Excepting the resident noisy Greylags, this little Reed Bunting was the main event.

[knocker]

Nice shots, I particularly like the Bunting

[knocker]

Symmetry

[knocker]

A few shots down at the lake yesterday morning

[knocker]

A young Sparrow in the bushes on the banks of the Red River today.

[ciel]

Some fine cloudscapes today shot from the Med looking north over higher land. 

Pics taken between Meze and Sete.

Back at the rip off holiday rental ( and it is ! )  this is the "swimming pond" as promoted. I'm still contemplating whether or not I wish to swim with tadpoles, frogs and water boatmen.

It is a bonny wildlife setting though. And the waterlilies at the mo are beautiful.

 

 

 

[ciel]

This pic of Pine Processionary Moth nests was taken on a short dog walk this afternoon not more than 200m from the holiday rental in SW France.  The caterpillar hairs, which they shed, contain a highly toxic irritating substance which can be fatal to dogs and harmful to humans.

 

Due, in all probability to climate change:

Since the 1990s, this moth has been moving north through France and is now just across the Channel in Normandy and Brittany

Although the moths are not strong fliers, they could still be carried across the Channel to the UK.

https://www.opalexplorenature.org/pine-processionary-moth#/0

 

 

[knocker]

A sad state of affairs

At least fifth of British mammal species could be wiped out within a decade

'Our lives will be far poorer if our children don’t experience the thrill of seeing iconic species like red squirrels chasing one another or hedgehogs in their gardens'

Quote

Populations of much-loved British mammals including hedgehogs and water voles have dropped by up to two-thirds over the past 20 years, and many more are threatened with imminent extinction.

Even some apparently common creatures such as rabbits have been driven into decline by human pressures such as harmful farming activities and climate change. 

These findings come from a review carried out by the Mammal Society and Natural England, the first of its kind to be conducted in more than two decades.

https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/mammals-uk-extinction-hedgehogs-water-voles-squirrels-nature-farming-pesticides-a8395581.html

[Beverley Lass]

Hi all, 
Pleased to say we have lots of wildlife doing well in the garden now.
Half a dozen frogs in the pond. Doing better now that my Mallard duck has failed to nest here this year.
She was a devil for eating all my pond life ! 
Raised a nice brood of Great Tits in the bird box.  Lots of other birds nests in the hedge.
Chuffed to see a huge hedgehog a few nights too.
Here's a couple of pics, taken thru the window glass,  of one of the half dozen or so pretty Goldfinches  feasting on the Cornflower seeds.




 

[knocker]

Spot the Moorhens

[mushymanrob]

comma butterfly catterpillar