Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[jethro]

Spotted this little fella down by the river this morning. 

 

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You're very lucky, they're increasingly rare thanks mainly to Mink. Oddly, where Otters have successfully re-established, the Water Voles have increased too, seems Otters deter Mink.

[frogesque]

Gorgeous day with some warm sunshine. Saw my first swallow of the year and also quite a few small tortoiseshell butterflys were out and about. Think spring might just be underway.

[Bobby]

Daisies are out in the fields. The Magpies are back building their nests and gathering twigs too. Saw a Sparrowhawk earlier after pigeons, don't think it got anything though.

[laserguy]

Daisies are out in the fields......

 

They're out in my lawn too, or they were until a coupla hours ago. First of many mows this season - a horrible, odious task.  Daisies - pah! Highlight of an otherwise execrable job was chopping off their laughing heads, tokens of the start of this miserable time of year. I'm hot and bothered and have to resort to my background pic of a recent blizzard scene to restore my will to live. Ah, happy days, and so recent too. Still, only nine weeks or so 'til the days get shorter. 

[jethro]

They're out in my lawn too, or they were until a coupla hours ago. First of many mows this season - a horrible, odious task.  Daisies - pah! Highlight of an otherwise execrable job was chopping off their laughing heads, tokens of the start of this miserable time of year. I'm hot and bothered and have to resort to my background pic of a recent blizzard scene to restore my will to live. Ah, happy days, and so recent too. Still, only nine weeks or so 'til the days get shorter.

Ever thought of moving somewhere North of the Arctic circle?

[Methuselah]

Talk of nice, lovely riverside cuddlies reminded me of this recent story...despite the title, it has nowt to do with disgraced MPs...

 

http://www.scotsman.com/news/odd/man-killed-by-beaver-reports-1-2892256

[laserguy]

Ever thought of moving somewhere North of the Arctic circle?

Yes - often. So wish I had the ways and means...

[jethro]

Yes - often. So wish I had the ways and means...

No Sun, dark for months on end, very little warmth.....It would drive me mad in days.

[laserguy]

No Sun, dark for months on end, very little warmth.....It would drive me mad in days.

 

You'd like it this time of year J - the sun never sets! Now winter would be heaven....

[Bobby]

Saw the first dandelions in flower today, they had been in bloom for weeks this time last year.

The willows are producing their catkins now too, the trees starting to turn green at last.

[ARTDEMOLE]

At last the leaf buds are bursting  forth. So many branches and twigs bare for so long now with greenery on. Saw a buttercup today out in the sunshine. Long tailed tits in the willow all looking for insects.

[laserguy]

Everything seems late this year - the still-bare trees seem at odds with the backdrop of blue skies and spring warmth of today. This time last year the blossoming of my cherry tree had been and gone; now the buds are at least a week from opening...

[Methuselah]

Pretty much the same here, Barrie; daff's and crocuses are out, and I'm planting garlic & stuff. But, for now, that's shallot!

[jethro]

Does noticing freckles for the first time this year count as an observation of nature? Oh and my sneezing rate has rocketed over the last week or so as the feline Willow has started to flower....can't wait for the Birch to start flowering. Oh what joy!

[Bobby]

Heard the first Cuckoo of the Spring today in the hills. The trees are starting to leaf now as well. Feels quite warm out there today.

[jtay]

You're very lucky, they're increasingly rare thanks mainly to Mink. Oddly, where Otters have successfully re-established, the Water Voles have increased too, seems Otters deter Mink.

 

 

Now that I didn't know. Everyday's a school day...

 

We've just returned from a walk and the Mrs saw another one. That'll be three different locations along a long stretch of river.

 

Haven't seen any otters yet, but the word on the lane is they are about.

 

 

Heard the first Cuckoo of the Spring today in the hills. The trees are starting to leaf now as well. Feels quite warm out there today.

 

We were just saying it can't be long until they return. They'd better hurry up, it's the Downton Cuckoo Fair a week Saturday.

 

Can't have it without them.

Edited April 23, 2013 by jtay

[Weather-history]

I have been monitoring an apple tree on Chat Moss. This was it 2 days ago. Only started to bud.

[jtay]

Haven't seen one for ages, but now it's two stoats in two days, a mile or so apart.

[Bobby]

Seen 3 firsts of the year today. Saw the first bluebells coming into flower up in the hills, another week or two and the bluebell woods should be out hopefully especially with the rain forecast. Also saw two lizards (common lizards) scuttling around in the long grass, see plenty of them when the weather gets warm.

 

And right now there are some bats flying around the street light picking off moths, Pipistrelles I think, get plenty of them here. The warm night must have brought them out, feels quite muggy out there.

Heard plenty of Cuckoo calls lately.

[jethro]

I haven't heard a Cuckoo for years  

[Nights King]

My plum tree has flowers just starting to open up and beech and ash buds are swelling so won't be long now before we are green again :-)

[Manchester_Sunset]

I haven't seen any hedgehogs in a long time :-(

Edited May 8, 2013 by SheffieldWeathergirl

[ARTDEMOLE]

I haven't seen any hedgehogs in a long time :-(

36 Million in 1950 now down to 1 million according to a report in Daily Mail online...

[laserguy]

I haven't seen any hedgehogs in a long time :-(

 

There was two really fat ones on my lawn at around 4am the other day, so I gave them some cat food. Left 'em to it and plate was empty and they'd scarpered within 10 minutes...

[jethro]

We had a Daddy Long Legs flying around today. Is it 9 months late or 3 months early?