wildlife

[admin]

Sanderling at Lunan Bay yesterday. My absolute favourite wader. These high Arctic birds seem to have little fear of people and run around the beach like clockwork toys.

[Maggi Young]

Even in a still photo I can see the speed of movement in those little legs! Especially in the mid-air central pic.

[ian mcdonald]

I see the AGS are going to be involved in practical conservation in the Lake District. They are helping the RSPB to propagate and replace upland plants in an area where they are being lost through over-grazing.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, a project Dave Morris is involved with, I think.  It is a large  donation that will be made, it seems - around £30 thousand pounds.

[David Nicholson]

Well, the AGS do have 'previous' for blowing holes in budgets!

[Tristan_He]

Had a beautiful experience this weekend, my first encounter with goldcrests! I mean, I've been in the vicinity of them before (or more accurately been walking through the woods with someone who knows about these things and been told 'there's a goldcrest singing in that tree over there) but never got anything remotely resembling a good view.

Well, it was a beautiful cold Novembers day and I needed some sun while recovering from a fluey cold thing, so went out to catch a few rays. I noticed quite a bit of higher pitched than usual tweeting in the rhododendrons so I stood still to see if anything emerged. Next thing a goldcrest emerged and started examining some aster stems no more than a metre from where I was standing. A minute or so later its mate joined it. They are tiny and beautiful little birds with a fine beak for picking out insects and a beautiful golden-yellow line along their head picked out by two darker lines. They were incessently active and reminded me of two little hummingbirds - how they survive the winter here I don't know. Anyway a real treat. Later they moved on the the Pinus mugo where my daughter got to see them too. They didn't seem particularly shy - Isuppose at this time of year they need to feed as much as they can.

I'm afraid I don't have a photo but I seem to remember someone posting one on this thread a few pages back.

[admin]

I was lucky enough to get quite close to some local Goldeneye this morning. Close being a relative term when it comes to Goldeneye of course!

[Cfred72]

Very beautiful pictures Fred. Thank you 

[Gabriela]

Wow! 

[fermi de Sousa]

Discovered this fat green caterpillar with big "eyes" near his head; is it possibly a hawkmoth larva?
It was feeding on Zauschneria (Epilobium) foliage,
cheers
fermi

[brianw]

Can someone tell me why the photos come and go? All the waders above have disappeared but I can see the recent caterpillars.

[Maggi Young]

No idea, Brian - all showing here for me.

[brianw]

Did a reboot and they are all back ;-)

[brianw]

Seem to have had an early visit from Rudolf, or something smaller; Roe or Muntjac.
A low branch on my Malus Red Sentinel' has been snapped of leaving a nasty gash, and all the apples gone. With 2 other shrubs debarked recently and the hole in the side of the Sorbus can't wait to see if the 2 movement detectors recommended elsewhere here actually work.
Better get the Christmas tree in before it gets reshaped ;-)

[Lesley Cox]

 :)omeone tell me why the photos come and go? All the waders above have disappeared but I can see the recent caterpillars.
[/quote]

I thought the caterpillars must have eaten the ducks, instead of vice versa.

What amazing photos we see from our Fred. The goldeneyes are magnificent an the eyes are WONDERFULLY golden indeed. Fermi's caterpillars are great too. I never get anything half so exciting.