Getting close to wildlife - literally

[03060]

Vapourer moth caterpillar seen on one of my roses today which grow next to my Laurel hedge.

I usually see these in Autumn but this is possibly the earliest that I've noticed one ....and at about 3-4cm long, also the largest.

 

[tigerburnie]

Just had a walk round Forfar Loch, this is late on a nest

[jbqfc]

common tern and chicks Rye harbour 

 

[CameronL]

Some from our local bit of wetland - 

 

[Chrisr40]

Mouse in the garden this morning nibbling on the poppy heads. Very bold so must be very hungry.

[PhilJ W]

1 hour ago, Chrisr40 said:

Mouse in the garden this morning nibbling on the poppy heads. Very bold so must be very hungry.

They're not opium poppies by any chance?

[tigerburnie]

A Yellowhammer singing a little bit of bread and no cheese

[Kris]

Common Lizard Zootoca vivipara about 1/2 mile from my house. The were several including adults and juveniles.

 

[Chrisr40]

Friendly butterfly yesterday, it landed on the wife a few times in the space of half an hour and was content to stay.

[CameronL]

I feel it's a bit of a cheat, putting in a picture taken in a safari park, but I thought it might raise a smile or two. It's quite an old pic taken at Knowsley Safari Park. One of the Ankole cattle was lying behind another so that the one in front looked like it had four horns.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Went up into my loft a few weeks ago and found a Barn Owl. Magnificent specimen. Did not seem bothered by me being there.

 

Talking to a local about this, after a lot of hooting a few nights ago, he told me that they are very common here. The village has plenty of suitable buildings for them and a lot of open space as it is not so much a village as a collection of hamlets.

 

The mating calls last week was just two birds. Last night the whole local population decided to hold a conference. At least ten birds.

[jbqfc]

the gardening for wildlife is starting to pay off had up to six gatekeeper butterfly's in the garden at a time and also lots of bees 

Bee on cornflower 

 

Bee on Knapweed 

 

honey bee on borage 

 

a Bee and gatekeeper on achillea

 

[03060]

Having just worked 12 of the last 14 nights and suitably inspired by @jbqfc's superb photos above, a little amble on Otley Chevin with my dogs was what 'the doctor' ordered for me today in the hope of spotting a late flying Green Hairstreak on the Billberry but alas, not to be today....although as you will see ....I was not to be too disappointed in the end.

 

Not the best photo but this 'gentle', fluttery Meadow Brown  earned its photo being taken as it had just usurped a territorially minded Red Admiral from this location.

 

Several newly hatched Peacocks were strutting their stuff.

 

 

Several Large and Small Whites were enjoying the heather (and this Green Veined White.)

 

 

This secretive Ringlet was showing either lower or upper side rings depending on the strength of the Sun.

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by 03060
Captions added, plus correct id added.

[03060]

By far and away the highlight was this Wall Brown which I managed to just snatch a shot of before it was away, it teasingly briefing landed on my camera phone as it escaped.

 

The reason it was the highlight being that I have not seen one of these once common butterflies in my area for several years now and I walk out and about at least once every day. There were at least 2 individuals in the area as I observed them from another location.

 

Whilst studying their rapid flight pattern one of them teased me by settling on a nearby Ragwort but I missed a potential great shot when I couldn't locate it on screen in time.

 

 

[03060]

I met a Painted Lady whilst out upon the Moor,

 

'twas at t'top of Otley Chevin, she laid upon the floor,

 

I thought I was in heaven and my heart went all 'a flutter,

 

I asked her to marry me, for not one word did She utter !

 

 

Edited August 9, 2021 by 03060

[tigerburnie]

On 07/08/2021 at 15:30, Joseph_Pestell said:

Went up into my loft a few weeks ago and found a Barn Owl. Magnificent specimen. Did not seem bothered by me being there.

 

Talking to a local about this, after a lot of hooting a few nights ago, he told me that they are very common here. The village has plenty of suitable buildings for them and a lot of open space as it is not so much a village as a collection of hamlets.

 

The mating calls last week was just two birds. Last night the whole local population decided to hold a conference. At least ten birds.

