Wildlife early 2009

[Anthony Darby]

Here's some pics of my tadpole tank with some more froglets ready to be released. The species is the only one found in Scotland Rana temporaria, the common frog.

[Paul T]

Cute!!

[Lori S.]

With my meagre photography skills, I'm afraid this is the best photo I could manage of our nesting black-capped chickadees.     They were terribly secretive while incubating (such that we weren't sure they were still using the box), and now are tearing around like little black and white darts, as they feed the young!

[cohan]

a few days back, on the main farm;
interesting how this spot has changed: when i was still living at home, the farm was much more heavily grazed, and while there was as much (or more) forest, the grassy areas were all pretty well cropped low--now in many areas, grasses reach full height of several feet or more; also those years were drier, so i remember this area looking more or less like a lawn, with a little temporary pond after spring melt--we used to wade in it sometimes...
the last couple of years, there has been water all summer, and ducks and shorebirds etc..not 'deep' water, but at times a bit of a job finding a place to cross without filling my rubber boots; not quite as deep yet this year..
not quite sure of the id of this bird--maybe a sandpiper or yellowlegs, my book is a bit too limited...
the other is obvious enough--an interloper in this habitat--american robin..
btw, shots taken from a ways off with zoom, so not so clear..

[Ragged Robin]

Wonderful shots, Cohen, and the plumage camouflage of the first two is perfect....glad to see an American Robin our and about! 

[Paddy Tobin]

Great shots, Cohen.

Paddy

[cohan]

thanks robin and paddy--
robin, you are right, they are well camouflaged--except that they seldom stand still...lol
i was mostly shooting blind, i couldnt really see them from where i was, i would just follow the movement..
cohan

[Paddy Tobin]

Cohan,

That's camera "shooting", I presume. They don't seem to have enough flesh to warrant cooking.

Paddy

[cohan]

Cohan,
That's camera "shooting", I presume. They don't seem to have enough flesh to warrant cooking.
Paddy

funny you should mention that--personally i dont eat any carcasses at all but i when i was trying to id it, i read that yellowlegs sp (this bird or similar in size--trying to think of a comparison--body size maybe like a young svelte pigeon!) were popular game birds at one time--not too fleshy each, but easily had in good numbers!

[Ragged Robin]

Incredibly happy to find we have a frog in the garden!  I have never seen one here before but it seems to be happy in the shade of the chalet amongst the damp grass.  No water available in terms of a pond but I think we should create something and then maybe he will stay and eat some of the snails 

Common Brown Frog - Rana temporaria

Where conditions are harsher, such as in the Alps, they emerge as late as early June

[Peter Maguire]

Cohan,

Your wading birds look to be Solitary Sandpipers (Tringa solitaria) - the white ring around the eye is one of the important identifying features.

Peter

[Gerdk]

While taking pics of the 2 remaining green frogs (last year about eight) I also noticed 2 damselflies.
Also attached here are some photos of plants in and around the pond.

Aponogetum distachyos, Iris versicolor, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (around the frogs) and Haplocarpha rueppelii (loving the boggy conditions outside), together with Crassula helmsii (syn. recurva)

Gerd

[Armin]

Gerd,
nice pond life! A pity the other frogs did not survive winter. Or were the breakfast for a heron?

[cohan]

While taking pics of the 2 remaining green frogs (last year about eight) I also noticed 2 damselflies.
Also attached here are some photos of plants in and around the pond.

Aponogetum distachyos, Iris versicolor, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (around the frogs) and Haplocarpha rueppelii (loving the boggy conditions outside), together with Crassula helmsii (syn. recurva)
Gerd

looks like a lovely pond! we have frogs all over the yard--have to watch for them when mowing!(which we havent started yet, grass is just getting going..) and toads usually around buildings where they like to bask in the sun..

[cohan]

Incredibly happy to find we have a frog in the garden!  I have never seen one here before but it seems to be happy in the shade of the chalet amongst the damp grass.  No water available in terms of a pond but I think we should create something and then maybe he will stay and eat some of the snails 
Common Brown Frog - Rana temporaria

congrats on the frog i'm not sure if they need ponds for regular life, or just for breeding? we have frogs all over the yard in summer (havent seen any yet) and i dont think they are in reach of open water daily--though we have heavy dew most nights in summer...
in wet areas we have a kind of tree frog in large numbers that make a lot of noise at night...lol

peter--thanks for the id--i was leaning toward sandpiper, but it was just a tiny image at the bottom of the page as a 'similar bird'