Wildlife in the Garden - June 2014

[Steve Garvie]

Many thanks Mark!
This is exactly the sort of information I am after. It's good to hear that they are fairly easy to attract. I should be able to find a suitable position about 3 metres up for a box.

We often have swifts overflying the area above our house and indeed the numbers seem to have increased recently (presumably due to the non-breeders you refer to).

It would be great to be able to watch swifts up close!

[johnstephen29]

Hi Roma I liked your picture of the red squirrel, wish we had them down here instead of the grey interloper.

[Anthony Darby]

waxworms seems to be the preferred diet for hand rearing swifts but they're expensive

In the 1970s you couldn't get waxworms, only mealworms.

[mark smyth]

I should be able to find a suitable position about 3 metres up for a box.

I forgot to saw they need a clear flight path in and out. Watching them on camera is good but sitting out for the last hour of daylight is better. They put on a fantastic air display. Last ones home last night were at 22.55

[mark smyth]

Not in the garden but

Another Scottish hen harrier has been killed while at or close to the nest
http://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/the-untouchables-strike-again-yet-another-illegally-killed-hen-harrier/

[mark smyth]

Some swift videos from this morning

chick getting fed


bangers then a nervous new arrival. Bangers is a word used to describe swifts looking for a nest site. They bang at possible nest holes to get a reaction. Breeding swifts shout out together, duetting, to say the nest is occupied


my own springwatch

[Steve Garvie]

Very impressive!!!

[mark smyth]

Thanks. This could be you next year. A young guy over here who started in April '13 got a breeding pair and non breeding pair within four weeks. This year he has 5 pairs with three pairs on eggs

Did you make your boxes? PM me your address and I'll put a CD of swift calls in the post tomorrow.

[mark smyth]

Some of you may be interested in how busy swifts are at this time of year feeding chicks

sunrise 04.48
feeding rates under eave box 9 - 3 11-day old chicks
1st leaves at 04.41 2nd 04.53. 05.19, 05.22, one broods, 06.12, one broods other leaves 06.21, other leaves 06.36, 06.54, 07.10, one broods leaves at 07.43, 07.55, 08.20 broods until 08.42, 09.03 stays to brood, 09.48 broods,
10.42 both leave 10.48, 11.26 broods, 11.39, 12.19, 12.26, 13.07 broods, 13.25, 14.34 broods, 14.45 broods until 15.01, 15.37 broods until 15.54, 16.07 broods until 16.18, 16.53 broods until 17.49, 17.51 broods until 18.06,

feeding rates under eave box 1 back - 2 3-day old chicks. One adult always stays
1st leaves at 04.44. 05.22, 05.57, 06.38, 07.13, one broods other leaves at 07.22, 07.57, 08.43, 09.26, 10.04, 10.30 one broods other leaves at 10.40, 11.20, 11.53, 12.30, 13.04, 14.40, 15.45, 16.48, 17.47,

[Maggi Young]

Pesticides and their impact on beneficial creatures - like BEES -  have been discussed at various points in the forum - such as :

From: annew on April 05, 2013, 08:55:17 AM
Please be(e) aware that neonicotinoid pesticides including imidacloprid are implicated in serious declines of bee populations. It would be wise to only apply these substances, if at all, to plants after flowering to avoid passing on to bees through the nectar or pollen.

Maggi Young:  In the UK it seems that the govt. minister will not follow the advice of a committee report that such pesticides be banned :   petition and info about this  here :
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/ban-the-pesticides-that-are-harming-our-bees#petition


March 16, 2014, 10:24:23 PM » Lesley Cox
Talking of bees, we seem to have fewer honey bees each year and not only the honey industry but the horticultural and agricultural industries on which NZ relies so heavily, are deeply worried about the effects of insecticides and other issues which are having a damaging effect on bee populations. So they should be worried.

Having said that, a few orchardists and market gardeners I know through my Farmers' Market life, have begun using bumble bees as their main pollinators and with great success. They are now able to buy small colonies of bumble bees (I believe 2 species are used) in specially built boxes and these are placed in small paddocks, tunnels, glass houses or wherever there is a crop to be pollinated. The bees live in the little boxes and come out in the day to fly and feed, and so pollinate. More boxes can be used in large areas. I was told (a couple of years ago) that a colony in a single box costs about $20NZ. Of course there's no honey by-product.

March 16, 2014, 10:45:29 PM » Arnold T
We have been dealing with this for a bit longer.  The theories are many as to the cause of the Colony Collapse Disorder.

I've read that  it's  a new generation of   insecticides  called Neonicotinoids, which has a similarity to nicotine and Genetic Modified Organisms (GMO's).

The pollen from these GMO's are not digested by the bees so they literally starve with a full stomach.

Here is Today's news report and podcast   on
Neonicotinoid Ban, Groceries Code Adjudicator Conference, Agricultural Journalism
Availability:   7 days left to listen    Duration: 13 minutes  First broadcast:  Wednesday 25 June 2014 -
"The agri-chemical company Syngenta has applied to Defra for a derogation on the EU ban on neonicotinoids so British farmers can plant seeds treated with the insecticide this autumn. Without it they warn next year's crop of oilseed rape could fail. Environmental campaigners say the request is "outrageous" and the ban is in place to protect pollinators.
It comes as a group of international scientists publish a review of 800 scientific papers looking at the impact of neonicotinoids, the most widely used agri-chemical in the world. It claims they are damaging a wide range of invertebrates, such as earthworms, bees and butterflies; the effects of which could spread up the food chain to birds and reptiles. The analysis, known as the Worldwide Integrated Assessment, recommends tighter regulation and a dramatic reduction in global use - if not the total phasing out of neonicotinoids.
Anna Hill chairs a discussion between Guy Smith, vice president of the NFU and Nick Mole from Pesticide Action Network, a group that campaigns to reduce pesticide use."
Podcast here : http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b047bsy6

[Maggi Young]

A petition to protest against the attempt to overturn pestcide ban :

https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/david-cameron-uphold-the-european-ban#petition

[Roma]

Shield bugs spotted on a rowan tree yesterday

[Chris Johnson]

Shield bugs spotted on a rowan tree yesterday

These could be Hairy Shieldbug Dolycoris baccarum, Roma. Quite scarce and coastal in Scotland.

The first image is an adult, the two together are late instar nymphs.

Chris

[mark smyth]

Some of you may be interested in how busy swifts are at this time of year feeding chicks

I should have said each time they return they come back with 300-500 small insects. What do they eat?
http://saveourswifts.co.uk/analysis.htm

[shelagh]

Getting few pics today in the garden I spotted this little jewel.  I think it may be a moth it is under an inch across.  I attach two photos one to show how small it was and the second a close up or as close as I can get.  Has anyone any idea of its name?