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Author Topic: nature notes II  (Read 159084 times)

Enki

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #900 on: November 28, 2018, 03:30:56 PM »
Just had 9 waxwings in Aldi Car Park Hessle. True to form, they often turn up in supermarket car parks to visit the berry shrubs. They then went over the road to visit the nearby Sainsbury's Car Park. Looks like it might be a decent waxwing year.  :)
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wigginhall

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #901 on: November 28, 2018, 04:10:53 PM »
Brilliant, we had some in Putney High St several years ago. 
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wigginhall

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #902 on: December 21, 2018, 02:06:14 PM »
Heard a blackbird doing its subsong in a bush, very low volume, as if it's chuntering to itself.  Supposed to be practising, or maybe a hangover!
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #903 on: December 31, 2018, 02:35:18 PM »
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wigginhall

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #904 on: January 01, 2019, 01:34:39 PM »
Very tiny snowdrops lifting flowers up by about 0.1 mm, but it's good enough for me.
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Dicky Underpants

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #905 on: January 03, 2019, 04:24:20 PM »
Quote from: wigginhall on January 01, 2019, 01:34:39 PM
Very tiny snowdrops lifting flowers up by about 0.1 mm, but it's good enough for me.

Not so pretty as snowdrops, but Field Blewit mushrooms appeared in a local park just before Christmas. Very tasty! Also keep a sharp lookout for Trooping Funnels....
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Dicky Underpants

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #906 on: January 21, 2019, 04:41:49 PM »
Quote from: Dicky Underpants on January 03, 2019, 04:24:20 PM
Not so pretty as snowdrops, but Field Blewit mushrooms appeared in a local park just before Christmas. Very tasty! Also keep a sharp lookout for Trooping Funnels....

Mid-January have spotted some common inkcaps (coprinus atramentarius) in the same park. Very unusual to see them so late into the winter. Edible, but not for those who like a pint or a tipple, since they will make you violently sick if eaten within two days of alcohol consumption (antabuse has a similar chemical composition to their active ingredient).

The shaggy inkcap (coprinus comatus) has no such side-effects, however. Very nice in soups, but there aren't likely to be any of those again till next autumn.
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ekim

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #907 on: January 25, 2019, 04:26:10 PM »
On my forest walk today, I counted about 40 frogs croaking away in 3 small tyre track puddles and plenty of frog spawn around them,  Last year's frog spawn was destroyed mostly by frost and later by the puddles drying up through lack of rain.  I expect that the same will happen this year.  It's a frog's life!
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SteveH

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #908 on: January 27, 2019, 02:37:25 PM »
Quote from: Dicky Underpants on January 21, 2019, 04:41:49 PM
Mid-January have spotted some common inkcaps (coprinus atramentarius) in the same park. Very unusual to see them so late into the winter. Edible, but not for those who like a pint or a tipple, since they will make you violently sick if eaten within two days of alcohol consumption (antabuse has a similar chemical composition to their active ingredient).

The shaggy inkcap (coprinus comatus) has no such side-effects, however. Very nice in soups, but there aren't likely to be any of those again till next autumn.
I've eaten shaggy ink-cap: edible, but hardly worth it. I found it tasteless, and it collapsed and lost its structure when cooked. Maybe I was cooking it wrongly: I fried it, like I do with ordinary mushrooms.
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Dicky Underpants

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #909 on: January 31, 2019, 04:40:18 PM »
Quote from: Steve H on January 27, 2019, 02:37:25 PM
I've eaten shaggy ink-cap: edible, but hardly worth it. I found it tasteless, and it collapsed and lost its structure when cooked. Maybe I was cooking it wrongly: I fried it, like I do with ordinary mushrooms.

I find that shaggy ink-caps only work well in a soup: fried gently in butter and garlic first. The last time I made that, it was delicious. Macho man Bear Grills speaks highly of shaggy ink-caps; however, since he's known for squeezing elephant poo to get a refreshing drink, this may not be a very high recommendation.

