Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[ciel]

@knocker I would tend towards Chiffchaff as opposed to Willow Warbler on account of the blackish legs and poorly defined supercilium.

Edited July 18, 2019 by ciel

[knocker]

55 minutes ago, ciel said:

@knocker I would tend towards Chiffchaff as opposed to Willow Warbler on account of the blackish legs and poorly defined supercilium.

Thanks ciel

[jtay]

I'm finding a lot of dead shrews on the farm track to Downton in the morning. Normally 2, or 3 new ones a day. They're not injured.

Started noticing a couple of weeks ago.

I'm wondering whether it's the lack of rain reducing their supply of worms? I hope that's all it is.

[Beverley Lass]

I like how the pigeons made the most of today's rain and had a shower,

opening up their feathers and raising their wings.   

Edited July 19, 2019 by Beverley Lass

[knocker]

Not very good but a Four Spot Chaser today (I think)

[mushymanrob]

1 hour ago, knocker said:

Not very good but a Four Spot Chaser today (I think)

common darter m8...

[mushymanrob]

dreadful paucity of butterflies... buddliea are all but empty..

[matty40s]

32 minutes ago, mushymanrob said:

dreadful paucity of butterflies... buddliea are all but empty..

Strange indeed because coming back from Rome at 4pm, we have been sat out on the marina and must have seen at least 14 different varieties....we do leave several areas very natural and have increased tree and fruit tree cover in the last 12 months.

[knocker]

The little fellas were swimming casually across the lake when they spotted some kids feeding other ducks, Instantly turbos on and 0 - 30 in three seconds

[Polar Maritime]

Just had a Kestrel fly inside my conservatry chasing a Robin, Both were flapping about for a few minutes until i had opened all the windows, Both are out now unharmed. The same happened in my shed last year..

[mushymanrob]

best day for butterflies in a very long time....

50 odd peacock
several gatekeeper, small tortoishell, painted lady, large/small/green veined white
a couple comma, red admiral,
a speckled wood, ringlet, brimstone

[Beverley Lass]

https://www.farminguk.com/news/metaldehyde-slug-pellet-ban-overturned_53580.html?fbclid=IwAR1R50NXg90NHTJRl_GlpKDLZ4BzdGD_gmSx0g-Bw4lo6PfT5I5Rc6CeHuI

I think this is very sad news for the wildlife.    

[mushymanrob]

1 hour ago, Beverley Lass said:

https://www.farminguk.com/news/metaldehyde-slug-pellet-ban-overturned_53580.html?fbclid=IwAR1R50NXg90NHTJRl_GlpKDLZ4BzdGD_gmSx0g-Bw4lo6PfT5I5Rc6CeHuI

I think this is very sad news for the wildlife.    

oh no...... that is bad news....

[mushymanrob]

in the sunnier spells there good numbers of butterflies about this year (for a change) .

painted ladies too, always nice to see these migrants from morocco ..... theres a fascinating bbc doc on these, telling the story of how they get here and back. worth watching if you can find it. dunno what its called though...lol

[ciel]

6 minutes ago, mushymanrob said:

in the sunnier spells there good numbers of butterflies about this year (for a change) .

painted ladies too, always nice to see these migrants from morocco ..... theres a fascinating bbc doc on these, telling the story of how they get here and back. worth watching if you can find it. dunno what its called though...lol

I think it's patchy though. Apart from an influx of Painted Ladies in June, a few Small Whites,  and as noted elsewhere, a very localised colony of Small Torties, butterflies have been pretty scarce. I've not seen a single Peacock yet, a species which is usually quite common hereabouts.

[mushymanrob]

On 03/08/2019 at 09:21, ciel said:

I think it's patchy though. Apart from an influx of Painted Ladies in June, a few Small Whites,  and as noted elsewhere, a very localised colony of Small Torties, butterflies have been pretty scarce. I've not seen a single Peacock yet, a species which is usually quite common hereabouts.

well i can only comment on what i can see in my garden... and thats all im doing, as such it is the best summer for a while.. although its the vanessids numbers that fluctuate the most. ringlets, speckled wood, holly blue, brinstone, gatekeeper, numbers are holding pretty firm over the last decade here.

[ciel]

17 minutes ago, mushymanrob said:

well i can only comment on what i can see in my garden... and thats all im doing, as such it is the best summer for a while.. although its the vanessids numbers that fluctuate the most. ringlets, speckled wood, holly blue, brinstone, gatekeeper, numbers are holding pretty firm over the last decade here.

That is good news, mushy. I hope your observations indicate a general upward trend in population numbers, and anticipate the publication of the upcoming release in connection with the under noted link.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/815775/Butterflies_in_the_UK_1976_2018.pdf

[Methuselah]

23 minutes ago, mushymanrob said:

well i can only comment on what i can see in my garden... and thats all im doing, as such it is the best summer for a while.. although its the vanessids numbers that fluctuate the most. ringlets, speckled wood, holly blue, brinstone, gatekeeper, numbers are holding pretty firm over the last decade here.

It's the same thing here, Mushy: I haven't seen so many admirals, peacocks and commas for years...Even small tortoiseshells have made a comeback!

Maybe it was the Beast From The East that stymied last-year's potential -- maybe not? But at least the local council has stopped treating all patches of grassland as though they are croquet lawns...so, perhaps an abundance of food plants is part of the answer, and not simply last summer's exceptional amount of sunshine?

[mushymanrob]

oh i dont imagime this years upturn in the vanessids is a trend, its just a result of favourable weather conditions for resident species, or favourable winds for migrants.

but 35 years ago, we didnt get speckled wood, comma, holly blue, ringlet, here.... they were rare as rockinghorse do-do , now they are established regular and common.

we dont get so many small tortoishells, small copper, wall brown or meadow brown.

[ciel]

On 18/07/2019 at 10:34, knocker said:

This photo was taken by a friend. We would be grateful if anyone can identify the bird.

I always struggle with Chiffchaff v Willow Warbler ID.

For comparison purposes, this bird from this morning is, I'm 99% sure, a Willow Warbler.

 

[ciel]

On the subject of warblers, another in the garden this morning.

Common Whitethroat:

 

 

[Northernlights]

Have had a big problemwith diamond back moth caterpillars both in the field on the neeps and in the garden on the cauliflower.Was too late spotting damage in garden and they ate out the heads of the cauliflower. In the field we had to spray twice something I have never had to do in over 45 years of growing neeps. I believe they come from the continent if weather conditions are favourable and can smell a field of brasscas at a distance of 10 miles

[knocker]

That feels better

[knocker]

Turbulence

[knocker]

Cormorant down at the lake this morning found it all a bit of a yawn

 

 

Edited August 18, 2019 by knocker