# The natural world



## sospiro

Anyone interested in nature? Wild animals, birds, butterflies etc?

This time of year I get hooked on live osprey webcams. Love ospreys.

Today I've been watching a female waiting for her mate to arrive from West Africa and to join her on the nest. This is in Wales.

http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/live/


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## clara s

sospiro said:


> Anyone interested in nature? Wild animals, birds, butterflies etc?
> 
> This time of year I get hooked on live osprey webcams. Love ospreys.
> 
> Today I've been watching a female waiting for her mate to arrive from West Africa and to join her on the nest. This is in Wales.
> 
> http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/live/


beautiful bird and rare species

the idea of live webcam very clever in the site

there are ospreys in Lake District, as I know

my favourite bird is white-tailed eagle


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## cwarchc

sospiro said:


> Anyone interested in nature? Wild animals, birds, butterflies etc?
> 
> This time of year I get hooked on live osprey webcams. Love ospreys.
> 
> Today I've been watching a female waiting for her mate to arrive from West Africa and to join her on the nest. This is in Wales.
> 
> http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/live/


You need to have a trip upto Kintyre in spring
You will see Golden Eagles galore, including the immature ones.
It's fabulous


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## Ukko

Several decades ago, DDT almost did for the ospreys that nested in Vermont. Humans aren't just bystanders in The Natural World.


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## clavichorder

There are ospreys in the park near where I am usually living in Seattle. Haven't seen any in Spain, but I regularly see storks flying around the cathedrals, adding a certain majestic element. But yes, I love the ospreys in my Seattle neighborhood and consider it good luck when I see them. They are amazing flyers and I saw a video on YouTube of how they plunge feet first after a dive bomb, into the waterr and immediately surface flying off with a fish bigger than them.


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## sospiro

cwarchc said:


> You need to have a trip up to Kintyre in spring
> You will see Golden Eagles galore, including the immature ones.
> It's fabulous


I have never seen a Golden Eagle. Going up to Scotland soon and hope to see some interesting stuff while I'm there.

Maybe go up to here.

http://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/things-to-do/wildlife-webcams/loch-of-lowes/


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## sospiro

clara s said:


> beautiful bird and rare species
> 
> the idea of live webcam very clever in the site
> 
> there are ospreys in Lake District, as I know
> 
> my favourite bird is white-tailed eagle


There's a webcam in Cumbria but no ospreys yet

http://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey-cam


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## joen_cph

I love biking in natural areas, at home and abroad, but don´t have much knowledge of the scientific sort, it´s rather the general atmosphere and beauty of such places. I also enjoy an occasional television programme on exotic natural subjects from time to time, especially those of the BBC.

At the local Stevns peninsula a couple of years ago in summer, now a UNESCO-rated geological site, I collected a surprising, multicoloured variety of coastal pebbles, including some petrified fragments of prehistoric animals, and brought them home. We have a lot of coastal areas and this is a bit of a public sport.

Lots of herons and foxes, and even deer, are now invading very densely populated, even city areas here. Generally, the variety and number of species is going down, but enthusiasts are trying to improve policies. We´ve recently begun to have boars and wolves again in Jutland, possibly we´ll be seeing more dangerous sharks etc. too, due to climate changes. Some are talking about re-introducing other species too for the sake of diversity and general nature preservation. 

On Corsica, likewise quite recently, the giant eagles in the interior mountains were pretty fascinating.


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## sospiro

joen_cph said:


> I love biking in natural areas, at home and abroad, but don´t have much knowledge of the scientific sort, it´s rather the general atmosphere and beauty of such places. I also enjoy an occasional television programme on exotic natural subjects from tim eto time, especially those of the BBC.
> 
> At the local Stevns peninsula a couple of years ago in summer, now a UNESCO-rated geological site, I collected a surprising, multicoloured variety of coastal pebbles, including some petrified fragments of prehistoric animals, and brought them home. We have a lot of coastal areas and this is a bit of a public sport.
> 
> Lots of herons and foxes, and even deer, are now invading very densely populated, even city, areas here. Generally, the variety and number of species is going down, but enthusiasts are trying to improve policies. We´ve recently begun to have boars and wolves again in Jutland, possibly we´ll be seeing more dangerous sharks etc. too, due to climate changes. Some are talking about re-introducing other species too for the sake of diversity and general nature preservation.
> 
> On Corsica, likewise quite recently, the giant eagles in the interior mountains were pretty fascinating.


That's a great way to enjoy the outdoors. I wish I lived near the coast but I whenever I am near a beach, I can't resist a walk, to see what I can find. Your bits and pieces from the beach sound fascinating.


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## Kivimees

I've been involved in ecological research for the last 15 years. :tiphat:


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## Strange Magic

Eaglecam in Washington DC: Eagles "Mr. President" and "First Lady" and two eaglets......

http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/


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## sospiro

Strange Magic said:


> Eaglecam in Washington DC: Eagles "Mr. President" and "First Lady" and two eaglets......
> 
> http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/


Wow! Thank you!


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## Strange Magic

As a longtime kayaker, I have found kayaking slowly and quietly along a shoreline--solo is best--a wonderful way of seeing and hearing an enormous variety of wildlife. Many mammals at water's edge are not expecting to encounter a human thus, and are often content for a bit to see what's going on. The shoreline is an "ecotone", a boundary area, and harbors a great array of creatures living along or visiting its banks. Interesting plants also. Bring your waterproof binoculars!


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## Figleaf

Walking across the border between Champagne-Ardennes and Franche-Comté, we saw a dead owl in a field  and quite a few sparrow hawks, as common here as red kites are in the south of England. In the garden the primroses and violets are out, and the cowslips are flowering on the verges. (The children always giggle when I say 'verge'- 'Mummy, you just said a rude word!' ) There are buds on some of the fruit trees, but not all: we bought an old neglected walled garden from a nonagenarian who went into a retirement home in the south of France, and I'm not sure which of the several ancient apple and cherry trees are alive and just need pruning, and which are dead and will supply firewood rather than fruit. Lots of moss and ferns, possibly indicating too much shade and not enough drainage, but the good supply of nettles indicates a good level of soil fertility, I believe. (I picked up a wooden bench from the vide grenier, so no more stung bottoms and fingers hopefully...) Too bad we have to go back to England before spring really gets going here, though.


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## Tristan

I am very interested in nature, though I'll admit I'm more into plants and flowers and landscapes than animals, but I do take notice of animals sometimes. I'm not much of a photographer, but I definitely like to photograph nature--that's most of what I do take pictures of. California is a beautiful and very geographically-varied place and I've been all over and taken photos of the natural scenes there, from the temperate rain-forest of the coastal redwoods, to the pine forests of the Sierras, to the golden hills of the coastal chaparral, to the meadows of wildflowers. I feel most at peace when hiking or mountain biking out in nature around here and I try to enjoy as much as possible.


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## sospiro

I'm quite proud of this photo. It's not enhanced in any way (I don't know how to use photo-editing software), just cropped.


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## TxllxT

*Natural world of our island*


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## Huilunsoittaja

My natural world:


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## SixFootScowl

Check this out:


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## sospiro

Huilunsoittaja said:


> My natural world:


Fabulous! Excellent choice of food and as you say salted peanuts would not be good for them and unsalted would provide protein and fat which they need. When you think how small their stomachs must be, half a nut is a good sized snack!


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## Huilunsoittaja

sospiro said:


> Fabulous! Excellent choice of food and as you say salted peanuts would not be good for them and unsalted would provide protein and fat which they need. When you think how small their stomachs must be, half a nut is a good sized snack!


Yeah I wrote that qualifier at the bottom of the video in case some animal rights activist would complain on the video and say "you're hurting the squirrels!" or whatever.


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## hpowders

In Florida we have cute little geckos. They seem to look at me in a very intelligent way. Could their tiny little brains be super-concentrated with electrical impulses to make them smart relative to their diminutive sizes?


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## Huilunsoittaja

Yes, smart geckos...


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## hpowders

Down here in Florida we are over-run with squirrels, and it's fascinating to observe how animals genetically adapt to their surroundings.

Here the squirrels have thin fur coats and look like they came out of a bargain basement department store whereas up in the colder north where I come from, the squirrels' coats are thick and plush and look like they came out of Nieman-Marcus!! 

Nature. So fascinating!


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## hpowders

Huilunsoittaja said:


> My natural world:


I wonder. Have you ever tried playing your flute in a country or park setting with birds, squirrels, etc; around to see if they are attracted to the music?

When I play classical music for geckos that come to my music listening room window, no response noticed.
I guess that means geckos would fit right in with the mainstream population!


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## sospiro

hpowders said:


> In Florida we have cute little geckos. They seem to look at me in a very intelligent way. Could their tiny little brains be super-concentrated with electrical impulses to make them smart relative to their diminutive sizes?


I love geckos! I like all reptiles but especially chameleons.


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## hpowders

sospiro said:


> I love geckos! I like all reptiles but especially chameleons.


Here they breed like ....prolific geckos!!! I guess there isn't that much else for them to do!


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## hpowders

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Yes, smart geckos...


Well of course Geico pays him a lot of money. Not easy finding one with a cultivated British accent AND who can order pizza AND drive a car!


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## Figleaf

Speaking of geckos, there are loads of little greyish green lizards in Champagne-Ardenne. One of them seemed hell-bent on getting shut in the front door of the farmhouse where we were staying, so we had to prop it open all day so the lizard didn't get squished. I saw a massive dead one in Montenegro once, and the memory stayed with me. Weird how we supposedly have lizards in England, but you never see them.


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## hpowders

Figleaf said:


> Speaking of geckos, there are loads of little greyish green lizards in Champagne-Ardenne. One of them seemed hell-bent on getting shut in the front door of the farmhouse where we were staying, so we had to prop it open all day so the lizard didn't get squished. I saw a massive dead one in Montenegro once, and the memory stayed with me. Weird how we supposedly have lizards in England, but you never see them.


They gain entry to my house all the time. Perhaps they simply want to examine my CD collection.

When they stare right at me, they look so smart!

You can tell my contact with other humans has been quite limited lately.

Perhaps, I'm simply hallucinating?


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## hpowders

sospiro said:


> I'm quite proud of this photo. It's not enhanced in any way (I don't know how to use photo-editing software), just cropped.
> 
> View attachment 82884


Beautiful. Is that a Mantis? If it is, I'll assume it's praying. Not in touch with the more secular general society.


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## hpowders

sospiro said:


> Fabulous! Excellent choice of food and as you say salted peanuts would not be good for them and unsalted would provide protein and fat which they need. When you think how small their stomachs must be, half a nut is a good sized snack!


I love how squirrels industriously bury their prized finds.

When I am within 20 feet, they usually scamper away.

They are obviously terrified of people....just like me!


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## senza sordino

I occasionally see a bald eagle fly overhead, not bad for an urban area. Just outside of Vancouver closer to the border you can see more eagles near the water's edge, I saw about six bald eagles yesterday. I saw a bear once in the suburban part of town. There are lots of Great Blue Herons in the urban parks fishing. 

Recently there have been a few sightings of whales in the harbour. Since the herring have started to return so have the bigger sea mammals. An abandoned mine nearby used to spill toxic effluent, mostly metals into the harbour. They are now cleaning it up, and the small fish are returning, and so are their predators.


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## Richannes Wrahms

Me like plants. Specially understory, epiphytic, and lithophyte plants.

Here's a cliff covered with them.


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## sospiro

hpowders said:


> Beautiful. Is that a Mantis? If it is, I'll assume it's praying. Not in touch with the more secular general society.


Thank you. It's a dragonfly.


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## Kivimees

Before I moved to ecology, my field of research was geology. As a result, I have a rather eccentric relationship with nature, in both its biotic and abiotic aspects. For example, when I see a mountain range, I instinctively look for signs of its origin.

This is a mixed blessing. I wonder if when I retire I'll be able simply to enjoy nature without feeling the need to 'analyse' it.


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## Wood

Where I live, the squirrels are all red.


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## Belowpar

Wood said:


> Where I live, the squirrels are all red.


Has this got something to do with the local politics?

...don't worry, just putting it on now.


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## Figleaf

hpowders said:


> They gain entry to my house all the time. Perhaps they simply want to examine my CD collection.
> 
> When they stare right at me, they look so smart!
> 
> You can tell my contact with other humans has been quite limited lately.
> 
> Perhaps, I'm simply hallucinating?


:lol: I'm sure geckos make better house guests than alligators do. It takes a brave person to live in gator country!


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## hpowders

sospiro said:


> Thank you. It's a dragonfly.


Embarrassing......


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## hpowders

Figleaf said:


> :lol: I'm sure geckos make better house guests than alligators do. It takes a brave person to live in gator country!


Yet.....if a 'gator showed a real affinity for Götterdämmerung.....I could make an exception.

Actually the 'gators were here first. They weren't counting on condominium associations.


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## Pugg

I was once in Wales, mount Snowden, midweek day and just us, 4 people , for one minute the silence was to loud for me ,that was a strange experience 
Beautiful place by the way


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## Wood

Belowpar said:


> Has this got something to do with the local politics?
> 
> ...don't worry, just putting it on now.


I once read that creating an environment favourable to the reds over the greys amounted to racism according to the animal rights lobby.


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## Ukko

In my neck of the woods, reds and grays will not share a territory. The much larger grays must move on.


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## Headphone Hermit

hpowders said:


> Beautiful. Is that a Mantis? If it is, I'll assume it's praying. Not in touch with the more secular general society.


its a 'Banded demoiselle' - not known for praying (or preying either) http://www.british-dragonflies.org.uk/species/banded-demoiselle


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## Headphone Hermit

sospiro said:


> Thank you. It's a dragonfly.


damselfly (HH whispers quietly )


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## Headphone Hermit

Wood said:


> Where I live, the squirrels are all red.


You're lucky - here we only have grey tree-rats from across the pond


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## sospiro

Headphone Hermit said:


> damselfly (HH whispers quietly )


So it is

My turn to be embarrassed :lol:


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## SixFootScowl

sospiro said:


> Thank you. It's a dragonfly.


Actually looks like a damselfly.



> If you saw a damselfly resting at a pond, it's wing would look different from a dragonfly's. Rather than holding it's wings flat and to the sides of it's body, it holds its wings straight up, pressed together over the top of its thorax.


It's what they told us in entomology class back in college. Quote from this page.


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## Strange Magic

Kivimees said:


> I wonder if when I retire I'll be able simply to enjoy nature without feeling the need to 'analyse' it.


My educational background was also in geology, but I find as a retired chap that knowledge of what one is looking at in the natural world is an enhancement of one's experience, and serves to amplify the esthetic pleasure. I did not make my career as a geologist, but, when asked to discuss this subject, most scientists seem to agree that their training and knowledge are a positive factor in their appreciation of the natural world. Don't you worry 'bout a thing!


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## Ukko

Headphone Hermit said:


> You're lucky - here we only have grey tree-rats from across the pond


No, we have the gray squirrels from across the pond.


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## Headphone Hermit

Ukko said:


> No, we have the gray squirrels from across the pond.


We have both Red (Sciurus vulgaris) and Grey (Sciurus carolinensis) Squirrels - but in recent years the native Red have been displaced from many parts of the UK by the non-native Grey (introduced from N America). There are few places over here where they co-exist, largely due to squirrel pox, food and nest competition from greys.

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/redsquirrel


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## sospiro

There's quite a lot of flooding where I live so I went out to have a nosy this afternoon

















Nice to see a few spring flowers


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## hpowders

Headphone Hermit said:


> You're lucky - here we only have grey tree-rats from across the pond


Why blame us for your misfortune?


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## Headphone Hermit

hpowders said:


> Why blame us for your misfortune?


I don't.

