Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527868 times)

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Offline spotty dog

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1485 on: April 03, 2019, 01:39:07 pm »
Yes Hugo size is the most obvious trait, also porpoise are quite shy, there was a mother and calf in Conwy Bay last year.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1486 on: April 03, 2019, 03:24:58 pm »
It's always nice to see them in their natural habitat Spotty Dog and to see a mother and calf is rather special.   Let's hope that we see many more of them this year


Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1487 on: May 20, 2019, 02:56:53 pm »
I have had a lot of butterflies in the garden since Easter, which is nice to see, including quite a few small blue ones, which I think look like the Great Orme butterflies, can anyone tell me if they come to the lower areas of the Orme .
While looking for more details, I came across this interesting link, well worth a look ............ http://www.llandudno.com/the-great-orme-flora-and-fauna/

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1488 on: May 20, 2019, 06:40:01 pm »
That's a very interesting link you have attached Steve and well worth a look at.     One time when I walked up the zig zag path on Invalids walk I saw hundreds of the blue Butterflies on or near the path, I've never seen as many since that time though

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1489 on: June 06, 2019, 12:33:52 pm »
Having a cuppa in the garden a few minutes ago, this visitor hung around for a time, one I have never seen one before,  unfortunately no camera, so have used a stock photo, which does not do it justice.

Cinnabar    Tyria jacobaeae   https://butterfly-conservation.org/moths/cinnabar

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1490 on: June 06, 2019, 07:03:48 pm »
Quite common in this area - they like ragwort so look on that plant for the caterpillars!

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1491 on: June 15, 2019, 10:59:19 am »
Sitting enjoying the morning sun, about 10.30 , when I heard a few honks ! took me while to register the sound, but in time to see a flight of about twenty Canada geese fly over the house, heading towards the boating lake ?                (stock photo)

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1492 on: June 15, 2019, 05:19:50 pm »
We were having a meal in Home From Home Cooking in Penrhyn Bay last night and at about 7.00 pm a similar sized flock of Geese flew overhead in a V formation and they were heading westwards, perhaps it was the same flock that you have seen Steve?

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1493 on: June 20, 2019, 09:14:29 pm »
Trying out my new camera with 60x zoom at Bodnant today!

Offline snowcap

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1494 on: June 20, 2019, 10:29:27 pm »
keep them coming DVT

Offline Ian

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1495 on: June 21, 2019, 08:17:14 am »
Canon?
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1496 on: June 21, 2019, 09:28:37 am »
Not a Canon ... it's a Panasonic Lumix ... a lot cheaper!  Well pleased with results so far.  Just need to sort out camera shake issues on full zoom!!!

The Pied Flycatcher was living up to it's name - it's a young one as not yet black and white!  There have been a number in the nest boxes at Bodnant but this was the first time I'd actually seen one.  It was sitting on the jetty for the island and kept going back there to eat it's catch.  Very fast flyer and was doing well in catching things!

The Moorhen was acting strangely - it was cutting pieces off the plant that was growing by the island at the Far End, then swimming across and putting them amongst all the plant of the same type on the edge of the pond.  Seemed to be nest-building but I couldn't find it.  Will keep an eye open next week to see what's going on.

I hadn't realised the Robin had a mouthful of caterpillar until I viewed the pic afterwards!

First pic is a Chiffchaff - very "plain" bird but sings nicely.

Offline Ian

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1497 on: June 21, 2019, 10:16:15 am »
I have a Canon with 50x optical zoom, but when you half depress the button it stores the frame which seems to ameliorate shaking quite effectively.
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Jack

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1498 on: June 21, 2019, 11:08:14 am »
Lovely photos DVT. I think the first photo is a dunnock rather than a chiffchaff but you are right it does have a beautiful song. A chiffchaff's song is very distinctive as it calls its name "chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff".

I believe the second bird is not a pied flycatcher but its cousin the spotted flycatcher. Once quite common, its population is now in free fall, and so a lovely little bird to see at Bodnant.

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1499 on: June 21, 2019, 02:15:35 pm »
Jack, thanks for the comments.  You've got me wondering now - comparing online pics of dunnock versus chiffchaff I reckon you're correct, in which case one of our bird experts was wrong as well as me!!!  There are chiffchaffs in the garden and can be heard often but rarely seen.

I am quite certain the flycatcher is a young pied variant.  A chap has been round the bird boxes (there are over 40 within the garden area, mostly at the Far End) and many did contain pied flycatcher nests and young - so I reckon this was a young one not yet in adult colours but certainly skillful at catching flies!

Attached is what I reckon was a young spotted flycatcher - this was taken near the Orme Toll Gate when I was marshalling on the Three Castles Classic Rally a couple of weeks ago - it was the first day I had used the new camera!  There had been reports in the press that spotted flycatchers were on the Orme and I reckon this is one of them.