Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527674 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1350 on: August 12, 2017, 07:49:52 am »
I've noticed that there seem to be less Butterflies around nowadays but as we passed a Buddleia Bush  ( or Butterfly Bush)   I saw a few Red Admiral ones on it
Normally you get loads of different types on the plants but we only saw 3 or 4 this time

Offline hollins

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1351 on: August 12, 2017, 08:23:40 am »
Lovely photo Hugo.
They are really difficult creatures to photograph.
I have been in two butterfly houses recently by chance. not the same as seeing them in the wild I know but still lovely to see.
I took these in a garden centre in Gland, Switzerland on the way back to Geneva airport last time. There was an amazing huge blue butterfly in there but it wouldn't stay still long enough for a photo.
I think Jack was the forum's butterfly expert.


Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1352 on: August 12, 2017, 09:13:26 am »
Certainly are a lot less butterflies this year, even in Bodnant where I spend two days a week ... have seen red admirals and meadow browns plus the common cabbage white but very few of them ... and there are plenty of plants there to keep them all happy!  Actually seen more dragon-flies than butterflies this year, plus loads of damsel flies where there's water.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1353 on: August 12, 2017, 09:44:49 am »
It is strange why we are seeing less Butterflies this year.   I've noticed very few  in my garden and when I've been out with my friends walking in the countryside, it's been the same there sadly.
One thing we did notice on our last walk was that there were loads of Bumble Bees on a large Lavender strip and that was nice to see but the Bees and Butterflies are hard to photograph like Hollins has pointed out.

Offline Meleri

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A Murder of Crows
« Reply #1354 on: August 14, 2017, 04:22:06 pm »
I was woken up this morning at 5.30 by a noise on my roof, when I went outside to investigate there were dozens of crows walking about, one look at me in my Pj's and they were off. As the day has gone by more and more have arrived and no exaggeration there are now hundreds of them flying around and making a terrible noise :o Apart from impending doom has anyone an idea what they could be up to? It's like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock 'The Bird's'

Offline spotty dog

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1355 on: August 14, 2017, 04:32:15 pm »
Are you sure they are not Rooks Melery

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1356 on: August 14, 2017, 04:36:08 pm »
Rooks, are they the ones that grunt like a pig?
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1357 on: August 14, 2017, 04:48:18 pm »
I think that they must be the Ravens Fester that grunt like Pigs,    Rooks are big black birds too but they have a white beak

Offline Meleri

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1358 on: August 14, 2017, 05:01:14 pm »
They are completely black, no white beaks. I have just been outside to have another look through my binoculars and would you believe it, they have all gone  ;D Any ideas on their behaviour, whatever they are ?

Offline spotty dog

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1359 on: August 14, 2017, 05:09:20 pm »
 The old adage If you see 1Rook it's a crow if you see 2crows they are Rooks

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1360 on: August 14, 2017, 05:20:31 pm »
Meleri,  were they Jackdaws or Crows?     Jackdaws are smaller than Crows and have a grey like cap on the head.     Crows are bigger and look like the Ravens and sometimes it is difficult to tell them apart.
The photo is of a Jackdaw

Offline Meleri

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1361 on: August 16, 2017, 02:03:50 pm »
I think you are right Hugo, they do look like Jackdaws.

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1362 on: August 16, 2017, 06:32:47 pm »
We get Jackdaws around a lot, especially at this time of the year. In the vicarage garden there is a pear tree. Pears must be a favourite of the birds and when they are over ripe the juices make the Jackdaws drunk. They stagger around our lawn, eventually retiring into the hedge to sleep it off.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1363 on: September 02, 2017, 07:43:14 am »
Tellytubby sent me this photo that he saw on Facebook.  The Parrot was in Old Colwyn but apparently has been seen in Llandudno and Colwyn Bay

Offline Fester

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1364 on: September 02, 2017, 01:45:40 pm »
Oh!  Bring it my way, if anyone catches it!
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -