Saturday, 31 August 2013
August 2013
Note from Andrew Beach - Pat's Husband: I regret to say that my
beloved wife passed away in November 2013. As you will know if you have
read her blog posts she was truly in love with nature and enjoyed
sharing this love with others through these posts. This post was
prepared but not published which I now do in her memory. It may not be
complete but this is how she left it, so how it shall be.
1st Hottest day of the year so far- in the low 30's
2nd Lots of butterflies in the garden - mainly whites but also a comma, a peacock and a small blue. Damsel flies also fly around and a large brown dragonfly zooms through.
5th Sunshine and showers today with lots of birds in the garden-sparrows, blue tits, great tits, a coletit, blackbirds and a young and adult robin - so I guess its only a matter of time when all this activity would attract a sparrowhawk. He sits on the fence and is empty handed. He flys off as I reach for the camera. I wait to see which birds come back and I'm surprised as a female woodpecker arrives on the feeders. She is replaced by a blackbird then bluetits ,great tits, sparrows, a coletit and pigeons.
Wed 14th August Start of our trip to Skye.
Overnight stay at Wyreside Lakes, Lancaster. Rain through the night. Swaths of purple/pink rosebay willow herb line our route up the motorway.
Thursday 15th -18th Copeland Campsite, Stirlingshire. Forest Site.
We find quiet pitch. Some rain over night but Friday starts sunny. On a ride out we find a lovely waterfall were I think fairies could live amongst the flowers, ferns and moss. Swallows and pied wagtails fly around and chaffinch look for food by the tables.
On the way back we spot Red Deer. It looks like they are in someones back garden.
Red deer ( Cervus elaphus) There are more than a quarter of a million red deer in Scotland. Red deer stags live separate groups to the females except in the rutting season. They feed on grasses, heather and lichens. In summer the coat is brighter and goes grey -brown from September. at the start of the rutting season. Stags are in their prime and try to round up as many hinds as possible. They bellow and thrash trees to show their strength. If nessasary they fight with their antlers some will be injured but some will be killed. The most successfull stags are around 8 years old and hold a harem of 10 - 20 hinds. The farming of red deer has become widespread due to their low-cholesterol venison.
Sat 17th Rain all morning but the sun came out about 1ish. Id given up on anything comung to my bird feeder when a cole tit arrives, then 2 bluetits and a great tit. Three chaffinch try to land but they are ground feeders so fly away. The leaves on the ground are moving so I wait to see what will appear and finally a mouse comes out into the open.
Sun18th Travelling to Skye through Glen Coe which is still a beautiful place in spite of the rain and wind. We arrive safely and set up camp. What a view!!
We are on the waters edge of Loch na Cairidh opposite the Isle of Scalpay. That evening we see red deer on the shore line of Scalpay.
19th Rain and wind in the night but the sun is now trying to break through. Herons, gulls, terns, oystercatchers and a hooded crow are feeding in the seaweed.
Hooded crow (Corus cornix) The Hooded crow has a black head, wings and tail with a grey-pinkish body and a black bib. It feeds on the ground where it hops or walks eating carrion, young birds, mammals, eggs, insects and other invertebrates. They will also eat seeds, fruit and grain. It lives anywhere it can explote a food source.
I take a walk along the jetty and take pictures of starfish
seaweed,
and a crab.
Back at the van I see my main reason for coming to Skye -A White Tailed Sea Eagle wow !! It flys down to steal a fish from the gulls and flys off with his catch over to Scalpay where it disappears over the mountain.
White Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilia) Heavier and bulkier than the golden eagle with broad wings and 'fingered tips' , a short wedge shaped white tail, a strong neck and a powerful bill.
1st Hottest day of the year so far- in the low 30's
2nd Lots of butterflies in the garden - mainly whites but also a comma, a peacock and a small blue. Damsel flies also fly around and a large brown dragonfly zooms through.
