Wildlife Corner

[Stanley]

That is good David. I wish we had that level of bird population here.
I've just been laid in bed watching two Jackdaws getting something off the slate roof opposite, I suppose its lichen.
That could be the reason here as well Peter but I think numbers were falling before the present outbreak.

[Tizer]

Yes, in general they were slowly falling here too but this change seemed to occur in a matter of days.
On a positive note, at least the plant life is thriving here. The council is good at planting a wide variety of species and it makes for a very pleasant environment in which to live. I think Tripps has seen Vivary Park in Taunton and will know what I mean.

[MickBrett]

Nosey visitor yesterday afternoon. I see lots of acorns around at the moment so these guys will be happy.

[Stanley]

I used to love watching them hiding nuts under the wings of cars when I was in Northfield MN.

[Tizer]

There are old walnut trees growing near us and the squirrels love the nuts. They bury them in our potted plants - the soft compost makes it easy. The following spring we have to pull out the sprouting walnuts that they must have forgotten about.

[Cathy]

Oh bless! It must be hard being a wild animal.

[Tizer]

Don't worry about them Cathy. It's only a few they forget - we see them rooting out most of the others and carrying them away for a good meal! There's a wide variety of trees grown here by the local council and squirrels here will never be hungry.

[MickBrett]

I managed to finally get a better picture of old Sam the groundhog before he goes into hibernation. I look forward to seeing him/her next year.
The apple on the ground was the incentive

[Stanley]

He looks well fattened up for the winter....

[Stanley]

See THIS Guardian article on the decline of the Alaskan Snow crab. I suspect this could well be connected to global warming and climate change but the scientists aren't being definite, there isn't enough evidence.

[Tripps]

Having never eaten any type of crab in my life - I can't say I'm too bothered. It makes a change from the usual crab story where an army of invading crabs is marching across the North Sea, and will wipe out all out all our ordinary decent British ones. See also American Signal Crayfish who are a nasty bunch of foreigners, who have malign intent towards us.

[Stanley]

I thought about Wendy. All poultry in England have to be inside from today.
(Part of Wendy's November challenge?)

[Stanley]

While we are looking at a wet windy day and a wind chill of -5C Margaret is looking at this....



A stingray in Hamelin Bay, WA ten minutes ago.

[Wendyf]

I just heard the first curlew call this year. Its wonderful to look back through this topic and find that I post this news each year between the 15th and 23rd February.

[Stanley]

Lovely. Nice to know something's sticking to the hymn sheet Wendy!

[Tizer]

I'm proud to announce that the first batch of our own frog spawn appeared in the pond today! It's good to know that the frogs approve of our efforts to give them a good environment.

[Wendyf]

Our pond is just waking up, the frogs are gathering but we probably need a sunny day for action to start! Another sign of spring is that we had the first egg laid today after the hen's winter lay off.

[Stanley]

Stand by for news from Norfolk!!
(Earth to Jules........)

[Cathy]

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[Tripps]

Loosely wildlife I suppose.

I have killed three flies in the last few days. One on my desk, one on the bathroom door, and one in the Kitchen.

In each case I sneaked up on it, and just squashed it with a finger. Now that has never been possible before as usually when I get within a foot or so,they spot me and are away - quick as a flash. Even the use of a rolled up copy of the Racing Post has from time to time proved largely ineffective.

This time they fatally just carried on browsing.

I wonder what is going on? They're the first flies of the season and may not have properly 'woken up' or perhaps I have developed super powers in that field.

I'm puzzled. Other members please observe and report how your flies are behaving.

[Stanley]

David, you may have developed the same skill that Ernie Dawson of Thornton Hall had. He could kill flies by bringing his finger up slowly behind them and squashing them, just as you describe. The thing about Ernie is he could do this any time of the year and couldn't tell me how he did it.
I suspect you may be right, it's early and the ones we see are old knackered ones that have been hibernating.
I've only seen one fly so far, that was outside in the yard.
On another matter. How come there have been no further mentions of frog spawn? I have been scanning the horizon for signs of Julie......



Ernie Dawson

[Wendyf]

My frogs are just getting going, snow and ice delayed them but they were very busy yesterday! Can you see the owl in this still from the security camera? He knows the pond is a source of food. In the second photo he is tucking in to a large frog.

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[Stanley]

Lovely Wendy.... That's a bonus seeing the owl!

[Tizer]

Regarding the slow flies...keep in mind what I've written in the Science thread about neonicotinoid insecticides being sold widely in garden centres. They act on the nervous system of insects. I forgot to mention in that post that the same `neonics' are being sold for things like killing dog fleas. They're showing up everywhere (the neonics, not the dog fleas.)

I read that an episode of the Attenborough `Wild Isles' programme will feature the terrible state of rivers in Herefordshire. The Wye and Lugg are badly polluted but it's not the water companies letting out sewage - it's chicken poo which is rich in phosphorus. Now here's a statistic for you - three-quarters of all the chickens produced in the UK come from Herefordshire. And most of the chicken farms are owned and run by the giant US agro company Cargill. They raise the chickens in 6 weeks then send them for slaughter to be sold in our supermarkets for £4 a time. Most of the chicken poo is sold to farmers to spread on their fields but mush of it simply runs off into the rivers. The residents of the county are up in arms because no new houses can be built because the phosphorus levels in the rivers means housebuilders can't meet Government guidelines.

[Tripps]

Regarding the slow flies...keep in mind what I've written in the Science thread about neonicotinoid insecticides

Yes - I did. I haven't seen another fly since so it's a work in progress. I'll get back to you.