Wildlife February 2012

[Sarmienta]

Every winter i look for bats.these are the biggest we have  Myotis myotis  or mouse-eared bat (in hibernation).
For me its the only way to get them on picture

[Armin]

Fantastic Sarmienta!
Where are the images taken? Where do you come from?

[Maggi Young]

Sarmienta.... I count at least 17 little noses -  wonderful pictures.

[ronm]

We got 20 on the first pic! great photos. Seen bats all over the world. Never cease to amaze me. Best bats experience... Mulu in Borneo. A must see before death experience! Great photos Sarmienta, more to come?

[Maggi Young]

We got 20 on the first pic! great photos. Seen bats all over the world. Never cease to amaze me. Best bats experience... Mulu in Borneo. A must see before death experience! Great photos Sarmienta, more to come?

darn... I can only get to 18...... will keep trying!

[ronm]

Just recounted 3x and only got 17 each time. suspect that ( as always Maggi ) you may be correct!
Would make a wonderful jigsaw puzzle!!

[Maggi Young]

Now I can't find where I thought the 18th one was.... Ian says 17.... helluva cute, whatever!(the bats, though Ian has a certain charm......)


Edit.... after another count!!  Yes, it would make a marvelous jigsaw.

[Maggi Young]

PS Ron... I'm not always right.....but I work hard to be the loudest.......

[jomowi]

An otter has been seen this week on Linlithgow Loch - the first time that anyone knows of.  It scampered across the ice before slipping into open water and swimming to the shore (tracked by the line of bubbles by astonished onlookers.) Even the swans and ducks were surprised apparently. It hauled itself out and disappeared into a garden.  What makes this remarkable is that although the loch and its environs is an SSSI, it occupies a semi-urban location.  It is bounded on the North by the M9 motorway, and on the South by the town. The High Street is within spitting distance, and during the big freeze last year, the swans used to come into the High Street to beg for food from the shops.

[Sarmienta]

@Armin The mouse eared bats are taken in a cave in Germany (Eifel) They are very rare in were i live .......Holland.
I don't have much picture of bats,because of disturbing them with the the warm breath (they might be awake).
Especially the Horshoe bats are very fragile.They are also very rare in Belgium and France .My favorite bat is the Barbastella last picture.
And all of you are winners     17 mouse eared bats.  

[ronm]

Told you so Maggi !!
Great pictures. Got it that the barbastellais the second picture, is the first picture the Horseshoe bats? Total respect to you for your sensitivity regarding their environment.

[monocotman]

All,
Great bat photos.
One of the few advantages of the recent very cold weather is the number of birds visiting the garden.
I had to google for this one - not seen them before.
It may be a lesser Redpoll. Some of the birds have a very distinct red moheican stripe on the head, other do not.
A group of around a dozen frequent the garden and compete with the Goldfinches for the niger seed
Also had a fieldfare that has appropriated the rotting apples under the Bramley and chases off the blackbirds, a linnet, long tailed tits and Siskens,
Regards,
David

[Anthony Darby]

We had a greenfinch pinching sunflower seeds yesterday.

[Armin]

@Armin The mouse eared bats are taken in a cave in Germany (Eifel) They are very rare in were i live .......Holland.
I don't have much picture of bats,because of disturbing them with the the warm breath (they might be awake).
Especially the Horshoe bats are very fragile.They are also very rare in Belgium and France .My favorite bat is the Barbastella last picture.
And all of you are winners     17 mouse eared bats.  

Sarmienta,
thank you - really interesting shots of some rare bats.
Just yesterday the local newspaper here reported that some bats (Myotis mystacinus) woke up from hibernating due to the current strong cold!
According to the report the bats left their hibernating homes to seek warmer places. 5 bats were found exhausted i.e. in front of house doors, under windowsills, chimneys ect. As they can't find insects in the cold usually they have to die of hunger.
Fortunately a local bat specialist was called and took care of them. He feeds them with mealworms.
The guy hopes they will survive the next coming weeks until he can release them again.

[Sarmienta]

Armin,
I just noticed that you live in the same area i visit.
I belief the M mystacinus do find problem s with these cold temperatures,because they seems to be the most common species find in every cold edge of caves or cellars. In caves all species do have there own places depend on temperature and humidity etc..
Thanks for your interest in Bats


 Picure of M mystacinus.