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

[AllThisTime]

This is a far better photograph of a Monarch butterfly than I could ever take, thanks to my friend Thelma. Monarchs migrate from Canada to central Mexico, which is amazing to me. 

 

 

[daveb]

2 hours ago, AllThisTime said:

Monarchs migrate from Canada to central Mexico, which is amazing to me. 

In multiple generations or in just one?

[AllThisTime]

3 hours ago, daveb said:

In multiple generations or in just one?

It's one long trip. Here's a really interesting article (with map!) : Monarch migration. I've gone to Point Pelee, the southernmost tip of land jutting into Lake Erie, during the fall migration. The monarchs ride out on the winds over the lake ... its quite an amazing sight.  They don't go in a straight line, they flutter.

[Tunhope]

Migration is a truly wonderful thing.

[LVG]

Random tidbit: I share the genus name of the painted lady butterfly. 

[AllThisTime]

@LVG Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species ... boy, the memorization from long ago still sticks with me!  Vanessa is such a pretty name. 

"A commonly seen native butterfly ranging across the entire continent, the flashy Vanessa cardui , Painted Lady is as pretty as its name suggests."

[Muledeer]

Hmmm... there is a bar in my town called the "painted lady saloon".  I thought it was all about women of ill repute, not butterflies! 🦋  I didn't know they were a thing.

[daveb]

They also call some brightly painted Victorian houses in San Francisco (and elsewhere maybe?) painted ladies.

[AllThisTime]

@Muledeer, you mean like "painted ladies and a bottle of wine"? 

@daveb  I'd forgotten that those Victorian homes were called painted ladies.  Some of them are truly incredible. 

 

Last year I found this dude (dudette?) on a parsley plant at the garden centre I work at. Took him home and it turns out he was a Black Swallowtail caterpillar.  He grew exponentially feasting on my parsley and then disappeared ... hopefully to turn into one of the most lovely butterflies we have in our area (northeastern US / Canada).

 

 

 

[Tunhope]

I usually see a few Painted Lady butterflies each year, but in 2009 several parts of the UK were invaded by them. I can remember being in South Wales in May and they were everywhere. I don't know how often these invasions happen. 

[LVG]

I think an invasion of butterflies would be quiet pleasant. We're expecting an invasion of the 17 year cicadas, which is not so pleasant. 

 

If anyone is curious: 

 

 

[daveb]

3 minutes ago, LVG said:

cicadas

Had an eruption of them when I was in PA some years ago.

[LVG]

The last invasion was about three years ago. Luckily, it was in the county south of mine, but I think we're due this year. I'm not looking forward to having to dodge them while working. 

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

6 hours ago, daveb said:

Had an eruption of them when I was in PA some years ago.

Very good description. I've only heard them in Gibraltar and not seen them in any quantity, but we played a game of imitation with them and they'd make a passable orchestra.

Great video @LVG!

[Myssterry]

I was sitting by the pond in sunshine yesterday and saw the robin, with a beakful of food, sneak low down behind the buddleia.  I expect the nest is ground level in the ivy, hidden behind the trunk.  

[Spotastic]

My wife and I like to joke that butterflies are undead caterpillars. 😁

 

Also, our ducks were not at all happy when suddenly a small beaver ran through our yard. They have a small pen in the front yard next to the string of trees that make a break from our yard to the street beyond. The beaver ran through the woods, cut through part of the yard, and kept going through the woods near the far end. This is the first time we've seen a beaver anywhere near here, and it unfortunately ran too fast to get a picture.

[Skycaptain]

@Spotastic, if you took a picture of a streaking beaver people may get the wrong idea 

 

 

*couldn't resist, sorry *

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

Apologies, all, couldn't resist liking the post above! (sneaks away backwards into the wings...)

[Tunhope]

Enjoyed the video @LVG ! I 'd rather be invaded by butterflies though. Re birds nesting, had to remove the brickwork around a pipe the other day and it exposed the rockwool in the cavity wall. Several sparrows were nipping in and out taking stealing bits . They'll have the best insulated nests in England. There's got to be sparrow language because first one did it, then another, then another. etc. Had to block the hole up though because, although I checked and rockwool is apparently inert, it can be dusty. 

 

[Spotastic]

On 4/9/2019 at 11:38 AM, Skycaptain said:

@Spotastic, if you took a picture of a streaking beaver people may get the wrong idea 

 

 

*couldn't resist, sorry *

I'd expect nothing less from you, Captain. 😄

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

Cycling up the path this afternoon, a thin black streak around an inch off the ground passed 10 feet in front of me. At first I thought it was a damsel fly but it had no wings.

As I pedalled off, I realised what it was...

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/WJr3NNJDeggyZyuRA

 

First one I've seen.

[LVG]

That is very cool. 

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

Means I'll have to slow down, now that I know they're around the path.

It was a side path I haven't taken in a long while.

Hoping to get a photo of the otters or stoats, but no joy yet. I always seem to see them when I've not got the phone, or its tucked away in my bag. You've gotta be fast for these characters.

[AllThisTime]

On 4/9/2019 at 12:13 PM, Spotastic said:

The beaver

It was a beautiful but chill evening walking Wolfie on the path that skirts the Nith River. I was hoping to hear, or perhaps see, one of the beaver that live in one section. Luckily, not many people know they are there; I don't trust people much.  Sometimes at dusk we'll be startled (well, OK, maybe I get startled) when there is a very loud 'slap', which seems to carry down the river.  They are such interesting animals.  

[Guest Jetsun Milarepa]

Oh that's lovely @AllThisTime! Fantastic builders, healthy waterways...stop flooding. Theyvshould be everywhere.

Here, they are just starting to reintroduce them ...long overdue.

[Myssterry]

I saw a wren in the garden today.  I hadn't seen one for ages, so that was good.

[Tja]

Some nature from last week in the Cotswolds:

Spoiler

Don't know why they were so upset. We were just passing through.

Top of a tree stump

Gorgeous ancient trees

On Tetbury trail

Bluebells have started

What a gorgeous fellow. He was looking for food whilst his mate was perched on the nest.

 

[daveb]

Lovely photos, @Tja!

Wish I were there.  

[teatree]

On 4/14/2019 at 6:01 AM, chandrakirti said:

Oh that's lovely @AllThisTime! Fantastic builders, healthy waterways...stop flooding. Theyvshould be everywhere.

They can also cause a lot of damage, though. A friend of mine has a hayfield next to a stream where beavers built a dam and the field got flooded (and hence no hay; a local farmer cuts the hay and then gets to keep it for his cows). So there are pros and cons.

[LVG]

Look what I found hiding beneath a tree today: