Wildlife November 2011

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar on one of my swan plants (Asclepias fruiticosa). It's just over 2mm long.

[Lesley Cox]

Got a way to go then Anthony. Still it looks like a long 2mm

[arillady]

Anthony that was truly amazing photography  - thanks for the link

[Gerdk]

Here's a Monarch (Danaus plexippus) caterpillar on one of my swan plants (Asclepias fruiticosa). It's just over 2mm long.

Anthony, never saw this stage of this wonderful butterfly!
Coincidentally I came along Danaus plexippus near Tarifa/Spain. It was around his forage plants Gomphoricarpus fruticosus and Asclepias curassavica.

Gerd

[Lesley Cox]

I hope you'll show the caterpillar as it lengthens Anthony. It is such a handsone beastie, and then as it pupates to a beautiful jade green chrysalis, decorated with pure gold. Must be worth a fortune.

[RichardW]

this hit my kitchen window today with quite a bang for a tiny bird, found it looking dead in a bush beneath the window, didn't hold up much hope for it for but after 20 mins in the warm it flew off.

these and several nuthatch have taken to jamming sunflower seeds in the cracks between slabs beneath the window presumably to get them open, not seen them doing that before.

[Peter Maguire]

I see it has a ring on its leg Richard - did you make a note of the number to report to the BTO? 

[RichardW]

yes, although it was ringed in my garden by a friend 

[Anthony Darby]

Today Heidi had a face off with this poor cat that seems to have had a terrible crime committed upon it!

[Maggi Young]

Have to say the crime committed on the cat is not that it's been shaved but that it's owners allowed it to get in a state that required it to be shaved.... nearly every time this will be because the long-haired cat  has not been properlky groomed.
 Sloppy pet ownership .....that makes me ratty. 

[Anthony Darby]

It's the first time I've seen this cat, although the children have said there's a weird white dog living nearby that looks a bit like a poodle. Heidi knows not to get too close to a cat that stands its ground.

I found this golden bell frog (Litoria aurea) on one of my walks and brought it home to photograph before returning it to its patch of Cyperus ustulatus. These frogs are avid sun baskers and I usually see one or two in this spot. After I'd released the frog I heard a cicada. I think this is the snoring cicada (Kikhia cutora)? The book says "the male call sounds like someone snoring: 'didididididi dambo dambo dambo'"!!!! I hope I don't snore like that!

[Maggi Young]

Smart looking frog... as GREEN as a frog should be, eh?!.... are they quite common?

[mark smyth]

nice frog photos.

[mark smyth]

A white-tailed eagle from a 2010 release in Ireland has been rescued in Aberdeenshire. It's one of 5 to travel from the south of Ireland to Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-15591378

[jomowi]

A white-tailed eagle from a 2010 release in Ireland has been rescued in Aberdeenshire. It's one of 5 to travel from the south of Ireland to Scotland
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-15591378

Mark - on BBC Reporting Scotland last night, there was film of it being released back into the wild.  The problem was it wouldn't become airborne, so they had to re-capture it and take it into custody for some more TLC before trying again.