Observations Of Nature Through The Seasons.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Talking of hawkmoths, I found this chap in the garden earlier. OK, elephant hawmoths are relatively common, but any excuse to avoid weeding is fine by me. 
 

I hope that I will be making lots more such discoveries as I settle in to my retirement in the western Brecon Beacons. 

[Methuselah]

I've just seen the most amazing pair of tits... They were frolicking on the telegraph wire!

[Beverley Lass]

15 minutes ago, Ed Stone said:

I've just seen the most amazing pair of tits... They were frolicking on the telegraph wire!

Likewise on my nuts .. they can be added to my Garden Bird Watch tally  

[RebsAbbo]

2 hours ago, Ed Stone said:

I've just seen the most amazing pair of tits... They were frolicking on the telegraph wire!

Have you told her to get down yet? That wire’ll chiff chafe….

Edited January 28, 2023 by RebsAbbo

[RebsAbbo]

2 hours ago, Beverley Lass said:

Likewise on my nuts .. they can be added to my Garden Bird Watch tally  

Done my count today, not a bad turn out considering I’m low on food at the mo.

[jtay]

2 hours ago, RebsAbbo said:

Done my count today, not a bad turn out considering I’m low on food at the mo.

Doing ours tomorrow. Picked up 12.6kg of mixed seed for 11 quid at mole valley stores yesterday. Bargain.

[Kirkcaldy Weather]

Incredible snap

 

[RebsAbbo]

Have seen a bumble bee in the woods today & there are several ground bees out in the garden. Today is sunny & mild out of the wind but it is still early February, I hope they know that! Hopefully just making hay whilst the sun shines as the saying goes…

[RebsAbbo]

It’s mild at 13c, cloudy with some sunshine, very breezy, back door wide open to air the house….just had a Queen wasp come into the kitchen looking for a new home I think. No thank you. Been there & done that (under the suspended floor of the utility room), so out she went again with gentle assistance

[RebsAbbo]

Well I was a little worried that my frogs might not have survived that cold snap in Dec when the pond was frozen for more than 2 weeks despite my best efforts to make air holes, however, there are plenty of them out & about in the pond today, catching some rays…

[Beverley Lass]

(You do well to keep your duck weed  @RebsAbbo, mine dies over winter and
I struggle to find more.  Illegal to sell they say)

Just seen a large frog in my little wildlife pond.
He'll need to tuck up tight somewhere in the coming days of cold / snow.
Also two new visitors the last couple of days, after a drink,  bird seed and nuts.

 

[RebsAbbo]

The frogs have been very vocal the last couple of days & on inspection of the pond, I have frog spawn! A bit early I fear as frosts are still possible .

@Beverley Lassthe duck weed is voracious & often needs ‘culling’ but it’s so effective at oxygenating the pond.

 

[Beverley Lass]

18 hours ago, RebsAbbo said:

The frogs have been very vocal the last couple of days & on inspection of the pond, I have frog spawn! A bit early I fear as frosts are still possible .

@Beverley Lassthe duck weed is voracious & often needs ‘culling’ but it’s so effective at oxygenating the pond.

 

The same here in my tiny wildlife pond, I saw several frogs one day and now have a lovely
clump of spawn.  I think it naturally sinks a bit in the cold and may well survive.
I used to gather duck weed from my wild pond to feed the goldfish in their separate pond.
They love to eat it.  Now I'm having to give them lightly boiled/shelled garden peas instead, lol
Thanks.

BL

[RebsAbbo]

18 minutes ago, Beverley Lass said:

Now I'm having to give them lightly boiled/shelled garden peas instead, lol

I remember we had to do that, especially when our fish had swim bladder problems! The things we do for our animals

[RebsAbbo]

Just seen my first swallow fly over the garden . Had reports of a swallow over Thixendale way & a housemartin towards the coast about a week ago. So happy they are returning, fills me with hope for the summer

[Beverley Lass]

Yes, pleased to report my first sightings of House Martins in my village.
Welcome back.
 

[RebsAbbo]

So the swallows are slow to return, still only the odd one or two seen. Had a report of swifts arriving on Sunday further down/across the wolds, which feels a bit early to me.  I wasn’t hopeful of seeing them so soon, but by that afternoon the swifts arrived in numbers. Absolutely brilliant. Can’t beat the sound of swifts soaring & screeching! I know ‘screeching’ doesn’t sound a good thing, but it’s the ultimate sound of summer for me.  Feeling good (if not still a little cold ) that summer’s not too far away  

[Andy Bown]

A wonderful few clear, warm days however is anyone else noticing a lack of bees?

We have a hedge now full of small pink flowers which usually literally buzzes on sunny evenings, not one bee these two evenings!

Did they suffer by appearing in a balmy February which was followed by the cold, wet Spring!? 

[viking_smb]

lovely clear evening, birds are a tad noisy as been watering the lawn, as put some rolls of turf down some weeks back due to issue of a nuisance tree nicking all the water

[Crepuscular Ray]

On 27/05/2023 at 21:10, Andy Bown said:

A wonderful few clear, warm days however is anyone else noticing a lack of bees?

We have a hedge now full of small pink flowers which usually literally buzzes on sunny evenings, not one bee these two evenings!

Did they suffer by appearing in a balmy February which was followed by the cold, wet Spring!? 

There was something in the news a day or so ago about it being a bumper year for swarms because of the earlier wet, cold spell. 
 

That said, apart from on the aliums, my garden is lacking in honey bees, although I am rescuing bumblebees from the greenhouse at regular intervals. 
 

On the subject of insects, I disturbed this moth while doing the watering. A bit of research shows that it is a Gold Spot. Beautiful little thing.

[Crepuscular Ray]

Not the best camouflage for a grasshopper.

[Metwatch]

A byway in North Warwickshire in Mid May and September, note the abundant vegetation growth after a rather wet summer. 

I'll try to come here later in autumn and winter to do a comparison and will look a bit like a four season collage hopefully. 

[Cheshire Freeze]

15 hours ago, Metwatch said:

A byway in North Warwickshire in Mid May and September, note the abundant vegetation growth after a rather wet summer. 

I'll try to come here later in autumn and winter to do a comparison and will look a bit like a four season collage hopefully. 

You can really see how 'tired' looking the vegetation gets towards late summer and autumn. Look how vibrant the green is in mid May.

Funny how every living thing follows the same path- the vibrancy of youth to the tiredness of old age.

Edited September 7, 2023 by Cheshire Freeze

[Metwatch]

9 hours ago, Cheshire Freeze said:

You can really see how 'tired' looking the vegetation gets towards late summer and autumn. Look how vibrant the green is in mid May.

Funny how every living thing follows the same path- the vibrancy of youth to the tiredness of old age.

I did edit them both a little to give their respective look. For the spring one upped the saturation and a bit of green tint, while for the September one made the photo a bit warmer with a few other touches to give a late summer / early autumn feel to it.

But yeah I can see in person how the flora becomes more mature and has that early autumn tired look!

[Polar Maritime]

Lots of Owls calling tonight here.