theweatheroutlook

Remove ads from site

Roger Parsons
14 September 2024 15:02:50
A lovely if windy walk along the Witham this morning. Numerous "Robins' Pincushions" seen, from very small to quite large and mature. Never seen so many. Lots of badger signs. Lots of berries ripening.
3 Hawker spp dragonflies were hunting over the garden this afternoon, plus 2 small tortoiseshells and several "whites" going about their business. Perhaps 3 honeybees foraging and several unidentified flies! A thirsty grey squirrel at the birdbath for a long drink.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+3
Devonian
14 September 2024 18:04:58

A lovely if windy walk along the Witham this morning. Numerous "Robins' Pincushions" seen, from very small to quite large and mature. Never seen so many. Lots of badger signs. Lots of berries ripening.
3 Hawker spp dragonflies were hunting over the garden this afternoon, plus 2 small tortoiseshells and several "whites" going about their business. Perhaps 3 honeybees foraging and several unidentified flies! A thirsty grey squirrel at the birdbath for a long drink.

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


I don't ever remember ever seeing so many rowan berries as this year. The trees are weighted down by them, lending places where there is a lot of rowan a reddish hue from a distance.

I wonder if it's a Dartmoor thing? Or more widespread?
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
15 September 2024 08:33:25

I don't ever remember ever seeing so many rowan berries as this year. The trees are weighted down by them, lending places where there is a lot of rowan a reddish hue from a distance.

I wonder if it's a Dartmoor thing? Or more widespread?

Originally Posted by: Devonian 


The same here too in this part of Dorset. The sedums are full of feeding bumblebees more than I've seen in one place (20 plus on a couple of plants) and honey bees too. What a contrast to earlier in the year. Butterflies a good range of species flying and feeding in the garden.
Swallows and other hirundines seem to have a had a good year here as well and getting ready for their migration south.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
+1
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
01 October 2024 05:52:31
I wonder who has dead wrasse to discharge into rivers in Scotland? Scandalous.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4dwjwj8gvo 
I find it hard to comprehend that anyone eats farmed salmon, given the harm they do to the environment and the risks to the stocks of natural salmon and sea trout. I also wonder how much the Scottish Government gets from the industry to allow these destructive practices to continue year in year out.
https://ecohustler.com/technology/scottish-salmon-scandal-where-is-all-the-money-going 

   
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
+1
Roger Parsons
01 October 2024 07:43:38

I wonder who has dead wrasse to discharge into rivers in Scotland? Scandalous.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj4dwjwj8gvo 
I find it hard to comprehend that anyone eats farmed salmon, given the harm they do to the environment and the risks to the stocks of natural salmon and sea trout. I also wonder how much the Scottish Government gets from the industry to allow these destructive practices to continue year in year out.
https://ecohustler.com/technology/scottish-salmon-scandal-where-is-all-the-money-going 

   

Originally Posted by: NMA 


It's a big current issue here, Nick. Ironically, in Grimsby! 😬
Salmon farm judicial review 'bad news' for area
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62r868rn3vo 

Bit damp here today!!!!!!
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+1
Roger Parsons
03 October 2024 09:12:03
Dutch Caps?
"You may have bought a drink recently and noticed something odd: the once removable cap is now tethered to the bottle by a small strip of plastic. ...An EU directive was enacted in July, requiring that all single-use bottles have caps that remain attached."
"In the UK, 2023 beach surveys listed bottle lids as the third most common type of litter, while on the Dutch North Sea coastline, surveys recorded up to 128 bottle caps for each kilometre of beach in 2016."
Why plastic bottles now have their caps attached
https://www.theweatheroutlook.com/twocommunity/PostMessage?t=23563&f=8 

RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Roger Parsons
03 October 2024 14:03:29
Much migrant 🐦 activity on the coast here: e.g. Ring Ouzel, Hawfinch, Red-breasted Flycatcher, Olive-backed Pipits, Barred Warbler, Yellow-browed warblers, Blyth's Reed Warbler.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+1
StoneCroze
03 October 2024 15:36:13
We still have swifts and swallows moving through. 
Saying that, a couple of years ago, it was reported that a pair of swallows over wintered in Jersey.
Alderney, Channel Islands. (previously known as Beaufort)
Devonian
05 October 2024 19:00:34
Our last resident swallows and house martins left more than two weeks ago. I've not seen one since.

To my great surprise this morning, before 9 am, I saw a large flock (and it looked like a flock) of hirundines (20+) crusing north over the house. Mostly young birds by the looks of it, and they looked slightly bigger than normal (but definitely hirundines not thrushes). 

A very surprising sight to see up here so late in the year.
Devonian
05 October 2024 19:01:37

We still have swifts and swallows moving through. 
Saying that, a couple of years ago, it was reported that a pair of swallows over wintered in Jersey.

