Wildlife

Talk about anything.

Moderators: Bearbonesnorm, Taylor, Chew

User avatar
BigdummySteve
Posts: 2974
Joined: Sun Nov 20, 2016 9:16 pm
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow

Re: Wildlife

Post by BigdummySteve »

I had a close encounter of the deer kind up on the Lambourn downs, about 6 Roe deer suddenly bolted from undergrowth along the trail, all of a sudden the greenery just sprung to life all around me, nearly filled my bibshorts :lol:
We’re all individuals, except me.

I woke up this morning but I’m still in the dark
User avatar
Bearlegged
Posts: 2292
Joined: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:00 pm

Re: Wildlife

Post by Bearlegged »

Meadow pipits, an owl, and bats last night. This morning is all about the cuckoos and lots of buttercups.
User avatar
Verena
Posts: 1698
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:22 am

Re: Wildlife

Post by Verena »

Woke up to a dawn chorus of lots and lots of skylarks.

Then on the way home a hare ran with me for quite a long way.
User avatar
Verena
Posts: 1698
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:22 am

Re: Wildlife

Post by Verena »

RIP wrote: Sat Jun 12, 2021 7:23 pm And my apologies for my intemperate language but I chose it carefully.
:lol:

Sorry to hear about the baby wrens Reg.

We have a new evil cat in the neighbourhood, it shoots out from under cars or hedges and chases after us hissing - grown woman with two German Shepherd dogs :lol:

That baby barn owl though, so cute :smile:

You have a sister in Llandeilo? I was introduced to a great place there called The Hangout, spent most of the day there in fact ....
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

She's just round the corner in Cwrt Henri...

The Hangout eh? I'll ask if she knows it.

I'm sheepish about my pointless outburst now, but it was just too much. I'm usually mild-mannered Clark Kent but when I occasionally lose it it's best to stand 20 miles away with flash goggles on. The poor little broken bodies are still out there. I'm going to leave them there to embarrass the perpetrator when it next attempts to pass by. Pick on someone yer own size, or me, next time you nasty article.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
Dave Barter
Posts: 3594
Joined: Sun Jun 16, 2013 6:21 pm

Re: Wildlife

Post by Dave Barter »

Every year we get seagulls nesting on our roof. I’ve come to love these birds, so hardy, tenacious and amazing parents.

This year I set up a time lapse camera to show how the mother just sits there caring for her eggs in all weathers. You can tell when they hatch as her wings spread.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=weLVR07ajR8
Elite keyboard warrior, DNF'er, Swearer
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Any apiarists in the house? We appear to have some visitors in Coleridge Close :smile: :o .

Image

Image
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
frogatthefarriers
Posts: 777
Joined: Tue Oct 14, 2014 1:31 pm
Location: Wrexham

Re: Wildlife

Post by frogatthefarriers »

RIP wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 6:16 pm Any apiarists in the house? We appear to have some visitors in Coleridge Close :smile: :o .
Looks like a good big swarm, that, in the right season too. Well worth collecting by a beekeeper.

The saying goes:-
“A swarm in May is worth a load of hay,
A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon,
A swarm in July? Let the bu**ers fly”.

On a more helpful note, the local council usually keep a list of local beekeepers the collect swarms. Or look for a local Beekeeping club - they’re sure to know of someone.
Konia kują, żaba noge podstawia...
HUX
Posts: 485
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:51 pm

Re: Wildlife

Post by HUX »

That is a cracking swarm. Looks like a prime swarm with a mated queen. Someone's lost £200+ worth of bees there :shock: . If I had a spare hive I'd be interested in removing them :sad:
slarge
Posts: 2641
Joined: Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:49 pm
Location: MTB mecca (Warwickshire)

Re: Wildlife

Post by slarge »

What did bees do before beehives?

Saw a cracking fallow deer up here in the Yorkshire Dales - watching us watching him, then off into the woods. Plus loads of curlews, oystercatchers and skylarks. Brilliant to see birds and animals in different parts of the UK.
User avatar
ledburner
Posts: 2034
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2020 8:47 am
Location: The worsted place in West Yorkshire,

Re: Wildlife

Post by ledburner »

slarge wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 8:24 pm What did bees do before beehives?
You'd better ask the chicken or the H'egg :roll: :lol:
I hope you think you know, what I might of exactly meant.
Warning - may contain value odded typos & ither mythspellings..
User avatar
Verena
Posts: 1698
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:22 am

Re: Wildlife

Post by Verena »

Saw some brittle stars on the beach at Llangennith on Gower today, very very cool, never seen them before. When you disturbed the sand a bit near them, they walked away looking very much like aliens.

Also lots of small dark purple jellyfish, never seen those either, anyone know what they might be?

Despite all that I pulled my big girl pants up and went in for a little dip, it was too nice not to....
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Cheers Frog/Hux - yes it was quite exciting. Unexpectedly (to me) it was pretty much silent. Even close to there was no buzzing at all. I read that a swarm can be a breakaway group from another too-large group? It said in that case they're generally pretty chilled because they have no hive or young to worry about so they just sit there for a while enjoying their new-found freedom? Says that a few scouts then go out to look for a proper place to nest then call the rest of the mob over when they've found somewhere.