I blame the foolish landowners who introduced them onto their estates


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## elgar's ghost

Headphone Hermit said:


> I don't.
> 
> I blame the foolish landowners who introduced them onto their estates


Same with Japanese Knotweed - according to a TV doc I saw some time ago it was brought over here because some idiot thought it would look good in his garden. Now the whole country's riddled with it.


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## sospiro

I despair at what we are doing to our planet and to the wildlife. I was really upset to read this about whales yesterday.

I was in Aldi today and noticed that 99% of the fruit/veg/salad was pre-packaged and in plastic bags. There were no loose tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, bananas or apples. It's just greed on behalf of the company as pre-packaged perishable items have a longer shelf life then loose ones and there's less waste.

In supermarkets in Europe pre-packaged fruit, veg, salad stuff is the exception rather than the rule. Even strawberries and other berries are sold loose. The UK supermarkets aren't stupid and all of them must have done their homework/market research and presumably pre-packaged produce sells better and never mind the whales.

I went for a walk along the canal and a hundred yards from a dog poo bin I noticed these dog poo bags.









Presumably one person decided they couldn't be bothered to walk a bit further and just dumped their bag. Other people came along and decided to do the same.

Sorry, rant over. :lol:


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## Sloe

I am often outside in the early mornings. I see hares every day. I also see hedgehogs, rabbits and roe deer and sometimes even foxes.


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## hpowders

Wow! If I see an emaciated raccoon, I get excited!


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## Sloe

I see a hare eating grass right now.


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## Ukko

Headphone Hermit said:


> We have both Red (Sciurus vulgaris) and Grey (Sciurus carolinensis) Squirrels - but in recent years the native Red have been displaced from many parts of the UK by the non-native Grey (introduced from N America). There are few places over here where they co-exist, largely due to squirrel pox, food and nest competition from greys.
> 
> http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/redsquirrel


Sure, deny the crime.

In my neck of the woods, the reds are highly gray (note the spelling) resistant. In one-on-one combat the red usually is victor; too fast for the gray. I have noticed on multiple occasions the gray - ravaged tail and all - leaving the neighborhood. The reds do not favor the tall beeches, fortunately. I recall some fine squirrel hunting days from my youth.

We eat our grays here, you see, though they need to be of a size to make the preparation worthwhile.


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## sospiro

Sloe said:


> I am often outside in the early mornings. I see hares every day. I also see hedgehogs, rabbits and roe deer and sometimes even foxes.


Wonderful!

I'm very envious, I've never seen a hare.


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## Kivimees

sospiro said:


> I despair at what we are doing to our planet and to the wildlife.
> 
> I went for a walk along the canal and a hundred yards from a dog poo bin I noticed these dog poo bags.
> 
> View attachment 83110
> 
> 
> Presumably one person decided they couldn't be bothered to walk a bit further and just dumped their bag. Other people came along and decided to do the same.
> 
> Sorry, rant over. :lol:


Sometimes we just need to take the bull by the horn:


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## Belowpar

sospiro said:


> Wonderful!
> 
> I'm very envious, I've never seen a hare.


Spring is the best time, Mad March Hares etc.

I see them at dusk at the edge of Golf courses. They come onto the fairways but like to have long grass and trees nearby.

Each time is very exciting.

The only 'sculpture' we own is 16" high and captures one resting, but alert. We often wish we'd bought more from the same artist and when we next get back to North Devon, will see if the shop is still there.


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## elgar's ghost

sospiro said:


> I despair at what we are doing to our planet and to the wildlife. I was really upset to read this about whales yesterday.
> 
> I was in Aldi today and noticed that 99% of the fruit/veg/salad was pre-packaged and in plastic bags. There were no loose tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, bananas or apples. It's just greed on behalf of the company as pre-packaged perishable items have a longer shelf life then loose ones and there's less waste.
> 
> In supermarkets in Europe pre-packaged fruit, veg, salad stuff is the exception rather than the rule. Even strawberries and other berries are sold loose. The UK supermarkets aren't stupid and all of them must have done their homework/market research and presumably pre-packaged produce sells better and never mind the whales.
> 
> I went for a walk along the canal and a hundred yards from a dog poo bin I noticed these dog poo bags.
> View attachment 83110
> 
> 
> Presumably one person decided they couldn't be bothered to walk a bit further and just dumped their bag. Other people came along and decided to do the same.
> 
> Sorry, rant over. :lol:


Rant justified. Something similar to this to this was found in my front garden hedge the other day. I'm not a vindictive man but if I find out who it was and where they live I'll produce something of my own and give it them back through their letter box.


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## sospiro

elgars ghost said:


> Rant justified. Something similar to this to this was found in my front garden hedge the other day. I'm not a vindictive man but if I find out who it was and where they live I'll produce something of my own and give it them back through their letter box.


I wouldn't blame you!

You could post the bag back to them with a note "You dropped this in my garden. It's possibly quite valuable so I'm returning it to you" :devil:


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## sospiro

I've been watching the Bald Eagle nest cam from Washington DC and members of the American Eagle Foundation join in the chat.

http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/



> We are aware of the plastic bag in the DC nest and are monitoring the situation closely. It does seem to be getting torn up some, so a parent may eventually remove it from the nest, it could blow away, or become part of the nest. This is one of the dangers humans pose to the Bald Eagle and all species of wildlife.





> One of the main reasons that we have our educational nest cam program is to bring awareness to these issues. We hope through our cams, each and every person who watches will become inspired and more cognizant of the fact that their everyday actions (like throwing away a piece of trash on the ground) can directly affect wildlife.


Sorry to keep going on about plastic bags.


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## Headphone Hermit

Ukko said:


> Sure, deny the crime.
> 
> In my neck of the woods, the reds are highly gray (note the spelling) resistant. In one-on-one combat the red usually is victor; too fast for the gray. I have noticed on multiple occasions the gray - ravaged tail and all - leaving the neighborhood. The reds do not favor the tall beeches, fortunately. I recall some fine squirrel hunting days from my youth.
> 
> We eat our grays here, you see, though they need to be of a size to make the preparation worthwhile.


Apologies for pointing this out, Sir, but your knowledge of the topic is incorrect. In Vermont, you have a different species of Red Squirrel than the one that we have - you have _Tamiasciurus hudsonicus_ which is a very different species to the one that is native to Europe - _Sciurus vulgaris_

The evidence for Grey Squirrels _(Sciurus carolinensis) _ being associated with the decline of Red Squirrels _(Sciurus vulgaris) _ in Britain is compelling and is not seriously doubted


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## sospiro

I've been reading up on the American Bald Eagle's diet.

http://www.baldeagleinfo.com/eagle/eagle3.html

"Bald eagles will take advantage of carrion (dead and decaying flesh), giving it a scavenger image, which causes some people to dislike eagles"

Bit of a silly attitude. Carrion eaters are amongst my favourite birds and the planet would be in an awful mess if all that dead and decaying flesh was left lying around.


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## Ukko

Headphone Hermit said:


> Apologies for pointing this out, Sir, but your knowledge of the topic is incorrect. In Vermont, you have a different species of Red Squirrel than the one that we have - you have _Tamiasciurus hudsonicus_ which is a very different species to the one that is native to Europe - _Sciurus vulgaris_
> 
> The evidence for Grey Squirrels _(Sciurus carolinensis) _ being associated with the decline of Red Squirrels _(Sciurus vulgaris) _ in Britain is compelling and is not seriously doubted


Ah, so you have an inferior red as well - can't handle those pesky _grays._


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## Sloe

sospiro said:


> Wonderful!
> 
> I'm very envious, I've never seen a hare.


There seems to be much more wild rabbits in United Kingdom than hares.
Usually there are either rabbits or hares in a place. The rabbits are usually in the more dense populated areas while the hares are usually closer to the forests. It is special with roe deer that it is possible to be really close to them and then you do a small move and they runaway directly. I have also been standing only a couple meters from a fox at one point.


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## geralmar

The squirrels in my neighborhood are all brown. A couple towns over they are all black. I guess it's only appropriate: southeast Michigan (which includes Detroit) is the most racially segregated metropolitan area in the entire U.S.

Someone once defined a squirrel as "a rat with a press agent."


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## SixFootScowl

geralmar said:


> The squirrels in my neighborhood are all brown. A couple towns over they are all black. I guess it's only appropriate: southeast Michigan (which includes Detroit) is the most racially segregated metropolitan area in the entire U.S.
> 
> Someone once defined a squirrel as "a rat with a press agent."


Used to be the black squirrels were only out at Battle Creek and Port Huron, Michigan (from what I recall because those were two places we frequented in the 1970s/80s) but in more recent years there are black squirrels around the west side of Detroit.


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## SixFootScowl

How about the white squirrels (not albino). Here is a web page about them. My family heard about these white squirrels and about 15 years ago we took the kids and traveled to Exeter, Ontario, to see them. We camped in a city campground and sure enough saw white squirrels frolicking in the park.


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## sospiro

Any apiarists amongst us?

What I want to know is how do you transport bees from Vienna to Sussex?


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## EdwardBast

Here in the Adirondack mountains of New York black bears, moose, white tailed deer, foxes, martens, coyotes, ground hogs, porcupines, fishers (large, vicious weasels that eat the porcupines), snow shoe hares and all colors of squirrels are among the mammals one encounters. The large birds include great horned and several other species of owls, eagles, osprey, several species of hawks, kestrels, peregrine falcons, ravens, crows, blue herons, loons, wild turkeys, geese and grouse. The notable reptiles are huge snapping turtles and small snakes. The only species in the list I haven't seen is the coyote, although I have heard them at night.

I spend lots of time hiking off trail examining the many geological marvels as well.


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## sospiro

EdwardBast said:


> Here in the Adirondack mountains of New York black bears, moose, white tailed deer, foxes, martens, coyotes, ground hogs, porcupines, fishers (large, vicious weasels that eat the porcupines), snow shoe hares and all colors of squirrels are among the mammals one encounters. The large birds include great horned and several other species of owls, eagles, osprey, several species of hawks, kestrels, peregrine falcons, ravens, crows, blue herons, loons, wild turkeys, geese and grouse. The notable reptiles are huge snapping turtles and small snakes. The only species in the list I haven't seen is the coyote, although I have heard them at night.
> 
> I spend lots of time hiking off trail examining the many geological marvels as well.


How absolutely wonderful, I am so envious!

I hope you don't shoot any of them?


----------



## sospiro

Apparently the new Director at Glyndebourne will not be bringing his bees with him but will acquire a new local swarm.

However it is possible to send bees through the post! Who knew?!


----------



## EdwardBast

sospiro said:


> How absolutely wonderful, I am so envious!
> 
> I hope you don't shoot any of them?


Only photographically! Here are a few creatures that wandered onto my property. They are a white tailed deer, two wild turkeys, a porcupine, and a broad-winged hawk. Not sure what the latter was doing on my driveway:


----------



## clockworkmurderer

sospiro said:


> However it is possible to send bees through the post! Who knew?!


Oddly enough, I actually do. A couple of years ago I worked for a beekeeper; in the spring he would order queens through the mail and when they arrived they were each contained within a tiny plastic cage suspended from a frame inside a larger box, ten or so to a frame and three or four frames to a box (the rest of the box was chock full of workers, who don't really know what's going on and will take care of all the queens equally). Each year hives split, and if you allow them to, they'll hatch a new queen and half the colony flies off to build a new nest. If you don't allow them to, you need to manually split them and that means you order queens through the mail or devote a hive specifically to breeding queens. Ordering them is a lot easier; they're not even expensive. You too could run your own hive for less than 200 euros, and that includes the price of your bee suit and the box and frames, as well as more queens than you would need.

EDIT: I checked it out; on Amazon a bee suit is $69, a smoker $29, a hive tool (nifty) for $8, and elbow length gloves for $12. The queens themselves will be about $30 for 10. In my experience enough wood to build a hive box is going to run you in the $15 range, but the cost per box goes down the more you're building. Frames are trickier; you can buy plastic ones for cheap but the bees don't really like them. Older ones with chicken wire that the bees build their comb on is better, though where to find them is less certain. Ex beekeepers perhaps? Long story short, it's a very interesting hobby and would majorly improve the plant life in the surrounding area. Bees are an incredibly important part of the ecological house of cards that we inhabit and we as tertiary consumers have a responsibility for the creatures that enable us to eat fruit and vegetables.


----------



## sospiro

EdwardBast said:


> Only photographically! Here are a few creatures that wandered onto my property. They are a white tailed deer, two wild turkeys, a porcupine, and a broad-winged hawk. Not sure what the latter was doing on my driveway:
> 
> View attachment 84341
> 
> View attachment 84342
> 
> View attachment 84343
> 
> View attachment 84344


Lovely photos and the fall (autumn) colours in the porcupine one are gorgeous.

So pleased you don't kill them


----------



## sospiro

clockworkmurderer said:


> Oddly enough, I actually do. A couple of years ago I worked for a beekeeper; in the spring he would order queens through the mail and when they arrived they were each contained within a tiny plastic cage suspended from a frame inside a larger box, ten or so to a frame and three or four frames to a box (the rest of the box was chock full of workers, who don't really know what's going on and will take care of all the queens equally). Each year hives split, and if you allow them to, they'll hatch a new queen and half the colony flies off to build a new nest. If you don't allow them to, you need to manually split them and that means you order queens through the mail or devote a hive specifically to breeding queens. Ordering them is a lot easier; they're not even expensive. You too could run your own hive for less than 200 euros, and that includes the price of your bee suit and the box and frames, as well as more queens than you would need.
> 
> EDIT: I checked it out; on Amazon a bee suit is $69, a smoker $29, a hive tool (nifty) for $8, and elbow length gloves for $12. The queens themselves will be about $30 for 10. In my experience enough wood to build a hive box is going to run you in the $15 range, but the cost per box goes down the more you're building. Frames are trickier; you can buy plastic ones for cheap but the bees don't really like them. Older ones with chicken wire that the bees build their comb on is better, though where to find them is less certain. Ex beekeepers perhaps? Long story short, it's a very interesting hobby and would majorly improve the plant life in the surrounding area. Bees are an incredibly important part of the ecological house of cards that we inhabit and we as tertiary consumers have a responsibility for the creatures that enable us to eat fruit and vegetables.


That's fascinating. You make it sound straightforward and not too expensive.


----------



## clockworkmurderer

sospiro said:


> That's fascinating. You make it sound straightforward and not too expensive.


perhaps so, but even at the best of times, you're going to get stung. Maybe not every time, but it is inevitable and no matter how many times it still hurts.


----------



## EdwardBast

sospiro said:


> Lovely photos and the fall (autumn) colours in the porcupine one are gorgeous.
> 
> So pleased you don't kill them


Some of my neighbors hunt deer for food. And I was once paid in venison for helping a neighbor with some wood work. But I only gather fruit, like the intensely delicious wild blueberries in the pic below. I pick liters of them, along with raspberries and wild strawberries.


----------



## Figleaf

EdwardBast said:


> Some of my neighbors hunt deer for food. And I was once paid in venison for helping a neighbor with some wood work. But I only gather fruit, like the intensely delicious wild blueberries in the pic below. I pick liters of them, along with raspberries and wild strawberries.
> 
> View attachment 84370


I can't even imagine how good those must be! British supermarket blueberries taste of nothing to me, though the kids like them well enough.

Last year in the Scottish Highlands we came across some delicious wild strawberries, some nearly the size of pennies. I noticed a lot of the plants in our new garden in France, which I bought unseen a couple of months ago, so I'm not totally sure what might be growing there apart from gnarled old fruit trees. There are even more wild strawberries growing a few hundred feet away, down by the river. I hope the _ragondins_ (coypus/nutria) don't eat them all.


----------



## sospiro

EdwardBast said:


> Some of my neighbors hunt deer for food. And I was once paid in venison for helping a neighbor with some wood work. But I only gather fruit, like the intensely delicious wild blueberries in the pic below. I pick liters of them, along with raspberries and wild strawberries.
> 
> View attachment 84370


Those blueberries look fabulous. The ones we get in our supermarkets are tasteless but there are places near me where I can find wild ones. They are small but have a beautiful flavour.


