Wildlife May2010

[Roma]

I moan a lot about roe deer eating my plants, but it's sad to hear of them being injured on the road.  My daughter, who lives near me heard a bang this morning about 7am and looked out to se a deer sitting on the road.  She was going out to move it when a bus stopped and the driver got out to move it.  She was getting dressed to go out and check it's condition when her neighbour across the road phoned to say it was on her patio.  It was a heavily pregnant female and was bleeding badly from both ends.  Yvonne phoned the vet but it had died before he came.  It is not always possible to avoid hitting an animal but surely the driver who struck it could have at least moved it off the road.

Three weeks ago when driving home at nearly midnight a tawny owl flew into my car.  I turned and went back to check its condition.  It was lying at the side of the road.  I wasn't sure whether to put it further off the road and leave it or take it home.  I decided it was better to take it home and check for injuries so put it on the back seat of the car.  By the time I got home it had recovered consciousness and was not wanting to be caught.  I wanted to check it's wings and legs, but my husband opened the car and it flew off.  I hope it found its way home.   

[Anthony Darby]

On Monday I followed a buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus lapidarius) around the garden. It visited Aubrieta; Viola sp.; Vinca minor and finally Fritillaria meleagris.

[alpines]

Following on from my earlier posting of the robin's eggs, I just got back from a trip to England and they have hatched.
It was not possible to photograph the four hatchlings without stressing them, but with a long lens, I managed to take this shot of one of them.

[Gail]

Following on from my earlier posting of the robin's eggs, I just got back from a trip to England and they have hatched.
It was not possible to photograph the four hatchlings without stressing them, but with a long lens, I managed to take this shot of one of them.

Congratulations on the happy event - lovely picture too.

[mark smyth]

swifts are back

[Arykana]

It's already May 

[Lesley Cox]

I love all these wildlife pictures from around the world, so many animals and insects, arachnids and birds which I'd never see, otherwise. Specially like the black bumble bee, brightening up his life with a pair of orange knickers. Many thanks to all who post pictures here.

[Maggi Young]

We call those Bumble bees  "ginger bummed" can't think why  their name is "buff", I though buff was neutral sort of beige colour?

Lesley, see this new thread for really big wildlife....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5433.0

[Lesley Cox]

Yes I think that heffalumps are FANTASTC and I hope we'll see many more of them on John's thread.

Perhaps the bumble is buff tailed as in "in the buff" or naked, the orange seeming naked compared to the black?

[Maggi Young]

Yes I think that heffalumps are FANTASTC and I hope we'll see many more of them on John's thread.

Perhaps the bumble is buff tailed as in "in the buff" or naked, the orange seeming naked compared to the black?

Ah, yes, that seems logical........... I'd never thought of un-frocking a bumble bee to find a little ginger body underneath!

[mark smyth]

The Seasons on ITV just now is very interesting

[Anthony Darby]

Yes I think that heffalumps are FANTASTC and I hope we'll see many more of them on John's thread.

Perhaps the bumble is buff tailed as in "in the buff" or naked, the orange seeming naked compared to the black?

Ah, yes, that seems logical........... I'd never thought of un-frocking a bumble bee to find a little ginger body underneath!

I must hold my hands up and say this confusing talk of things buff is because I have led yous astray. The Buff-tailed Bumble bee is Bombus terrestris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee). My pics are of the Red-tailed Bumblebee. http://www.bumblebeeconservation.org.uk/bumblebees_id.htm

[Maggi Young]

Oh, Anthony, really! Tssk!

[Anthony Darby]

Got my bumbee knickers the wrong way round.

[Michael J Campbell]

Anthony,if a bumbee stung a bumbees bum what colour would the bumbees bum be?