I saw a seven spot ladybird on my squash plants recently - have not seen one for years, mostly the harlequin ones nowadays, if at all.
That reminded me that I haven't seen an earwig for ages, although our current garden is in a quite different location with different vegetation which might account for it.
My husband entertained himself by hooting while I was sitting outside with the Merlin app this morning, and it duly recorded a Tawny Owl! It did have a red dot indicating "unlikely" next to it.
We just had a significant fraction of a murmuration settle rather noisily on the power cables just over the road. Merlin was eventually able to separate out enough to confirm that, yes, starlings.
We get many birds, but gulls, corvines and pigeons account for 98% of them. Very few smaller birds, mostly thanks to the magpies.
OTOH, we have a couple of hedgehogs. I think they have a burrow under a big sycamore in front of our house. Mrs Sioni was alerted last night by the noises they make. I think they have a chance as adults don’t have many predators (I haven’t seen any badgers or Newport) but the hoglets are in more danger from cats, rats and the bloody magpies.
My daughter, granddaughter and I were in Pennsylvania recently to visit family. One of my cousins took them for a 4X4 ride in the surrounding countryside. They saw a groundhog and a chipmunk and were thrilled! They asked Cousin what they were, and he was shocked that we don't have them in Florida!
The Merlin app recorded a willow warbler this morning. They live a couple of hundred meters away from my garden by a stream, but I haven't heard or seen one near my house before. This may reflect on yesterday's heavy rain and just how wet everything is here! We are currently on flood alert (lowest of three warning levels, so not something to worry about).
I wish I could ship a few millimeters of rain to Shipmates further south!
From Britain I find American bird books absolutely fascinating! Some birds are resident in both continents, some migrate and the American Robin and European Robin are very different.
From Britain I find American bird books absolutely fascinating! Some birds are resident in both continents, some migrate and the American Robin and European Robin are very different.
In the latter case, my understanding is that the American robin was so named merely because its red patch on the thorax was deemed to resemble that of the European robin.
The American robin is a member of the starling family, while the European robin is a member of the flycatcher family.
The American robin is a member of the starling family, while the European robin is a member of the flycatcher family.
I believe the American robin is a member of the thrush family. They used to winter here, and we would be so thrilled to see them! Now, I rarely see one and miss the huge flocks that used to land in the garden and vocalize. They would also eat fermented Brazilian pepper berries and fall over frequently. My personal thought is that my particular part of Florida has more people and communities than they feel comfortable with.
We have many North American robins here. They are friendly and seem to like having humans around. Do the same families return each year to the same nesting places? They have a habit of nesting in the same unsuitable places each time, like light fixtures and in low bushes where their eggs are easy prey for predators.
Hanging out the washing, I heard a distinctive bird call I didn't recognise coming from my neighbour's garden. I fired up the Merlin app and ...nothing! I could hear it, but the Merlin app wasn't registering anything. It picked up a greenfinch and a housemartin, but the call wasn't from either of those.
It was a single tweeee, pause, tweeeee, pause, tweeeeee. I was starting to wonder whether one of her grandchildren was on the swing in her garden and I was hearing it squeak, but I'm pretty sure it was a bird.
I'm no bird expert - but I noticed a similar call in our garden and saw that it was a lon-tailed tit getting anxious about a cat on the prowl! I guess birding websites could give you a comparison.
I'm no bird expert - but I noticed a similar call in our garden and saw that it was a lon-tailed tit getting anxious about a cat on the prowl! I guess birding websites could give you a comparison.
Thank you! I've seen long-tailed tits in woodland a mile from my house, so it's possible. I've listened to the online recordings of a long tailed tit and it's "twees" seem to be interspersed with something more chirrupy. But the "twee" bits certainly sound right, and there may well have been a cat about. This tweee / pause / tweee/ pause lasted long enough for me to go inside for my phone and attempt to identify it on the Merlin app for several minutes. There have been times when the app has recorded something I haven't heard, but this is the first time I have clearly heard something that the app didn't pick up.
We thought we saw a clouded yellow butterfly on the South Downs. I remember when this was quite rare, but I think in warm summers quite a lot migrate. Very pretty.
Am currently on holiday in Thailand, though my bird and animal identification is shocking. I told my mother, a keen birdwatcher, that there are blackbird-like things, thrush-like things and kingfisher-like things. The zebra doves are very cute.
