my local patch and wildlife - Ian McDonald

[ian mcdonald]

I have also been posting wildlife photos. on a local facebook site. I have now been blocked by facebook from posting. Has anyone else had this happen?

[David Nicholson]

Ian, was a reason for your blocking given?

You may find this useful:-

https://www.change.org/p/facebook-is-facebook-unfairly-disabling-and-or-blocking-your-account

[ian mcdonald]

David, no reason and no reply when I posted a message on their London HQ site. I can,t even contact the local rep.

[cohan]

I have also been posting wildlife photos. on a local facebook site. I have now been blocked by facebook from posting. Has anyone else had this happen?

May of 2020 I received notice that I had in some way violated community standards (not really likely) and while there was an initial appeal process, I was told it might not be possible due to low staffing during pandemic.  Some months later, that repeated message changed to- 'we cannot review because too much time has passed' and that was that!  Completely lost access and no regaining it.
I later learned many thousands of people have lost their accounts in similar fashion- presumably due to the bots that do their policing having less human oversight, and sometimes missing the mark!
I have not tried to sign up over again, as most people say it will be impossible unless you have entirely new devices and/or internet service provider etc.

[ian mcdonald]

David, I tried the link but like facebook it does not work.

[ian mcdonald]

I went to a local pine wood to look for wintergreens but could only find Chickweed Wintergreen. Fungi are starting to appear now. I think this is Orange Birch Bolete.



A Russula species.



One of many similar brown fungi.



A magpie moth was on the heather.



On the fringe of the wood was a white flowered Heath Spotted Orchid.

[David Nicholson]

David, no reason and no reply when I posted a message on their London HQ site. I can,t even contact the local rep.

Ian, you will need to accept cookies to read the Link. Not a problem if you have your settings to wipe cookies when yo go off to do something else.

[ian mcdonald]

Thanks David. I think facebook is a waste of time.

[ian mcdonald]

Yesterday I paid a visit to the coast as I had heard that two Spoonbills were there. I usually miss out on unusual birds. When I arrived I could see two small white blobs in the heat haze a long way off. I noticed someone with a telescope and went to have a word. By the time I reached him the birds had dis-appeared. He told me there was a river channel and the birds had gone into it. After he left a short time later the birds appeared again but they were too far away for a decent photo. They then flew off to roost in some trees, where they stayed for the rest of the afternoon. All around were flowering plants of Sea Aster, A. tripolium.



Also there were plants of Scots Lovage, Ligusticum scoticum.



When I walked back to the car I passed an old town tip where many opium poppies used to grow. The smell was awful. The next photo. shows a more interesting left-over.



On a piece of short grass were several Grayling butterflies, Hipparchia semele. They are rapid fliers and close their wings on landing. It,s said they prefer coastal sites.



As I was passing a ruined Abbey I decided to call in to see if the Deadly Nightshade was still there. It was and doing quite well.

[ian mcdonald]

Today I returned to a limestone area where Broad-leaved Helleborine grow, mentioned in a previous post. A good number were in flower and I have included some images to show the variation in the colour of the petals. The Dark Red Helleborine which sometimes appears there was not to be seen but they are late flowers anyway.

[ian mcdonald]

Often associated with limestone and near the old quarry where the helleborines are is Wild Marjoram and Basil.







Common Grasshoppers were jumping in the heat.

Many flowering Eyebrights were in the quarry.

[Tristan_He]

On a piece of short grass were several Grayling butterflies, Hipparchia semele. They are rapid fliers and close their wings on landing. It,s said they prefer coastal sites.

Ian, in my experience they seem to like really dry situations. We are surrounded by heathland and the best places to go looking for them are rocky dry hilltops with patches of grass and bare ground. I guess that would also include coastal situations like cliff tops and sand-dunes.

Love the helleborine photos, really interesting range of colours. And I wonder what the monks at the abbey might have been doing with deadly nightshade....?

[ian mcdonald]

Tristan, I think the monks used deadly nightshade in medication, much the same as digitalin is used. What for, I don,t know.

[ian mcdonald]

Tristan, I,ve just been reminded of Bella Donna, strange monks. Perhaps that,s what you meant? It was also used for pain relief.

[Tristan_He]

Tristan, I,ve just been reminded of Bella Donna, strange monks. Perhaps that,s what you meant? It was also used for pain relief.

Yes, that was what I was thinking of too Ian. Then again there are a lot of mediaeval accounts of monks behaving in ways that were maybe less than what was expected...