5th Sunshine and showers today with lots of birds in the garden-sparrows, blue tits, great tits, a coletit, blackbirds and a young and adult robin - so I guess its only a matter of time when all this activity would attract a sparrowhawk. He sits on the fence and is empty handed. He flys off as I reach for the camera. I wait to see which birds come back and I'm surprised as a female woodpecker arrives on the feeders. She is replaced by a blackbird then bluetits ,great tits, sparrows, a coletit and pigeons.
Wed 14th August Start of our trip to Skye.
Overnight stay at Wyreside Lakes, Lancaster. Rain through the night. Swaths of purple/pink rosebay willow herb line our route up the motorway.
Thursday 15th -18th Copeland Campsite, Stirlingshire. Forest Site.
We find quiet pitch. Some rain over night but Friday starts sunny. On a ride out we find a lovely waterfall were I think fairies could live amongst the flowers, ferns and moss. Swallows and pied wagtails fly around and chaffinch look for food by the tables.
On the way back we spot Red Deer. It looks like they are in someones back garden.
Red deer ( Cervus elaphus) There are more than a quarter of a million red deer in Scotland. Red deer stags live separate groups to the females except in the rutting season. They feed on grasses, heather and lichens. In summer the coat is brighter and goes grey -brown from September. at the start of the rutting season. Stags are in their prime and try to round up as many hinds as possible. They bellow and thrash trees to show their strength. If nessasary they fight with their antlers some will be injured but some will be killed. The most successfull stags are around 8 years old and hold a harem of 10 - 20 hinds. The farming of red deer has become widespread due to their low-cholesterol venison.
Sat 17th Rain all morning but the sun came out about 1ish. Id given up on anything comung to my bird feeder when a cole tit arrives, then 2 bluetits and a great tit. Three chaffinch try to land but they are ground feeders so fly away. The leaves on the ground are moving so I wait to see what will appear and finally a mouse comes out into the open.
Sun18th Travelling to Skye through Glen Coe which is still a beautiful place in spite of the rain and wind. We arrive safely and set up camp. What a view!!
We are on the waters edge of Loch na Cairidh opposite the Isle of Scalpay. That evening we see red deer on the shore line of Scalpay.
19th Rain and wind in the night but the sun is now trying to break through. Herons, gulls, terns, oystercatchers and a hooded crow are feeding in the seaweed.
Hooded crow (Corus cornix) The Hooded crow has a black head, wings and tail with a grey-pinkish body and a black bib. It feeds on the ground where it hops or walks eating carrion, young birds, mammals, eggs, insects and other invertebrates. They will also eat seeds, fruit and grain. It lives anywhere it can explote a food source.
I take a walk along the jetty and take pictures of starfish
seaweed,
and a crab.
Back at the van I see my main reason for coming to Skye -A White Tailed Sea Eagle wow !! It flys down to steal a fish from the gulls and flys off with his catch over to Scalpay where it disappears over the mountain.
White Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilia) Heavier and bulkier than the golden eagle with broad wings and 'fingered tips' , a short wedge shaped white tail, a strong neck and a powerful bill.
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
July 2013
Note from Andrew Beach - Pat's Husband: I regret to say that my
beloved wife passed away in November 2013. As you will know if you have
read her blog posts she was truly in love with nature and enjoyed
sharing this love with others through these posts. This post was
prepared but not published which I now do in her memory. It may not be
complete but this is how she left it, so how it shall be.
Summer has arrived with avengance. Its hot!!
Lots of young in the garden still and the hedgehog is still coming but I haven't seen any babies sadly.
Thursday 11th - Sunday 14th. Thorny lakes Somerset
Its a larger site than we normally pick and we set up in the area with most shade from the trees.
Friday Andrew goes for a walk and sees roe deer, guinea fowl, dragonflies,damsel flies and butterflies. We both go down to the lake later when it has cooled down a little. Men are fishing on the lake side and a lady is painting beautiful feathers she has picked up off the ground. A magnificent cockerel greets us on our side of the pond.
Old English Game Fowl (Gallus domestic) have been here for 2,000 years originally kept for fighting. Today the breed is mainly kept for exhibition.
