Getting close to wildlife - literally

[Tim Hall]

On 19/06/2021 at 14:16, Flying Pig said:

While I'm at it, a couple of orchids have popped up in my parents' back lawn this year, which has been left uncut recently as requested by one of the conservation groups, to feed pollinators (though unless they have taken to eating grass pollen they'll go hungry here).  Just Common Spotted I think, but I'm not an orchid expert by any means.

 

 

 

Yes, common spotted I think, but I'm no expert on orchids.

[Flying Pig]

7 minutes ago, Tim Hall said:

Fairly sure it'll be skylark that far north. Woodlark are birds of lowland heath such as the New Forest and some areas of Norfolk/ Suffolk, no known sites for them anywhere near there.

 

No, certainly woodlark and this is a regular site with about three pairs annually.

[Tim Hall]

6 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

 

No, certainly woodlark and this is a regular site with about three pairs annually.

Really. I am surprised, fair enough.

 

[Flying Pig]

9 minutes ago, Tim Hall said:

Really. I am surprised, fair enough.

 

 

Not to labour the point, but the BTO has this distribution map for woodlark from 2008-11 data.  The northern cluster  of sites includes Sherwood Forest (where my friend was previously familiar with the species) as well as various heaths and commons in Yorkshire.  The particular site we visited is well used by the local dog walkers, most of whom seem to be unaware of the identity of the bird singing over their heads.  Fortunately it is quite extensive and there are plenty of ditches and mires, so much of it is actually little disturbed.

[03060]

On 19/06/2021 at 18:48, PhilJ W said:

The yellow one looks like common ragwort but that is a Eurasian plant so its probably not even related.

 

A good plant to keep an eye out  for during summer months as it is the foodplant  for the black and orange striped caterpillars which then become the beautiful Magenta and dark grey Cinnaber moths ....although farmers and horse owners tend to pull it out as it is poisonous when eaten to cattle, etc , I believe.

[jbqfc]

2 hours ago, 03060 said:

 

A good plant to keep an eye out  for during summer months as it is the foodplant  for the black and orange striped caterpillars which then become the beautiful Magenta and dark grey Cinnaber moths ....although farmers and horse owners tend to pull it out as it is poisonous when eaten to cattle, etc , I believe.

 

yes very poisonous to horse and cattle you cannot miss the caterpillars

 

[hmrspaul]

Quick visit to Askham Bog, in York - nice and close for the monthly Tesco raid. 

At a remarkable distance I was surprised how well my camera caught a Four spot chaser

 

But the real surprise was some small metallic blue beetles which I am pretty sure are Alder leaf beetle. I am particularly fond of Chrysomelid beetles (one was the basis of my work success! but that is a different story). However, I was very surprised to read that this species was assumed extinct in the UK in 2004 as it is now quite widely spread. 

 

 

Paul

[Barry Ten]

Young woodpecker and father:

 

[Barry Ten]

This orchid came up in our garden this Spring. We've had a couple of orchid experts look at it and both independently identified it as a Southern Marsh-Orchid:

 

 

Whereas this one from last year, in a different part of the garden, was  Bee Orchid. It didn't come back this year but we've been told

it might reappear:

 

 

 

 

 

[boxbrownie]

We were sitting out having a cup of tea on Wednesday when just a few feet away on the path marched a juvenile Partridge, very odd looking bird and one we have not seen before at the house, I assume it got lost and flew/wandered down from the fields.

[Poor Old Bruce]

I came across this in my garden on two days ago.

 

 

My book tells me it's an Elephant Hawk-Moth. It measured up to the 54mm across the wings as in the book. In years past I have  found the caterpillar in the garden as well.

[farren]

After my last post in this topic I have been waiting to try and grab a photograph of the two occasional visitors the green woodpecker and the sparrow hawk both seem to like the pear tree. And I either haven’t had my phone with me or wasn’t fast enough. 
 

Though I managed to get a Photo of a Red Kite which turns up about 11.30 every few days.
 

Though not a brilliant image the bird is beautiful, especially considering I’m in the middle of Leicester 5 minutes from the General Hospital. 

 

 

[tigerburnie]

Another from our local cliffs, a Fulmar sat on it's nest/scrape

 

[J. S. Bach]

On 24/06/2021 at 06:41, Poor Old Bruce said:

I came across this in my garden on two days ago.

 

 

My book tells me it's an Elephant Hawk-Moth. It measured up to the 54mm across the wings as in the book. In years past I have  found the caterpillar in the garden as well.

So that is where the design for the Vulcan bomber came from!

[melmerby]

Spotted in the garden a short time ago, unfortunately in a corner and the light was low so difficult to get a decent shot.

It was about 75mm long and hiding under a piece of broken pot (which  I replaced afterwards)

 

 

Taken with flash which didn't really improve the image much over a normal shot

Edited June 21, 2022 by melmerby

[03060]

Common Newt (I believe) lovely little creatures which used to inhabit the garden pond at my Mothers house (since sold) and the dairy herd pastures behind which have sadly been recently built on and I doubt that the new owners of the house kept the pond either. 

[Axlebox]

Common Marsh Orchid with wild strawberries...Butterwell Coal Disposal Point Northumberland

 

 

 

[CameronL]

This was taken on the way back from a seal-spotting trip off Puffin Island, Anglesey. Gulls were following the boat - possibly because the fishing trips dump their unused bait at just about the same spot. 

Seals as well - 

[mow]

Have been watching kestrels near Clifton Suspension Bridge over the last 2 weeks. Five birds have fledged and have been sitting on rock outcrops close to the path at the top of the hill. 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/51268841753

 

 

 

[melmerby]

47 minutes ago, CameronL said:

 

 

Bag of chips sighted, closing in for snatch..........

Edited June 28, 2021 by melmerby

[CameronL]

28 minutes ago, mow said:

Have been watching kestrels near Clifton Suspension Bridge over the last 2 weeks. Five birds have fledged and have been sitting on rock outcrops close to the path at the top of the hill. 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/16582147@N07/51268841753

 

 

 

Fabulous pics. Can I ask what kit you use?

[mow]

 

[Barry Ten]

This chap turned up yesterday:

 

 

[PhilJ W]

7 hours ago, Barry Ten said:

This chap turned up yesterday:

 

 

Toad in the hole? Hat, coat and gone............

[Clagsniffer]

Had this fluttering about my garden this afternoon, I don’t recall ever seeing one before. After a bit of Googling I’ve tentatively identified it as a speckled wood butterfly, can anyone confirm? Rather pretty I think.