Wildlife in the garden - Spring and what is this bird?

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
Click to expand...

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
 
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