Dragonflies zoom over the pond and the guinea fowl are still around. Butterflies flit around us on the walk back to the van.
Back at the van aeroplanes fly over head in preparation for tomorrows air show. While we are having tea the field we passed with all the butterflies is being mowed I'm disappointed as I planned to chase butterflies while Andrew is at the airshow tomorrow.
The next day proves to be very hot so I sit by the van reading and watching bees, butterflies and swallows flying around. Down at the pond later we see the guinea fowl roosting in a tree making lots of noise when anyone goes near. The kingfisher gives a brief appearance while a heron stays a little longer.
20th They are saying it maybe the driest, hottest July for 250 years.
23rd Thunder and Lightening and half of July's rainfall in one storm.
In June 2012 My eldest came home with a caterpillar, well today (24th) he has come home with a caterpillar saying it can't fly. After I take a picture I put it outside on a flower, later it has gone. I hope it has flown off and not been eaten.
Summer has arrived with avengance. Its hot!!
Lots of young in the garden still and the hedgehog is still coming but I haven't seen any babies sadly.
Thursday 11th - Sunday 14th. Thorny lakes Somerset
Its a larger site than we normally pick and we set up in the area with most shade from the trees.
Friday Andrew goes for a walk and sees roe deer, guinea fowl, dragonflies,damsel flies and butterflies. We both go down to the lake later when it has cooled down a little. Men are fishing on the lake side and a lady is painting beautiful feathers she has picked up off the ground. A magnificent cockerel greets us on our side of the pond.
Old English Game Fowl (Gallus domestic) have been here for 2,000 years originally kept for fighting. Today the breed is mainly kept for exhibition.
Dragonflies zoom over the pond and the guinea fowl are still around. Butterflies flit around us on the walk back to the van.
Back at the van aeroplanes fly over head in preparation for tomorrows air show. While we are having tea the field we passed with all the butterflies is being mowed I'm disappointed as I planned to chase butterflies while Andrew is at the airshow tomorrow.
The next day proves to be very hot so I sit by the van reading and watching bees, butterflies and swallows flying around. Down at the pond later we see the guinea fowl roosting in a tree making lots of noise when anyone goes near. The kingfisher gives a brief appearance while a heron stays a little longer.
20th They are saying it maybe the driest, hottest July for 250 years.
23rd Thunder and Lightening and half of July's rainfall in one storm.
In June 2012 My eldest came home with a caterpillar, well today (24th) he has come home with a caterpillar saying it can't fly. After I take a picture I put it outside on a flower, later it has gone. I hope it has flown off and not been eaten.
Sunday, 30 June 2013
June 2013
Note from Andrew Beach - Pat's Husband: I regret to say that my
beloved wife passed away in November 2013. As you will know if you have
read her blog posts she was truly in love with nature and enjoyed
sharing this love with others through these posts. This post was
prepared but not published which I now do in her memory. It may not be
complete but this is how she left it, so how it shall be.
1st Still in the New Forest. We go to Bolder Wood to see the deer . There are 13 in the field but they are not as close as we've seen back at the van.
2nd Arrive home today and fledgling sparrows, great tits, and starlings are all in the garden, while a male and female bullfinch are in the garden.
3rd We put a new camera trap in the garden over night and catch a hedgehog, a squirrel,cat and young starlings.
8th Its very noisy in the garden - sparrows and starlings still trying to get mum and dad to feed them and 6 goldfinch. Later I see a young great tit on the drive. He looked very vulnerable and I watch from a distance till it flies off.
Week 3 and I pick a bowl full of strawberries from the garden. Yum.
The garden continues to be a nursery for the young birds of the area. great tits , blue tits, goldfinch and sparrows mainly. Adult blackbirds, pigeons and magpies also visit. While the hedgehog comes at night.
1st Still in the New Forest. We go to Bolder Wood to see the deer . There are 13 in the field but they are not as close as we've seen back at the van.
2nd Arrive home today and fledgling sparrows, great tits, and starlings are all in the garden, while a male and female bullfinch are in the garden.
