Wildlife summer 2012

[angie]

Just the thought of seeing Pine Martens and Badgers in my yard would be amazing.  So very cool.

Mark,

I want to know what anyone watching you photograph the poop was thinking. 

Paul I would have prefered to see a nice slice of chocolate cake whilst I am having my morning coffee. My husband laughs at me as I really would like a hedgehog in the garden and I am always looking at the deposits in my garden. We have our garden all fenced of to keep the rabbits out as they were a real problem but its now been 10 months and I haven't seen a rabbit  so I haven't been closing the main get in the hope that a hedgehog family appear.

Not a coward - a reflex reaction against the unknown. I don't mind touching slugs at all, but if I accidentally touch an unseen one while weeding, I jump a mile.

I am exactly the same, once I was pulling the dead leaves of my Clemisa and I was pulling a frogs leg, what a scare I got when I saw it. Will look out for the pine martens tonight, it was just after 9pm when I saw them, watch this now that I will have the camera I won't see them again.

[Paul T]

If you're successful, please post a pic.  That goes for the Badgers too. 

[mark smyth]

Paul it was a toff who asked what I was doing so just imagine a posh English voice

[fredg]

On a return visit to Site 3 today I spotted something hanging onto the bottom of a leaf in the middle of the pond. I took a shot at full zoom and hoped for a result.

Whooooooo! 

[ronm]

The exuvium of a Dragonfly,

[annew]

My swift babies are getting ready to go  They are doing press-ups on their wingtips!

[mark smyth]

hard working babies

[Anthony Darby]

They do that for a week or two. I reared a fledgling once. Its intake increased 10 fold once it started exercising its wings. Had to resort to feeding it "Minced Morsels" as I didn't have a moth trap in the caravan in Norfolk!

[jomowi]

Well, I got a scare tonight. Went to feed my koi which are housed in my polytunnel and what was sitting staring at me, two pine martens.

Angie 

Wow, Angie lucky you with pine martens.  I'm sure conservation societies, eg RSPB, Deeside Field Club etc. would love to know how close to the City they have been seen.  Stayed at a B&B once in Glencoe and the pair there bring the youngsters to feed on half-coated digestive biscuits! (You'd rather eat the chocolate, Angie, and breathe on the martens!!) Netta in Craigellachie curses the pine martens because they kill her red squirrels.  Haven't been on the forum for ages, - you know why, but when I got your email, I just had to find the time to look in.

Davey and Ron - My only slot in the near future to go an check up on the bing Helleborines is this coming Sun. am. Timing should be about right.  Will report back.

[ronm]

Looking forward to the update Maureen, thanks.

Sadly one of the rarest British insects I'll see this year, . Aglais urticae, The Small Tortoiseshell. OK, somewhat tongue in cheek, but should be one of the most common, but seems to be declining in numbers rapidly

[Paul T]

Welcome back Maureen. 

[ronm]

A sudden 'explosion' of these in the garden today. Sympetrum sanguineum, the Ruddy Darter.
From one seen a few days ago we had 22 individuals today. Five couples were pairing and three laying eggs.
This is not a rare species but still nice to see the flashes of red as the males chase the 'mozzies' through the garden

[mark smyth]

100s or maybe 1000s of Green-veined whites in a field in County Fermangh
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=471832182835496&oid=161033603993234#

[jomowi]

Paul I would have prefered to see a nice slice of chocolate cake whilst I am having my morning coffee. My husband laughs at me as I really would like a hedgehog in the garden.

If I had known you wanted a hedgehog Angie, I could have given you one before I left Aberdeen.  I had to eject 2 (or the same one twice!) to the field at the back, because they got tangled in the fruit nets which were there to keep the birds and grey squirrels out.  You can't win.  Yes, I guess deer would eat your strawberries.

Thanks for the welcome back, boys, - I'm not really back full time.  Have been away, and am up to my eyes with internal house alterations.  Too much catching up after the workforce go home at night, and too tired by then to do anything besides.

[johnw]

No doubt Anthony and Lesley will be out in their rowboats just about now.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/undersea-eruption-creates-pumic-raft/story-fn3dxix6-1226447601191

johnw