----------



## sospiro

Figleaf said:


> I can't even imagine how good those must be! British supermarket blueberries taste of nothing to me, though the kids like them well enough.
> 
> Last year in the Scottish Highlands we came across some delicious wild strawberries, some nearly the size of pennies. I noticed a lot of the plants in our new garden in France, which I bought unseen a couple of months ago, so I'm not totally sure what might be growing there apart from gnarled old fruit trees. There are even more wild strawberries growing a few hundred feet away, down by the river. I hope the _ragondins_ (coypus/nutria) don't eat them all.


Your house in France sounds idyllic. I'm sure you'll get lots of butterflies and bees in your garden.


----------



## Kivimees

Enjoying nature's most wonderful composer in our garden:


----------



## Sloe

I saw a roe deer last monday.


----------



## clockworkmurderer

I'm listening to nature compose, conduct, and perform her new piece all at the same time: Wind in the trees, thunder in the sky, and the smell of rain.

EDIT: and here comes the second movement, the raindrops!


----------



## sospiro

clockworkmurderer said:


> I'm listening to nature compose, conduct, and perform her new piece all at the same time: Wind in the trees, thunder in the sky, and the smell of rain.


No man-made sounds at all - wonderful.



clockworkmurderer said:


> EDIT: and here comes the second movement, the raindrops!


:lol:


----------



## JosefinaHW

Strange Magic said:


> Eaglecam in Washington DC: Eagles "Mr. President" and "First Lady" and two eaglets......
> 
> http://www.eagles.org/dceaglecam/


LOL, I just found that webcam and I was going to post it on here! Thanks SM


----------



## JosefinaHW

Yes, "my" squirrels have me trained, too. There are so many animals that come to the sliding glass doors and chew on the base if I don't get the food out quickly enough, so I do my best not to feed them right at the doors. Two years ago though I had a grey squirrel who must have had some type of nerve damage because he leaned his whole head and shoulder areas to the left--I called him "Lefty"--very original, right? Well, Lefty's "lean" was progressively getting worse and the two wildlife rehabilitators I use said that neither of the wildlife vets thought they could do anything that wouldn't make him worse. For extra nutrition I use to give him (and other squirrels who got close to him) raw almonds and walnuts. It got to the point that he would see me through the kitchen windows and would be right outside the door by the time I walked the 10 feet or so. Finally one time he jumped up and got his claws stuck into my hand, trying to get to the nuts.... what a circus that was... after that the poor thing just waited on the steps down the deck. (No videos or photos of Lefty.)


----------



## JosefinaHW

EdwardBast said:


> Only photographically! Here are a few creatures that wandered onto my property. They are a white tailed deer, two wild turkeys, a porcupine, and a broad-winged hawk. Not sure what the latter was doing on my driveway:
> 
> View attachment 84341
> 
> 
> View attachment 84342
> 
> View attachment 84343
> 
> View attachment 84344


You are so lucky to see live porcupines; I have sat up hours at night in the woods and I have never see one. Alas, they are building a major road extension on a road I travel--thousands of acres of forest removed and too many porcupines killed on the road. If they had made some kind of announcement some of us could have trapped and relocated them.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Woodchucks, chipmunk,and BlueJay

Over the past several years, several families of woodchucks, chipmunks, opossums and skunks have lived and/or around my "animal garden".











(I am a terrible photographer.)


----------



## JosefinaHW

Opossums and skunk


----------



## Pugg

JosefinaHW said:


> Woodchucks, chipmunk,and BlueJay
> 
> Over the past several years, several families of woodchucks, chipmunks, opossums and skunks have lived and/or around my "animal garden".
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> (I am a terrible photographer.)


Don't be modest, nice pics:tiphat:


----------



## JosefinaHW

I'm worse than a mother with her kids.... last year's groundly litter, two deer and a turkey (last batch, promise)


----------



## Wood

clockworkmurderer said:


> Oddly enough, I actually do. A couple of years ago I worked for a beekeeper; in the spring he would order queens through the mail and when they arrived they were each contained within a tiny plastic cage suspended from a frame inside a larger box, ten or so to a frame and three or four frames to a box (the rest of the box was chock full of workers, who don't really know what's going on and will take care of all the queens equally). Each year hives split, and if you allow them to, they'll hatch a new queen and half the colony flies off to build a new nest. If you don't allow them to, you need to manually split them and that means you order queens through the mail or devote a hive specifically to breeding queens. Ordering them is a lot easier; they're not even expensive. You too could run your own hive for less than 200 euros, and that includes the price of your bee suit and the box and frames, as well as more queens than you would need.
> 
> EDIT: I checked it out; on Amazon a bee suit is $69, a smoker $29, a hive tool (nifty) for $8, and elbow length gloves for $12. The queens themselves will be about $30 for 10. In my experience enough wood to build a hive box is going to run you in the $15 range, but the cost per box goes down the more you're building. Frames are trickier; you can buy plastic ones for cheap but the bees don't really like them. Older ones with chicken wire that the bees build their comb on is better, though where to find them is less certain. Ex beekeepers perhaps? Long story short, it's a very interesting hobby and would majorly improve the plant life in the surrounding area. Bees are an incredibly important part of the ecological house of cards that we inhabit and we as tertiary consumers have a responsibility for the creatures that enable us to eat fruit and vegetables.


That is a very interesting post CM. How many jars of honey would you expect to get from a beehive?


----------



## TurnaboutVox

Figleaf said:


> Weird how we supposedly have lizards in England, but you never see them.


I have seen common lizards (and adders - though not lizards) on the hills in Scotland, in areas away from much human habitation. One one occasion only I saw a lizard - a slow worm - in England, in the garden of a cottage in a hamlet near Bath. It was having an 'encounter' with a local cat and had just shed its tail in order to distract it.


----------



## clockworkmurderer

Wood said:


> That is a very interesting post CM. How many jars of honey would you expect to get from a beehive?


We packaged them by the pound and you can expect more honey from larger hives. We would get around 15 pounds per hive after a season's growth, leaving plenty there for the bees to survive during the winter. Frame by frame, if there were 6 frames in a box we harvested honey from 2 of them (some frames contain mainly eggs rather than honey). Most hives had two boxes and some even had 3.

Hives in the wild work a little differently; with unrestricted swarms they are generally smaller but then again, we pulled about 40 pounds of comb and honey out of a little old woman's porch. My boss reckoned that hive consisted of around 50,000 members.


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## clockworkmurderer

Here in the states we have lots of lizards, at least south of about 40° North (and below certain elevations) we do. Small ones mainly, though we have large snakes and sometimes even tortoises too. I stopped and removed a box tortoise from the road once; he didn't seem all that happy to see me though (gaping mouth, squeaking sounds and hissing, plus a fierce facial expression that was probably the most adorable thing ever).


----------



## helenora

From my journey to Komodo , Indonesia


----------



## JosefinaHW

helenora said:


> View attachment 84570
> View attachment 84571
> View attachment 84572
> From my journey to Komodo , Indonesia


The animal has such a presence and you can see his/her power in those feet. It must have been amazing to be up so close.


----------



## JosefinaHW

clavichorder said:


> There are ospreys in the park near where I am usually living in Seattle. Haven't seen any in Spain, but I regularly see storks flying around the cathedrals, adding a certain majestic element. But yes, I love the ospreys in my Seattle neighborhood and consider it good luck when I see them. They are amazing flyers and I saw a video on YouTube of how they plunge feet first after a dive bomb, into the waterr and immediately surface flying off with a fish bigger than them.


I went to school very close to that square near the cathedrals and I used to love to sit every day on one of the benches and listen to their "clucking" sound. I am glad you got to see them.


----------



## kartikeys

I like your homes in the western world. 
You live amid nature. Its daily problems 
keep you lively. I wish to do the same, if 
it's in store for me. 
No wonder great music emerges when man 
is in touch with roots.


----------



## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> I have seen common lizards (and adders - though not lizards) on the hills in Scotland, in areas away from much human habitation. One one occasion only I saw a lizard - a slow worm - in England, in the garden of a cottage in a hamlet near Bath. It was having an 'encounter' with a local cat and had just shed its tail in order to distract it.


I love reptiles and I'm always on the look out for adders but have never seen one.


----------



## EdwardBast

JosefinaHW said:


> You are so lucky to see live porcupines; I have sat up hours at night in the woods and I have never see one. Alas, they are building a major road extension on a road I travel--thousands of acres of forest removed and too many porcupines killed on the road. If they had made some kind of announcement some of us could have trapped and relocated them.


I've seen several while hiking as well. This is not so surprising because they have no fear of humans. I was standing quite close to the one I photographed and those I have encountered on trails had no inclination to flee. One just kept waddling in front of me up the trail for about fifty yards. Another approached me head on and seemed to expect I would yield the trail! What I would like to get a photo of is the porcupine's natural predator, the fisher. I've seen two but they disappeared really fast.


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

From the National Arboretum just outside Washington DC:






























There's something so pretty about flowers covered in fresh raindrops...


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

More...


----------



## TxllxT

*Coughing sheep*











Just a few meters from our home these are the sounds that meet us. Some of them cough really like humans! Poor sheep that first had to cope with too darn hot and now with night frost...


----------



## Huilunsoittaja

TxllxT said:


> Just a few meters from our home these are the sounds that meet us. Some of them cough really like humans! Poor sheep that first had to cope with too darn hot and now with night frost...


Them allergies kicking in, no doubt


----------



## clavichorder

JosefinaHW said:


> I went to school very close to that square near the cathedrals and I used to love to sit every day on one of the benches and listen to their "clucking" sound. I am glad you got to see them.


I'm sad that I'm back, even though we have no shortage of natural beauty in the Pacific Northwest. I am very eager to get out again, more permanently, and will certainly see Salamanca again some day not too far off, with fresh eyes.


----------



## CDs

clavichorder said:


> I'm sad that I'm back, even though we have no shortage of natural beauty in the Pacific Northwest. I am very eager to get out again, more permanently, and will certainly see Salamanca again some day not too far off, with fresh eyes.


Why are you sad that you are back? Don't like the rain?


----------



## clavichorder

CDs said:


> Why are you sad that you are back? Don't like the rain?


Hard to explain. Mostly it's a loss of independence as I am living with my parents again, but also I adapted nicely to the lazy and more organic social atmosphere and schedule that Spain seemed to have, so this tightness and constricted way people here have about them has affected me, while I can remember how different I felt. Plus I can't practice my language skills with that same intensity. When I first got back, I felt like I had freedom and social confidence to burn and used it a little with some good results, but the uneventful life I'm now leading and the social atmosphere has gradually constricted me and social anxiety has resurfaced. Things were so novel there, I didn't hardly have to try to have a memorable experience. Now I'm obsessed with time and how I perceive it at different points in my life.

In short, I need to get out every day and don't always. My parents have no sense of my need to explore the world and live a wider life(in terms of time, memories, interests, everything), they think I need to check off boxes of adulthood. While I know that some of that is necessary, why should I get a job here in Seattle when I could go somewhere else and struggle to live, learn a tremendous amount, and certainly greatly alter the course of my life?


----------



## CDs

> Things were so novel there, I didn't hardly have to try to have a memorable experience. Now I'm obsessed with time and how I perceive it at different points in my life.


Do you think you'd be a traveler your whole life? Move from country to country?
Wouldn't the newness of Spain wear off? Especially if you had to get a 9 to 5 job there? Not to mention raise a family.
I'm not trying to knock you but my brother moved out of the country and now he is married, couple of kids and a job. His life isn't much different if he was living in the USA.


----------



## clavichorder

CDs said:


> Do you think you'd be a traveler your whole life? Move from country to country?
> Wouldn't the newness of Spain wear off? Especially if you had to get a 9 to 5 job there? Not to mention raise a family.
> I'm not trying to knock you but my brother moved out of the country and now he is married, couple of kids and a job. His life isn't much different if he was living in the USA.


Why not thrust yourself into a situation where challenge and overcoming it is automatic and a necessity, rather than making your own inevitably safer challenges in a more familiar environment, from which you learn less. Time slows down, you remember more, when you are in situations of challenge, and you can rediscover the meaning of fun that you lost for years. This is what happened to me. While that would settle in time, just to have that hump as an example in my life would set a grand precedent, and I would surely seek new challenges even if I didn't move from Spain or South America. It just seems less likely to happen here, and also, why not? There is enough novelty too, in being a fluent speaker of another language but inevitably dipping into your mother tongue(English will be around no matter where, in varying degrees). More reasons to do it than to stay, in my view, not just for myself but for the sake of knowing the world that we live in.

I see the truth of quotes by people like Emerson about traveling being a fools paradise, but I aspire to live not to tour, and wildly inspired as he was, he did say some biased and polarizing things that are hard to understand out of context, or even in.


----------



## CDs

Good luck to you Clavichorder!


----------



## clockworkmurderer

Clavichorder, I too understand the wanderlust and the desire to know the world in which we live. I would add experiencing art, history, and natural beauty to the reasons for living a "different life." I actually wrote an essay about being a traveler not too long ago, but this thread is about nature, not travel so I think I'll refrain from posting it here.


----------



## Sloe

I saw a badger now.


----------



## JosefinaHW

kartikeys said:


> I like your homes in the western world.
> You live amid nature. Its daily problems
> keep you lively. I wish to do the same, if
> it's in store for me.
> No wonder great music emerges when man
> is in touch with roots.


:Kartikeys: What birds, mammals, insects, spiders, trees and/or plants are in your neighborhood?


----------



## Varick

I love wandering in nature. I took some Tom Brown Jr. survival courses which are heavily steeped in the old Apache Indian ways (Tome Brown Jr. was raised by an old Apache elder named Grandfather). I haven't done it in a while, but every year I used to strap my knife on my belt, grab my homemade fire block & stick, my homemade bowl, and a few utensils and go off into the woods and spend 3-7 days. Build my own shelter, find my water source(s), find and collect fire wood and hunt and collect my own food. It was a great way to unplug from the rest of the world, meditate, and re-center myself. No phone, no booze, no electronic or electrical devices of any kind. It makes me realize every time how the modern world stifles my "awareness" and I have to quickly get that "awareness" back if I'm going to be comfortable and survive.

Being married does not lend me the opportunity to do it as much. I've only done it once since and my wife thought I was out of my mind going without a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, etc. I told her, I make everything while I'm out. The things one experiences, sees, hears, feels, and smells, when they are truly grounded in such a natural setting is just magnificent. Tracking animals, watching the concentric circles play out in nature is truly a gift that I have been taught. I need to go back to TBJr's school and take some more advanced courses. I would love to learn how to make my own bow and use it properly.

V


----------



## Strange Magic

Here in Nova Caesarea over the decades, it's been wonderful to see the following creatures make strong comebacks to a state from which they were very scarce or missing for a long, long time: Ospreys, Bald Eagles; Bluebirds; Wild Turkey; Bears; Beaver; Coyotes. Beaver are now present on virtually every body of fresh water large enough for me to paddle my kayak. Strange fact--with the return of the wild turkey, there are now far fewer pheasants. Sadly disappearing: land turtles, toads.


----------



## JosefinaHW

EdwardBast said:


> I've seen several while hiking as well. This is not so surprising because they have no fear of humans. I was standing quite close to the one I photographed and those I have encountered on trails had no inclination to flee. One just kept waddling in front of me up the trail for about fifty yards. Another approached me head on and seemed to expect I would yield the trail! What I would like to get a photo of is the porcupine's natural predator, the fisher. I've seen two but they disappeared really fast.


