sb67 Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 See my first ever Cuckoo this morning out over the country park. I could hear it for ages, the pics are not great as it's right at the edge of my camera's limit! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2021 I'm pretty sure I only saw one for the first time last year. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 I remember back in the 1960s, a cuckoo deciding to perch on a tree not far from my bedroom window on a warm and humid night, while I was asleep. Being woken by the sound of "cuckoo, cuckoo" was quite a novelty at first, but it soon wore off when the bird seemed to carry on with this for about 90 minutes. 2 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerburnie Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Cuckoos are in serious trouble, there are large areas of Europe with none these days, we don't hear them in our village, but we do see and hear them in the Glens where they harass the local Meadow Pipit population. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Don't know a lot about them but I'm pretty sure I heard more than one which is good news. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peanuts Posted June 9, 2021 Share Posted June 9, 2021 Was up at the waterfalls at black clough above woodhead tunnel west entance on Saturday .we could here but not see a cuckoo loudly calling through trees all afternoon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 9, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 9, 2021 The cuckoo is in decline because of its own success. They tend to use the nests of birds that predominate in some areas but their actions can reduce the populations of those birds dramatically meaning fewer nests in which they can lay their eggs. You should remember that the cuckoo is a parasite and if its host declines so do they. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronL Posted June 10, 2021 Share Posted June 10, 2021 I was at our local bit of wetland and saw a couple of damselflies - a Northern Blue and an Emerald. 13 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 03060 Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) I came across this little chap 2 evenings running quite high up near Freshwater golf course, I checked both mornings afterwards and he wasn't still on the path, so definitely still alive ...but thank goodness he didn't take off as I'm absolutely terrified of snakes, luckily this one was only the size and length of a pencil ! Edited June 15, 2021 by 03060 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 03060 Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 Also, whilst on the reptile theme ...several seen in Ventnor Botanic Gardens and these I like ! 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 4 hours ago, 03060 said: I came across this little chap 2 evenings running quite high up near Freshwater golf course, I checked both mornings afterwards and he wasn't still on the path, so definitely still alive ...but thank goodness he didn't take off as I'm absolutely terrified of snakes, luckily this one was only the size and length of a pencil ! Might be an Eastern Grass snake, not really supposed to be here 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 03060 Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) The chap on the campsite liked to pile his grass cuttings up next to the hedge above the path so I'm assuming that it's just a young one fresh out of the nest ....just glad that I didn't bump into his Mother !! Edited June 15, 2021 by 03060 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 6 hours ago, 03060 said: Also, whilst on the reptile theme ...several seen in Ventnor Botanic Gardens and these I like ! 2 hours ago, boxbrownie said: Might be an Eastern Grass snake, not really supposed to be here I could not identify it and thought it must be an imported species. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 9 minutes ago, PhilJ W said: I could not identify it and thought it must be an imported species. The white flash behind the head is familiar but the black body not so much. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2021 I think this is a Large White: 3 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 03060 Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 (edited) Now British butterflies are much more my favourite topic and with only 57 (?) species generally associated with this country I reckon that with a bit of travelling, studying, hunting and a large dose of luck it should be possible to see them all, although I still have many to go. Not the best photos but here is a Common Blue in Freshwater, I usually need to see the underside of the wings as-well to confirm the species as some can be quite similar. Strangely I've seen a great many males on the Island this week but only a couple of females. Edited June 15, 2021 by 03060 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Smeeton Posted June 15, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 15, 2021 Minding my own business while minding the crossing yesterday, I have to say that I was rather entranced by the Damsel Flies. They seemed to be attracted to my left leg..... then my right leg Never seen this before, but happy to be educated Regards Ian 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted June 16, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 16, 2021 10 hours ago, Ian Smeeton said: Minding my own business while minding the crossing yesterday, I have to say that I was rather entranced by the Damsel Flies. They seemed to be attracted to my left leg..... then my right leg Never seen this before, but happy to be educated Regards Ian Your going to give birth to a few hundred larvae, nothing to worry about 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerburnie Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 We all know what a Coot looks like sat on the water, but it's their feet I find quite fascinating, rather than webs like a duck they have these. 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronL Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 4 hours ago, tigerburnie said: We all know what a Coot looks like sat on the water, but it's their feet I find quite fascinating, rather than webs like a duck they have these. Totally agree. Not only that, but when grown up they're rather classy black and white birds, but when they're young they look like this - Pictures from our local bit of wetland 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted June 16, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2021 Has anyone any idea what this scary beast is thats disturbing our peace… it flies like a drone, hovers, reverses, seems to go up at least 6 metres and flies around quite fast.. Ive two videos of this thing, about 4 inches long, flying horizontally, and wings about 2 inch either side.. i dont like the look of those claws either. it doesnt like being approached. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronL Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 3 minutes ago, adb968008 said: Has anyone any idea what this scary beast is thats disturbing our peace… it flies like a drone, hovers, reverses, seems to go up at least 6 metres and flies around quite fast.. Ive two videos of this thing, about 4 inches long, flying horizontally, and wings about 2 inch either side.. i dont like the look of those claws either. it doesnt like being approached. It looks like a Stag Beetle to me. Harmless but scary. The males use those mandibles to wrestle for mates. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted June 16, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2021 Two more, i’m sat outside in the rain watching italy play, being entertained by this thing.. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted June 16, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 16, 2021 10 minutes ago, CameronL said: It looks like a Stag Beetle to me. Harmless but scary. The males use those mandibles to wrestle for mates. Must be a competitive business in their species ! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronL Posted June 16, 2021 Share Posted June 16, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, adb968008 said: Must be a competitive business in their species ! For a Stag Beetle, big mandibles are the equivalent of a Porsche and a Patek Philippe watch. Edited June 16, 2021 by CameronL Typo 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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