3rd We put a new camera trap in the garden over night and catch a hedgehog, a squirrel,cat and young starlings.
8th Its very noisy in the garden - sparrows and starlings still trying to get mum and dad to feed them and 6 goldfinch. Later I see a young great tit on the drive. He looked very vulnerable and I watch from a distance till it flies off.
Week 3 and I pick a bowl full of strawberries from the garden. Yum.
The garden continues to be a nursery for the young birds of the area. great tits , blue tits, goldfinch and sparrows mainly. Adult blackbirds, pigeons and magpies also visit. While the hedgehog comes at night.
Friday, 31 May 2013
May 2013
Note from Andrew Beach - Pat's Husband: I regret to say that my beloved wife passed away in November 2013. As you will know if you have read her blog posts she was truly in love with nature and enjoyed sharing this love with others through these posts. This post was prepared but not published which I now do in her memory. It may not be complete but this is how she left it, so how it shall be.
1st and it's sunny.
2nd 3 hedgehogs in the garden . 1female and two males I think. The female is circled by one of the males- she huffs at him when he gets too close. Both eat the food put out. A third hedgehog comes close and is chased off but stays in the garden eating , he keeps trying but is always chased away. This goes on for over 2 hours at which point they follow the female out of the garden .
3rd Just one hedgehog tonight.
During the day 2 male blackbirds fight continually during the day and they are not the only ones, sparrows also fight amongst themselves. Sadly more sparrows kill sparrows than anything else.
5th the blossom is just coming out on the tree.
9th We watch a collared dove chase off magpies. Dad said it's been happening all week. I think they must have a nest nearby. When I return home there is more fighting going on - blackbirds, sparrows, blue tits, robins all seem to be chasing each other all over the garden.
15th 2 hedgehogs in the garden, the female is making lots of angry noises.
16th and I'm awake up hear the dawn chorus -amazing.
"A BIRD DOES NOT SING BECAUSE IT HAS AN ANSWER
IT SINGS BECAUSE IT HAS A SONG".
Maya Angelou
Around at Dads we watch the sparrows collecting nesting material from the newly cut lawn.
23rd When putting out food for the hedgehog I disturbed a fox in the garden.
26th My first fledgling of the year -a robin.
27th Setthorns Caravan Park , New Forest
First birds to arrive at the bird feeder - nuthatches, blue tits, great tits, cole tit,and a willow tit . a new spot for me.
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus)
Lives in conifer woods and birch woods preferably close to rivers and streams. They eat invertebrates in summer and plant material in autumn and winter and will hoard food if they can.
Nests in mid April in anew nest every year usually close to the ground. Lays 6-8 eggs which are incubated by the female. The young are fed by both parents and will fly after 17 days.
We also heard a cuckoo and at 9pm a fallow deer walks through the site.
Fallow Deer(dama dama)
Herds of fallow deer have lived in ancient forests for centuries. Unusually for deer there are different colour varieties. Chestnut brown with white spots is typical for summer, but some maybe pale brown with spots, known as menil. Black and white varieties can also be found. They feed at anytime but dawn and dusk are usual. Rutting time is October - November.
28th A Jay briefly lands on a tree nearby. On a walk we see a blue tit using a hole in a tree for it's nest and heard lot's of beautiful bird song. Blue bells are in flower in the woods.
29th Male and female Greater Spotted Woodpecker on feeder are devastating the fat ball.
30th 5 fallow deer pass close to the caravan. You can see the velvet on the antlers.
They stay in the woodland close to the caravan as we find them later in the day.
31st I've never seen so much Gorse in flower!
In amongst it a Brimstone butterfly.
Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryxrhamni (pceridae))An early sign of spring as it emerges from hibernation. It has a wing span of 6cm and can be see in flight from May - September. It is believed the word butterfly was first used to described this insect. It is widespread in North Africa and Europe. They lay eggs on buckthorn bushes when they come into leaf. The green caterpillar last from 3-7 weeks before it turns into a pupa.
