Neil Freeman

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Wurzel, Bugboy and David
The moths do help at this time of year although their numbers are also dwindling with the recent cold nights and frosty mornings. Nevertheless, the trap is till going out occasionally as there are some species I would like to see that only fly at this time of year, and a few that are winter specialists and have yet to appear.

Nothing much else to report this past week, we have had some overnight temperatures down to zero and some frosty mornings with daytime temperatures even in the sun not often rising above single figures.

A few random shots below from the garden, taken as usual through the window from the comfort of my back room.

I know some people call them tree rats buts I couldn't resist taking a shot.

Woody is still visiting...at least I think it is the same one.

A trio of Blue Tits

Great Tit, Coal Tit and Blue Tit.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Andrew555]

Nice shots from your garden Neil, and great moths too.
I've got quite a few pics of them taken 'in the wild', but I'm no expert and some remain
stubbornly unidentified, there are so many of them!

Cheers

[Wurzel]

The three Tit shot is a great one Neil, especially as you've captured the stripe down the back of the head on the Coalie, they're often the most nervy at the feeders but the one seems to have gotten stuck in

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Love all the birds, Neil, especially the woodpecker. Must admit, our local birds have been hammering the feeders for the last few days too. I'm sure they can sense cold weather's on its way.

[Neil Freeman]

Thanks Andrew. I have only really been looking at the moths for a couple of years and started running the trap in my garden in spring 2016. With over 880 species of macro moths and 1600 plus micro moths there are plenty to confuse me

Cheers Wurzel yes, those Coalies are usually very quick to dart in to the feeders and out again. One of my favourite Tit species, more subtle colours that the Great or Blues.

Thanks David, That woodpecker is a daily visitor at the moment and is demolishing the fat blocks

With some cold nights and frosty mornings it is actually feeling like a proper November now although there was a milder spell mid week when I put the moth trap out in the garden to see what was about.
Just two species of macro came to the trap, a worn and slightly late Lesser Yellow Underwing and a couple of Red-green Carpets which is a species that overwinters as an adult and will often come to light on milder winter nights.

Red-green Carpet - Coverdale 15.11.2017

There were also half a dozen of a couple of species of micro moths in the trap, interestingly enough both species which have arrived in this country as accidental imports on plants from Australia. The first of these is the Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) which is believed to have first arrived here in the 1930s and rapidly spread across the country, becoming very common in some areas, including my garden where I catch these in every month of the year.

Light Brown apple Moth - A typical male of this variable species

Light Brown Apple Moth - a larger female

The second introduced micro species is Tachystola acroxantha - sometimes called the Ruddy Streak - which apparently was first recorded in Devon in 1908 but remained a localised southern species until recently when it has rapidly expanded its range northwards to Lancashire and has become common in some areas. I get loads of these in my garden from around late April onwards through the year and it seems to be common around Warwickshire although I do know of some local moth trappers who have yet to see one.

Tachystola acroxantha - Coverdale 15.11.2017

And a few garden bird photos from last weekend,

Nuthatch and Blue Tit

Great Tit in the bushes.

Robin

Coal Tit and Blue Tit.

Nuthatch

Goldfinch - first time I have seen one of these on the peanuts...they usually go for the black sunflower seeds.

Looks like another cold weekend ahead but apparently it might turn a bit milder again next week...we'll see.

Bye for now,

Neil

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, lovely shots of the birds, We've got a Squirrel in the garden that's always on the peanuts my Husbands tried all sorts of ways to stop it from taking them all but it started to dig the bulbs up then Goldie

[Wurzel]

I'd heard that about the Apple Moth - wasn't it accidentally imported from Australia? Perhaps they were getting their own back but much in a much more subtle way?
Great Nuthatch shot - one of my all time favourite birds they are; great colours, great calls, great behaviour and they also have a cheeky look about them

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

Your garden is a proper little wildlife haven, Neil. Butterflies, moths and birds aplenty. There looks to be plenty to keep you interested through the winter.

[Andrew555]

Lovely sights Neil, and interesting info.

