Wildlife early 2009

[Ragged Robin]

Two gorgeous butterflies in the Alpine meadows today:

Spotted Fritillary (Melitaea didyma)
Pale Clouded Yellow (Colias hyale)

According to Guy Padfield's ID both male - http://www.guypadfield.com/

[Armin]

What bee wouldn't want to book in there, Armin?  It's an amazing hotel!  Do you know what the fruit plantation consisted of?

Robin,
the fruit plantation consist of mainly local varities of apple trees, pears and plum trees.

All apples are harvested for winepress. Result after 4-6months of fermentation is a sour apple wine . But when mixed with 1/3rd sparkling mineral water it is the best for thirst slaking in summer
In winter times apple wine, shortly boiled with cloves, cinnamon, sugar and a dash of lemon juice, is excellent for warming up and preventing a cold! 
Pears and plums are harvested for a local distillery to make lofty schnaps.

[Armin]

Anthony, one nest is in a bush and the other is on cement.

Armin I see where you are coming from but you are wrong. The Dunnock has turquoise blue eggs

Mark,
O.k. I'll continoue the nest puzzle. The white eggs in the nest are from a Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros)?
The other nest in the bush is from a Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) or related species?

[Lesley Cox]

That sounds like a jolly good orchard Armin, best possible uses for the fruit.

[Anthony Darby]

Second nest reminds me of a long-tailed tit?

[Ragged Robin]

Second nest reminds me of a long-tailed tit?

I thought it was a possibility too.....also was thinking of wagtails as they used to nest in Wisteria against the house but never got close enough to see the construction.....

[Ragged Robin]

What bee wouldn't want to book in there, Armin?  It's an amazing hotel!  Do you know what the fruit plantation consisted of?

Robin,
the fruit plantation consist of mainly local varities of apple trees, pears and plum trees.

All apples are harvested for winepress. Result after 4-6months of fermentation is a sour apple wine . But when mixed with 1/3rd sparkling mineral water it is the best for thirst slaking in summer
In winter times apple wine, shortly boiled with cloves, cinnamon, sugar and a dash of lemon juice, is excellent for warming up and preventing a cold! 
Pears and plums are harvested for a local distillery to make lofty schnaps.

Really interesting, Armin, thanks for your detail of the plantation and what happens to the fruit - plus tempting recipes with apple wine!

Here in Valais the four winds and climate are ideal for fruit growing and the Rhone valley floor is covered in all apples, pears, cherries, plums, strawberries, raspberries using every available space, as is the Swiss habit, with vines on the slopes and apricots too.  It is a great region for wine such a Dole and famous liqueurs as in Morand - for anyone's interest - the apricot one is delicious 

http://www.morand.ch/

As this is a wildlife thread - just to say all pollinators appreciate the region too 

[Tony Willis]

This is a banana slug on a redwood in California. They can grow upto 9 inches but this is only about 6 inches. They are a major factor in the recycling of plant life in the forest.

[Lesley Cox]

Oh my God! I wish I hadn't clicked to enlarge.

[Maggi Young]

Oh my God! I wish I hadn't clicked to enlarge.

Me too!

[Ragged Robin]

You see we've got recycling all wrong - we should be 'going yellow' 

[WimB]

Some (not so clear) pictures of the Barn swallows that are breeding in my father's old carpentry workshop: normally they breed in small groups but here we have a couple for some years now that do not like companions; they chase every other couple that wants to breed here too away

[annew]

We've got our first Painted  Lady butterfly this morning. There was an article on our local radio last week telling us to watch out for "giant African butterflies" coming over in large numbers, with a three inch wingspan!!!! It transpired they were talking about Painted Ladies.

[WimB]

We've got our first Painted  Lady butterfly this morning. There was an article on our local radio last week telling us to watch out for "giant African butterflies" coming over in large numbers, with a three inch wingspan!!!! It transpired they were talking about Painted Ladies.

Since last week, we have a lot of them too, they are everywhere.

[Lesley Cox]

Since last week, we have a lot of them too, they are everywhere.

How wonderful. Don't spare the pictures please, for those of us who never have seen this butterfly.