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Birding / nature / photography ~ Older Asexuals for light walking and hiking nature adventures ~


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First dandelion flower of spring, and first bumble bee on the wing :)

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I had a dream that our backyard looked like a wild meadow full of wildflowers and enormous bumble bees. It was beautiful. 

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10 hours ago, Skycaptain said:

First dandelion flower of spring, and first bumble bee on the wing :)

What????? I'm envious. Here it is snowing.

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7 hours ago, teatree said:

What????? I'm envious. Here it is snowing.

We had snow on the ground Monday, so I was rather surprised 

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Two squirrels were right on top of the very tall fir tree in the neighbouring garden.  I see birds perched up there, but not seen squirrels before.  Were they enjoying the view? :P

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Freezing weather here when it should be starting to warm up is tough for wildlife.  I have put extra food out for the birds, and am trying to keep fresh water available too.  The bird bath and the pond are frozen.  Nijer seed is attracting sparrows back into the garden.

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On 2/17/2018 at 4:02 PM, Skycaptain said:

First dandelion flower of spring, and first bumble bee on the wing :)

Oh no!! The 'beast from the east' is here. 

*Cold weather from Siberia :( *

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16 hours ago, Mz Terry said:

Freezing weather here when it should be starting to warm up is tough for wildlife.  I have put extra food out for the birds, and am trying to keep fresh water available too.  The bird bath and the pond are frozen.  Nijer seed is attracting sparrows back into the garden.

I'm worried we're going to get another cold spell next month. Not only does it confuse wildlife, it really has a harsh effect on newly budding trees. 

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@LVG, late frosts can be devastating if they kill off flower buds. Gulls around here have moved inland because of the cold snap 

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So far I've just seen some bud swelling on a few trees. As long as they don't break, the buds will survive. 

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From the kitchen, I was looking out at the birds. I feel sorry for them. There are apples for them on top of our shed. One bird is very vicious, sitting on surrounding trees, sweeping into action if it sees another bird approach and protecting the apples against any other bird going for it, particularly getting physical with black bird.

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Had an amazing sighting, looking out of the kitchen window.  The bird bath is very popular with the birds, I get many species using it for bathing and drinking, but a first was a male sparrowhawk.  He was sitting looking slowly round and then I realised he had another bird in his talons.  I guess a blackbird, which had probably been using the bird bath when he swooped.  Before I could get my camera he flew off carrying his victim with him.  Sad for the little bird, but the sparrowhawk has to eat too.

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More snow here again today after all that we had last week!  I have been out and replenished all the feeders and the garden is busy with birds - goldfinches, tits, blackbirds, starlings and so on...

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I saw an owl 🦉 which had lost an argument with a vehicle today :(:(

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@Mz Terry, I'm not certain, ornithologicy isn't my strongest point 

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I saw a cooper's hawk prowling the neighborhood. It must have the rest of the birds spooked because none of them will go to my freshly filled feeders. 

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It is too muddy to do much gardening at the moment, but I cut a few dead stems back so I got a better view of the daffodils as they come into bloom.  A tiny wren creeping about the mossy old apple trees kept me company.  I was glad to see it after the cold winter and  recent snow - tiny though it is, it had survived. :)

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Spring comes early in sunny Florida.  Already the sandhill cranes have passed us on their way back north. I hear a lot of owls at night, as I live in rural north Florida. When summer arrives I will sit outside at night and listen to the owls and whiporwills while stargazing. 

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This rather damp weather is appreciated by ducks 🦆 🦆 

 

Twice in different places this morning traffic has come to a halt whilst a troupe of Mallards cross the road 

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There was a pair of head-tailed hawks soaring overhead while I was at a job. One was even screeching, which is an amazing sound. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Apparently there was blue heron making a brief visit to the artificial pond in my backyard this morning (I didn't see it; my sister said she did).

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In the last 110 miles of driving I have seen three dead badgers on the road :(:(:(

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That's sad, @Skycaptain , as is the totally senseless badger cull.

 

I looked out of the window today to see both a male and female bullfinch in the garden.  Stunning.

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The birds continue to eat me out of house and home. It's amazing how such tiny creatures can have such voracious appetites. 

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Excited and pleased to find the newts have survived the disruption of the pond being relined.  The frogs have not laid any spawn this year, but hopefully they will return some time.  I saw newt tadpoles in the pond, and also a nice male common newt.  He looks silver grey as he turns in the water, with orange from the belly showing briefly.  (Not my pic, needless to say.)

 

See the source image

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I don't blame the frogs for not spawning yet with this weather :angry:, likewise its not surprising that I haven't seen a single butterfly yet. 

 

On a happier note the cherry blossom is out, along with haw flowers so spring is starting 

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10 hours ago, Skycaptain said:

 not surprising that I haven't seen a single butterfly yet. 

 

 

There was a brimstone butterfly in my garden yesterday ( not too far from you - Medway)  but all back to normal today ( that is, rain) and no doubt the brimstones are biding their time.

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