Wildlife in the garden - Indian summer?

simond

simond

Western Thunderer
Yep, I’d say “shield bug”

I recall something about a French nickname for them which I can’t recall at the moment but iirc it refers to the smell (awful) if you squash one.
 
Pencarrow

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
daifly said:
Bats are not always so clever. The BA flight from Barbados to London has been scheduled to depart at dusk for many years. The asphalt runway, warmed by the sun for many hours, attracts huge clouds of insects at dusk, which in turn attract cauldrons of bats to feast on them.
The speed and manoeuvrability of bats is no match for 300 tons of metal accelerating to 190mph.
What sounded and felt like machine gun fire hitting the fuselage signalled the demise of many bats on each takeoff. No doubt many more ended up being gobbled and minced by the big fan engines. In spite of us having a full set of very bright lights on and making a lot of noise, they never seemed to learn to keep out of our way.
Dave
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I suspect the opportunity for a bat to do it differently the second time are quite limited, hence the lack of learning. Probably also not a lot of Bertie the Bat left after going through a jet engine for others to take more of. :))
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
When we moved into our current house some 26 years ago, there were bats visible nearly every night, as the streetlights were small mercury discharge type, which attracted insects. We went through a period of sodium lighting, during which time, the insects and bats moved on. We now have LED streetlights, but neither have reappeared.

I fear the indiscriminate & profligate use of pesticides has done for both. :(
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Does Wildlife in the Kitchen count?
A young Swallow getting in some solo training hours flew straight through the open back door and tried to exit through the window above the sink.
I was sat at the table - it must have flown straight past me but first I knew was a loud crump and I looked up to see it back-flip into the sink.
Didn't look promising, but I took it outside where they are nesting above the door, and sat with it wrapped up in a towel to conserve heat.
After 5 minutes Mrs O took over for another 5 until it suddenly sat up, shook its head and took off. Yay! :thumbs:

Juvenile Swallow.jpg
 
oldravendale

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
I don't know what the moth is. I've looked it up but can't find it. We've had literally hundreds of the things this year. They are daylight flying and seem to like coming in to the house. I went to deliver someone to Wendover Station this afternoon and we were surrounded by at least half a dozen of them. It's very strange as I don't remember seeing these previously but there's an enormous glut of them this year.

Maybe they are the advance guard and they're going to take over the world!

Nice pics of the blue tit and goldfinch too. They seem to have done well this year as well.

Brian
 
simond

simond

Western Thunderer
I was idly gazing vertically upwards on the Leas this afternoon, whilst listening to the music arranged by the New Folkestone Society to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

There was a seagull-sized bird, clearly circling, thermalling, for ages. I do not know how high it got, but it had become very small, so I’d guess 300m or more. It then turned westward and disappeared from sight.

I don’t know that it was a seagull, but given the location, it would be a pretty safe bet. Is this typical behaviour? I’ve never noticed it before. I’ve no idea what the guide slope of a seagull is, but I guess it’s reasonably good. Somewhere in the 30:1 - 50:1 range?

( 9 km would get him/her almost to Dymchurch and there’s a chippy there, so probably worth a scavenge, or just mug a few tourists :) )
 
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Lancastrian

Lancastrian

Western Thunderer
oldravendale said:
I don't know what the moth is. I've looked it up but can't find it. We've had literally hundreds of the things this year. They are daylight flying and seem to like coming in to the house. I went to deliver someone to Wendover Station this afternoon and we were surrounded by at least half a dozen of them. It's very strange as I don't remember seeing these previously but there's an enormous glut of them this year.

Maybe they are the advance guard and they're going to take over the world!

Nice pics of the blue tit and goldfinch too. They seem to have done well this year as well.

Brian
Click to expand...
Brian,

A Gypsy Moth.
 
4

40057

Western Thunderer
Crossing the path outside our front door last evening:

3DCF6B6D-79E2-4988-8D7B-46BDF75DF9A6.jpeg

A palmate newt. I’ve seen four or five near the house in the past 10 days, plus a couple crossing the public road by our access. So they’re out of the water but I guess still some time off hibernation.
 
Osgood

Osgood

Western Thunderer
simond said:
.....Grass snake much irritated by me removing it from phobic neighbour’s front porch.
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We had a big one in our courtyard 3 years ago - not seen a frog or toad since, and they were quite prolific until then :(

MarkR said:
Circuit and bumps and bumps.......
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Certainly have to watch your head outside today with the constant circuits - only bump(s) witnessed so far have been a pair flying wingtip to wingtip - vertically out of the nest and a 90 degree straight into the glass of the rear door, they both did a 180 just like swimmers at the end of a pool and shot off the other direction!
 
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