wildlife

[Anthony Darby]

The Edinburgh Butterfly House tried it as a publicity stunt, giving away hundreds of both species of buckthorn. The plan never worked. I even planted two in my hedge in Dunblane. Wonder it they are still there? A question was raised at one of the Gardener's Question Time programmes recorded it Dunblane asking what hedging plants were recommended. The answer came back "buckthorn to attract brimstone butterflies". Not in Dunblane they won't. You'd need a continuous corridor up the M6!

[Tristan_He]

The Edinburgh Butterfly House tried it as a publicity stunt, giving away hundreds of both species of buckthorn. The plan never worked. I even planted two in my hedge in Dunblane. Wonder it they are still there? A question was raised at one of the Gardener's Question Time programmes recorded it Dunblane asking what hedging plants were recommended. The answer came back "buckthorn to attract brimstone butterflies". Not in Dunblane they won't. You'd need a continuous corridor up the M6!

I've planted a few alder buckthorns Anthony, though more chance here I think (though brimstone are not so common in Wales either). They are just starting to get to a decent size so fingers crossed. How long ago was the Edinburgh Butterfly House thing?

[Anthony Darby]

Would have been the early 90s, I think. Would need to check. Martin Feather was the manager then.

[Gerdk]

Who has done it?

I would be glad if someone could tell me who is responsible for the cutted shoot tips found beneath a Serbian
spruce (Picea omorika).
I observed squirrels, crows and wood pigeons in that tree but unfortunately I never wasn't able to catch one of
them in the act. The problem exists since autumn.

Please have a look at the pics added!

Gerd

[Karaba]

Squirrels cut the shoot to eat the bud. In mountain forest, I often found thousand and thousand of these shoot tips in winter. I think that they eat buds especially when seeds are missing.
See also http://beaverboardwalk.blogspot.fr/2010/03/spruce-buds-and-squirrels.html

[Gerdk]

Direct hit - that was quick indeed!

Thank you Ivain!

Gerd

[ian mcdonald]

One of last years brimstones on the local patch, img. 1000379.

[annew]

Great ptarmigan shots - excellent camouflage.

[Tony Willis]

On the pond this morning. It was eating the frogs one after another. The nice thing was it washed each  one before swallowing it. Clearly well mannered.

[annew]

Our newts have eaten ALL our frogspawn.

[ashley]

Helen took a series of photos today of a regular garden visitor.

[ashley]

Wonderful adder photos Ian.  None here, thanks (?) to St. Patrick.

Angry bird: a territorial goldcrest (Regulus regulus) threatening his reflection in a window (Helen's photos, not mine).
Around this time every year we have to tape white paper inside the glass to make provocative reflections less obvious.  Just as well there are no close neighbours to wonder about our sanity

[Maggi Young]

Super photos of the Goldcrest - VERY handsome little chap!

[ashley]

They're beauties all right Maggi; the female with her yellow crest in the upper two pix, and the orange-crested male in the lower ones.
It amazes me that such tiny birds come through the winter and sometimes migrate long distances over water.
The nest is also a wonder, mostly of moss and cobwebs, and the eggs are absolutely tiny.

[annew]

Wonderful adder photos Ian.  None here, thanks (?) to St. Patrick.

Angry bird: a territorial goldcrest (Regulus regulus) threatening his reflection in a window (Helen's photos, not mine).
Around this time every year we have to tape white paper inside the glass to make provocative reflections less obvious.  Just as well there are no close neighbours to wonder about our sanity

That male really does look VERY cross for such a tiny body!