Originally Posted by: StoneCroze 



Doh, I just noticed this! Swifts too!!??
Roger Parsons
05 October 2024 20:02:54

Doh, I just noticed this! Swifts too!!??

Originally Posted by: Devonian 


Bloody Norah! Our swifts are long gone. The place seems knee deep in Yellow-browed Warblers!
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
StoneCroze
08 October 2024 13:13:05
Some more swallows moving through. 
Alderney, Channel Islands. (previously known as Beaufort)
NMA
  • NMA
  • Advanced Member
08 October 2024 15:16:00
I saw a swallow the day before yesterday.
Vale of the Great Dairies
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
StoneCroze
22 October 2024 06:13:32
It has been very noticeable this Autumn the loudness of birdsong as the migration continues. I would say it is as loud as the dawn chorus.
Alderney, Channel Islands. (previously known as Beaufort)
Roger Parsons
29 October 2024 14:31:47
This week I have had loads of reports of Hawfinches in the county. Seems to have been quite an influx. We have one at our previous place one autumn - it used the bird table. A very impressive bird. Lots of Yellow-browed Warblers here too, some Snow Buntings and Lapland Buntings.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+1
Roger Parsons
31 October 2024 15:49:21
If you live in or near Lincolnshire a visit to the Grey Seal colony at Donna Nook is a must - a wonder of the wildlife world. We've been visiting for 40 years! Here's the news story of the first pup of the year: plus some links to the LWT arrangements at the reserve. Sorry - No dogs in seal viewing area! Best advice is avoid weekends if possible!
First seal pup of the season spotted at reserve
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9jl7g0nzyo 
Weekly seal update from Donna Nook - with Visitor Guidelines
https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update 
Donna Nook National Nature Reserve
https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+3
StoneCroze
01 November 2024 11:21:49

If you live in or near Lincolnshire a visit to the Grey Seal colony at Donna Nook is a must - a wonder of the wildlife world. We've been visiting for 40 years! Here's the news story of the first pup of the year: plus some links to the LWT arrangements at the reserve. Sorry - No dogs in seal viewing area! Best advice is avoid weekends if possible!
First seal pup of the season spotted at reserve
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9jl7g0nzyo 
Weekly seal update from Donna Nook - with Visitor Guidelines
https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook/weekly-update 
Donna Nook National Nature Reserve
https://www.lincstrust.org.uk/get-involved/top-reserves/donna-nook 

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


It's quite interesting within the Channel Islands the recolonisation of Grey Seals.
Anecdotally, the last Grey Seal was shot by a fisherman in 1910, on the East coast of Guernsey. I don't remember seeing any growing up as a child in Guernsey, then about 20 years ago, they started to appear.
We now have numerous colonies, and I see them locally in Alderney probably 2 or 3 times a week. The first pups have already been born this season and two have already been rescued by our local animal sanctuaries. Research shows that the local populations travel quite large distances, and individuals photographed here have turned up in Cornwall and Devon and also all the way up the French Channel coast.

On another note, I don't think I've seen so many migrant thrushes and blackbirds this Autumn, earlier this morning I counted nearly two dozen thrushes on the back lawn, outnumbering blackbirds. I'm wondering if this benign weather has had an influence? 
Alderney, Channel Islands. (previously known as Beaufort)
+1
Roger Parsons
01 November 2024 13:29:02

It's quite interesting within the Channel Islands the recolonisation of Grey Seals.
Anecdotally, the last Grey Seal was shot by a fisherman in 1910, on the East coast of Guernsey. I don't remember seeing any growing up as a child in Guernsey, then about 20 years ago, they started to appear.
We now have numerous colonies, and I see them locally in Alderney probably 2 or 3 times a week. The first pups have already been born this season and two have already been rescued by our local animal sanctuaries. Research shows that the local populations travel quite large distances, and individuals photographed here have turned up in Cornwall and Devon and also all the way up the French Channel coast.

On another note, I don't think I've seen so many migrant thrushes and blackbirds this Autumn, earlier this morning I counted nearly two dozen thrushes on the back lawn, outnumbering blackbirds. I'm wondering if this benign weather has had an influence? 

Originally Posted by: StoneCroze 


There have been relatively few migrant thrushes and blackbirds here yet.  Seems this is the year of the Hawfinches and Yellow-browed Warblers. A glance at my pager shows 3 Hawfinches today. A few Ring Ouzels have been reported too.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Chichesterweatherfan2
01 November 2024 15:24:33

There have been relatively few migrant thrushes and blackbirds here yet.  Seems this is the year of the Hawfinches and Yellow-browed Warblers. A glance at my pager shows 3 Hawfinches today. A few Ring Ouzels have been reported too.