The only animals I've positively identified are the water monitor lizards in the local park. Not as scary as I thought they'd be; they're basically 3ft long, scaly, slow moving squirrels.
We thought we saw a clouded yellow butterfly on the South Downs. I remember when this was quite rare, but I think in warm summers quite a lot migrate. Very pretty.
TQTastic-let #2 and I also saw what we think was a clouded yellow butterfly yesterday at Yew Hill just outside Winchester.
Daughter, Granddaughter and I enjoyed watching a small alligator taking a leisurely swim in the lake behind our house this morning. It wasn't bothering anyone, and nobody bothered it, which is as it should be!
We have 51 hogs in the hedgehog rescue where I volunteer. Most of them youngsters plus four mothers with babies. The majority are doing well but four are poorly with something that looks like salmonella. So 'barrier nursing' is needed with those four tinies.
My job was cleaning out the mothers and babies, but I didn't get to see them, of course they were asleep. 🦔
The RSPB is celebrating the breeding of Montagus Harriers in East Anglia, which reminded me that I used to see them regularly round the Wash They do the celebrated food drop between male and female. Unfortunately they often breed in cereal crops, but some friendly farmers will steer round them during harvest.
We've just been sat at the dining table with the patio door open, and seen a badger at the bottom of the garden! It's not even a big garden.
😮😮😮
The only badger I have seen was right in front of us on the road in Norfolk. The road clearly belonged to the badger and this one looked big and a bit nasty! We weren’t getting out to shoo it along.
Just hoping yours isn’t taking hedgehogs, as they are a natural predator of adult hedgehogs.
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That reminded me that I haven't seen an earwig for ages, although our current garden is in a quite different location with different vegetation which might account for it.
My husband is very pleased with himself.
He's a hoot to be with.
Meanwhile, saw my first hummingbird hawkmoth of the year today.
We've had several of those in our little town garden this year- very welcome and very unusual for us.
OTOH, we have a couple of hedgehogs. I think they have a burrow under a big sycamore in front of our house. Mrs Sioni was alerted last night by the noises they make. I think they have a chance as adults don’t have many predators (I haven’t seen any badgers or Newport) but the hoglets are in more danger from cats, rats and the bloody magpies.
I wish I could ship a few millimeters of rain to Shipmates further south!
The American robin is a member of the starling family, while the European robin is a member of the flycatcher family.
I believe the American robin is a member of the thrush family. They used to winter here, and we would be so thrilled to see them! Now, I rarely see one and miss the huge flocks that used to land in the garden and vocalize. They would also eat fermented Brazilian pepper berries and fall over frequently. My personal thought is that my particular part of Florida has more people and communities than they feel comfortable with.
It was a single tweeee, pause, tweeeee, pause, tweeeeee. I was starting to wonder whether one of her grandchildren was on the swing in her garden and I was hearing it squeak, but I'm pretty sure it was a bird.
Thank you! I've seen long-tailed tits in woodland a mile from my house, so it's possible. I've listened to the online recordings of a long tailed tit and it's "twees" seem to be interspersed with something more chirrupy. But the "twee" bits certainly sound right, and there may well have been a cat about. This tweee / pause / tweee/ pause lasted long enough for me to go inside for my phone and attempt to identify it on the Merlin app for several minutes. There have been times when the app has recorded something I haven't heard, but this is the first time I have clearly heard something that the app didn't pick up.
The only animals I've positively identified are the water monitor lizards in the local park. Not as scary as I thought they'd be; they're basically 3ft long, scaly, slow moving squirrels.
TQTastic-let #2 and I also saw what we think was a clouded yellow butterfly yesterday at Yew Hill just outside Winchester.
Not seen them in the wild before.
Also saw plenty of storks and a Lesser Spotted Eagle.
Heard wolves one night but didn't see any of course.
My job was cleaning out the mothers and babies, but I didn't get to see them, of course they were asleep. 🦔
😮😮😮
The only badger I have seen was right in front of us on the road in Norfolk. The road clearly belonged to the badger and this one looked big and a bit nasty! We weren’t getting out to shoo it along.
Just hoping yours isn’t taking hedgehogs, as they are a natural predator of adult hedgehogs.