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Author Topic: Wildlife early 2009  (Read 56437 times)

David Shaw

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #420 on: May 20, 2009, 06:38:36 PM »
I'll try, Anthony, (people say I can be trying anyway) but don't hold your breath.
David Shaw, Forres, Moray, Scotland

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #421 on: May 20, 2009, 11:38:46 PM »
Cliff,

Don't worry about me chiming in again.... I'm can't get past the thought of the "wee pond" that the tadpoles came from. :o
Here are some pics of the 'wee pond' I took on Easter Monday, when I took the kids and Heidi up the hill to roll their painted hard boiled Easter eggs. I'll take some more at the weekend. Finally, Heidi relaxes in the kitchen after her walk.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Paul T

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #422 on: May 21, 2009, 12:29:47 AM »
Now there's a dog that thinks she's a person!!  ;D
Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia.
Min winter temp -8 or -9°C. Max summer temp 40°C. Thankfully, maybe once or twice a year only.

fermi de Sousa

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #423 on: May 21, 2009, 06:29:59 AM »
Now there's a dog that thinks she's a person!!  ;D
From the way she's sitting she thinks she's a teenager!
cheers
fermi
Mr Fermi de Sousa, Redesdale,
Victoria, Australia

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #424 on: May 21, 2009, 12:58:19 PM »
Well she has just passed through doggie puberty. It'll be a while before I'll can face a rare steak again! :P ;)
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/Choir/The-Choir.html

Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #425 on: May 21, 2009, 01:20:26 PM »
I thought I would share some pictures of Red Grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) that I took last weekend. I was on my way to join a local group excursion to see Gentiana verna (amongst other things) in Teesdale in the North Pennines. As I had to cross several moorland ridges to get there from Newcastle I set off early, hoping to get some pictures of Red Grouse from the car whilst the roads were quiet. I was lucky to find a pair backlit by sunshine, just off a small track, and fairly confiding - just what I had hoped for.  :D
The male bird has the rather fine red feathers over the eyes, the female looks the same except for these gaudy extras.

Peter, I really enjoyed your photos of the Red Grouse in the heather - the male looks so showy with his red eyebrow feathers but it looks as is he said something inopportune as the female is stomping away!  ;D

Did you also have luck with the Genitana verna?
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 01:40:05 PM by Ragged Robin »
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mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #426 on: May 21, 2009, 01:44:16 PM »
David! A starling feeding a young cuckoo LOL ::) It'll be a first for Europe
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Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #427 on: May 21, 2009, 01:52:03 PM »
Anthony, terrific photos of your Easter egg rolling walk - any wildlife found by Heidi in the 'wee pond'?  She is beautiful and full of character sitting on table - Weimaraner's definitely think they are human - Jazzy does too and is always in the thick of things... she is at the other end of the spectrum at nearly 14 but still thinks she is a puppy  ;D
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 01:58:28 PM by Ragged Robin »
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #428 on: May 21, 2009, 01:57:48 PM »
Saw a slow worm sunning itself on a rock in the raised bed this morning - by the time I went for my camera it was slithering underneath but it was a lovely sight so sleek and in the peak of condition with darkish sides - I think it might have been a female.  Anthony, do you think it eats ants as well as worms etc ?  Perhaps that's why the ants moved house in my previous post?  ::)
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

David Shaw

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #429 on: May 21, 2009, 02:00:55 PM »
Mark, I admit to not having seen a baby cuckoo before. The parent bird was definitely a starling, the baby was definitely NOT a starling. The whole scenario was a classic text book description of a host parent feeding a baby cuckoo. If we did not see a cuckoo, what do you think it was?
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 02:17:48 PM by David Shaw »
David Shaw, Forres, Moray, Scotland

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #430 on: May 21, 2009, 02:17:03 PM »
Anthony, terrific photos of your Easter egg rolling walk - any wildlife found by Heidi in the 'wee pond'?  She is beautiful and full of character sitting on table - Weimaraner's definitely think they are human - Jazzy does too and is always in the thick of things... she is at the other end of the spectrum at nearly 14 but still thinks she is a puppy  ;D
There's no visible wildlife in the wee pond except frog tadpoles, and the seven wee frogs I released yesterday, from the taddies on my classroom windowsill. Heidi occasionally flushes up a pheasant or spots a rabbit, but the latter soon disappear into their burrows (I was Googling 'parental care in rabbits' for my third year class today and found a web site that suggested they lived in 'buroughs'. Er ... hello ... anybody in?!! ::))

I would be surprised if slow worms ate ants, but an ant nursery with larvae and pupae may be a gourmet supper if they are not attacked? Formic acid in the eyes is not nice. :o
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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http://www.dunblanecathedral.org.uk/Choir/The-Choir.html

mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #431 on: May 21, 2009, 02:44:48 PM »
David you saw a starling feeding a young starling. They fledged this week.
http://www.arkive.org/european-starling/sturnus-vulgaris/image-A7350.html
« Last Edit: May 21, 2009, 02:48:08 PM by mark smyth »
Antrim, Northern Ireland Z8
www.snowdropinfo.com / www.marksgardenplants.com / www.saveourswifts.co.uk

When the swifts arrive empty the green house

All photos taken with a Canon 900T and 230

ranunculus

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #432 on: May 21, 2009, 07:57:27 PM »
I loved your blue tit sequence, Anthony, so I thought I would give it a try.  I discovered it is very difficult without a tripod or remote. The bird is incredibly fast and, of course, there is no warning of arrival or departure at the tiny hole in the bird box. These are my best efforts, taken in between some very heavy rain showers.
Cliff Booker
Behind a camera in Whitworth. Lancashire. England.

Lesley Cox

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #433 on: May 21, 2009, 09:58:35 PM »
They're great pictures Cliff, coming AND going. :) I hope all the young ones are well.
Lesley Cox - near Dunedin, lower east coast, South Island of New Zealand - Zone 9

Peter Maguire

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #434 on: May 22, 2009, 09:36:00 AM »
Quote
Did you also have luck with the Genitana verna?

Yes, very successful. I'm putting toegether a group of plant plant pictures from the trip which I'll put on the site over the weekend in the 'travel/places to visit' section so people can see what's around in Teesdale. We're going back in July for a second trip to see the later flowering species so I'll be able to add them later.
« Last Edit: May 22, 2009, 09:37:35 AM by Peter Maguire »
Peter Maguire
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