I've recently begun camping in Tioga State Forest, PA and fishers were reintroduced there in the 90's. People who have camped or lived there quite a long time have seen them infrequently but every time they've seen them they were along side a creek and usually at dawn. I know that they are not known as "fishers" because they hunt fish, but every species of the _Mustelidae_ that I have seen love water: drink it frequently and play in it, and obviously in the case of the otter and the domesticated ferret, they swim in it. So I have been watching along the creek's edge to catch site of one. Where did you see them?

As to your surprise re/ the porcupine expecting you to yield the trail, s/he's got seniority! His or her ancestors evolved an easy 2.5 million years before yours.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Strange Magic said:


> Here in Nova Caesarea over the decades, it's been wonderful to see the following creatures make strong comebacks to a state from which they were very scarce or missing for a long, long time: Ospreys, Bald Eagles; Bluebirds; Wild Turkey; Bears; Beaver; Coyotes. Beaver are now present on virtually every body of fresh water large enough for me to paddle my kayak. Strange fact--with the return of the wild turkey, there are now far fewer pheasants. Sadly disappearing: land turtles, toads.


:StrangeMagic: Are you aware of a direct correspondence between appearance of the wild turkeys and disappearance of the pheasants?... one drives the other away? Here in PA there is a dramatic increase in the number of toads--I don't know what is causing it, but it is phenomenal.


----------



## clavichorder

I took a day trip across the puget sound to Bainbridge island, in search of something very vague. I saw a funny raccoon turning rocks on the bed of a creek, heard lots of birds, and in general I was lit up and cleared up a little by the experience. When I first arrived, I felt pretty bad and had to journal hypnotically in this cafe in the town. I don't know if it helped, but I found my way to a park in the center of the island and things started relaxing in my mind, my senses started to open up. I have been telling myself for the last month to get out everyday, and experiences like this keep reinforcing this to me. So back on the topic of this thread, nature is very important! Nothing like all the complex curves, colors, irregularities of depth, bird calls, soft ambience, fresh air, scents, breezes..... to work miracles on the mind tyranized by the interactive two dimensional flashing lights and occasional videos. 

I had so much pent up energy I was whistling vigorously and musically and a lady walking her dog overheard me from afar and told me it was beautiful(can't remember having that happen). I even charged and leapt over random obstacles when the inspiration hit. I do this sometimes anyways, but it goes to illustrate the healing properties of nature??


----------



## JosefinaHW

clavichorder said:


> I took a day trip across the puget sound to Bainbridge island, in search of something very vague. I saw a funny raccoon turning rocks on the bed of a creek, heard lots of birds, and in general I was lit up and cleared up a little by the experience. When I first arrived, I felt pretty bad and had to journal hypnotically in this cafe in the town. I don't know if it helped, but I found my way to a park in the center of the island and things started relaxing in my mind, my senses started to open up. I have been telling myself for the last month to get out everyday, and experiences like this keep reinforcing this to me. So back on the topic of this thread, nature is very important! Nothing like all the complex curves, colors, irregularities of depth, bird calls, soft ambience, fresh air, scents, breezes..... to work miracles on the mind tyranized by the interactive two dimensional flashing lights and occasional videos.
> 
> I had so much pent up energy I was whistling vigorously and musically and a lady walking her dog overheard me from afar and told me it was beautiful(can't remember having that happen). I even charged and leapt over random obstacles when the inspiration hit. I do this sometimes anyways, but it goes to illustrate the healing properties of nature??


It is wonderful to read all of this--so happy for you--maybe take some pics tomorrow  and post them here.

I'm going to take advantage of being back in this thread and post some more of my pictures.


----------



## JosefinaHW

A new day and a few more photos...


(This is a photo of a juvenile groundhog/woodchuck/marmot leaving the family den. How the juveniles finally leave varies: some always leave on their own, some will go off in pairs, sometimes the mother will take one or two to a new location that she has already investigated for them, some she will just chase away very fiercely, and she will usually allow the smallest female to stay in the den over the first Winter.)

The "beauty" of the animal garden is clearly the animals. LOL. I have flower beds all over the place, too. The following is one of them in 2013:


----------



## Pugg

JosefinaHW said:


> A new day and a few more photos...
> 
> 
> (This is a photo of a juvenile groundhog/woodchuck/marmot leaving the family den. How the juveniles finally leave varies: some always leave on their own, some will go off in pairs, sometimes the mother will take one or two to a new location that she has already investigated for them, some she will just chase away very fiercely, and she will usually allow the smallest female to stay in the den over the first Winter.)
> 
> The "beauty" of the animal garden is clearly the animals. LOL. I have flower beds all over the place, too. The following is one of them in 2013:


I do like that kind off wild gardening, so more natural then parks for example :tiphat:


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## sospiro

clockworkmurderer said:


> Clavichorder, I too understand the wanderlust and the desire to know the world in which we live. I would add experiencing art, history, and natural beauty to the reasons for living a "different life." I actually wrote an essay about being a traveler not too long ago, but this thread is about nature, not travel so I think I'll refrain from posting it here.


I, too, understand Clavichorder's desire to travel and don't feel this has really gone off topic. Travel and the natural world are often combined.


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## Pugg

I don't know if you lot can see the cycling races, ( I don't like them) but the views the cameras shows, from the country's they are in are stunning, saw some beautiful images of Italy in the last days! :tiphat:
Makes me want to explore them yourself


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## Wood

Varick said:


> I love wandering in nature. I took some Tom Brown Jr. survival courses which are heavily steeped in the old Apache Indian ways (Tome Brown Jr. was raised by an old Apache elder named Grandfather). I haven't done it in a while, but every year I used to strap my knife on my belt, grab my homemade fire block & stick, my homemade bowl, and a few utensils and go off into the woods and spend 3-7 days. Build my own shelter, find my water source(s), find and collect fire wood and hunt and collect my own food. It was a great way to unplug from the rest of the world, meditate, and re-center myself. No phone, no booze, no electronic or electrical devices of any kind. It makes me realize every time how the modern world stifles my "awareness" and I have to quickly get that "awareness" back if I'm going to be comfortable and survive.
> 
> Being married does not lend me the opportunity to do it as much. I've only done it once since and my wife thought I was out of my mind going without a tent, sleeping bag, food, water, etc. I told her, I make everything while I'm out. The things one experiences, sees, hears, feels, and smells, when they are truly grounded in such a natural setting is just magnificent. Tracking animals, watching the concentric circles play out in nature is truly a gift that I have been taught. I need to go back to TBJr's school and take some more advanced courses. I would love to learn how to make my own bow and use it properly.
> 
> V


That really sounds good Varick. Very interesting. Those techniques could be useful in the future with the way the capitalist world appears to be self-destructing.

Can you provide more information on how you got your food? And what technique did you use for starting fires?


----------



## kartikeys

There are many humans, some of them are beasts. 

Purple rumped sunbird, common myna, Indian Pond Heron (rare), 
common tailorbird. 
I recall these names of birds. 
Yellow gulmohar, red gulmohar, champa are the the trees I remember. 

I make do with whatever greenery I can afford. There are little 'natural' 
spaces.


----------



## JosefinaHW

kartikeys said:


> There are many humans, some of them are beasts.
> 
> Purple rumped sunbird, common myna, Indian Pond Heron (rare),
> common tailorbird.
> I recall these names of birds.
> Yellow gulmohar, red gulmohar, champa are the the trees I remember.
> 
> I make do with whatever greenery I can afford. There are little 'natural'
> spaces.


If you are interested in learning about birds, the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology is was one of the best sources.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478#_ga=1.116707333.2054964479.1463574664

They offer a home-study course on bird biology that is amazingly comprehensive--you can e-mail them questions. I completed the course several years ago using the 2nd edition of the textbook and I see they are in the process of publishing the 3rd edition. Check it out. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/homestudy

They offer scholarships to students from all countries.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/homestudy/scholarships-1


----------



## Wood

kartikeys said:


> There are many humans, some of them are beasts.
> 
> Purple rumped sunbird, common myna, Indian Pond Heron (rare),
> common tailorbird.
> I recall these names of birds.
> Yellow gulmohar, red gulmohar, champa are the the trees I remember.
> 
> I make do with whatever greenery I can afford. There are little 'natural'
> spaces.


I like how the cows are free to roam the city streets in India, and camels pulling carts are a good sight for a westerner, though this was more in rural areas. Feral dogs and rodents were also ubiquitous when I've visited.

What is your city kartikeys?


----------



## clavichorder

I went across the Puget sound again yesterday. That place is so beautiful, so accessible, and just feels like such a complete breath of fresh air. We have several ferries on the Seattle/Tacoma/east side of the puget sound and corresponding west locations. Two days ago I went from Downtown ferry to Bainbridge, a little island(more just a part of the peninsula cut off by a glacier formed canal), then yesterday from Edmonds(a town to the north of Seattle connected by unbroken suburbs) to Kingston, which is at maybe the widest part of the Puget sound. Walked so much that I will have to rest, but I plan on taking my bike out there tomorrow(ferry rides are dirt cheap because I have this transit card). The whole experience is great, the wind of the ferry and all the accompanying Seagulls, the Cormorants at the docks, the shrinking and enlarging land masses, the wave patters, the sky, the perfect view of the mountains that appear to surround on all sides, most notably the ridge of the tallest apparent Olympic mountains, a far off Cascade mountain ridge, the volcano Mt Baker near Canada, the mountains on Vancouver Island, the imposing solitary volcano Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak the hiding volcano in the distance.

Getting into the forest is great, but since I do this all on foot, I had to walk some miles from the small town of Kingston on two lane roads with no real pedestrian path. Managed okay. Never thought I'd say this, but forests are like a drug to me, I forget how good they are until I'm in them and that is why I'm getting off the computer very soon and will work a forest into my day somehow. The previous too days had afternoon starts and still managed to feel very full(though I was very unhappy at the start of them due to my sense of having wasted so much day). Seems like I'm doing this again, so good bye.


----------



## Varick

Wood said:


> That really sounds good Varick. Very interesting. Those techniques could be useful in the future with the way the capitalist world appears to be self-destructing.
> 
> Can you provide more information on how you got your food? And what technique did you use for starting fires?


Funny, I find the capitalist world working fine where it's allowed to. It's the socialists who keep inflicting their policies on the capitalistic systems and mucking up the works. But that's another discussion.

I get my vegetation in groups (such as clover, cattail, chickweed, dandelion, etc) but only take 2/3rds of it so it can re-germinate and grow back. I often boil the vegetation to get many undesirable flavors out of them. When it comes to animals, I often trap them or rarely fish (not very good at spear fishing and lack the patience for poll/stick fishing - yet waiting for land prey, I seem to have a lot of patience. Go figure). I usually make stew from my food that I collect/hunt. It is the best type of food to eat when camping because digesting solid food uses hydration from your body. Stew replenishes and gives your body most, if not all, the water it needs to aid the digestion and helps keep your body hydrated.

As for lighting fires, I use my fire block (with a notch or "chimney"), stick (or rather "drill"), drill bow, socket for the drill, and of course tinder for the coal that you create with the fire block and drill. Carefully bring the hot coal to the tinder, get the tinder going, then transfer it all to the firewood (tinder, topped with very small kindling, topped with kindling and a graduation to larger pieces of fire wood. Unless you've been taught how to make all the above, it can be an arduous task. Once you know how to do it and have all the tools, then the longest part is finding & gathering all the tinder and wood.

I usually build a reflecting wall around the fire so it faces and heats my shelter.

Here is a link on what's involved to start a fire: http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Fire-with-Sticks

V


----------



## kartikeys

JosefinaHW said:


> If you are interested in learning about birds, the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology is was one of the best sources.
> 
> http://www.birds.cornell.edu/Page.aspx?pid=1478#_ga=1.116707333.2054964479.1463574664
> 
> They offer a home-study course on bird biology that is amazingly comprehensive--you can e-mail them questions. I completed the course several years ago using the 2nd edition of the textbook and I see they are in the process of publishing the 3rd edition. Check it out. http://www.birds.cornell.edu/homestudy
> 
> They offer scholarships to students from all countries.
> 
> http://www.birds.cornell.edu/homestudy/scholarships-1


Thank you for the thought JosefinaHW.

I checked out that Bainbridge Island is in Washington. 
It looks good in photos.


----------



## kartikeys

Wood said:


> I like how the cows are free to roam the city streets in India, and camels pulling carts are a good sight for a westerner, though this was more in rural areas. Feral dogs and rodents were also ubiquitous when I've visited.
> 
> What is your city kartikeys?


Indeed in rural areas Wood. Cities are competing for optimal congestion. 
I am in Mumbai.

There is a 'temple of rats' in Rajasthan.


----------



## clockworkmurderer

The full moon is apparently the night of the 21st, but as I type it's quite bright and beautiful, appearing full or very near so. I wish I had a better camera; on my phone it just comes out as a bright spot.

With better framing, I can get a decent picture of the moon though! I took a picture of the full moon during a night tour at Alcatraz (very creepy); this is what came of it.


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## helenora

Kelimutu, Flores island , Indonesia. Some say it's one of the most beautiful places in the country. You'll decide for yourself. Three lakes on the top of an inactive volcano. They change colors during the day, it depends on a sunlight and I haven't uploaded the brown one.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Baby geese! goslings/gosselings? Picture taken at a lake nearby. The lakes in and around my town are all man-made but they attract a diverse ecosystem.









^_^


----------



## JosefinaHW

clavichorder said:


> I went across the Puget sound again yesterday. That place is so beautiful, so accessible, and just feels like such a complete breath of fresh air. We have several ferries on the Seattle/Tacoma/east side of the puget sound and corresponding west locations. Two days ago I went from Downtown ferry to Bainbridge, a little island(more just a part of the peninsula cut off by a glacier formed canal), then yesterday from Edmonds(a town to the north of Seattle connected by unbroken suburbs) to Kingston, which is at maybe the widest part of the Puget sound. Walked so much that I will have to rest, but I plan on taking my bike out there tomorrow(ferry rides are dirt cheap because I have this transit card). The whole experience is great, the wind of the ferry and all the accompanying Seagulls, the Cormorants at the docks, the shrinking and enlarging land masses, the wave patters, the sky, the perfect view of the mountains that appear to surround on all sides, most notably the ridge of the tallest apparent Olympic mountains, a far off Cascade mountain ridge, the volcano Mt Baker near Canada, the mountains on Vancouver Island, the imposing solitary volcano Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak the hiding volcano in the distance.
> 
> Getting into the forest is great, but since I do this all on foot, I had to walk some miles from the small town of Kingston on two lane roads with no real pedestrian path. Managed okay. Never thought I'd say this, but forests are like a drug to me, I forget how good they are until I'm in them and that is why I'm getting off the computer very soon and will work a forest into my day somehow. The previous too days had afternoon starts and still managed to feel very full(though I was very unhappy at the start of them due to my sense of having wasted so much day). Seems like I'm doing this again, so good bye.


It all sounds wonderful! I totally agree that forests are absolutely amazing. 'just so you don't blister you feet you might consider going to a cafe and journaling alternate days...


----------



## JosefinaHW

helenora said:


> View attachment 84659
> View attachment 84660
> View attachment 84661
> Kelimutu, Flores island , Indonesia. Some say it's one of the most beautiful places in the country. You'll decide for yourself. Three lakes on the top of an inactive volcano. They change colors during the day, it depends on a sunlight and I haven't uploaded the brown one.


I suppose this is going to sound like a bizarre question but is this where they filmed the "fake" crater lake in "You Only Live Twice"?


