Wildlife mid 2009

[Ragged Robin]

A rash full of loveliness at any rate 

[Lesley Cox]

The Australian bower bird is, I think a relatively dull bird, but has this "thing" for blue objects, as in Paul's pictures. In the Blue Mountains garden of my friend, he (the bird) strips blue-flowered plants (and occasionally yellows as well) and also the beautiful blue fruit on the Tasmanian endemic, Coprosma moorei. Likewise ball-point pens, bits of plastic or string, bottle tops, you name it.

[Maggi Young]

The Australian bower bird is, I think a relatively dull bird, but has this "thing" for blue objects, as in Paul's pictures. In the Blue Mountains garden of my friend, he (the bird) strips blue-flowered plants (and occasionally yellows as well) and also the beautiful blue fruit on the Tasmanian endemic, Coprosma moorei. Likewise ball-point pens, bits of plastic or string, bottle tops, you name it.

Lesley, when I was searching for (food) recipes in the forum to transfer to the new Cooks' Corner thread, I found a quote from you about this very subject, stealing the precious coprosma berries .........you said you'd offered to send your friend a rceipe..... for cooking the bower bird!!

[Lesley Cox]

Now there's a thought. Give  me a few days to think about it.

[Paul T]

The Satin Bowerbird female is greens and browns, meant to blend in with the surroundings for nesting etc.  Male young are similarly coloured but as they mature to around 3 years old then end up greener than the females and rather nice (although still not exactly spectacular!  ).  Once the male fully matures at 7 years he changes to a jet black colouration with a wonderful blue sheen over the feathers (hence I assume the satin epithet).  As a mature male he definitely is not "dull".    Personally I think once he is 3 he is still notable enough with the lovely greeny tinge to him.  They collect blue things from quite early on as they mature, and will build a bower for courting the ladies.  The black males are usually dominant over the green males as far as I know, but if the dominant male is out and about the green males will practice tending his bower.  I posted pics a while back of a green male tending a bower, but my camera wasn't as up to it as my new one is.  Hopefully I can catch a male tending a bower again one of these days with my new camera, then can post more pics here.

[Ragged Robin]

Looking forward to more photos of the Satin Bower and other birds that live in your surroundings, Paul - tending the bower is a lovely idea - my male is shy of tending ours even if other males are around 

[Lesley Cox]

My male is shy of tending ours especially if other males are around.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I posted exactly the same comment here last night, but it is another that seems to have gone missing again.  Obviously for some reason these forums are rejecting postings of mine and deleting them after I have gone to bed at night.    The second one I know of that has happened recently, but I am starting to wonder how many others I haven't noticed have gone missing?

My comment was along the lines of your comment, with the additional statement .... "A guy can't be seen doing housework when his mates are around.", or something close to that.  I wonder why some of my posts are disappearing?

[Maggi Young]

I'm wondering if it just so happens that you are posting when the server is making updates, Paul, and this is why you're losing the odd post. The other night (night here in the UK, of course!) you found the site down fora while..... I'm guessing that could be a reason.
I often puzzle about the ways of the hamster in the box under the table that works this internet thingy...... why do posts get emailed out of the  order they were made in, etc?? Mysterious wildlife and no mistake!

[Paul T]

Maggi,

The ones I talk about that disappear have definitely been posted here.... i.e I see the result complete in the topic.  Something then appears to undo it and it disappears.  The second one in a relatively short time which is why I am noting it.


edit by M: Yes, Paul, this is strange... thanks for the "heads-up" on it.  I'm not getting the notifications of your "lost" posts, either... hmmm..... curiouser and curiouser 

[Giles]

Does anyone know what this is, please?
Out this evening as it was getting dark.

[Diane Clement]

Does anyone know what this is, please?
Out this evening as it was getting dark.   

Looks like a Garden tiger moth.  The caterpillars are called woolly bears.

[Armin]

Giles,
Daine,
the moths latin name is Callimorpha dominula, Scarlet Tiger (engl.), Schönbär (ger.)
A pity that it has been attacked... 

[Giles]

Thankyou both.
It was just one of those things that catches the eye.

[Roma]

A second hatching of caterpillars on the nettles.  From Antony's description these are definitely Peacock butterfly.  There is a third lot on a different patch of nettles.  I think they are also Peacock but will wait till they are a bit bigger to be sure.
I am seeing an occasional Painted Lady, the Ringlets and Meadow Browns are appearing and I have seen two or three Red Admirals in the past few days.