We used to get Golden Orioles here in southern Haute-Garonne, but since the farmers who once had cattle have now retired, the fields all around are ploughed and hedgerows and trees disappearing to make huge fields for arable crops. All very depressing. We used to have the European Green Tree frogs but they also have gone, as have many birds.
That’s such a shame, Floralies. The Orioles here seem to have a very specific requirement for mature poplars by rivers.
On the plus side, Dave, I hear Bee Eaters are making inroads in the UK? Their sound really heralds the start of summer here, but only in passing, as we don’t have the sandy banks they nest in.
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
Oh, dear, I didn't know this thread existed and just posted this event in the HELLO FORKERS thread. But will repost here in this much more appropriate discussion:
We have seen one grey fox in the city in the 17 years we have lived
here. But today, we drove down to our country cabin property so I could
water plants (been 10 days since they had a drink) and as we drove into
the property on the 1 km. access lane (our place is set back way off
the road), a red fox popped up out of the tall verge grass and walked in
the tire ruts in front the car for nearly 1/3 km. We got a real good
look at him as we inched our way to the cabin. That's a first! Now I
know why the 8" fairly deep hole is excavated (3 times now) underneath
the cabin's front veranda steps. We have a little "boarder" living
under there. Because we have seen Copperhead snakes a few times on the
property, I never let my dog off-lead down there, so I guess a fox is a
lot less dangerous than Copperheads. Maybe the fox will be better at
catching the gopher and mole that are digging the other holes and
tunnels in the yard than the Copperheads or owls h ave done to date.
We
also saw two roadrunners this morning doing what they do best, running
across the road in front of our car as we drove in and again saw one as
we drove out. We have seen them here in the city on the roof of our
last house, but they rarely fly/elevate like that. Funny looking birds
indeed.
@Peggy in Texas - it's a bit like that saying about camels - they're a horse designed by a committee. That roadrunner looks like a combination of lots of different birds!
Here is todays visitors mostly large white butterflies, but did see a painted lady sunning itself. These though are out in force today peacock butterflies. Do excuse the bad photos, they always seem to move at just the wrong moment.🙂
Yesterday I watched through my lounge window not one but TWO huge yellow swallowtail butterflies taking in the flowers in my front garden. Not unusual to see them this year, but what was strange is they flitted from flower to flower, bush to bush 6-7 times in absolutely perfect tandem, as though they were attached with a string. Never were they farther apart then 7". Then they flew off to the neighbor's, again in perfect tandem, like a pair of ice skate dancers at the Olympics.
I have spent a couple of weeks on and near the Knepp Rewilded land near Horsham in Sussex. They have a great surge of insects like Purple Emperors, birds such as turtle doves and mammals like dormice. They have the first British breeding storks for about 400 years. I highly recommend a visit. Great numbers of buzzards, falcons and hobbies. Here are some of my small encounters.
Red admiral ^
Comma ^
Fallow deer ^. (They have wild fallow, red, roe and muntjac deer on the land.)
I have spent a couple of weeks on and near the Knepp Rewilded land near Horsham in Sussex. They have a great surge of insects like Purple Emperors, birds such as turtle doves and mammals like dormice. They have the first British breeding storks for about 400 years. I highly recommend a visit. Great numbers of buzzards, falcons and hobbies.
I bet that was amazing and a nice break from city life I've heard so many good reports of that project.
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Posts
On the plus side, Dave, I hear Bee Eaters are making inroads in the UK? Their sound really heralds the start of summer here, but only in passing, as we don’t have the sandy banks they nest in.
Caught this moth napping on the side of my glazed pots full of Pelargoniums
Love those hoverflies @purplerallim
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...