----------



## JosefinaHW

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Baby geese! goslings/gosselings? Picture taken at a lake nearby. The lakes in and around my town are all man-made but they attract a diverse ecosystem.
> 
> View attachment 84669
> 
> 
> ^_^


"gooses"

:lol:

'very cute goslings; thanks for sharing


----------



## sospiro

clavichorder said:


> I went across the Puget sound again yesterday. That place is so beautiful, so accessible, and just feels like such a complete breath of fresh air. We have several ferries on the Seattle/Tacoma/east side of the puget sound and corresponding west locations. Two days ago I went from Downtown ferry to Bainbridge, a little island(more just a part of the peninsula cut off by a glacier formed canal), then yesterday from Edmonds(a town to the north of Seattle connected by unbroken suburbs) to Kingston, which is at maybe the widest part of the Puget sound. Walked so much that I will have to rest, but I plan on taking my bike out there tomorrow(ferry rides are dirt cheap because I have this transit card). The whole experience is great, the wind of the ferry and all the accompanying Seagulls, the Cormorants at the docks, the shrinking and enlarging land masses, the wave patters, the sky, the perfect view of the mountains that appear to surround on all sides, most notably the ridge of the tallest apparent Olympic mountains, a far off Cascade mountain ridge, the volcano Mt Baker near Canada, the mountains on Vancouver Island, the imposing solitary volcano Mount Rainier, Glacier Peak the hiding volcano in the distance.
> 
> Getting into the forest is great, but since I do this all on foot, I had to walk some miles from the small town of Kingston on two lane roads with no real pedestrian path. Managed okay. Never thought I'd say this, but forests are like a drug to me, I forget how good they are until I'm in them and that is why I'm getting off the computer very soon and will work a forest into my day somehow. The previous too days had afternoon starts and still managed to feel very full(though I was very unhappy at the start of them due to my sense of having wasted so much day). Seems like I'm doing this again, so good bye.


This sounds wonderful. I hope you are finding some solace in your beautiful forests.


----------



## helenora

JosefinaHW said:


> I suppose this is going to sound like a bizarre question but is this where they filmed the "fake" crater lake in "You Only Live Twice"?


I'm not very familiar with this movie, but after checking in Wiki, they said it had only one location, so perhaps another country


----------



## Sloe

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Baby geese! goslings/gosselings? Picture taken at a lake nearby. The lakes in and around my town are all man-made but they attract a diverse ecosystem.
> 
> View attachment 84669
> 
> 
> ^_^


Nice I live close to a lake it is nice to see the ducks swim. There are also sea gulls. When you live in a city they are even far away from the sea. There are also lots of frogs in the lake fish and even snakes.


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## JosefinaHW

helenora said:


> I'm not very familiar with this movie, but after checking in Wiki, they said it had only one location, so perhaps another country


By no means my favorite Bond film but the soundtrack is good.... can't find a Youtube piece with the entire soundtrack but this has a few pieces..


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## JosefinaHW

Sloe said:


> Nice I live close to a lake it is nice to see the ducks swim. There are also sea gulls. When you live in a city they are even far away from the sea. There are also lots of frogs in the lake fish and even snakes.


Re/ sea gulls, same here...  some kind of insect matures in the river and tens of thousands of seagulls (!! seriously) fill the skies and the fields.. I have some photos but I'll have to keep looking for them.


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> Re/ sea gulls, same here...  some kind of insect matures in the river and tens of thousands of seagulls (!! seriously) fill the skies and the fields.. I have some photos but I'll have to keep looking for them.


That sounds like something we get in UK with starlings. It's something I've always wanted to see but so far have been unlucky. There are several professional videos of this phenomenon (called a murmuration) but I like this amateur one.


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## Huilunsoittaja

sospiro said:


> That sounds like something we get in UK with starlings. It's something I've always wanted to see but so far have been unlucky. There are several professional videos of this phenomenon (called a murmuration) but I like this amateur one.


One time when I was little, I think it was my 10th birthday, a giant flock of starlings landed in our backyard, filling the whole area with blackness, iridescence and fluttering. My birthday is in February, so it's possible the flock came from Canada or something and was coming down South, maybe passing on to go farther south even. Was quite a memory for me, I still remember it to this day. The birthday starlings.


----------



## sospiro

Huilunsoittaja said:


> One time when I was little, I think it was my 10th birthday, a giant flock of starlings landed in our backyard, filling the whole area with blackness, iridescence and fluttering. My birthday is in February, so it's possible the flock came from Canada or something and was coming down South, maybe passing on to go farther south even. Was quite a memory for me, I still remember it to this day. The birthday starlings.


The birthday starlings - what a special incident to remember!


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## Headphone Hermit

Reply to post #151

what he's talking about is a different type of phenomenon.

The starlings are engaging in a pre-roost routine that is usually only visible in a short period before dusk as Starlings gather after being dispersed during the day feeding in an area that can have covered tens or even hundreds of square miles - they are engaging in a complex behaviour to select a roost site and to determine where in the roost they will spend the night. (Where you sleep in a roost is important - in the middle of a tree is a good place because it is warmed by the bodies of your neighbours in the flock and it is much safer from nocturnal predators, *but* being underneath other birds at night is not a good idea because as they defecate, you will be covered in it and the next day your flight ability will be harmed until you preen your feathers to get rid of the mess. There is some evidence that in a roost, the stronger birds are those that seek out the more exposed, colder positions higher up whilst the weaker ones have to take the less desirable places lower down.

The flocking of gulls to feed on insects as they emerge from the water (or as they fly in concentration for some other reason) is different, because here the birds are concentrated because of the presence of an easily available food item - the insects. In Britain, we rarely see such airborne behaviour from gulls, but it does happen. One of the most obvious times is on that one day in summer when flying ants emerge ... you can often see large numbers of gulls circling in an active manner (sometime quite noisily, but often quietly) as they hunt the airborne insects. Of course, this is a different type of flying from the flat winged circling that gulls do as they catch a thermal up-current and use this to gain altitude so that they can drift over large distances without using much flapping.


----------



## Strange Magic

I have seen this ever-changing, swirling flock behavior among tree swallows gathered in a huge flock at the end of their season north, as they prepare for the flight south; this behavior witnessed over the marshes and shrub vegetation of coastal tidewater here in Nova Caesarea. Wonderful to see.


----------



## Sloe

JosefinaHW said:


> Re/ sea gulls, same here...  some kind of insect matures in the river and tens of thousands of seagulls (!! seriously) fill the skies and the fields.. I have some photos but I'll have to keep looking for them.


I think the sea gulls are more interested in eating the litter and garbage from humans.
One time I saw a sea gull take a whole baguette right from a plate.


----------



## Strange Magic

*A Wonderful Day on the Water (for JosefinaHW)*

Yesterday my paddling partner and I brought our trusty folding kayaks to Lake Assunpink nearby, a small but very pleasant body of water, somewhat shallow but usually teeming with wildlife. Beautiful sun-drenched warm day. Did two leisurely circuits, paddling almost to the large beaver dam that marks the far upstream end of the lake and holds back its own, smaller lake farther upstream. All beaver were asleep in their at least 3 lodges, but we did encounter a swimming muskrat. The water was packed with nesting, breeding, fighting sunfish, each guarding a shallow nest of pebbles cleared of sand; very large leaping and swirling carp, also mating/fighting; and dense schools of killies. Swans with cygnets, great blue herons, a pied-billed grebe, many kingbirds. The spatterdock was in full bud, ready to bloom. A few turtles, including a large swimming snapper; some frogs (bullfrogs). The first decent day in weeks, and very welcome. We had a fine, relaxed day on the water, exchanging news and views, and marveling at the bounty of May on Lake Assunpink. Soon, we hope to switch to our hardshell kayaks and head for Barnegat Bay, salt water, and tide.


----------



## JosefinaHW

:StrangeMagic: Absolutely wonderful--all of it, but I especially love beavers and muskrats--one day I'll share some of my stories about them. Many, many thanks for sharing this: I will return to it often.


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## JosefinaHW

I have seen many murmurations, but none this dramatic. They occur pretty regularly during spring and summer where I live and I never tire of seeing them. As you can see in the video that follows this one on YouTube; the cause of this is often a falcon hunting the starlings, but it looks so fun to me that I wouldn't be surprised if the birds sometimes fly like this for fun.... wouldn't you?

The sea gull phenomenon that I was talking about is different than this; thousands of sea gulls arrive to eat the flying ants (thanks to Headphone Hermit for identifying the insect--a fly fisherman told me two different insects but I forgot what they were). This event does not only happen once where I live: there is a second arrival about a month later--again, I forget the insect. All up and down the river and far as you can see, and in the fields and valleys in between the mountains all you see are sea gulls--really amazing. I still haven't found my photos or videos, eventually....


----------



## JosefinaHW

:Sloe: At the beach, lagoon and the bay of the Atlantic Ocean I've seen gulls eating almost everything. I kid you not, I was on the beach with some friends and a gull swooped down and took one of my friend's entire baguette sandwich right off of his plate--I got a great laugh out of it especially because he doesn't love animals enough. When I was a little, THE MOST ESSENTIAL part of the trip down to the shore was purchasing several pounds of bologna to feed the gulls--saved up my allowance for weeks  (mea culpa, I now plead for forgiveness that I did that).


----------



## Strange Magic

*A Wonderful Day on Salt Water*

Paddling partner John and I launched our hardshell (fiberglass/composite) kayaks from the canoe/kayak launch site at Area 15 of Island Beach State Park. The waters of Barnegat Bay were crystal-clear, full sun through high cirrus clouds, a gentle 5 to 8 knot S wind, glorious temperature. We headed south along the IBSP shoreline into the wind, passing the osprey nests along the way, all of which were occupied by sitting birds, birds inspecting the nests, or mating birds. An occasional glossy ibis, oystercatchers, willets. We headed for the entrance to Snake Ditch, which penetrates the salt marsh and empties into Barnegat Inlet itself. It was a hard push against both the wind and the now strong flooding tide, but we finally reached the inlet and ate a brief lunch while looking across the inlet at Barnegat Light(house)--"Old Barney"--on the far shore. Lunch finished, we paddled out into the inlet and quickly picked up the flood tide as it raced into the bay, bearing us rapidly along as powerboats flashed by in both directions, either heading out onto the Atlantic or returning from being outside. We zoomed along, reveling in the play of the waves and tide rips while the shoreline passed rapidly by. We re-entered the quieter waters adjoining IBSP via one of the many channels that thread among the salt marsh islands offshore from the park itself, scaring up 4 female red-breasted mergansers along the way; also a green heron, little blue heron, and a great egret. Spent another hour or so weaving through the marsh channels on the still-rising tide, and then finally finishing up heading back to the Area 15 launch site with the wind at our backs helping us along. None of the IBSP red foxes visible today, nor any diamondback terrapins. But it's going to be a banner year for ospreys! First salt water trip of the year, gets a 10.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Strange Magic said:


> It was a hard push against both the wind and the now strong flooding tide, but we finally reached the inlet and ate a brief lunch while looking across the inlet at Barnegat Light(house)


(In between appointments) I've spent a great deal of time on and around that wonderful island! My godfather has had a house on the lagoon in Beach Haven West from before I was born and until my family built a house in the Poconos we spent almost every weekend and a few weeks of the swimming season there: where I learned to swim. My father worked with three architects all who had houses on the island: one at Harvey Cedars, one in Loveladies and one in Beach Haven (proper). So we also spent whole days in all those places!--as you know, gorgeous architecture, amazing scenery, etc., etc.. Of course, spent many hours watching pelicans, etc. up by the lighthouse. I have wonderful memories. Thank you very much for sharing your adventures!


----------



## Strange Magic

Long Beach Island: a wonderful thing indeed. From the National Wildlife Refuge at Holgate to the NJ State Park at Barnegat Light and Inlet--many happy memories. I launch several times a year at Harvey Cedars and visit the inlet, or cross the bay to Barnegat, or explore the old AT&T antenna farm in the marsh maze across the way. We used to spend a week or two on Cedar Bonnet Island when I was just a kid. With another paddler, I got marooned once on Sandy Island during a strong December nor'easter, with 45-knot winds and the tide rising so high it covered the entire island--every square inch. We sought refuge in the old fishing shack on pilings on the island, lucky to find the owner there also. I asked him how high the water had come in the past, while we were hunkered down inside, and he pointed to a discolored band along the wall about another three feet above the level we were experiencing that had already completely submerged the island. After a couple of hours, things calmed down enough so we could all get back to Harvey Cedars. By the way, we kayakers were both dressed for the conditions--I with a thick wetsuit, and my partner with a drysuit, so we were secure against hypothermia or cold shock. But this was 23 years ago, and I don't paddle in those conditions today.


----------



## JosefinaHW

(From my phone: 'so wonderful to know someone else who knows and loves LBI! Speaking of dry suits, I used to do a lot of diving and always wanted to do an ice dive--I never made that one happen but I did quite a bit of cave diving--wild stuff especially when u decide to turn off your lights! Tell me what is the thrill of kayaking in storm conditions--adrenaline rush of the big dips/drops? I never kayaked but our house in Pocono's was on a beautiful lake that was fed into by a larger lake above and then continued over a small (but loaded w wildlife) waterfall and creek, so I had mastered the row boat to point I didn't even startle the turtles. Anyway thrill for me was looking at wildlife not just being on the water.

P.S. WD-40 helped too í ½í¸


----------



## Strange Magic

Did a little SCUBA in my youth before there were any rules or regulations: you just went to a dive shop, bought your gear, filled your tank, went diving. No certification, no insurance, no nothing. I just read a manual, and figured out what to get and how to do it from that. Got married, other responsibilities, priorities. When, much later, I thought about getting back into it, I found it totally governed by rules, certification, etc., so I never went back. Did some caving here in Nova Caesarea back when also, but never combined the two interests. Bravo to you for your gumption!

We did not start our trip that ended on Sandy Island with the idea of storm paddling--it's not my thing. But the weather forecast turned out to be off by about 8 hours, so we were overcome by events. We had launched in a dead calm at Barnegat, crossed the bay to the Inlet, and then found the wind suddenly increasing so powerfully that a capsize from the pure force of the wind seemed possible. So we ran with the wind at our backs directly to Sandy Island, which was directly downwind from where we were, and abandoned the trip there. What a day!


----------



## JosefinaHW

Strange Magic said:


> Did a little SCUBA in my youth before there were any rules or regulations: you just went to a dive shop, bought your gear, filled your tank, went diving. No certification, no insurance, no nothing. I just read a manual, and figured out what to get and how to do it from that. Got married, other responsibilities, priorities. When, much later, I thought about getting back into it, I found it totally governed by rules, certification, etc., so I never went back. Did some caving here in Nova Caesarea back when also, but never combined the two interests. Bravo to you for your gumption!
> 
> We did not start our trip that ended on Sandy Island with the idea of storm paddling--it's not my thing. But the weather forecast turned out to be off by about 8 hours, so we were overcome by events. We had launched in a dead calm at Barnegat, crossed the bay to the Inlet, and then found the wind suddenly increasing so powerfully that a capsize from the pure force of the wind seemed possible. So we ran with the wind at our backs directly to Sandy Island, which was directly downwind from where we were, and abandoned the trip there. What a day!


*Still may I ask what you liked about kayaking in the winter?* I used to ice skate on the lake whenever I could and often rabbits would get on there and slip all over the place, but the thrill for me was the ice-skating and the "moaning" of the ice in the dark! LOL


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## joen_cph

Did a bike trip along the lovely Mølleå Valley just north of Copenhagen and to the former royal hunting and deer park, Jægersborg Dyrehave, from Lyngby to Klampenborg. It´s the prettiest natural area in the immediate vicinity of the city, a ride of around 12 km along quiet bike paths, and everything was bursting with spring & early summer life.

This is from the Brede lake


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## joen_cph

And this is from further along the river up to Rådvad. The buildings in the region are 18-19th century early industrial/dwelling architecture.


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## joen_cph

(revised, sorry - see later)


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## JosefinaHW

joen_cph said:


> From the final part, including the former royal hunting grounds/deer park:
> 
> View attachment 85065
> View attachment 85066
> View attachment 85067
> View attachment 85068
> View attachment 85069


Lovely place! The attachments don't work in this second post; would you please post them again. Thanks!


