Wildlife August 2011

[Maggi Young]

Looks like we could be starting a collection of "Bats on harled walls" pix!

Is "your" bat two tone?

[mark smyth]

no, just wet

[Paddy Tobin]

The fox story: no digging last night as the site was covered with a wire mesh and bleach applied to provide an unpleasant smell. However, two plant labels, metal on 40cm long strong wire spikes, were taken up but recovered and returned to position. Mary's missing "croc" was found at the front gate.

Funny foxes!

Paddy

[art600]

and run away as fast as I could . The wasps guards chased me ~30-40 meters (!) and stung me while running...Ouch!!!

I also ran away as fast as I could, but still got stung 6 times.  Still itching 2 days later

[Anthony Darby]

Wasps sometimes fly out and sting if you get within a metre of the nest, even if you are not disturbing them.

[Lesley Cox]

Mary's missing "croc" was found at the front gate.

Paddy

I thought from your previous posts Paddy, that Mary was starting a collection of crocodiles! A dangerous pursuit in view of new grandchildren. Tell her to try little fluffy things, like kittens.

[Lesley Cox]

Take an organism out of its range and strange things happen. The density per km² of the Australian brush tailed possum in NZ is far greater than it ever was in its native land.

Couple of nights ago I saw an Australian RSPCA programme which included an item about a man who was keeping two brushtail possums in captivity. He'd had them since small babyhood from mothers who's died or something and had raised them by feeding from an eyedropper to begin with. They were in great condition and obviously very happy but keeping native animals in captivity is illegal and the RSPCA guy had to remove them. Then because they couldn't fend for themselves in the wild, they were to be euthanazed. I though "how silly is that? Protect them by keeping them in the wild then kill them off because they had come from captivity, instead of letting him keep them." In the finish he was able to become a registered native animal carer and so was able to keep them but had to commit to feeding and housing in such a way that they learned to become self sufficient, and then they had to go into the bush. So sensible solution after all. I also thought. "Lucky possums to be in Australia and not in NZ." They would have been shot on sight here. Or Teddy would have had them.

[Armin]

and run away as fast as I could . The wasps guards chased me ~30-40 meters (!) and stung me while running...Ouch!!!

I also ran away as fast as I could, but still got stung 6 times.  Still itching 2 days later

Arthur,
happened just recently?

[Peter Maguire]

I noticed yesterday that there was a lot of hoverfly activity around the flowers of a hosta, probably as a result of the sunshine (a rare commodity recently in these parts) stimulating increased nectar production. Having taken about 70-80 photographs (couldn't have done that in the days of film!) whilst having a cup of coffee in an attempt to obtain some decent pictures of hoverflies hovering, these are a few of the ones that were reasonable.
I think that the species is Episyrphus balteatus.

[Armin]

Peter,
brilliant photos, I like them. Professional photographers make thousands of shots and only the best of the best are published .
Thanks to digicams one can make many shots and erase the bad ones afterwards on the PC without a financial loss.
I think your species identification is correct.

[angie]

Really nice images Peter,  professionally done.

Angie 

[scatigaz]

     Just wondered if anyone are still seeing any Swifts. I am seeing them on a daily basis including 7 today in my local colony. Hopefully i will record them in September. I find that the last hour of daylight is the best time to see them.

[mark smyth]

Gary, 150 were seen over a few hours last week crossing from Scotland to N Ireland via Galloway and over the Copeland Islands. The 20 miles crossing is nothing for a swift. It's possible Scottish swifts drop in here while on migration to feed over Lough Neagh. At the weekend 30 were seen at Lough Swilley or Inch lake in County Donegal.

Some birds still have chicks http://www.mybitoftheplanet.com/ click on diary 2011 and scroll down for updates

[mark smyth]

Masses in honey and bumblebees in my garden today and lots of hoverflies. Lack of butterflies

I went off twitching yesterday for an Osprey, Hobby and two Slavonian grebes. Didnt see the Osprey so going back tomorrow.

[mark smyth]

a herring gull has learnt to catch bats that emerge from their roost under ridge tiles

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AffGN5OYCFY[/youtube]