Wildlife - Summer, Autumn 2008

[Miriam]

Hi Michael,

Hope you had a nice trip!

The lizard in your photos is Hemidactylus turcicus, very common here.

Here is a little friend from my garden:

[Paddy Tobin]

Obviously keeping an eye on you, Miriam!

Paddy

[Maggi Young]

The little lizards are charming companions..... wonderful how many insects they eat.... but I think Miriam's green friend can eat even more.... what a handsome creature he is!

[fermi de Sousa]

I promised Mark some pics from India.
What's that on top of the building?

Is it a bird, is it a plane, is it...no, it's a bird.





About the only birdlife I was able to photograph while we were in India, this parrot and its kin were found around the Qatab Minar in Delhi.
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Ringnecks are a cool Bird, Fermi.  Interesting to see them in the wild.  Lots of perches for them at that place by the look of it. 

I'll add another parrot here, photographed recently.  This is a King Parrot, for those that don't know it.  One of the larger Australian "Parrot" species (not including the Cockatoos).

[mark smyth]

Great to see Ring-necks nesting in the wild.

Paul, I think and could be wrong, King parrots are among the few parrots that have different coloured sexes

[Gerdk]

There is no need to go to India in order to watch ringnecked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in ' the wild '. They are found naturalized in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leverkusen as well as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK (London, Surrey, Berkshire).
On rare occasions small flocks visit my hometown.

Gerd

[Anthony Darby]

Great to see Ring-necks nesting in the wild.

Paul, I think and could be wrong, King parrots are among the few parrots that have different coloured sexes

Yes Mark, the females don't have the red (except round their legs) so are green.

[Armin]

There is no need to go to India in order to watch ringnecked parakeets (Psittacula krameri) in ' the wild '. They are found naturalized in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Leverkusen as well as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK (London, Surrey, Berkshire).
On rare occasions small flocks visit my hometown.

Gerd

Gerd,
and especial in spring they are very noisy
Easily to observe in Düsseldorf, Kaiserswerther Schlosspark...

[mark smyth]

Flying over here and spectacular to see are several pairs of macaws. They are released every morning to roam but come back every evening for supper and to roost in their aviary.

Did anyone notice anything in the video of starlings in Belfast?

Here's a different video

[mark smyth]

There is a bird of prey trying to catch a starling

[ranunculus]

Just a couple of shots of birds of prey captured at a small display in Skipton, North Yorkshire on Saturday.

[Paul T]

Cliff,

That particular owl does rather look like it has sat on something unexpected and uncomfortable.  Aren't owls just the greatest.... I recently bought a book on our owls and nightjars.  The most wonderful pictures of the most wonderful birds.  Would still like to see a barn owl in person.

[mark smyth]

I have. I've had a tame one on my arm and seen wild ones, this year, leaving their nest

[Lesley Cox]

 Would still like to see a barn owl in person.

Or do you mean in barn owl?