Useful information Shane. Thanks. We had a couple of bat surveys done in our woods, and we found up to 6 different species in an evening, which shows it is good feeding habitat. None of them rare, but encouraging. We didn't handle them as we are not licensed, but we saw them, and they were very interesting. The long eared bat was particularly interesting as it furls its ears when it is not flying so they look rather odd.
Was rather encouraged to see that a green down the road from us that hasn't been mowed for a bit is now producing a good range of downland flowers. Found in flower; wild thyme, yarrow, knapweed, scabious and one of the bedstraws. The grass is dry and brown, but the flowers are carrying on.
there was squeaking outside the window, under a second for the few squeaks to give direction, as i located it a grin took off from the wall top 2 m away with a sparrow in its paws
tt is sad for the sparrow, so am i, but i am pleased we still have a grin
as i put calories and physical and flora adjustments in at the bottom of a created environment and enhanced food chain that makes the area as "rich" as a much larger habitat, it is nice to see apex predators at the top as well as a wide diversity of other lifeforms etc
sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
Posted: Tue Sep 06, 22 10:46 am Post subject:
We saw, I think, a sparrowhawk the other day piling into the sparrows that were on the feeder and they have been rather scarce since then.
It probably only took one or two, but the others may have scattered or gone quiet in hiding for now. When the peregrine is around the pigeons change their habits and fly low.
sgt.colon
Joined: 27 Jul 2009 Posts: 7380 Location: Just south of north.
Posted: Wed Sep 07, 22 8:56 am Post subject:
A few have made a wary reappearance MR but not as often at the moment.
We put a small pond in our back garden last year, just tucked away in a corner, doesn't get loads of sun so I wasn't sure if wildlife would like it in there but........I was out there yesterday and spotted this. I'm well pleased.
Nice. Our pond needs a complete renovation, as it has a hole in it, but we need to dredge the bottom and find somewhere to put it while putting in a new liner. As it goes into the chalk, we have to have a good liner or the water just goes straight down and comes out of the tap a couple of months later.
gz
Joined: 23 Jan 2009 Posts: 9456 Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 22 1:22 pm Post subject:
Good to see
We don't have a pond, but we do have frogs and toads around the garden... They are slacking on the slug patrol... Or we just have a lot of the vege munchers
Have been down to Dorset for a couple of days and visited Brownsea Island again. There were enough red squirrels to see variations in tail colour in particular; some had black, some grey and one even had a white tip to its tail. One had some white on its underside, but we couldn't see most of them. Lovely to see them all. We didn't go round the lagoon as we wanted to go to the Scout/Guide centre on the other side of the Island, and didn't want to walk too far. Also went with son and DIL, so had to be careful about the tracks we used for her wheelchair.
I am afraid I don't know Dpack. There is nothing to say that they have or haven't. The squigees looked healthy enough anyway.
Just wish slugs and snails wouldn't eat everything I try to grow. There are plenty of weeds for them. I have an interesting weed in the garden that I have to identify; one of the dandelion family with prickly leaves. Looking in Keeble Martin I have narrowed it down to one of two, so have to take the book down the garden today.
rare breeds dandelions are ace fun, there is a triffid type one in my youngest lavender, they seem happy, it will be gone soon, hope it can seed before the weather turns
Have now identified it as Bristly Oxtongue - Helminthotheca echioides. Not the Latin name given in Keeble Martin, but it has probably been renamed, along with any number of others. We also have hemp agrimony growing and flowering in our lawn.
I'm well pleased.
View Latest Posts