Barn Owls don't hoot, it's usually Tawny Owls that hoot, an old country name for Barn Owls was screech, as that describes the noise they can make, though they are usually silent.

[CameronL]

Sweet Painted Lady - Elton John (crossing over to the Song Title Game here).

 

And also I've just discovered it's a Small Tortoiseshell. I don't think Elton John ever wrote a song with that title.

Edited August 10, 2021 by CameronL
Got the name wrong

[Joseph_Pestell]

2 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

Barn Owls don't hoot, it's usually Tawny Owls that hoot, an old country name for Barn Owls was screech, as that describes the noise they can make, though they are usually silent.

 

Maybe French barn owls (chouettes effrayes) talk a different language to their English relatives? Definitely a hoot rather than a screech.

[boxbrownie]

8 hours ago, tigerburnie said:

Barn Owls don't hoot, it's usually Tawny Owls that hoot, an old country name for Barn Owls was screech, as that describes the noise they can make, though they are usually silent.

We have a few Tawny Owls in the trees next to our garden and early in the year you can hear their “hooting” into the night while attracting a mate, oddly the rest of the year it’s very quiet and they barely make any noise at all.

 

Very “un bird like” at all.

Edited August 10, 2021 by boxbrownie

[Oldddudders]

I posted this last night on the Night Mail thread, but feel it has a place here, too. I was mid-way through dinner when I caught sight of this on the lawn - two others were running around like bats from hell - and grabbed a camera.

 

[PhilJ W]

We now have Muntjac Deer in the locality. I can hear their 'bark' and there are occasional glimpses of them at night. They have only appeared since the first lockdown as the only way they could have got here is by crossing busy roads.

[tigerburnie]

2 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

Maybe French barn owls (chouettes effrayes) talk a different language to their English relatives? Definitely a hoot rather than a screech.

Barn owl scream / Barn owl screech / Barn owl call / Common barn owl sound - YouTube

 

For some reason I cannot post a link for you to listen to Barn Owls screeching, there are some on  Youtube amongst other places, but Barn Owls do not hoot at all.

Eurasian scops-owl, Otus scops (petit-duc scops)

Eurasian eagle-owl, Bubo bubo (hibou grand-duc)

Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (harfang des neiges) (A)

Northern hawk owl, Surnia ulula (chouette épervière) (A)

Eurasian pygmy-owl, Glaucidium passerinum (chevêchette d'Europe)

Little owl, Athene noctua (chevêche d'Athéna)

Tawny owl, Strix aluco (chouette hulotte)

Long-eared owl, Asio otus (hibou moyen-duc)

Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus (hibou des marais)

Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus (nyctale de Tengmalm)

 

Unlike the UK France has quite a lot more Owl species, some I have yet to see, or hear.

Edited August 10, 2021 by tigerburnie

[45669]

Morning All,

 

For those living in, or visiting, the south of England, I would suggest a trip to the British Wildlife Centre which is off the A22 between the M25 and East Grinstead.  It's like a small zoo, but only housing animals that are found in the British Isles.  I went there this week and the first part of a video that I shot whilst there can be seen on my YouTube channel:

 

 

Hope it's of interest.

 

TTFN,

 

Ron.

[Phil Bullock]

On 09/08/2021 at 23:37, 03060 said:

By far and away the highlight was this Wall Brown which I managed to just snatch a shot of before it was away, it teasingly briefing landed on my camera phone as it escaped.

 

The reason it was the highlight being that I have not seen one of these once common butterflies in my area for several years now and I walk out and about at least once every day. There were at least 2 individuals in the area as I observed them from another location.

 

Whilst studying their rapid flight pattern one of them teased me by settling on a nearby Ragwort but I missed a potential great shot when I couldn't locate it on screen in time.

 

 

You are lucky! Common when I was a child but haven’t seen one for years….

[tigerburnie]

Quick those Red Squirrels aren't they lol, nice video, we used to have similar near Kingussie in Aberdeenshire, it was taken over by Edinburgh Zoo, so now it has all sorts of animals, some of which never lived here, or at least it was possibly a long time ago when we had Polar Bears in Scotland.