Author Topic: Seen today  (Read 999875 times)

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6250 on: 21 July, 2022, 08:58:39 pm »
Today we had our 3rd damselfly visitor to our garden.
Except it wasn't a damselfly, it was our first dragonfly.
And I didn't hear Pingu saying from outside that it was actually a dragonfly and so I didn't go out and I missed it.
 :'(
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6251 on: 29 July, 2022, 10:13:00 pm »
Cycling to Mr Tesco's Emporium of Toothy Comestibles, along a leafy lane, a barn owl flew across in front of me  > < that close.  It was Very Exciting.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6252 on: 30 July, 2022, 09:51:58 pm »
I think we saw a peregrine flying over our holibobs accommodation.

ravenbait

  • Someone's imaginary friend
  • Pudge controls the weather.
    • Someone's imaginary friend
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6253 on: 04 August, 2022, 10:39:11 am »
My first mouse spider! In our bath last night on the way to bed. We're pretty far north for these guys.

And he was there again this morning, after I went to all the trouble of fishing him out to go about his important spidery business. I can't have bath-obsessed spoods in the house, so out into the garden with him.

Look at that furry butt!



Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6254 on: 04 August, 2022, 11:22:35 am »
The only reason for a spider being in the bath is because it fell in and can't get out.
Leave an old towel or something draped over the edge and they'll bugger off and get on with being a spider.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

ravenbait

  • Someone's imaginary friend
  • Pudge controls the weather.
    • Someone's imaginary friend
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6255 on: 04 August, 2022, 01:21:51 pm »
Thanks for that. It would never have occurred to me to leave a spider ladder without someone suggesting it.

Spiders go into baths for water as well as falling in sometimes. Sometimes they can get out. Sometimes they can't. This one could have got out if he'd really wanted to by climbing the bathmat, but was clearly having a fine time there.

So I moved him.

Sam
https://ravenbait.com
"Created something? Hah! But that would be irresponsible! And unethical! I would never, ever make... more than one."

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6256 on: 05 August, 2022, 06:39:21 am »
Was actually Wednesday but eating dinner looked out the back window and saw a red kite cruising round the school field behind our house. Buzzards are common now but only the second kite I've seen over my house

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6257 on: 05 August, 2022, 12:18:58 pm »
This lunchtime, watched the local raven mafia staking out a neighbour's hen-run.  At 20 metres they looked exceedingly large and black. Natch, as soon as I opened the window to get a pic they buggered off.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6258 on: 06 August, 2022, 04:07:20 pm »
The Sparrowhawk we suspected of taking the Thrush fledgling. Sitting in the garden, there’s a sudden commotion in the Quince tree that is 2m from me. A squawking Sparrow flew out, followed by a larger bird, that then returned and briefly perched in the Quince, which let me identify it, before flying off. It was under that same tree where we found a load of feathers and down last week.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6259 on: 06 August, 2022, 04:52:34 pm »
And this, a Hornet Mimic Hoverfly, Volucella Zonaria, feeding on a Hebe. It’s about 25mm long. First one we’ve seen here in 20 years, and my wife gardens all day everyday (well has for the last 13 years since she retired). Maybe the heat…

Hornet? by Richard Fletcher, on Flickr
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6260 on: 06 August, 2022, 08:31:28 pm »
Not seen today, nor yesterday: swifts. Normally we don't have to wait long in the summer for them to go screaming past. If they've all gone already, it's quite a bit earlier that in previous years. I have seen the odd one into September before now.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Basil

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  • Help me!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6261 on: 06 August, 2022, 08:38:33 pm »
Likewise, lack of swifts worried me this week.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6262 on: 06 August, 2022, 08:41:19 pm »
Loads of geese and I mean maybe 70 to 100 in about 4 skeens. Did wonder if were migrating in our out but thought too early then they all decended onto a lake in the garden of a mansion near my allotment. Wonder if they had been out in the marshes overnight which are probably 5 miles as the crow/goose flies

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6263 on: 06 August, 2022, 08:50:31 pm »
Some rather scrawny magpies around here atm. I wonder if the food supply is drying up.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Basil

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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6264 on: 06 August, 2022, 08:52:44 pm »
Pied wagtails.  Nothing unusual about that I hear you say.
Indeed, there are generally 1 or two wagging around the park or car park most mornings.   But today there were masses of them, 20 or so all quite close together.  Some sort of meeting?
They're not flocking birds.  I've never seen anything like that before.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6265 on: 06 August, 2022, 10:12:03 pm »
Likewise, lack of swifts worried me this week.

Yep, we commented today about a lack of swifts this year, just the odd one or two.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6266 on: 07 August, 2022, 06:47:58 pm »
Likewise, lack of swifts worried me this week.

Yep, we commented today about a lack of swifts this year, just the odd one or two.


We've had them - whether in similar numbers to previous years I don't know - but I suddenly noticed a couple of days ago that they weren't there. I checked my records. Last sighting last year was 16th August, 18th August 2020. So if they have gone, it's a fortnight or so early.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6267 on: 07 August, 2022, 07:21:11 pm »
Mine are back again.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6268 on: 08 August, 2022, 01:04:20 pm »
Common shrews, a couple of them in the border next to where I’m sat, fighting ove a bit of crust I threw in there.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Mrs Pingu

  • Who ate all the pies? Me
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6269 on: 10 August, 2022, 10:41:13 pm »
Still swifts here in Furrybootoon tonight.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6270 on: 10 August, 2022, 11:00:37 pm »
Buzzard over Hessle LEL control yesterday.  We advised him to head north if he fancied snacking on freshly broiled cyclist.
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #6271 on: 11 August, 2022, 09:23:49 am »
A small yellow bird, feasting on the blackfly on a Clematis in our garden.  No idea what it was. Not Yellowhammer, not Siskin, not Yellow Wagtail, although it closely resembled one but with a shorter tail, and no wagging! Never seen one before. Wasn't a finch. May have had a dark "eyeborw".  Lovely little thing.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6272 on: 13 August, 2022, 08:14:47 pm »
A hummingbird hawk moth.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Seen today
« Reply #6273 on: 13 August, 2022, 09:55:15 pm »
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #6274 on: 14 August, 2022, 08:45:13 pm »