Wildlife - Summer, Autumn 2008

[mark smyth]

Thinking of installing nest box cameras next year? On Ebay someone is selling 3 way video connectors for a £1 plus postage. I've seen them elsewhere on the internet and Ebay for £7.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3-Way-to-1-Phono-RCA-AV-Audio-Video-Switch-Box-Cable_W0QQitemZ250290511994QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250290511994&_trkparms=72%3A984%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

[Paddy Tobin]

Two shots of a caterpillar taken today. It was walking along on a windowsill.

Anthony?

Paddy

[Armin]

Hi Paddy,
I'm not sure but it looks like a caterpillar of Acronicta psi.
But could be also Acronicta cuspis or tridens.

[Anthony Darby]

I would go for Acronicta psi the grey dagger moth. I don't think cuspis in found in the UK and the 'horn' is shorter in tridens.

[ranunculus]

Looked over our fence last evening and this gorgeous fellow appeared. Our kind neighbours have been putting out scraps for ages and they get regular (two or three visits per evening) sightings of as many as four individuals.  This one wasn't frightened by the camera flash, but disappeared when a large fox arrived to share the spoils.

[mark smyth]

ahhhh, one of my favourite mammals

[David Lyttle]

A remarkable shot Cliff - so that is what the fabulous badger looks like. May be it is common place for you to see these animals. We have a variety of small mammals round here that are without exception not wanted but no badgers. Rabbits, hares stoats ferrets, hedgehogs and of course the ubiquitous Australian possum but no badgers.

[ranunculus]

And mine Mark, and mine...!

Thanks David.  I am still incredulous that 'people' go out baiting these glorious mammals with dogs and shovels ... and in this neck of the woods and this day and age!

Nowhere else to post this, so will sneak it in here...

Noticed this 'crevice growing' tree on a bridge by the canal in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire ... the more we see of nature, the more our sense of wonder expands.

[art600]

We have a variety of small mammals round here that are without exception not wanted but no badgers. Rabbits, hares stoats ferrets, hedgehogs and of course the ubiquitous Australian possum but no badgers.

Surprised that you include Hedgehogs in your list of not wanted mammals.  Here they are regarded as friendly to gardens and are encouraged.

[Slug Killer]

Great shot and great to see. I've only seen one live badger all my life and that's when I thankfully missed it with the car.

[Gerdk]

Great shot and great to see. I've only seen one live badger all my life and that's when I thankfully missed it with the car.

Me too, saw a single one for a few seconds!  In Germany badgers live well hidden deep in the woods.

Gerd

[David Nicholson]

Badgers are reviled by dairy farmers down here as they are thought to spread TB to dairy herds.

[mark smyth]

Cliff that Ash must have been cut off tight against the brick work some time

[Michael J Campbell]

This is something that has puzzled me for years. A spider in the greenhouse uses a piece of grit to to hold tension on the web. I have been trying for years to see how it manages to do it, but have never witnessed it making a web. The grit is swinging from the web about 30cm above the bench. it is obviously passing on the tip to its offspring for I am sure the same spider has not survived that long.
I have to show the pics in three parts because it was difficult to photograph close up,and you will have to look closely at the grit to see the  string of web.

[Paddy Tobin]

A very clever spider!

Paddy