wildlife

[Anthony Darby]

I agree Ian. These butterflies, and others, like the grayling, have so many local forms that could be wiped out by this sort of interference.

[brianw]

These Pheasants are in my and neighbours gardens everyday. Sometimes as many as 6 hens, but rarely more than 3 cocks.
They let me work in the garden too as long as I don't approach them directly, and sometimes wander past me while I am working. If I don't notice them and walk too close they take off suddenly. Can be quite a surprise if I am looking at pots not for big birds. They mostly scavenge the bird feeder spillage and stand underneath looking up apparently saying "more". Not needed the rat traps in the background for some months now. Appear to find a lot of things to eat all over the garden.
That is the problem.
Planted out a group of mature Hellebores recently to the right of where this photo was taken, and started filling in and edging with a number of other plants. Last week I planted 5 pots of Erythronium dens-canis, all in bud. Today I noticed not 1 bud left. Just stalks. They also seem to like a deep pink primula 'John Fielding' but leave the similarly coloured sax close by. I have several lots of tulips about to come into flower.
I get the feeling my garden is going to end up with lots of protective netting around.
Not seen the deer recently thankfully.

[Roma]

Interesting colour variation in the pheasant hens,Brian.  I don't see them in the garden but a black pheasant cock has been around for about 5 years.  He feeds under a neighbour's bird table and I see him a lot where my ponies graze.  He usually roosts at night in a pine tree, but not always the same tree and makes a terrible noise as he flies off to bed.   I have seen three other cocks around but have not seen a hen this year.

This morning I saw a squirrel collecting dead grass from a pile of strimmed grass and lawn mowings, rolling it into a ball and off up into the trees.  I saw her do this at least 6 times.

[Roma]

Managed to catch the black pheasant tonight.  He was rummaging in the straw I feed to the ponies and would have ignored me if I did not look at him but as soon as I got the camera out he started walking away.  I can never get close enough for a good picture.

[johnstephen29]

Beautiful bird roma, we only get the usual ones down here.

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Roma, a farmer friend told me the term for this type of black pheasant is melanistic. This is the opposite of leucistic, which means a white form.

[brianw]

The pheasant markings are quite variable. A very dark cock was around last year but not seen it lately. The white neck collar is not always present on some.

[Anthony Darby]

Been there. Had to identify 6000+ spiders, mostly "money spiders" - there's 100+ kinds in the UK,  for my honours project, from 85 monthly collected pitfall traps on the island of Inchcailloch in Loch Lomond. Looking at their naughty bits under a microscope stretched the patience! One species was originally described in my identification book (British Spiders by Locket and Millidge) with the male and female being different species in different genera. I caught the second Scottish, and first male, specimen of it:(Walckenaeria incisa)!

[Matt T]

Sounds like heaven, Anthony! The Linyphiidae are my favourite group. I'm still working through some samples collected last summer but can't seem to find enough time. Less seed sowing would leave more time for spider ID 

[Anthony Darby]

I still have my Olympus VMZ microscope, bought in 1978. Interesting looking at the distribution. My supervisor said the distribution of spiders in L & M reflected where they lived and where they went on holiday.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks Anthony, Chris and Matt.

[ian mcdonald]

Sloe shield bug img 0534. Bog bush cricket img 0060. A pair of tigers, img 00055. A damsel img 013.

[Matt T]

Tricky one, Ian! Is it a diminutive birch?

[ian mcdonald]

Sorry Matt, good try though.

[Anthony Darby]

Alder?