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 


Sounds great…Roger…I’ve never seen  Yellow -Browed Warbler….atleast not to my knowledge! 

it’s been a very poor summer down here for hirundines…in last 10 plus years there’s been a drastic decline in the numbers of house martins nesting…the last small colony of martins here in Chichester has gone sadly…and just north of here at Lavant…which used to have a large colony ..this summer virtually devoid of them…yet when we were in Wales back in re seemed plenty around…I wonder if it is to do with the monoculture around these parts and the lack of insects? 

Roger Parsons
01 November 2024 16:16:48

Sounds great…Roger…I’ve never seen  Yellow -Browed Warbler….atleast not to my knowledge! 

it’s been a very poor summer down here for hirundines…in last 10 plus years there’s been a drastic decline in the numbers of house martins nesting…the last small colony of martins here in Chichester has gone sadly…and just north of here at Lavant…which used to have a large colony ..this summer virtually devoid of them…yet when we were in Wales back in re seemed plenty around…I wonder if it is to do with the monoculture around these parts and the lack of insects? 

Originally Posted by: Chichesterweatherfan2 


Multiple causes, I suggest, CWF. A decline of insects for food for whatever reason - climate trends, changes in cropping, declining wild areas. A lack of suitable nest sites perhaps? Generally tidier and less hirudine-friendly human homes and gardens? At our old place we had a washhouse outside and swallows regularly raised 3 broods a year there - much to our enjoyment. Friends used to ring the chicks and one year one was recorded on its way south, in Norfolk! Result!  We used to have swifts in the roof too. Then there's the issues of changes along migration routes that may impact on that process. Here's the BTO Cuckoo satellite tracking project as an example:

BTO's tracked Cuckoos - 11 south of the Sahara
https://www.bto.org/cuckoos 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
Retron
03 November 2024 12:51:54
I found a dead starling in the garden earlier, and unlike the other dead birds I've found this one hadn't been ripped apart by neighbourhood cats - it was as if it'd just fallen off the tree and died. It's now safely wrapped in a bin bag and slowly decomposing in the wheelie bin.

It made me think, though, what does happen to birds? They all die of something or other, but you seldom see dead ones around...
Leysdown, north Kent
DEW
  • DEW
  • Advanced Member
03 November 2024 13:47:24

I found a dead starling in the garden earlier, and unlike the other dead birds I've found this one hadn't been ripped apart by neighbourhood cats - it was as if it'd just fallen off the tree and died. It's now safely wrapped in a bin bag and slowly decomposing in the wheelie bin.

It made me think, though, what does happen to birds? They all die of something or other, but you seldom see dead ones around...

Originally Posted by: Retron 


Nature's clean-up squad - foxes and crows especially, I expect you have some around - but badgers, magpies and rats will eat carrion.
War does not determine who is right, only who is left - Bertrand Russell

Chichester 12m asl
+1
Retron
03 November 2024 13:57:43

Nature's clean-up squad - foxes and crows especially, I expect you have some around - but badgers, magpies and rats will eat carrion.

Originally Posted by: DEW 


True enough, I guess it was the unusualness of seeing a dead bird right in the open that got me! It must have been there for a while, as it wasn't warm. There is a magpie that lives nearby (it's often perched in my neighbour's cherry tree) and even that wasn't interested.
Leysdown, north Kent
Roger Parsons
03 November 2024 14:05:43

I found a dead starling in the garden earlier, and unlike the other dead birds I've found this one hadn't been ripped apart by neighbourhood cats - it was as if it'd just fallen off the tree and died. It's now safely wrapped in a bin bag and slowly decomposing in the wheelie bin.

It made me think, though, what does happen to birds? They all die of something or other, but you seldom see dead ones around...

Originally Posted by: Retron 


I must try to track down this story - but I seem to recall being told Darwin himself asked this question, extrapolating the size of the blackbird population if all chicks were to survive. The booming population would be obvious to all - so where did they go? Where are they? This may have been a teacher's illustration of the point. Of course death and decay is all around us - but not for long, and seldom seen. A predator can be a species' best friend, so can a pathogen, weeding out the weak and keeping down competition for food and space. A scavenger polishing off carcasses is also doing us all a favour. Our friend the rat does a lot of clearing up, as do the corvids. 🐀 Foxes and badgers too.
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
+1
Roger Parsons
03 November 2024 16:24:43
Speaking of Badgers - I don't think folks realise how many badgers there are around the place, hoovering up anything edible. We live in the middle of a fair-sized village and have videoed them in our garden and the next-door churchyard. Badger "signs" are easily spotted along the river and dyke banks, footpaths and in local woods. And along the coast. Here's a local story today. From Mablethorpe. Enjoy.
Burrowing badgers cause £100,000 damage to road
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg4l1gk5dxlo 
RogerP
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830

Remove ads from site

Ads