Wildlife August 2010

[Lvandelft]

Foxes are incredible smart. Here in the dunes they get fed too along the cycling paths in the dunes. They are waiting until one stops and will come to people, but they don’t even move when you pass by.

[Gail]

Not a common sight around here - the yellow tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)
but they are obviously attracted to the seeds inside pine cones and the Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) is feral in many parts of Australia.

cheers
fermi

Fascinating birds Fermi.  The various white cockatoos and Moluccans are fairly common in bird collections over here but I don't think I've ever seen a black one.
Picture is my son with a Moluccan at Desford bird garden in Leicestershire many years ago.  Sadly the cockatoo was stolen and I don't think they recovered her.

[fermi de Sousa]

Gail,
it's a pity that Australia doesn't take advantage of the demand for these birds (mainly the sulphur crested cockatoo) overseas to make some money out of them! Instead they breed up, destroy crops and then farmers get permits to "cull" them! I know that exploiting them is a problem and the illegal trade in these birds is worse than rare plants! But there has to be a middle ground.
And "No" I'll not try to export any myself Though I have nasty thoughts towards them as they are currently in their vandalistic stage and ripping daffodils and the early liliums to shreds!
cheers
fermi

[Anthony Darby]

We used to have a Moluccan called Sinbad, until we found out she was a Sindy. We then lent her to Edinburgh Zoo (for their breeding programme) but she died.  The technical reason given was inanition.

[Gail]

So sorry to hear this Anthony.  Breeding programmes for Moluccans seem to be fraught with dangers; I've heard of females been killed by over-aggressive males.

[Maggi Young]

I'm told it is tricky to get such birds to adjust to changed situations and so that might cause a failure to thrive. Underlying medical problems can also cause an inability to either take food or gain nourishment from it... happens with dogs, too.

[ranunculus]

Three images captured yesterday of a hawker (species/sex please?) that landed very conveniently on Sue's pink cardigan as we walked around a public garden.

HAWKER

Please click on each image to expand.

[Ragged Robin]

An amazing set of images Cliff - Sue obviously welcomes Hawkers 

[FrazerHenderson]

not really wild more slightly peeved at having to stand so still for so long..

[TheOnionMan]

Just chased a LARGE female wild turkey out of my garden.  No pictures, I was too distressed by the immediacy of the scenario.  Happened to look out my bedroom window, and noticed the scene, a large turkey sitting in a raised dirt crater she created (a nest) in amongst my newly prepared area where I planted about 2500 trillium seed (of 20 species).  You'll all probably think I was mean, but I had to nip this one in the bud and chase the turkey away. This turkey has been hanging around recently, and I can't tolerate the potential damage that might (will) occur if allowed to nest here and raise a brood of young ones, there's enough wild open spaces nearby that she can nest in.  The crater was surprisingly wide and deep, fortunately just missing my in-situ-sown Trillium beds.  I didn't want to resort to covering the whole area in wire mesh, but it looks like I'll have to, at least temporarily.

[Ragged Robin]

Earlier in May I posted a photo of a gorgeous group of cygnets on the river, 8 in all.  This is the same group raised by two amazing and dedicated parent swans who have watched over and nurtured them 

[mark smyth]

8 is an excellent number to survive to this stage. Very often there are only 2 or 3

[Armin]

Great images from everybody.

McMark,
I can imagine your inner annoyance and it puts a smile in my face . Don't think I'm nasty but my experience is that animals seem to have a fine sense to exactly occupy well prepared places... Either cats, dogs, squirrels, birds or even a large wild turkey

[alpines]

Not sure if I've posted a pic of this beauty previously, so forgive me if I have but thought you might like to see our friendly neighborhood "Orb Weaver" (Argiope aurantia). It's about 1.5 inches in length and is non=poisonous, although it can give you a nasty allergic reaction if it decides to bite you. Note the turquoise colored 'orb' and the zig-zag web.

[annew]

What a beautiful photo, Robin! And also the spider - I have pet ones too, the biggest are in the compost heap. My indoor 'friends' give me a perfect excuse for not dusting in the corners!