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## joen_cph

Thank you - trying once more (it could be that there´s a limit of picture data ):


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## joen_cph

and the last ones, from the final part, including the former royal hunting grounds/deer park:


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## Strange Magic

JosefinaHW said:


> *Still may I ask what you liked about kayaking in the winter?* I used to ice skate on the lake whenever I could and often rabbits would get on there and slip all over the place, but the thrill for me was the ice-skating and the "moaning" of the ice in the dark! LOL


I can relate to the ice skating at night; also cross-country skiing at night, especially solo-- made me feel very much in _En Saga._. I don't kayak in severe cold winter conditions, but often December will remain relatively mild right through to its last days, and paddling in those conditions, very like late November, can be quite pleasant.


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## JosefinaHW

joen_cph said:


> and the last ones, from the final part, including the former royal hunting grounds/deer park:
> 
> View attachment 85102
> View attachment 85101
> View attachment 85100


You take beautiful photos! 'hope you will continue to share more.


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## TxllxT

Just to stretch up the notion of what we perceive as 'natural'.


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## clockworkmurderer

My uncle's recent death has been hard on my family. I've spent most of the past week trying my best to keep my mother from staying inside tormenting herself with solitude and despair. On a happier note, I've been successful. Today we rode our bikes along the levee, which sports the world's largest outdoor mural! The mural is great, but the river itself is the true attraction. 

Where most of the paintings are concentrated, the path is more developed and the encroachment of riparian lushness is held somewhat at bay by the large expanses of concrete involved in a river levee. However, after getting further from downtown, the path becomes narrower and wilder and the levee ends. The river is high from all the recent rain and the riverside wildlife is having a heyday. We saw many small birds including swallows and robins swooping down and snatching dinner from clouds of flies in midair. The undersides of the bridges rang with the chittering of the swallows, an interesting backdrop to the colorful graffiti everywhere in evidence. We also saw squirrels and a very large toad. My theory is that the toad was smart; he/she knows that bugs seem to get confused by the sidewalk and that when they come out onto it they're easy prey for a crafty amphibian. There was also evidence of beaver activity.

Exercise is not only important for your body, it's important for your brain. With grief weighing on my family, the only solace has been in sticking together and getting outside. Seeing a smile on my mother's face was the best part of the ride. I think that no matter where you are, you can and should locate your nearest "great place" and go there for some exercise in the fresh air. Not only that, but it might be that something great will soon get destroyed and you need to go there and see it before that happens; sadly the levee mural is being destroyed because the levee is no longer structurally sound and it must be repaired. In another 50 years I hope that it's back to its former glory as I doubt that the art will stop. I plan to make an addition to the levee mural myself when I have a proper idea; it also seems prudent to wait for the restoration to be completed first.


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## Strange Magic

In line with the above post, I can say that the kayaking that I do and have done for the past 33 years is one of the great sources of calm, beauty, and pleasure in my life. I try to paddle once a week, weather and other factors permitting. I kayak solo about one-third of the time; the balance with one or two others whose judgement and temperment match my own. It is not an activity for the many--certainly not for those with short attention spans or who lack either sound judgement or the ability to be aware of the dangers of paddling a tiny vessel on open water. But if you are part of the "natural constituency" to whom kayaking most strongly appeals, then you too will find it a source of calm, beauty, and pleasure.


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## clockworkmurderer

Strange Magic, the previous descriptions of your kayaking trips that you posted in this thread have already convinced me that I need to try it myself someday soon. I'm going to be busy with lots of other things this summer, but maybe in early fall I can find a way.


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## JosefinaHW

clockworkmurderer said:


> Strange Magic, the previous descriptions of your kayaking trips that you posted in this thread have already convinced me that I need to try it myself someday soon. I'm going to be busy with lots of other things this summer, but maybe in early fall I can find a way.


It's funny you should say that too, ClockWork. My sister and brother-in-law just purchased kayaks (I know they are one-piece solid things--God awful neon colors). I'm not going to be able to do any serious camping this year (well, maybe just once), but they said I could borrow one of their kayaks to explore two of the lovely creeks near me: I'm very excited about it. The creeks are very slow moving and relatively shallow so I will be able to see the herons, turtles, muskrats, fish, etc... Ever since I read "Close to Shore" or some title close to that about the first recorded shark attack death in the US (on one of the beaches where I used to go for many years!!!!) I have never been able to swim in salt water again (except salt water pools). FYI: my sister and brother-in-law were told to wait until the week of Black Friday to buy their kayaks from Dick's Sporting Goods--I think they got them for $125-$150.


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## JosefinaHW

Well, Txllxt, I don't mean to be a stick in the mud, but I hope these people live in the middle of no-where so that if that poor bear bites someone, whatever authorities don't go and therefore execute him/her. Sure the bear is absolutely gorgeous! However, I recommend what I did: adopt a Newfoundland or a St. Bernard--the gentle giants.


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## TxllxT

JosefinaHW said:


> Well, Txllxt, I don't mean to be a stick in the mud, but I hope these people live in the middle of no-where so that if that poor bear bites someone, whatever authorities don't go and therefore execute him/her. Sure the bear is absolutely gorgeous! However, I recommend what I did: adopt a Newfoundland or a St. Bernard--the gentle giants.


Every day 25 kg of meat, that's what the poor bear needs. Actually he loves condensed milk the most. Just some extra info (& warnings) for those who like the video. I like the scene with TV watching the most: they are looking at Putin!


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## clavichorder

I stopped by one of the best botanical gardens in our city during a free admission time(just dumb luck). The cactus section always fascinates me the most. I am surprised I didn't know this, and maybe I did but forgot(I used to think my memory was good, but so many things have been indicating otherwise lately...): the saguaro cactus, which is the iconic cactus of the North American southwest, has *wood* inside, an internal trunk.  I thought that was cool.


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## clockworkmurderer

clavichorder said:


> The cactus section always fascinates me the most...
> the saguaro cactus, which is the iconic cactus of the North American southwest, has *wood* inside, an internal trunk. I thought that was cool.


I too find cacti fascinating. They're enigmatic and resilient and beautiful. A few days ago I created a cactus nursery, planting seeds I obtained as a souvenir on a recent trip to the Grand Canyon (so incredible). I have my fingers crossed for their health; I'm new to gardening and cacti are likely not the easiest first plant, but I do love them so. I hope that in a week or so I'll be able to see shoots.

Another kind of cactus that has wood inside is the Tree Cactus, perhaps not as iconic as the saguaro, but very abundant and interesting regardless. When I was a child, finding dead ones was always cool because of the fascinating tubes of wood that are left behind by the cactus when it dies.


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## JosefinaHW

:Clavichorder" and "ClockworkMurderer": Cheers for bringing up cacti. I know almost nothing about them but several years ago I took a vacation to Scottsdale, AZ: a very unusual vacation for me, but at that time I just wanted to swim as much as I possibly could in the open air. Well, I found my way to the Tempe Desert Botanical Gardens: an absolutely wondrous place of many acres of various cacti and local wildlife. They've created little oases around beautifully designed fountains, all shaded for the human and non-human visitors. I have several hundred photos, but I have not converted them to digital files yet.

http://www.dbg.org/living-plant-collections Wow, I see they have really expanded their programs, events, etc... hopefully that hasn't disturbed the native wildlife too much.

https://twitter.com/dbgtweet

During that same trip (so much for all the swimming, right?), I drove up to the Grand Canyon, South Rim via Sedona... just gorgeous. When I arrived at the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park (or whatever it is called), all I saw were hundreds of notices about not feeding the ground squirrels because they carry the Bubonic Plague and rabies. So, I eventually get onto one of the first observation platforms--this is long before the Native American glass/acrylic one was built, and what is the first thing I see--no, not the canyon, but the "most overly-fed" ground squirrel I have ever seen in my life. How this incredibly adorable animal managed to climb up the steep slope to the platform is beyond me!!! No, I didn't feed him/her but I shared half of my water. LOL!!! 'So wish I had a picture of that! I was just too much in the moment to even think of a photo. :lol:


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## Wood

Varick said:


> Funny, I find the capitalist world working fine where it's allowed to. It's the socialists who keep inflicting their policies on the capitalistic systems and mucking up the works. But that's another discussion.
> 
> I get my vegetation in groups (such as clover, cattail, chickweed, dandelion, etc) but only take 2/3rds of it so it can re-germinate and grow back. I often boil the vegetation to get many undesirable flavors out of them. When it comes to animals, I often trap them or rarely fish (not very good at spear fishing and lack the patience for poll/stick fishing - yet waiting for land prey, I seem to have a lot of patience. Go figure). I usually make stew from my food that I collect/hunt. It is the best type of food to eat when camping because digesting solid food uses hydration from your body. Stew replenishes and gives your body most, if not all, the water it needs to aid the digestion and helps keep your body hydrated.
> 
> As for lighting fires, I use my fire block (with a notch or "chimney"), stick (or rather "drill"), drill bow, socket for the drill, and of course tinder for the coal that you create with the fire block and drill. Carefully bring the hot coal to the tinder, get the tinder going, then transfer it all to the firewood (tinder, topped with very small kindling, topped with kindling and a graduation to larger pieces of fire wood. Unless you've been taught how to make all the above, it can be an arduous task. Once you know how to do it and have all the tools, then the longest part is finding & gathering all the tinder and wood.
> 
> I usually build a reflecting wall around the fire so it faces and heats my shelter.
> 
> Here is a link on what's involved to start a fire: http://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Fire-with-Sticks
> 
> V


Yes, I think we had the discussion before!

I enjoyed your post Varick, thank you for sharing the information in such detail and for the link. I've always taken my food in with me when I have wild camped in the past, as my purpose was always hiking, but it is very inspiring to read how you can live off the land with some relatively simple techniques and a bit of practice. I look forward to trying this when I get some time in the next few years, it seems like fun.


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## EdwardBast

There was an earthquake near Peru New York, about ten miles away from me, last night. The whole house shook. Despite being only between 2 and 3 on the scale, it had considerable power because the epicenter was within a couple of kilometers of the surface.


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## ArtMusic

sospiro said:


> Anyone interested in nature? Wild animals, birds, butterflies etc?
> 
> This time of year I get hooked on live osprey webcams. Love ospreys.
> 
> Today I've been watching a female waiting for her mate to arrive from West Africa and to join her on the nest. This is in Wales.
> 
> http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/live/


The natural world gives humans balance in a modern world. Without it, we loose touch with reality and become engrossed in self-destruction. It is also a wonderful source of inspiration to creating good quality Art.


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## clockworkmurderer

Spent some time reading in the backyard and observing the summer afternoon. Thick clouds are gathering overhead, so I came inside. Here are some pictures from the yard, as well as some freshly repotted succulents. Something I couldn't get a picture of though, is the robin's nest that must be in the tree in the backyard. The other day I found blue shell fragments and today I watched the robins come and go and at one point chase off another bird. Also fascinating is the mushroom colony that has chosen the base of the tree as its home. The mushrooms sprout and die off in waves all around the base of the tree.


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## Belowpar

Back to mushrooms. You need an Id. Hard to tell from small photos but they can be poisonous to other life than humans.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardenin...oblems-how-can-I-get-rid-of-honey-fungus.html

Start by measuring them, write down the colours (its easy to be convinced when you read a description) and look closely at the gills and stem. The look online for a description. If you think you have a problem then it's time to get a second professional opinion.

On the other hand you may see that as nature taking its course...


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## clockworkmurderer

What research I've done suggests that they are Mica caps. The colony location and geographic location are correct, as well as the clumping. The clincher in my opinion however is the way that the caps split at the edges and flatten out as they age. Furthermore, they eventually turn black and basically melt away, another correct characteristic in favor of Mica caps. 

Mica caps are supposedly edible. I would not take that chance. Any animal that eats them does so at its own peril, and that's not something I can control. I'm also not going to attempt to stop the mushrooms either; they have as much a right to life as any other part of the backyard ecosystem.


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## clockworkmurderer

I'm back to say that having done further research, I'm quite sad to know that the mushrooms mean that the tree is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. They're helping decay the roots that anchor the poor thing to the earth. The shape of the trunks is even more proof that this has been going on year after year. There are four trunks arranged in two v shapes and there are deep cracks between the trunks where countless ants are swarming and the rotting is obvious. It's a miracle that it hasn't fallen yet. What a sad end to that tree's legacy. It's likely 50 years old and it's a full and tall elm tree, but it is going to die and violently at that. So very sad.


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## JosefinaHW

clockworkmurderer said:


> Spent some time reading in the backyard and observing the summer afternoon. Thick clouds are gathering overhead, so I came inside. Here are some pictures from the yard, as well as some freshly repotted succulents. Something I couldn't get a picture of though, is the robin's nest that must be in the tree in the backyard. The other day I found blue shell fragments and today I watched the robins come and go and at one point chase off another bird. Also fascinating is the mushroom colony that has chosen the base of the tree as its home. The mushrooms sprout and die off in waves all around the base of the tree.
> 
> View attachment 85480
> View attachment 85481
> View attachment 85482
> View attachment 85483
> View attachment 85484


:Clockworkmurder: What is the pink flower? Thank you for sharing your appreciation of the dandelions! I love them, too.


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## JosefinaHW

clockworkmurderer said:


> I'm back to say that having done further research, I'm quite sad to know that the mushrooms mean that the tree is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. They're helping decay the roots that anchor the poor thing to the earth. The shape of the trunks is even more proof that this has been going on year after year. There are four trunks arranged in two v shapes and there are deep cracks between the trunks where countless ants are swarming and the rotting is obvious. It's a miracle that it hasn't fallen yet. What a sad end to that tree's legacy. It's likely 50 years old and it's a full and tall elm tree, but it is going to die and violently at that. So very sad.


Please post a photo or a series of photos showing all the trunks.


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## clavichorder

EdwardBast said:


> There was an earthquake near Peru New York, about ten miles away from me, last night. The whole house shook. Despite being only between 2 and 3 on the scale, it had considerable power because the epicenter was within a couple of kilometers of the surface.


Huh, you don't think of earthquakes weighing in around 2 and 3 as necessarily detectable. Any news of damage? In Seattle, we had a 6.8 in 2001 or 2002, but it was very deep and ended up doing little damage(the biggest damage was years of squabbling about getting rid of 'the viaduct', an important but ugly arterial bridge linking two important areas of the city that was damaged, only for it still to be there and seem slightly more precarious than it used to). It felt exciting to all us kids on the playground, even though it's a serious thing.


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## Belowpar

clockworkmurderer said:


> I'm back to say that having done further research, I'm quite sad to know that the mushrooms mean that the tree is dead, it just doesn't know it yet. They're helping decay the roots that anchor the poor thing to the earth. The shape of the trunks is even more proof that this has been going on year after year. There are four trunks arranged in two v shapes and there are deep cracks between the trunks where countless ants are swarming and the rotting is obvious. It's a miracle that it hasn't fallen yet. What a sad end to that tree's legacy. It's likely 50 years old and it's a full and tall elm tree, but it is going to die and violently at that. So very sad.


When the time comes for it to fall, or be cut down, have you the space to pile up (at least) some of the log cuttings. They will decay slowly over a period of many years and encourage other Fungi and Invertebrates thus adding to the local habitat. This is now considered good practice even if you only have a small area to devote to it.


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## Figleaf

EdwardBast said:


> There was an earthquake near Peru New York, about ten miles away from me, last night. The whole house shook. Despite being only between 2 and 3 on the scale, it had considerable power because the epicenter was within a couple of kilometers of the surface.