Avoid the common ink-caps, though - you old home-made wine-bibber.
« Last Edit: February 04, 2019, 04:16:30 PM by Dicky Underpants »
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SteveH

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #910 on: February 02, 2019, 03:22:28 PM »
 ;D
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #911 on: February 07, 2019, 01:41:17 PM »
Since we moved to our semi-rural Welsh village in 2012, I have noticed that there are magpies in abundance. At our previous homes in different parts of the UK one would see usually one or two at a time, but here I have counted up to ten. The, 'One for sorrow, two for joy', poem only goes up to number seven.
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Nearly Sane

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #912 on: February 07, 2019, 01:45:40 PM »
Quote from: Littleroses on February 07, 2019, 01:41:17 PM
Since we moved to our semi-rural Welsh village in 2012, I have noticed that there are magpies in abundance. At our previous homes in different parts of the UK one would see usually one or two at a time, but here I have counted up to ten. The, 'One for sorrow, two for joy', poem only goes up to number seven.
  There were extensions of it, see link and bit about theme tune https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie_(TV_series). Oddly I was noting the other day, that I hear them a lot more on my commute journey. It seems to be at a lot of the stations in the remote part of the journey I hear them.
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SusanDoris

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #913 on: February 23, 2019, 05:30:18 PM »
Along one of the roads I walk along daily, I have not heard chaffinches for a few years, but during the last week or so I have heard at least two. I do so like the decisive quality of their song!
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wigginhall

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #914 on: February 25, 2019, 01:40:57 PM »
Frost on the lawn this morning, but then the sun comes on strong, no need for a coat.   Birds and flowers responding, also saw a couple of brimstone butterflies.   First migrants have arrived, e.g., sand martins, and tons of bird song.  Snow in March?
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #915 on: February 25, 2019, 04:49:46 PM »
On my morning walk several flocks of seagulls flew overhead in V formations, WOW!
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #916 on: February 26, 2019, 09:12:26 AM »
I saw a pied wagtail  this morning wandering around the trollies outside Tesco this morning. On the way home a lone sheep was walking down the pavement of the busy main road. :o I am glad it had the sense to walk on the pavement!
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Enki

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #917 on: February 26, 2019, 11:06:37 AM »
On my morning walks(only one crutch now) I saw my first butterfly of the year, a peacock, and noticed the dunnocks are really active now, wing flicking and chasing each other. :)
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ekim

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #918 on: February 27, 2019, 02:55:00 PM »
Quote from: ekim on January 25, 2019, 04:26:10 PM
On my forest walk today, I counted about 40 frogs croaking away in 3 small tyre track puddles and plenty of frog spawn around them,  Last year's frog spawn was destroyed mostly by frost and later by the puddles drying up through lack of rain.  I expect that the same will happen this year.  It's a frog's life!
Surprisingly the puddles are black with tadpoles but a substantial rainfall and zero frost is required.
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wigginhall

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #919 on: April 17, 2019, 03:55:38 PM »
Bees everywhere today, because of the warm weather.  On our allotment, a lot of people leave their broccoli plants and other brassicas to flower, very pretty, but the bees love them.   Tidy gardens - bad for wildlife.  At the moment, our rosemary is covered in flowers, and bees.
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #920 on: April 17, 2019, 04:00:16 PM »
Quote from: wigginhall on April 17, 2019, 03:55:38 PM
Bees everywhere today, because of the warm weather.  On our allotment, a lot of people leave their broccoli plants and other brassicas to flower, very pretty, but the bees love them.   Tidy gardens - bad for wildlife.  At the moment, our rosemary is covered in flowers, and bees.


Our rosemary bushes, of which we have quite a number, are blooming and attracting the bees.
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torridon

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #921 on: April 17, 2019, 07:19:00 PM »
We are being visited by foxes; have seen two adult foxes twice in the back garden, quite casual walking around like they owned the place.  We also have been finding dead rats in the veg patch.  Not sure if there is a connection.  If the foxes are killing rats, why leave them untouched ?  I'm now waiting for the red kites to spot them and swoop down for an easy lunch.
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SusanDoris

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #922 on: April 22, 2019, 10:23:30 AM »
I think there is a (possibly  two) Song Thrushes nearby. At this time of year, do they often sing a phrase, then instead of repeating it  - which it seems to do occasionally, sing another?  I'm pretty sure it is not a blackbird because what it is singing nevwer includes a trill and is not long or varied enough. It is a strong sound.
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Roses

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #923 on: April 26, 2019, 10:46:41 AM »
Has anyone heard a cuckoo this year? I don't think I have heard one since we moved here in 2012.
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Walter

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Re: nature notes II
« Reply #924 on: April 26, 2019, 11:28:49 AM »
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