We called the bee lady and she came round after I'd gone out on a ride with MuddyPete which is a bit of a shame (the bee lady, not the ride - that was hilarious). Hopefully Mrs Perrin got some photos of the rescue mission.

£200!! We should have sold them to her!
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Oh, the bee lady didn't come last night after all. Here she is this morning though. Even she professed to be fairly stunned by the size of the gathering.

Image
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
HUX
Posts: 485
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2012 6:51 pm

Re: Wildlife

Post by HUX »

Glad they were re-homed. Many swarms don't survive in the wild apparently. Someone will be very happy with that colony.👍
Swarming in generally down to poor beekeeping. Their natural instinct is to reproduce, to swarm. In may/June the beekeeper can manipulate the hive to make them think they have swarmed. When the urge has passed the bees can be moved again and will carry on honey production. If a swarm occurs up to 75% of the bees will leave the hive and there will be a poor honey crop. Its interesting stuff really.........it is honestly :lol: :lol: :roll:
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Verena wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:57 pm Saw some brittle stars
What's them there things then?
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

HUX wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 8:49 am Its interesting stuff really.........it is honestly :lol: :lol: :roll:
It certainly is! Thanks for the info Hux. You got hives then? I had a good chat with the lady, who had all sorts of stories. She said the rain had helped keep them in place. She explained that the swarm sends out scouts to check out potential new homes. Upon return a scout will dance to show good the home is - gentle dances mean "not bad I suppose" and more energetic ones mean "luxury accommodation". But that's not enough, more scouts go and double check and only if they come back and agree will everyone make the effort to move. Amazing cooperation. My bro in law was chief bee research man at Rothamsted Experimental Station for decades so I need to have a chat with him again.

It deeply annoys/upsets me that so many people's first reaction with insect 'problems' is to kill them - ants, wasps, etc. Just work round them or wait until they move on. We destroy these essential partners to our survival at our peril.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
Bearbonesnorm
Posts: 23903
Joined: Sun Jun 05, 2011 8:53 pm
Location: my own little world

Re: Wildlife

Post by Bearbonesnorm »

It deeply annoys/upsets me that so many people's first reaction with insect 'problems' is to kill them - ants, wasps, etc. Just work round them or wait until they move on. We destroy these essential partners to our survival at our peril.
So true Reg. I had a lovely walk yesterday and spent some time watching the Dragon flies doing their thing by the river and the bees gorging on the gorse flowers - lovely.
May the bridges you burn light your way
User avatar
Verena
Posts: 1698
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:22 am

Re: Wildlife

Post by Verena »

RIP wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 9:49 am
Verena wrote: Wed Jun 16, 2021 10:57 pm Saw some brittle stars
What's them there things then?
https://youtu.be/WXv31OmnKqQ

woops, feel guilty about my toe wriggling now to get them to move :oops:
Didn't see any as dropping off though :lol:
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

They were gigging on the beach then? :smile:
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
Verena
Posts: 1698
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2019 9:22 am

Re: Wildlife

Post by Verena »

RIP wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:47 am
They were gigging on the beach then? :smile:
Wow, what's gone wrong here?!? Still, could've been worse...much... :oops:
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Verena wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 12:34 pm
RIP wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 11:47 am
They were gigging on the beach then? :smile:
Wow, what's gone wrong here?!? Still, could've been worse...much... :oops:
:grin: Aye, I always preview my posts. Generally they're far more embarrassing before I preview them :smile: . Come to think of it they're generally pretty embarrassing after I've previewed them too :lol: .
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
User avatar
RIP
Posts: 9007
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 7:24 pm
Location: Surfing The Shores Of Sanity Since 1959
Contact:

Re: Wildlife

Post by RIP »

Verena wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 12:35 pm https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife ... rittlestar

Try this...
Ah right, they look fun. Bit of a seahorse fan meself. Amazingly improbable creatures they are.
"My God, Ponsonby, I'm two-thirds of the way to the grave and what have I done?" - RIP

The sign outside the asylum is the wrong way round.....

"At least you got some stories" - James Acaster
redefined_cycles
Posts: 9282
Joined: Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:19 am
Location: Dewsbury, West Yorkshire

Re: Wildlife

Post by redefined_cycles »

RIP wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 10:00 am
HUX wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 8:49 am Its interesting stuff really.........it is honestly :lol: :lol: :roll:
It certainly is! Thanks for the info Hux.
Certainly is and they certainly are. The intricate workings of the honey bees also mentioned in The Quran (don't tell the Chinese Communist Party).

Pls do share more HUX (whenever you can/think you should). Reg... What I have learned about honey bees and keeping em is that in the winter some keepers feed em sugar and hence the quality of the honey just isn't that good. Luke explained that he actually keeps back some honey for them to get through the winter months. Nice man that chap...

As a result (of learning about the sugar thingy) I stopped buying from a local keeper and also when a bee needed rescue in the garden. Daughter came to kitchen saying she needed sugary water. I gave her honey and that bee must've been so happy. They sat there stroking it and it let em :shock:
Post Reply