nature notes II

[Enki]

Wiggs,

Ah, Lakenheath. Saw my first ever golden orioles there. They nested in  poplars, I think.

[Enki]

There are also a few nesting sites for Black-winged Stilts this year including one not far from me.  Another effect of climate change?

Hi Rob,

Excellent.  I was just looking at this article on them a short while ago.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=4422


Maybe a warming climate and an excellent early Spring?

[RobM]

Wiggs,

Ah, Lakenheath. Saw my first ever golden orioles there. They nested in  poplars, I think.

Sadly, there  has been no successful breeding there for several years.  No confirmed sightings at all this year.

[SweetPea]

Wiggs,

Ah, Lakenheath. Saw my first ever golden orioles there. They nested in  poplars, I think.

Sadly, there  has been no successful breeding there for several years.  No confirmed sightings at all this year.

Rob, albeit Southern California, but my sister-in-law sent me pictures, the other day, of orioles on her bird feeders. She said, they were only there for the summer which would please the hummers, that usually have the feeders to themselves.... she makes a special, sugary drink for them.

[RobM]

Rob, albeit Southern California, but my sister-in-law sent me pictures, the other day, of orioles on her bird feeders. She said, they were only there for the summer which would please the hummers, that usually have the feeders to themselves.... she makes a special, sugary drink for them.

Hi,

Yes, I have always enjoyed seeing the orioles on my visits to USA/Canada. In fact, although they are similar looking, the new and old world orioles are not closely related. Convergent evolution in operation.

The hummers are great too.  I have some pictures I took in Yellowstone and the iridescent pink on the Broad-tailed Hummingbird is stunning.  I'm off to Costa Rica next year when I should see 40 species of hummer.

[wigginhall]

On stilts, been reading about a bad drought in Spain, which is forcing some birds to wander all over Europe.  It could be warming, of course.

[wigginhall]

Anybody see Springwatch?  They found a ton of cuckoos, through using a lure.  I was surprised there were so many, maybe just a hotspot.

[Enki]

Rob

Stop. You're making me jealous.   I plan to go to Costa Rica within the next few years. You should see lots of different tanagers too...and wood creepers, another example of convergent evolution. I've been to Ecuador and the birds were absolutely gorgeous. Seriously, have a great time.

SweetPea,

Beautiful birds. I saw a baltimore oriole in 2004 at Headington in Oxfordshire.  Actually there's a European golden oriole at Spurn at the moment.

Wiggs,

About the only place where cuckoos are regular in East Yorkshire(except on migration at the coast) is Blacktoft Sands, probably because of the large number of reed warblers present here.

[OH MY WORLD!]

Two mornings ago I was sitting in front of my greenhouse having my coffee and watching the birds at the feeding bench when i caught something out of the corner of my eye. A huge skunk had wandered up to where I could almost reach over and touch it. Very interesting situation for me. It did not notice me and i know making a sudden movement would not be wise. So I hoped for the best and just cleared my throat. It looked up at me sniffed and then ran off through my yard. Yikes, that could have been a very stinky situation. So yesterday night I go and open my back door ant there it is right at my door. I kinda made a quiet shriek noise and it also looked shocked backed up as I slammed my door shut. So, I've been ill due to shingles and i woke up an hour ago drenched in sweat having had a dream that that skunk was living under my bed with it's babies. I caught the babies and put them into a hamster cadge and was trying to coax the mom skunk out of my house by holding the cadge in front of her. Well my little nieces were  in my way and just kept getting in my way.  I was angry at them and I also didn't want them to be sprayed. Then I woke up. I think that skunk is here to stay unless I have it trapped.

[OH MY WORLD!]

Three chicks! I just wish she would stand up or dad would fly in with a fish!

https://www.enmax.com/community/keeping-up-with-the-ospreys

[SweetPea]

Three chicks! I just wish she would stand up or dad would fly in with a fish!

https://www.enmax.com/community/keeping-up-with-the-ospreys

Oh, Johnny, that's great news! Sadly, the Scottish WLT ospreys have not been so lucky. They started with three eggs, then one of the eggs was attacked at some point by a carrion crow whilst mum and dad were both elsewhere. The observers waited and waited, with fingers-crossed, for one or both of the other eggs to hatch.... but 'twas not to be. But this female, being nearly 26 years old, has done so well. This is only the second time in all those years, there have been no hatchlings.


Btw: sorry to hear you have been so poorly..... shingles is a very unpleasant condition. Hope you are recovering well.

[wigginhall]

Very dry in London now, we are charging off to the allotment twice a week to water everything.  Don't worry, come the holidays in August, it will rain every day. 

Found a blackbird caught in a fruit-net on someone's plot and managed to cut it free, but it looked very groggy.  Hope it survives.   Cats all around of course, bastards.

[Enki]

Hi Wiggs,

Blackbirds and goldfinches are the commonest visitors to the garden at the moment. Haven't been able to get out for the last two weeks though due to a broken rib, but I plan to go up to Wykham Forest soon hopefully to the place where honey buzzards are breeding.

You might be interested in this take on the new EU policy on agricultural land which, frankly, implies rank hypocrisy under the auspices of a 'green' label.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=4456

[Rhiannon]

I think I just saw a red kite over the fields opposite my house.

[Rhiannon]

And I think there are wheatears, too!

[Rhiannon]

No red kite today. I got a buzzard instead. Think there was another one off over the trees so maybe there is a nest.

[wigginhall]

Buzzards are everywhere now; we see them overhead in central London, and red kites.   Driving to Bath at Easter, we saw about 15 on the M4. 

[Rhiannon]

Yes, buzzards have been plentiful around here for a while, but I've never seen red kites here before.

Had to google the wheatear to check what it was.

[wigginhall]

I'm hoping to see goshawks in August, as we are spending a week in Wye Valley, and there are quite a few in the Forest of Dean.  No, on second thoughts, August is just about the worst time!   There are wild daffodils as well, also not out.  There's always the pub.

[Rhiannon]

I'm hoping to see goshawks in August, as we are spending a week in Wye Valley, and there are quite a few in the Forest of Dean.  No, on second thoughts, August is just about the worst time!   There are wild daffodils as well, also not out.  There's always the pub.

And the wild boar. Lots of them in the FofD.

[Enki]

60 years since ospreys returned to Loch Garten, and three young produced this year.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=4479

[SweetPea]

60 years since ospreys returned to Loch Garten, and three young produced this year.

http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=4479

Wonderful, Ant..... makes up a little for the disappointment at Loch of Lewes, this year.

Btw: how's the broken rib? Sounds very painful, poor you...

[wigginhall]

It's so dry in London now, that we are forced to get to the allotment twice a week, in order to water everything.  Some summers we don't even get the hose out!  But I think since Easter, we have watered nearly every week, and some plants are wilting really, as watering is not really adequate.  Also, many are going to seed, which I think results from dry weather - I sowed some chard a few weeks ago, and it has grown and gone to seed already.  Quite bizarre. 

If you believe in rain dancing, now is the time, folks. 

[SweetPea]

Yes, same here in Worcestershire. Who would think we would be begging for rain! I think some heavy thundery showers are forecast for the end of the week.... fingers crossed.

[SweetPea]

I haven't seen a honeybee for ages!

Lots of bumblebees.

But no honeybees!

I have been looking out for them but they are absent!

Even on popular shrubs like buddlia.

I find it worrying!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25656283

Julie

Rose, I've been worrying about the bees again, this year. I walk sometimes in a field that has a wildflower border, and on several different occasions I've literally counted the bees that were within my sight and there have been very few. Hang-in there, bees we love you, but above all need you!