This sounds concerning. Is your house OK? There was a 2.8 quake, 10 km deep, quite close to where I live in France a couple of weeks ago. I've been in England packing my stuff, so I don't know if there's been any damage. I knew about the seismic activity in the area when I bought the house, and I figured that since it's stood for about 220 years already it will probably outlast me! Further north in the villages around Bourbonne Les Bains we did see a lot of earthquake damaged houses, which at least made me aware of the issue. We seem to have so far been spared the recent heavy rainfall which has caused so much damage to our west in central France and to our east in southern Germany. Fingers crossed...


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## JosefinaHW

Figleaf said:


> There was a 2.8 quake, 10 km deep, quite close to where I live in France a couple of weeks ago. I've been in England packing my stuff, so I don't know if there's been any damage. I knew about the seismic activity in the area when I bought the house, and I figured that since it's stood for about 220 years already it will probably outlast me! Further north in the villages around Bourbonne Les Bains we did see a lot of earthquake damaged houses, which at least made me aware of the issue. We seem to have so far been spared the recent heavy rainfall which has caused so much damage to our west in central France and to our east in southern Germany. Fingers crossed...


:Figleaf: Have you arrived in France, yet? Is all well with your property?


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## Figleaf

JosefinaHW said:


> :Figleaf: Have you arrived in France, yet? Is all well with your property?


Thanks for asking, Josefina! I'm still in the UK at the moment for a family wedding next month, and I haven't packed up all my stuff yet. Luckily Wood is there now, and he's going to visit the house in the next few days and check it over. While I don't like leaving the place for so long, it sadly looks as if political instability this side of the Channel is a greater threat to my becoming a French resident than anything currently happening over there. Whatever happens, I'll be there for a visit next month to do some DIY and hopefully harvest cherries (if we're in time!) and raspberries from the garden.


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## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> It's funny you should say that too, ClockWork. My sister and brother-in-law just purchased kayaks. FYI: my sister and brother-in-law were told to wait until the week of Black Friday to buy their kayaks from Dick's Sporting Goods--I think they got them for $125-$150.


:Clockworkmurder: My apologies. I gave you bad information re/ the price of those kayaks. The discount was $150 off each kayak. The final price was $350.


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## joen_cph

Did another small bike+train trip from the capital, this time to green and fertile, summerly Western Zealand, celebrating that my temporary shoulder pain had gone & that I was able to cycle again, before going on a bigger summer cycling holiday.

Stayed at farm campsites for 3 nights (very cheap, both quite old-fashioned, one of them with a lovely camping terrain just next to the coast, the other one run ecologically), and reached the Røsnæs peninsula, which has a lighthouse with a 45 km view to nearby islands, and the biggest vineyards so far in Denmark, at Dyrehøjgård (25,000 bottles of wine per year, plus other products with alcohol). Wine is definitely a sector that is growing here, partly because of climate changes.

Also saw the very typical, medieval and frescoed church at Mørkøv Kirkeby; there are 100s of them in Denmark.

The secluded peninsula has also been known as a former artist´s nature retreat, as described for example in Michael Palin´s television portrait about the painter Hammershøi. Today it is somewhat built up though, except close to the lighthouse.


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## sospiro

My natural world this morning.

This is the route I would normally take to the supermarket, I had to retrace my steps and go the main road way. :lol:


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## Pugg

sospiro said:


> My natural world this morning.
> 
> This is the route I would normally take to the supermarket, I had to retrace my steps and go the main road way. :lol:
> 
> View attachment 85783


Good pair of wellies I presume?


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## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Good pair of wellies I presume?


I don't know how deep it was but I don't wear wellies anyway. Can't speed walk in wellies.


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## clockworkmurderer

JosefinaHW said:


> Please post a photo or a series of photos showing all the trunks.


Unfortunately I won't be back near that tree for a couple of months; I'm going overseas for the summer. Hopefully it doesn't fall and damage the house! However, the tree didn't seem to be in extremely immediate danger; I climbed up and sat on one of the branches at one point in such a way that my weight would likely have helped topple the tree if it were that close. That was before I knew about the mushrooms.

By the way, I believe the pink flower is a carnation.


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## JosefinaHW

joen_cph said:


> Did another small bike+train trip from the capital, this time to green and fertile, summerly Western Zealand, celebrating that my temporary shoulder pain had gone & that I was able to cycle again, before going on a bigger summer cycling holiday.
> 
> Stayed at farm campsites for 3 nights (very cheap, both quite old-fashioned, one of them with a lovely camping terrain just next to the coast, the other one run ecologically), and reached the Røsnæs peninsula, which has a lighthouse with a 45 km view to nearby islands, and the biggest vineyards so far in Denmark, at Dyrehøjgård (25,000 bottles of wine per year, plus other products with alcohol). Wine is definitely a sector that is growing here, partly because of climate changes.
> 
> Also saw the very typical, medieval and frescoed church at Mørkøv Kirkeby; there are 100s of them in Denmark.
> 
> The secluded peninsula has also been known as a former artist´s nature retreat, as described for example in Michael Palin´s television portrait about the painter Hammershøi. Today it is somewhat built up though, except close to the lighthouse.
> 
> View attachment 85782
> View attachment 85776
> View attachment 85778
> View attachment 85779
> View attachment 85780


What a beautiful place (and photos). If you haven't been here yet; you would like Pennsylvania--apart from the sea, though we have many large lakes, it is an extremely green place. It's very similar to your pictures.


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## JosefinaHW

clockworkmurderer said:


> Unfortunately I won't be back near that tree for a couple of months; I'm going overseas for the summer. Hopefully it doesn't fall and damage the house! However, the tree didn't seem to be in extremely immediate danger; I climbed up and sat on one of the branches at one point in such a way that my weight would likely have helped topple the tree if it were that close. That was before I knew about the mushrooms.
> 
> By the way, I believe the pink flower is a carnation.


:clockwork: I hope you have a wonderful time over seas!


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## joen_cph

JosefinaHW said:


> What a beautiful place (and photos). If you haven't been here yet; you would like Pennsylvania--apart from the sea, though we have many large lakes, it is an extremely green place. It's very similar to your pictures.


Thanks. I still haven´t been to the US, but its Eastern parts and maybe California are on my primary wish list ...


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## Strange Magic

joen_cph said:


> Thanks. I still haven´t been to the US, but its Eastern parts and maybe California are on my primary wish list ...


For what it's worth.... If/when you do visit the U.S., and you do wish to see the natural sights and sites, my counsel would be for you to bypass the eastern U.S., for there you will see terrain little different from what you see in Denmark--green countryside, maybe some hills and dales. And, with the great exception of Yellowstone National Park, a truly unique place, you can skip the Rocky Mountain west, for the Alps offer much the same scenery. It is the Colorado Plateau country of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and western Colorado that you will find totally and stunningly different from anything you can experience in Europe: the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Mesa Verde NP, the Escalante Plateau country, and, further north, Dinosaur National Park. Then on to California, and Death Valley and Yosemite, then north along the Pacific shoreline, with stops at Crater Lake and Mt. Rainier National Parks. At all these sites, you--as I, an Easterner, did--will see sights that will stay in your head the rest of your life. Just a few examples: in California you will see trees--the Sequoia and the Redwood--that completely confound your sense of scale as you look at them, so that you will doubt your grip on reality. Also in California, there is a viewpoint high above Death Valley, called Dante's View, that looks out and down into the Valley. It is incomparable; a completely different world. So much to see in the U.S. that is radically unlike Europe. Go West, Young Traveler, Go West!


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## TxllxT

sospiro said:


> My natural world this morning.
> 
> This is the route I would normally take to the supermarket, I had to retrace my steps and go the main road way. :lol:
> 
> View attachment 85783


----------



## clockworkmurderer

Strange Magic said:


> For what it's worth.... If/when you do visit the U.S., and you do wish to see the natural sights and sites, my counsel would be for you to bypass the eastern U.S., for there you will see terrain little different from what you see in Denmark--green countryside, maybe some hills and dales. And, with the great exception of Yellowstone National Park, a truly unique place, you can skip the Rocky Mountain west, for the Alps offer much the same scenery. It is the Colorado Plateau country of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and western Colorado that you will find totally and stunningly different from anything you can experience in Europe: the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands National Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion Canyon, Mesa Verde NP, the Escalante Plateau country, and, further north, Dinosaur National Park. Then on to California, and Death Valley and Yosemite, then north along the Pacific shoreline, with stops at Crater Lake and Mt. Rainier National Parks. At all these sites, you--as I, an Easterner, did--will see sights that will stay in your head the rest of your life. Just a few examples: in California you will see trees--the Sequoia and the Redwood--that completely confound your sense of scale as you look at them, so that you will doubt your grip on reality. Also in California, there is a viewpoint high above Death Valley, called Dante's View, that looks out and down into the Valley. It is incomparable; a completely different world. So much to see in the U.S. that is radically unlike Europe. Go West, Young Traveler, Go West!


totally agreed, though I wouldn't say that skipping the Rockies is the best of decisions. They are comparatively much higher than the Alps and therefore the approach from across the plains is more striking and the high mountain scenery is just that; high up. The tundra is a beautiful thing, and the mild summers are as well.

That said, YES YES YES go to the Colorado plateau! Be absolutely certain to make your way through Petrified Forest National Park on your way west to the Grand Canyon. It's a bit more out of the way than the more northern roads, but it is right there along old Route 66 and is a perfect driving-tour. The petrified wood is some of the most fascinating stuff I've ever seen, but the colorful badlands took my breath away. Imagine yourself in blue, gray, and purple sand dunes and you'll get the idea.

The Grand Canyon is indescribable, but I'll say some words. It's immense. It's gaspingly deep. It's.... truly a marvelous spectacle. I want to go back someday soon with backpacking gear and get right down in there among the enormous cliffs and see it all much more closely.

The California coastline is a delight. If you can stand being buffeted by wind the entire time, hike some or all of the Lost Coast, depending on your fitness, organizational ability, and preparedness as it is very remote. The redwoods however.... They will always live in my heart though I can't imagine how I managed to fit them in there. Trees that are 100 meters or more high and and 5 meters across... The silent vigil of those ancient spirits makes my heart leap to my throat and the hair rises up all over my body. The Greeks had it wrong; Atlas doesn't hold up the sky, those incredible trees do.

P.S. Strange Magic I was able to go kayaking today!! The water was warm and the sun was shining intensely; it was around 35 C. The reservoir is not a tourist destination; it's generally used by locals for different watersports, plus there were only two kayaks to share between myself and four others, but that was alright because it's definitely a great workout for your arms and shoulders. I loved every second of it and I'm definitely going to make getting one of my own a goal for next summer. Such a wonderful way to spend a few hours at the lake.


----------



## sospiro

TxllxT said:


>


:lol:

That's what I need!!!


----------



## sospiro

http://www.carnyx.tv/LiveCameras/WildlifeCameras/Baltic.aspx

Live stream of Kittiwakes with chicks at the Baltic Centre in Gateshead UK. I'm always amazed that the little ones don't fall off the nest.


----------



## TxllxT

sospiro said:


> :lol:
> 
> That's what I need!!!


Of course with build-in speakers that play all your beloved operas!


----------



## Strange Magic

*More About Kayaking*

OiuK


clockworkmurderer said:


> Strange Magic I was able to go kayaking today!! The water was warm and the sun was shining intensely; it was around 35 C. The reservoir is not a tourist destination; it's generally used by locals for different watersports, plus there were only two kayaks to share between myself and four others, but that was alright because it's definitely a great workout for your arms and shoulders. I loved every second of it and I'm definitely going to make getting one of my own a goal for next summer. Such a wonderful way to spend a few hours at the lake.


My advice to skip the Rockies would only apply if time was a constraint on one's travels. Clearly, given time and money enough, all the U.S. National Parks--east, west, north, south--should be savored by the tourist from anywhere.

Regarding kayaking: without intending to dissuade anybody from trying kayaking, let me just observe that it is one of the easiest ways to find yourself dead if you do not know what you are doing. There are things that people need to know when out in a very small vessel that are quite particular to being on water, that would never occur to somebody enjoying a seemingly similar experience on land--maybe walking/hiking, or cross-country skiing, or cycling. The difference is that the substrate--water--is always looking for the opportunity to kill you, if you fall in. Very few people die while cross-country skiing by falling off their skis into the snow, for example. And people pursuing cross-country skiing, or cycling, or walking/hiking usually are fully aware of the dangers particular to each of those activities. This is unlike the case with kayaking accidents, where virtually every victim is described by family and friends as "a good swimmer; a powerful swimmer", etc., sometimes even "an experienced boater". The kayak is the most basic and limited vessel in which to experience water--"marine"--travel, and the long-term kayaker reflects this by striving to be the best-educated boater on the water. There is a body of knowledge--about weather, wind (velocity and direction), sea state, water temperature, tide, current, navigation, etc.--that long-term kayakers must know well if they are to paddle successfully beyond warm, waste-deep water very close to a friendly shoreline. I can illustrate what can go wrong so easily using examples from our "placid" reservoir waters here in Nova Caesarea, where people launched into what seemed idyllic conditions, and ended as fatalities--they just didn't know, and they didn't know what they didn't know--it seemed so easy.

I have been an open-water/sea kayaker for some 30-plus years. I loved it the minute I tried it, and knew I was destined to paddle lakes, tidal rivers, bays, the ocean for the foreseeable future. I also knew--or, rather, sensed--that it was a great way to get into serious trouble, so I bought all three of the then-available manuals on the subject, and made sure I was both mentally and physically properly equipped for serious kayaking right from the get-go. I've had my share of adventures, but have always had a broad-enough safety margin so that I have safely returned from all of my journeys, both as part of a group or as a solo paddler. The Internet is full of tales of woe on the water--just Google Kayaker(s) Die or Kayaker(s) Rescued, and see what comes up--it's invariably people being out in weather and sea conditions that they shouldn't be out in, or allowing themselves to be swallowed up in; and/or cold water trauma, and/or no PFD. Again, though, almost always described as "strong swimmers".

I apologize for being long-winded on this subject, but there is much to say about kayaking that rarely gets said when people wander into some shop to buy a kayak. If anybody would like some further dialogue on kayaking, I will be happy to reply as best I can.


----------



## TxllxT

Strange Magic said:


> K
> 
> My advice to skip the Rockies would only apply if time was a constraint on one's travels. Clearly, given time and money enough, all the U.S. National Parks--east, west, north, south--should be savored by the tourist from anywhere.
> 
> Regarding kayaking: without intending to dissuade anybody from trying kayaking, let me just observe that it is one of the easiest ways to find yourself dead if you do not know what you are doing. There are things that people need to know when out in a very small vessel that are quite particular to being on water, that would never occur to somebody enjoying a seemingly similar experience on land--maybe walking/hiking, or cross-country skiing, or cycling. The difference is that the substrate--water--is always looking for the opportunity to kill you, if you fall in. Very few people die while cross-country skiing by falling off their skis into the snow, for example. And people pursuing cross-country skiing, or cycling, or walking/hiking usually are fully aware or the dangers particular to each of those activities. This is unlike the case with kayaking accidents, where virtually every victim is described by family and friends as "a good swimmer; a powerful swimmer", etc., sometimes even "an experienced boater". The kayak is the most basic and limited vessel in which to experience water--"marine"--travel, and the long-term kayaker reflects this by striving to be the best-educated boater on the water. There is a body of knowledge--about weather, wind (velocity and direction), sea state, water temperature, tide, current, navigation, etc.--that long-term kayakers must know well if they are to paddle successfully beyond warm, waste-deep water very close to a friendly shoreline. I can illustrate what can go wrong so easily using examples from our "placid" reservoir waters here in Nova Caesarea, where people launched into what seemed idyllic conditions, and ended as fatalities--they just didn't know, and they didn't know what they didn't know--it seemed so easy.
> 
> I have been an open-water/sea kayaker for some 30-plus years. I loved it the minute I tried it, and knew I was destined to paddle lakes, tidal rivers, bays, the ocean for the foreseeable future. I also knew--or, rather, sensed--that it was a great way to get into serious trouble, so I bought all three of the then-available manuals on the subject, and made sure I was both mentally and physically properly equipped for serious kayaking right from the get-go. I've had my share of adventures, but have always had a broad-enough safety margin so that I have safely returned from all of my journeys, both as part of a group or as a solo paddler. The Internet is full of tales of woe on the water--just Google Kayaker(s) Die or Kayaker(s) Rescued, and see what comes up--it's invariably people being out in weather and sea conditions that they shouldn't be out in, or allowing themselves to be swallowed up in; and/or cold water trauma, and/or no PFD. Again, though, almost always described as "strong swimmers".
> 
> I apologize for being long-winded on this subject, but there is much to say about kayaking that rarely gets said when people wander into some shop to buy a kayak. If anybody would like some further dialogue on kayaking, I will be happy to reply as best I can.






