[bugboy]

Very jealous of your garden: Coal Tits, Nuthatch, Woodpecker's and Bullfinch to add to the more common visitors

[Neil Freeman]

Hi Goldie, I have one of these on my feeder which is effective at stopping the squirrels climbing the pole and it is too far for them to jump from the nearest shrubs.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garden-Univers ... rel+baffle
They used to try but seem to have learned they cannot get at the feeders and seem content with the stuff that the birds drop to the ground.

Cheers Wurzel, yep, LBAMs were introduced from Australia as mentioned in my report in the paragraph above the shots of them

Thanks David, just a mature suburban garden that is not tidied up too much

Thanks Andrew, glad you like them

Edit; Just spotted your comment Bugboy. Thanks, there is certainly plenty to keep me interested

The shot below shows a typical November scene in my garden, taken from up by the house. the feeders usually contain a general mix of seeds, black sunflower seeds, peanuts and a fat block. You can also see the anti-squirrel baffle...which looks like it needs cleaning

This is the time of year when I am supposed to be catching up on all those jobs that don't get done in the summer when I am out and about. Trouble is I am easily distracted and even when working inside am always looking out of the windows to see if anything is about...such as this chap on Sunday.

One of the local foxes lurking about down the garden.

Also on Sunday, I had a go with the video function on my FZ200 and took this short clip of the Great Spooted Woodpecker that has been visiting lately.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmAQk_NFJ-s

And finally there was a nice sunset to be seen from the garden yesterday evening. The first shot was taken from in the garden...

Fire in the sky - Coverdale 19.11.2017

and this one was taken upstairs from a bedroom window to get a different viewpoint.

Bye for now,

Neil

[Wurzel]

I knew I'd read it somewhere Neil That's the danger of reading through PDs and not answering immediately, coming back to them later, oh and also having 15 million other things on your mind at the same time
Perhaps the Fox will act as a Squirrel deterrent?

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Goldie M]

Hi! Neil, we've got a stand like that, never thought to get a globe to go with it I showed it to my Husband so it's all systems go Lovely shots of the Sunsets , nothing but rain here lately Goldie

[Andrew555]

Nice little clip Neil, trying out the video on my camera is something I've been meaning to do.

[David M]

Great garden images, Neil. Looks pretty 'dapper' for November!

Lovely sunset too. The colours are most unusual.

[Neil Freeman]

I know what you mean Wurzel, I often skim through a few threads with the intention of returning to them when I have more time...and then forget where I was

Good luck with the Squirrel baffle Goldie, I have had mine a few years now and it works a treat

Thanks Andrew, I must admit I have never bothered much with the video function on my camera...something to try out on some butterflies next season perhaps.

Thanks David, the colours of that sunset in the two photos actually looked very similar to my eye at the time I took the photos. Just goes to show how a digital camera can capture the colours differently at different times depending on lighting conditions and viewpoint. I have noticed this before with photos I have taken of the same butterfly but from different angles which have sometimes made it look like different individuals.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Neil Freeman]

Friday December 1st

The first day of meteorological winter and in common with many parts of the country we have seen our first snow. In fact we had our first snowfall last Saturday when we had a couple short flurries during the morning, not much but good sized flakes for about 15 minutes each time. After a slightly milder start to the week it then went cold again with frosty mornings and a biting north wind for the rest of the week.
Not only has it been cold, but it has now reached the time of year when not only do I go to work in the dark but it is getting dark on my way home as well which means that I don't see much daylight until Friday lunchtime when I finish for the weekend.
Consequently, not much to post apart from a few birds from the garden last weekend. Given that Pete is trying to reduce the files on UKB I am not sure if I should be posting these but some members seem to find them interesting during these cold and dark months when there is not much else about.

I am getting more Goldfinches in the garden than recent years

Long-tailed Tits always show up in little gangs

The female GSW is still visiting.

One of a pair of Song Thrushes (I think) that were taking the berries from a deciduous berberis

I must start thinking about putting a post or two together on looking back on my season.

Bye for now,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

Looking forward to your look back if that makes sense Good spot of the Song Thrush, they're much neater and browner than Mistle Thrushes I always think

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Andrew555]

Damn I wish I had a garden! Good stuff Neil.

[trevor]

I envy your Bird feeder, with images like those, Neil.
But I have a Cat, so any encouraged Birds in my garden would become bait.
Fortunately most are too quick for him !.

All the best,
Trevor.