I found the quote in a puzzle book and thought I'd share it with you.
"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes."
Frank Lloyd Wright
1st and it's sunny.
2nd 3 hedgehogs in the garden . 1female and two males I think. The female is circled by one of the males- she huffs at him when he gets too close. Both eat the food put out. A third hedgehog comes close and is chased off but stays in the garden eating , he keeps trying but is always chased away. This goes on for over 2 hours at which point they follow the female out of the garden .
3rd Just one hedgehog tonight.
During the day 2 male blackbirds fight continually during the day and they are not the only ones, sparrows also fight amongst themselves. Sadly more sparrows kill sparrows than anything else.
5th the blossom is just coming out on the tree.
9th We watch a collared dove chase off magpies. Dad said it's been happening all week. I think they must have a nest nearby. When I return home there is more fighting going on - blackbirds, sparrows, blue tits, robins all seem to be chasing each other all over the garden.
15th 2 hedgehogs in the garden, the female is making lots of angry noises.
16th and I'm awake up hear the dawn chorus -amazing.
"A BIRD DOES NOT SING BECAUSE IT HAS AN ANSWER
IT SINGS BECAUSE IT HAS A SONG".
Maya Angelou
Around at Dads we watch the sparrows collecting nesting material from the newly cut lawn.
23rd When putting out food for the hedgehog I disturbed a fox in the garden.
26th My first fledgling of the year -a robin.
27th Setthorns Caravan Park , New Forest
First birds to arrive at the bird feeder - nuthatches, blue tits, great tits, cole tit,and a willow tit . a new spot for me.
Willow Tit (Poecile montanus)
Lives in conifer woods and birch woods preferably close to rivers and streams. They eat invertebrates in summer and plant material in autumn and winter and will hoard food if they can.
Nests in mid April in anew nest every year usually close to the ground. Lays 6-8 eggs which are incubated by the female. The young are fed by both parents and will fly after 17 days.
We also heard a cuckoo and at 9pm a fallow deer walks through the site.
Fallow Deer(dama dama)
Herds of fallow deer have lived in ancient forests for centuries. Unusually for deer there are different colour varieties. Chestnut brown with white spots is typical for summer, but some maybe pale brown with spots, known as menil. Black and white varieties can also be found. They feed at anytime but dawn and dusk are usual. Rutting time is October - November.
28th A Jay briefly lands on a tree nearby. On a walk we see a blue tit using a hole in a tree for it's nest and heard lot's of beautiful bird song. Blue bells are in flower in the woods.
29th Male and female Greater Spotted Woodpecker on feeder are devastating the fat ball.
They stay in the woodland close to the caravan as we find them later in the day.
31st I've never seen so much Gorse in flower!
In amongst it a Brimstone butterfly.
Brimstone Butterfly (Gonepteryxrhamni (pceridae))An early sign of spring as it emerges from hibernation. It has a wing span of 6cm and can be see in flight from May - September. It is believed the word butterfly was first used to described this insect. It is widespread in North Africa and Europe. They lay eggs on buckthorn bushes when they come into leaf. The green caterpillar last from 3-7 weeks before it turns into a pupa.
I found the quote in a puzzle book and thought I'd share it with you.
"The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes."
Frank Lloyd Wright
Tuesday, 30 April 2013
April 2013
April and it's still freezing. Regulars in the garden - 2 longtailed tits, 3 blue tits, 2 great tits, 2 collared doves, 4 pigeons, 2 magpies, a gang of sparrows, 2 male and 1 female blackbirds (one of the males has a white stripe on his wing), 2 dunnocks, 2 robins, 1 male black cap, 1 wren, and several starlings.
The daffodils are in flower so spring must be here!(about 3/4 weeks late I think). Crocus are flowering in the grass verges and catkins are on the trees.
2nd week.
I thought the blackbird with the white stripe on his wing was the dominant bird but another one has been chasing him off all day. The female has been collecting nesting material from my untidy garden.
13th 3 dunnocks have been flitting around the garden. One of them the female I think has been fluttering her wings at the others. It isn't at all unusual for a female to have 2 males in attendance.
