Wildlife -Winter 2008

[Anthony Darby]

Our postie says there are waxwings in Dunblane today.

[maggiepie]

Our postie says there are waxwings in Dunblane today.

I can't believe you still get postal deliveries on a Saturday!!

[J.B.Wyllie]

Yes They were here yesterday on my side of town.I saw them when I was chatting to Ian Y.

Jean

[Carol Shaw]

Our postie says there are waxwings in Dunblane today.

I can't believe you still get postal deliveries on a Saturday!!

Anthony post refers to the delivery of yesterdays post though we do still all get a delivery on a Saturday.

We saw Wax Wings at our local garden centre a few weeks ago, mobbing the cotoneaster bushes - I was drawn to them by the noise, David insisted he could not hear a thing... time for him to go and have his hearing checked I think

[David Shaw]

Pardon

[Anthony Darby]

 

Doesn't everyone get a postal delivery on a Saturday? I know we no longer get two deliveries per day Monday to Friday, and the post can now arrive in the afternoon ( ), but they still put it through the letter box so it lands on my hall floor. 60 odd years ago the only day the PO didn't deliver was Good Friday!

[maggiepie]

Doesn't everyone get a postal delivery on a Saturday?

I can remember getting two mail deliveries a day in Australia when I was a little kid, not sure about Saturday and can't find out when it stopped.
Apparently Canada, Sweden, Australia and Finland do not get Saturday deliveries.
You are very lucky!!

[janine]

My brother lives in just outside Dublin and he doesn't get post on a Saturday either.  I live in somerset.  We do not normally get our post until after lunch. Probably between 1pm and 3pm but we do still get post on Saturdays.

[Rob]

These birds were in a group of about five or six,  keeping close together, sitting in bushes on a golf course.
 All very dark, black-looking backs and very red breasts and underparts. Approx. chaffinch sized.

I was browsing the birdguides website Mark linked to & came across the 'lesser redpoll' as a possible candidate matching Maggi's description.

http://www.birdguides.com/pictures/default.asp?search=1&mode=search&sp=161066&rty=0&off=190856&v=1

[mark smyth]

Thanks Rob. I forgot about redpolls.

Tc do you see your stonechats in pairs or groups? I'd bet money they dont flock.

[Rob Potterton]

This bat was found by the kids in our barn yesterday, 10 foot up on a cross timber - its a clever thing because directly above is a sheet of insulated polystyrene.

[mark smyth]

A brown long-eared bat

[Maggi Young]

its a clever thing because directly above is a sheet of insulated polystyrene.

'Course it's clever Rob, why did you think it would be batty??

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

[mark smyth]

Actually said bat is being stupid and possibly will not live to see spring. It should be tucked up in a crevice with it's body temperature and heart rate very low. Some may be asking why is it called a long-eared bat? Well, when they sleep the ear is kept under the wing.

[Rob Potterton]

Looking at the photo, if they sleep with their ear under their wings then our bat was wide awake - not surprising really because there were 4 giggling children, a grandma and 2 parents staring at it ....... and Alice the cat.