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

[Tunhope]

So pleased to see a family of blackbirds in the garden this afternoon. At least 4 young ones. The other day there were two adult goldfinches plus one baby. I don't know if the hot, dry weather of the last three weeks helps or hinders.

[Myssterry]

Blackbirds will have a problem as they like to  dig up worms, which won't be possible in bone dry soil.  I am watering a few garden plants from a watering can, and hoping the water will also help the robin and blackbird access food.

 

I saw a beautiful peacock butterfly yesterday.  There are few bees though.

[Tunhope]

I haven't seen many bees either @Mz Terry and no thrushes at all.No snails I suppose. I like your idea re keeping a bit of garden moist. 

[Tja]

Finally saw the family of skunks, living in our neighborhood.

They strolled through my yard, last night.

The male was beautiful! His white stripe started on his head, widened across his back, ending in a tail which was completely white.

Similar to this:

His tail was much fuller, though.

[Tja]

Was just on the porch, watching a woodchuck stripping leaves from a bush, across the street.

Was also visited by a lovely Cardinal couple, sitting on my fence.

[Muledeer]

9 hours ago, Tja said:

Finally saw the family of skunks, living in our neighborhood.

They strolled through my yard, last night.

The male was beautiful! His white stripe started on his head, widened across his back, ending in a tail which was completely white.

Similar to this:

His tail was much fuller, though.

What a beautiful animal!  

[pickles.]

That is one gorgeous skunk!

[LVG]

Here are some critters that I saw while hiking a nature preserve in North Myrtle Beach, SC.

 

Fiddler crabs. The marsh was just bursting with them.

 

 

Green Heron. Not sure why they're called green considering they're mostly blue.

 

 

Six-lined Racerunner

 

 

Snowy Egret 

 

[daveb]

2 hours ago, LVG said:

Green Heron. Not sure why they're called green considering they're mostly blue.

Maybe they are inexperienced...  

[Tja]

11 hours ago, LVG said:

Not sure why they're called green considering they're mostly blue.

Perhaps, the Blue Heron was discovered, and named, first?

[LVG]

Possibly. There is the blue heron and the little blue heron. Calling it the little little blue heron would have been a bit redundant. 

[daveb]

Maybe it should be called Greenish Heron? (apparently its species name in Latin means "greenish").

[Tunhope]

Lovely! Or the Palish Green Heron or the Darker-than-the-palish-Greenish - Heron-but-not-as-dark-as-the-merely-green-heron. I'm getting daft now.

I do like the idea that it's inexperienced. 

[LVG]

How about ninja-necked heron?

 

[LilyG]

Anyone have any advice on how to assist an injured deer?  An adult wild one - runs back to the woods when it sees me.  The smaller 'wild' animals in my yard do trust me enough to come out with them & put food out but the deer still take off & hide.  This deer has a broken (or at least very injured) back leg.  

 

I take sliced apples out to the bunnies almost every night ... I took an extra apple, hoping the deer would come back for it.

 

Not sure what to do  😢  

[Skycaptain]

I@LilyG, the only people who can really do anything are vets. However, and this may sound harsh, but is being realistic, if its so badly damaged that movement is restricted chances are it will become food for a predator, otherwise if it can still move around, then it may heal naturally. 

[Myssterry]

@LilyG  there are wildlife rescue organisations here that would help, and the RSPCA.  Not sure what there might be where you are.

 

The bees are back.  A plant I have that is normally smothered in bees during July/August hasn't been so far, but today a few were on the flowers.

[LilyG]

@Mz Terry  I thought about calling DNR but they would most likely just want to shoot her.  A work friend mentioned that he had a doe that had broken her front leg & it healed (even though she still wobbled) - she went on to have babies and be ok.  So, I am keeping my hopes there...

