Wildlife December 2011

[Lesley Cox]

These are so beautiful. I'd love to find some on our own trees. With so many animal/insecty things you had to leave behind Anthony, I'm glad you've been abl;e to find some interesting creatures in New Zealand. We have the South African cricket(er)s coming soon.

[Anthony Darby]

I may yet get to a cricket match? The lack of butterflies saddens me. I've only seen three species so far this summer!

Yesterday I heard some cheeping coming from the branches of a small oak tree. Close inspection yielded a nest of a silvereye (Zosterops lateralis). It is less than the size of my fist. There appeared to be three chicks in it, but the nest was really being buffeted by the wind.

[annew]

Great photos, Anthony.

[Lesley Cox]

They certainly are. I found a nest on the ground today, blown there by the strong south west winds we've had each day this week. But it looked pretty old so hopefully no damage done. No sign of any inhabitants.

[Hoy]

What kind of oak is it, Anthony? The common Q. robur?
Nice pictures by the way. I never dare go close enough to picture those small birds on their nests - I had frightened them anyway.

[Anthony Darby]

What kind of oak is it, Anthony? The common Q. robur?
Nice pictures by the way. I never dare go close enough to picture those small birds on their nests - I had frightened them anyway.

Not robur and the nest is above a busy footpath.
Correction: probably is Quercus robur.

[Anthony Darby]

Here are two pictures of the oak tree. In the first (taken from north) it is behind the two right hand wooden posts; in the second it's in the centre of the pic. Even when I'm standing directly underneath the nest the birds carry on as normal. The path is used by walkers, joggers, cyclists and the nest is close to the patch of dead leaves in the second pic, above the edge of the path, about 5' above head height.

[Anthony Darby]

Here's a scan from January's Sky magazine. The butterflies, I assume, represent summer in New Zealand, but there's something wrong with them................!

Remember the butterfly? Perhaps it's not meant to represent summer in New Zealand? Looks like a monarch doesn't it? Well it's meant to as it is the monarch mimic Limenitis archippus, aka the viceroy, which is found in North America.

[Anthony Darby]

A night and a day with torrential rain, more on than off! The wee silvereye chicks are now exploring the vicinity of their nest. The last pic shows the oak and acorns, which are pedunculate.

[Hoy]

Thanks, Anthony. Looks like Q. robur.
The birds are seemingly used to people then!
The birds here, even those I regularly feed, are very shy and timid. Probably caused by all the cats around here.

[Anthony Darby]

I spotted another nest, which may be a blackbird, but is unoccupied, in a scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea) nearby. This was even nearer head height.

[Anthony Darby]

Today the silvereye nest is empty. The birds have flown. Not a good day to choose, with torrential rain! They'll stay as a family group until the parents build their next nest.

[arillady]

A pair of willy wagtails have a nest about head height (you'd think they would learn to place it higher but then the winged predators could see it better) in the pear out the backyard - It is looking a little worst for wear so I hope the babies hatch, develop and fly quickly. I am forever being pestered by the parents when I need to water the pots there.

[Anthony Darby]

There was a black bird sitting on the above nest as I past earlier on Hogmanay.

[Lesley Cox]

Talking of cats by which I have been pestered since Teddy left us, I came home yesterday from my job at the market to find the little dog door we have in the front door, had been used by a cat which had explored the house. Roger was also away, with Cain. I would never have known about the cat except that there is a layer of dust in various places and in this were many many small paw prints. If I had seen it I would have been the wildlife. The cat situation is now way beyond a joke or what is tolerable.