Nature Notes

[ErrolTheDragon]

There's a gardening thread which may overlap with this one but I thought people might like to share nature sightings as the season changes. What we see if we can get out for a walk, plants coming into leaf and bloom, creatures in the garden, birds flying overhead - whatever.

Yesterday along the canal: busy wrens, 3 butterflies (tortoiseshell I think). Lots of Lords and Ladies arrow-shaped leaves. A little bank of primroses, lots of celandines and some wood anemones. Yellow iris leaves starting to shoot up in the edge of the canal.

I went on a lovely coastal walk yesterday, with distant views of a seabird colony. The birds were too far in the distance to make out what they were, but we definitely got a feel for how noisy they were!

Closer to the shore, I was really surprised to come across a group of Eider Duck. I thought I lived in the wrong part of the country to see those, but evidently not! They were pretty relaxed and kind of swimming alongside us, so we managed to get a really good look at them. I’ve never seen Eider Duck before, so that felt pretty special ☺️

Eider ducks are great, aren't they? There's a map here

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/eider/

I was quite surprised when I first heard one (unmistakable!) on the coast nearest us, I've seen quite a few further north.

Hmm, that’s an interesting map Errol. It shows them as winter visitors only in my area, but perhaps we have a very localised population here that wouldn’t show up on the map?

Unfortunately they weren’t really making much of a noise. I’m intrigued to know what they sound like now!

Play the video at the bottom of the link... Frankie Howerd impersonators.

There's a little baby bunny at the bottom of my garden. Too far away to get a decent photo at the moment and I don't want to go out and scare her away.
After a nibble on the forget me nots, she's mowing the lawn now.

She'd come close up to the patio when I came back down from doing some work.

No wildlife sightings to report from Devon but the hawthorn is finally in full bloom and looks spectacular

We have babies!

Wow, so special to be able to see them.

Another instalment of Nature Notebook

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sunset-vigil-for-a-family-who-like-life-underground-rjpx6szhj?shareToken=c56db4519ba5d01c5435e47ba3ac5212

A baby bunny AND baby birds! This thread is cuteness overload 🥰

I once was lucky enough to see a badger, while I was cycling on a quiet country lane. I could see the badger from quite a distance, so slowed down as much as I could without making a noise. As the wind was blowing in my direction, I don’t think the badger even noticed me until I’d gone past him. It was an awesome moment.

Unfortunately DH, who’s had a lifetime wish to see a badger, was completely focussed on cycling speed, so he was way ahead and never noticed the badger 🤦‍♀️

The swan family were busily eating a fish when we passed them today, and we saw another nesting pair further along the canal. The duckling families are growing up quickly.

Ox-eye daisies are coming out, and the first of the yellow irises.

And I spotted a blue damselfly!

Yesterday I went to my local RSPB reserve in the hope of adding some warblers to my list of birds I’ve seen this year. I didn’t do so well on the warblers, but...I saw a bird I didn’t think I’d ever see - a nightjar 😯

The bird was sitting just a few meters from the path and seemed totally fine with the large crowd of birdwatchers that was slowly gathering around him. Apparently he stayed there for hours, no doubt delighting hundreds of bird fans with his presence!

Wow!

Seen a starling family on my wall earlier think the parents were desperately trying to teach the baby how to fly but it was just waddling along behind making alot of noise

We sometimes get starling families on our lawn; the youngsters do seem particularly incompetent at first.

The sun is out and so are the lizards.

A wee Robin followed me on my walk yesterday. Was a jolly chubby wee thing

Progress so far of the great tit chicks in my garden

DH is taking an interest in learning about wildflowers so we're trying to identify some of the common plants we've never put a name to. Today (in addition to many noted previously), I think we're now getting silverweed, common rock rose, birds foot trefoil. Also the first of the yarrow, in meadows jewelled with red clover, buttercups and speedwell (germander, I think).

Also one lovely little plant which I think isn't too common - birds eye primrose.

We came across a herd of fallow deer in much the same place we've glimpsed them before which was nice.

Sorry spamming here with my news tonight. Very pleased with the way my two clematis are weaving together

Lovely. I'm tempted to add a white - the foliage on the pink is a bit dark.

Was so easy to get them to grow together. Only thing is the pink is flowering and the white only has a few flowers out. Were hoping they would flower at the same time

Here's today's Nature Notebook

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bold-blue-burglars-that-arent-easily-foiled-lm007pfgv?shareToken=f2621e05144fb68315389d5536c0ea41

I saw our resident pipistrelle foraging in the garden last night. The warm weather had brought lots of flying insects out for it to eat.