 

I have seen a downturn in bees this year (other friends too) - it is a bit alarming  😕 

[Skycaptain]

We saw a heron in Bedford today, perched on a weir waiting for the fish to arrive 

[daveb]

1 hour ago, LilyG said:

I thought about calling DNR but they would most likely just want to shoot her.

If your part of the country is anything like other parts of the eastern US you're probably right. Predators are in short supply and even human hunting often doesn't do enough to keep the deer population numbers in check. So there's not a lot of incentive (or resources) to take care of all of the animals that get injured or sick (they are more likely to do things to help endangered populations, the kinds of animals that are naturally fewer in number such as apex predators, or when there is some issue like an epidemic striking significant portions of a population, like with bats and the white-nose syndrome/disease). Unfortunately for that deer it's probably up to it and nature to run their course; unless there is some sort of wildlife rescue group that would take it on.

[Muledeer]

On ‎7‎/‎20‎/‎2018 at 5:09 PM, LilyG said:

fAnyone have any advice on how to assist an injured deer?  An adult wild one - runs back to the woods when it sees me.  The smaller 'wild' animals in my yard do trust me enough to come out with them & put food out but the deer still take off & hide.  This deer has a broken (or at least very injured) back leg.  

 

I take sliced apples out to the bunnies almost every night ... I took an extra apple, hoping the deer would come back for it.

 

Not sure what to do  😢  

 

On ‎7‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 2:21 AM, Skycaptain said:

I@LilyG, the only people who can really do anything are vets. However, and this may sound harsh, but is being realistic, if its so badly damaged that movement is restricted chances are it will become food for a predator, otherwise if it can still move around, then it may heal naturally. 

 

On ‎7‎/‎21‎/‎2018 at 2:39 PM, daveb said:

 Unfortunately for that deer it's probably up to it and nature to run their course; unless there is some sort of wildlife rescue group that would take it on.

I agree with the two responses above.  Nature is harsh, cruel, and unforgiving by human standards.   When it comes to injured, abandoned or dying animals, I usually let nature take its course.  Of course, nobody likes to see an animal suffer, and if the deer was down and hopelessly struggling I would likely give it some relief, although I have never yet been in that position.   

[Tunhope]

[Tunhope]

Apologies - I'm not getting the hang of this. (I couldn't put my text on and I couldn't hide the photo.)The little trespasser above flew into my home yesterday and landed on the fireguard. Its underwings were bright red and, in flight, it resembled a tiny fluttering Spanish flag (3cm/ 1 inch+ in length) According to my insect book, it's a Jersey Tiger Moth and, at the time of the book's publication (86) the only part of the UK to have them was Devon in the SW. I'm SE so they're spreading. This is the third I've seen lately and I saw them last year too.

Apologies again for the technical mishaps.

[Skycaptain]

@Tunhope, I would say that is a Garden Tiger moth, which have a much more widespread distribution. That you have seen them three years running suggests that there is a breeding colony in your area. This is good news as they are becoming rarer. 

[Myssterry]

Lots of birds visiting the garden regularly.  The song thrush has been scudding about the lawn, the woodpecker and nuthatch have been on the feeders, greenfinches have been visiting and I caught a glimpse of a juvenile black cap.  A peacock butterfly was in the garden the other day and a comma, also a female brimstone, but I haven't seen many over all.

 

Lovely moth, @Tunhope

[Skycaptain]

Here's the Bedford Heron

 

[Tunhope]

I'm surprised it can spot any fish underneath that green water. I suppose the heatwave has caused more algae than usual.

[Skycaptain]

@Tunhope, I guess the weir which is trapping the duckweed also stops fish from going downstream

[Myssterry]

Coot feeding two baby coots in the lake today.

 

The nuthatch has become a regular visitor to my garden since I bought a new peanut holder.  Such a pretty bird, and spends a good deal of time upside down.  It will run down a tree headfirst, the only uk bird that can do so, I believe.

[Tunhope]

I used to see them in some woods near me @Mz Terry (haven't been there for a while) and their call always reminded me of Morse code.