4 goldfinch in the garden today and buds on the trees.
14th Female greater spotted woodpecker feeding in garden today. 1st bee and butterfly of the year. Daffodils and celandine in flower and daisies in the grass. Also blackthorn blossom on the trees.
19th Both a male and female blackcap in the garden today.
Blackthorn blossom
female blackcap
2 hedgehogs in the garden , one is making lots of hissing noises at the other. I think its the female telling the male she's not ready to mate.
26th A return visit to Somers wood. caravan park.
On the way the clouds are like cotton wool balls in the sky and I see my first swallows of the summer.As we arrive there are blue tits, great tits and chaffinch on the feeders and as we reach our pitch a buzzard fly's over head.
27th We go for a walk in the sun but it soon turns into hail and rain and thunder so we go back to the van.
We fill up the feeder by the van and watch as chaffinch, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, pigeons, magpies and a nuthatch all feed. 2 robins have a face off on the ground.
Squirrels and rabbits are close by.
The daffodils are in flower so spring must be here!(about 3/4 weeks late I think). Crocus are flowering in the grass verges and catkins are on the trees.
2nd week.
I thought the blackbird with the white stripe on his wing was the dominant bird but another one has been chasing him off all day. The female has been collecting nesting material from my untidy garden.
13th 3 dunnocks have been flitting around the garden. One of them the female I think has been fluttering her wings at the others. It isn't at all unusual for a female to have 2 males in attendance.
4 goldfinch in the garden today and buds on the trees.
14th Female greater spotted woodpecker feeding in garden today. 1st bee and butterfly of the year. Daffodils and celandine in flower and daisies in the grass. Also blackthorn blossom on the trees.
19th Both a male and female blackcap in the garden today.
2 hedgehogs in the garden , one is making lots of hissing noises at the other. I think its the female telling the male she's not ready to mate.
26th A return visit to Somers wood. caravan park.
On the way the clouds are like cotton wool balls in the sky and I see my first swallows of the summer.As we arrive there are blue tits, great tits and chaffinch on the feeders and as we reach our pitch a buzzard fly's over head.
27th We go for a walk in the sun but it soon turns into hail and rain and thunder so we go back to the van.
We fill up the feeder by the van and watch as chaffinch, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, pigeons, magpies and a nuthatch all feed. 2 robins have a face off on the ground.
Squirrels and rabbits are close by.
Friday, 8 March 2013
March 2013
1st Saw a goldcrest at dads today, only my third sighting of this tiny bird.
3rd Birds in my garden today, 2 longtailed tits, 3 goldfinch, blackbird ,7 house sparrows, 2 collared doves, 3 pigeons, robins, blue tit, great tit, cole tit and a new spot for me a blackcap.
The Blackcap is a singing bird,
A Nightingale in melody,
Where Ivy flapping to the breeze,
Bear ring-marked berries black as jet. ... J Clare.
Blackcap (sylvia atricapilla) A bird with a beautiful song but will mimic other birds. In summer it lives in deciduous woodland but can be seen on bird tables in the winter.Feeds on insects, berries and apples. The male builds several nests in brambles or dense vegetation and the female chooses the best and lays 4-5 eggs. They may have 2 broods.
It has been the coldest March for 50 years.
3rd Birds in my garden today, 2 longtailed tits, 3 goldfinch, blackbird ,7 house sparrows, 2 collared doves, 3 pigeons, robins, blue tit, great tit, cole tit and a new spot for me a blackcap.
A Nightingale in melody,
Where Ivy flapping to the breeze,
Bear ring-marked berries black as jet. ... J Clare.
Blackcap (sylvia atricapilla) A bird with a beautiful song but will mimic other birds. In summer it lives in deciduous woodland but can be seen on bird tables in the winter.Feeds on insects, berries and apples. The male builds several nests in brambles or dense vegetation and the female chooses the best and lays 4-5 eggs. They may have 2 broods.
It has been the coldest March for 50 years.
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