Wildlife March 2012

[TC]

Yes !  They run boat trips out into the gulf and stop mid channel.  If the dolphins are in the mood, they will come up to the boat.  They also have swimming with dolphin trips.  When a pod is spotted, the swimmers are put into the water a distance away.  The dolphins are so used to people that they come up for a look.  It is entirely their choice and there is no harassment by the swimmers. The whole system is well regulated.  This is also a good area in which to watch penguins.

 As you live in Auckland, I would recommend a trip to Tiri Tiri Matangi island in the Hauraki Gulf.  This is easily reached by a modern ferry from the waterfront at the harbour.  It gives you a chance to see a Takahe wandering about quite unconcerned.  As a matter of fact, they will try to mug you for your sandwiches !

At Kaikoura, we also went out on an Albatross watching trip and managed to clock 13 different species/sub species along with Dusky dolphins.  There is a wealth of sea-life to be seen in N.Z.
It's a pity that it is so far away and is now much more expensive since the NZ dollar has appreciated about 30% since I was there in 2006. 

[Anthony Darby]

Sounds fantastic Tom. There are tours from Auckland Harbour to see whales and dolphins. We haven't been to Tiri yet. Vivienne is loathed to leave Heidi for that length of time, but I suppose one of us could stay behind? It has happened. As for the exchange rate: my British pension is worth diddly squat because of it. It has lost 10% in the past year!

[mark smyth]

45 minute German programme about swifts/mauersegler/martinet noir/vencejo/gierzwaluw
http://mediathek-video.br.de/B7Mediathek.html?bccode=both

left menu, write mauersegler where it says video suche and click natur exclusiv

[fredg]

For several days we, MrsG and I, have been finding lily heads or leaves knocked off / bent in a tub on the patio.
It was a bit of a puzzle as to who or what was doing it.
Today the poop gave it away

The tub now looks like the perpetrator

[ronm]

But could he have been eating the slugs? 

[fredg]

Ron,

Those are my pet slugs, I used to feed them.
They love cheese

Edit
I hope the attached photo doesn't upset too many people

[annew]

Hi Fred, would you like some more?

[Paul T]

Fred,

Personally, I prefer cheese and crackers, not cheese and slugs. 

[fredg]

They are I believe Limax maximus.
There were several hundred at one time and they fed on wild bird seed mix, wholemeal bread and grated cheddar.
Checking on them at night and being greeted by slugs looking up at you whilst rolling cereal grain around in their mouths is a lasting image 
I never had plant damage from them except for when they would take the top surface of a pot of sphagnum peat and disturb seedlings or gemmae. In this instance I think they were eating the moss / algae surface on the peat.
Snails and other garden slugs were another story 
I was always surprised at the number of snails that gained a pilot's licence 

[Anthony Darby]

Unusual to see so many in one spot as I only ever saw leopard slugs in ones and twos. They can grow huge. The biggest one I saw was approaching 6" long!

[fredg]

Yes Anthony, the slugs pictured average about 5" (125 mm).
For scale, the large Helix aspersa (garden snail) at top left and right have a shell length of 1.5" (35 mm)

[Anthony Darby]

I think "Houston, we have a problem" comes to mind!

[jomowi]

A link to several collections of Scotland's plants and insects is now available online:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/details-11941.php

[Anthony Darby]

Why do they insist on misusing the word "bugs"?

[fredg]

Why do they insist on misusing the word "bugs"?

Probably due to the Americanisation ( Americanization) of the English language.
I think we can partially thank Microsoft for that, the rest is TV and film (movies).