My grandfather grew up in a water rich region, where they didn't kayaks but 'punters'. Everything used to be transported over water. The place has got the nickname of 'Dutch Venice' and is nowadays being flooded by Chinese & Japanese tourists...


----------



## Headphone Hermit

TxllxT said:


> The place has got the nickname of 'Dutch Venice' and is nowadays being *flooded* by Chinese & Japanese tourists...


I thought the Dutch were skilled at avoiding flooding :lol:


----------



## Strange Magic

O


TxllxT said:


> My grandfather grew up in a water rich region, where they didn't kayaks but 'punters'. Everything used to be transported over water. The place has got the nickname of 'Dutch Venice' and is nowadays being flooded by Chinese & Japanese tourists...


I have a friend and kayaking partner who visits The Netherlands about once every other year to visit his wife's relatives: her daughter married a Hollander, and they have 3 children. He loves Holland for its clean and watery beauty (and history). It should be a perfect place for every sort of kayaking.


----------



## TxllxT

Headphone Hermit said:


> I thought the Dutch were skilled at avoiding flooding :lol:


Well, it is just like the sheep from Lancashire. As soon as one of them has found the way to freedom, all of them are following him!


----------



## sospiro

Female osprey doing her best to keep her chicks dry.










Live stream: http://www.glaslynwildlife.co.uk/live/


----------



## JosefinaHW

Strange Magic said:


> OiuK
> 
> My advice to skip the Rockies would only apply if time was a constraint on one's travels. Clearly, given time and money enough, all the U.S. National Parks--east, west, north, south--should be savored by the tourist from anywhere.
> 
> Regarding kayaking: without intending to dissuade anybody from trying kayaking, let me just observe that it is one of the easiest ways to find yourself dead if you do not know what you are doing. There are things that people need to know when out in a very small vessel that are quite particular to being on water, that would never occur to somebody enjoying a seemingly similar experience on land--maybe walking/hiking, or cross-country skiing, or cycling. The difference is that the substrate--water--is always looking for the opportunity to kill you, if you fall in. Very few people die while cross-country skiing by falling off their skis into the snow, for example. And people pursuing cross-country skiing, or cycling, or walking/hiking usually are fully aware of the dangers particular to each of those activities. This is unlike the case with kayaking accidents, where virtually every victim is described by family and friends as "a good swimmer; a powerful swimmer", etc., sometimes even "an experienced boater". The kayak is the most basic and limited vessel in which to experience water--"marine"--travel, and the long-term kayaker reflects this by striving to be the best-educated boater on the water. There is a body of knowledge--about weather, wind (velocity and direction), sea state, water temperature, tide, current, navigation, etc.--that long-term kayakers must know well if they are to paddle successfully beyond warm, waste-deep water very close to a friendly shoreline. I can illustrate what can go wrong so easily using examples from our "placid" reservoir waters here in Nova Caesarea, where people launched into what seemed idyllic conditions, and ended as fatalities--they just didn't know, and they didn't know what they didn't know--it seemed so easy.
> 
> I have been an open-water/sea kayaker for some 30-plus years. I loved it the minute I tried it, and knew I was destined to paddle lakes, tidal rivers, bays, the ocean for the foreseeable future. I also knew--or, rather, sensed--that it was a great way to get into serious trouble, so I bought all three of the then-available manuals on the subject, and made sure I was both mentally and physically properly equipped for serious kayaking right from the get-go. I've had my share of adventures, but have always had a broad-enough safety margin so that I have safely returned from all of my journeys, both as part of a group or as a solo paddler. The Internet is full of tales of woe on the water--just Google Kayaker(s) Die or Kayaker(s) Rescued, and see what comes up--it's invariably people being out in weather and sea conditions that they shouldn't be out in, or allowing themselves to be swallowed up in; and/or cold water trauma, and/or no PFD. Again, though, almost always described as "strong swimmers".
> 
> I apologize for being long-winded on this subject, but there is much to say about kayaking that rarely gets said when people wander into some shop to buy a kayak. If anybody would like some further dialogue on kayaking, I will be happy to reply as best I can.


All this from the guy who didn't go diving because he would have had to take a certification course..... hmmm....


----------



## Belowpar

Worth a minute of your time. Fro non Kayakers/canoeists too!

http://faves.rare.us/story/two-wome...ey-looked-up-and-saw-this-incredible-sight-2/


----------



## sospiro

Belowpar said:


> Worth a minute of your time. Fro non Kayakers/canoeists too!
> 
> http://faves.rare.us/story/two-wome...ey-looked-up-and-saw-this-incredible-sight-2/


Thanks for posting this. Spectacular!!

Does anyone know why they do it? I don't mean just gather together but fly and swoop like this?


----------



## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> Thanks for posting this. Spectacular!!
> 
> Does anyone know why they do it? I don't mean just gather together but fly and swoop like this?


:Sospiro: Re/ the reason for the murumuration; we've got two explanations, thus far:

From HeadphoneHermit:

The starlings are engaging in a pre-roost routine that is usually only visible in a short period before dusk as Starlings gather after being dispersed during the day feeding in an area that can have covered tens or even hundreds of square miles - they are engaging in a complex behaviour to select a roost site and to determine where in the roost they will spend the night. (Where you sleep in a roost is important - in the middle of a tree is a good place because it is warmed by the bodies of your neighbours in the flock and it is much safer from nocturnal predators, *but being underneath other birds at night is not a good idea because as they defecate, you will be covered in it and the next day your flight ability will be harmed until you preen your feathers to get rid of the mess. There is some evidence that in a roost, the stronger birds are those that seek out the more exposed, colder positions higher up whilst the weaker ones have to take the less desirable places lower down.

*From me:

"the cause of this is often a falcon hunting the starlings"


----------



## Headphone Hermit

JosefinaHW said:


> [/B]From me:
> 
> "the cause of this is often a falcon hunting the starlings"


Yes, predator evasion can also cause such behaviour where there are large numbers of birds concentrated in one place. In Britain, this would most typically occur at high tide roosts where there are very dense concentrations of waders (shorebirds) which will fly about in dense mats of birds that make it difficult for the predator to single out a particular individual. Estuaries with high tide roosts in winter are often reliable places to see Merlin and Peregrine

Of course, predators are also attracted to sites where there are a large number of birds gathering to roost - so pre-roost gatherings of Starlings are also good places to see Sparrowhawk and Peregrines, but the falcons themselves are not actually the cause of the tight, swooping flight as such.

In a few weeks time, Swallows will exhibit similar grouping behaviour before they land in communal roosts whilst migrating - typically, they use reedbeds or maize fields for this. Such roosting sites can be good opportunities to see Hobby chasing through the pack in search of an evening meal.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Wild Turkeys: 3 adult females and 14 juveniles


----------



## JosefinaHW

Too long without posting a picture of the groundlies

The pups in this litter were very young when they started to come out of their den. They were so tiny.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Almost every pup from every litter used to come up and sunbathe on the deck


----------



## JosefinaHW

I've neglected the chipmunks!










The chip on the feed tray is the mother. The juvenile is on the ground.


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## JosefinaHW

Everybody has to eat, but not in my animal garden!


----------



## JosefinaHW

This is one of my favorite pictures of a groundhog. I think she looks regal in this photo. She is sitting on one of the lower deck steps watching her pups as they eat the clover and dandelions.










That's it for today; thanks for letting me share these


----------



## sospiro

Feeling very sad today. I've been watching a livestream of an osprey nest in Wales and one of the chicks has died. I know these things happen all the time but it's been heartbreaking to watch this, once lively and boisterous chick die.

http://www.dyfiospreyproject.com/blog/emyr-mwt/2016/07/21/ceri-has-died

The Osprey Project name their birds after Welsh rivers and lakes and this female was named 'Ceri'.

She had fledged and every thing was progressing normally, then on Sunday night she fell off the perch she was on. She eventually flew back to the nest so she hadn't broken a wing but she wasn't right.


----------



## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> Feeling very sad today. I've been watching a livestream of an osprey nest in Wales and one of the chicks has died. I know these things happen all the time but it's been heartbreaking to watch this, once lively and boisterous chick die.
> 
> The Osprey Project name their birds after Welsh rivers and lakes and this female was named 'Ceri'.


My deepest sympathy, Sospiro.


----------



## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> My deepest sympathy, Sospiro.


Thank you Jo. Your kind thoughts are much appreciated.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Very Young Raccoons:










There were three juveniles on the road as I turned the curve. As I pulled up closer I saw the mother growling at me and the juveniles for being on the road. I couldn't get a picture of the mother because a car just turned the curve behind me.


----------



## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> Very Young Raccoons:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> There were three juveniles on the road as I turned the curve. As I pulled up closer I saw the mother growling at me and the juveniles for being on the road. I couldn't get a picture of the mother because a car just turned the curve behind me.


Cute! I love raccoons.


----------



## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> I've neglected the chipmunks!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The chip on the feed tray is the mother. The juvenile is on the ground.


How fabulous. Is that your garden Jo?


----------



## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> How fabulous. Is that your garden Jo?


To make a very long answer short, Sospiro, my parents insight that I consider and call them my gardens.... if I remember correctly, apart from the turkeys, deer, and raccoons all my animal photos were taken of animals that eat or live in/closely near the garden outside the kitchen window--a LOT of action goes on out there, so I have to continuously plant new flowers, plants and bushes. Whenever there is a family of groundhogs here I don't even try to plant anything until the juveniles have left, so this "garden" looks very sad plant-wise.


----------



## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> To make a very long answer short, Sospiro, my parents insight that I consider and call them my gardens.... if I remember correctly, apart from the turkeys, deer, and raccoons all my animal photos were taken of animals that eat or live in/closely near the garden outside the kitchen window--a LOT of action goes on out there, so I have to continuously plant new flowers, plants and bushes. Whenever there is a family of groundhogs here I don't even try to plant anything until the juveniles have left, so this "garden" looks very sad plant-wise.


How wonderful. You can grow plants anytime but you can't beat the experience of having wildlife on your 'door-step'.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

JosefinaHW said:


> Everybody has to eat, but not in my animal garden!


What is it supposed to eat? Carrots? 

Those who attract wildlife into their garden by supplementary feeding have to accept that they are providing a food source for predators (and scavengers) too. Raptors will be attracted to hunt in your garden if there are high densities of prey items for them.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Headphone Hermit said:


> What is it supposed to eat? Carrots?
> 
> Those who attract wildlife into their garden by supplementary feeding have to accept that they are providing a food source for predators (and scavengers) too. Raptors will be attracted to hunt in your garden if there are high densities of prey items for them.


I phrased the "caption" the way I did because I thought that other wildlife lovers would understand that I was saying: yes, I detest the fact that we live in a world where creatures need to eat other creatures to live, but I know that is the reality. So, since I am also part of nature, I have provided supplemental food, water, hiding places and homes for some of the mammals and smaller birds that come to my garden.

I don't take out a gun and kill the occasional raptors, crows, cats or raccoons that are drawn to all the other animals; I gently "shoosh" them away; after greatly appreciating their beauty, too, as I did by taking several photos of this hawk.

There is such an abundance of wildlife and water all over out here that everyone can eat and drink and which is also why not a great deal of predators show up in the garden.

As I said, I love wildlife and I know they all have an equal place on this earth. so when I am out driving and it is reasonably safe for me to pull-over, I move the animals that have been killed over off to the side of the road, so that the scavengers don't also get run over while eating. I have taken several injured raptors and other animals to certified wildlife rehabilitators; Pennsylvania has different requirements for each type of animal that may be treated or cared for--raptors, rabies vectors, etc., etc. and I do many other things as well.

I don't know if you are of the belief that humans should not feed any wildlife, but I have struggled with that issue for a very long time, also to what degree do I feel that I (and I mean just me) have to avoid buying new leather bags and shoes, etc., etc.. it goes on and on. I have not been thoughtless about it and I feel that I am doing more good than harm.

:Headphone Hermit: P.S. I know that you respect the hawk, but why do call him/her an "it"?


----------



## SixFootScowl

The other day my wife and I were doing our daily half-hour walk at a local park in the neighborhood at dusk and a skunk crossed our path. We noticed it in time that it crossed or path a comfortable distance away, but had we not noticed it would have crossed our paths way too close.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

JosefinaHW said:


> I detest the fact that we live in a world where creatures need to eat other creatures to live,


Nope - I don't understand this. It is evident that creatures have to eat something .... and that everything in its turn is eaten. I greatly admire raptors that have evolved into efficient killing machines just as I admire swifts and swallows that are efficient killing machines of flying insects.



JosefinaHW said:


> I don't know if you are of the belief that humans should not feed any wildlife


Yes, I do feed birds in my garden. Yes, I provide a pond for frogs and newts (and the other aquatic life there). Yes, I manipulate the garden for other wildlife such as butterflies and other insects, hedgehogs etc. But, I also recognise that when I do something in my garden like this, that my choices are within limits - so I will kill rats and mice, discourage feral pigeons, put a net over my plants to stop birds eating my gooseberries, cut slugs up (or throw them over the fence), dig out weeds (ie plants that I don't want) etc. Yup - I am selfish in wanting to share my garden with plants and animals that I want to be there



JosefinaHW said:


> :Headphone Hermit: P.S. I know that you respect the hawk, but why do call him/her an "it"?


Because for me, 'it' is an 'it', not a 'he' or 'she'.

Although I am a very keen observer and lover of nature, I don't anthropomorphise it - so the birds in my garden are not 'my' birds, they are not 'cute' and they are not animal versions of humans .... although I am fully aware that many people do regard things differently from me.


----------



## helenora

Indonesia, Sulawesi


----------



## helenora




----------



## JosefinaHW

Headphone Hermit said:


> What is it supposed to eat? Carrots?
> 
> Those who attract wildlife into their garden by supplementary feeding have to accept that they are providing a food source for predators (and scavengers) too. Raptors will be attracted to hunt in your garden if there are high densities of prey items for them.


_







Originally Posted by *JosefinaHW* 
I detest the fact that we live in a world where creatures need to eat other creatures to live,
_
Nope - I don't understand this. It is evident that creatures have to eat something .... and that everything in its turn is eaten. I greatly admire raptors that have evolved into efficient killing machines just as I admire swifts and swallows that are efficient killing machines of flying insects. 

_
I don't know if you are of the belief that humans should not feed any wildlife

_Yes, I do feed birds in my garden. Yes, I provide a pond for frogs and newts (and the other aquatic life there). Yes, I manipulate the garden for other wildlife such as butterflies and other insects, hedgehogs etc. But, I also recognise that when I do something in my garden like this, that my choices are within limits - so I will kill rats and mice, discourage feral pigeons, put a net over my plants to stop birds eating my gooseberries, cut slugs up (or throw them over the fence), dig out weeds (ie plants that I don't want) etc. Yup - I am selfish in wanting to share my garden with plants and animals that I want to be there

_:Headphone Hermit: P.S. I know that you respect the hawk, but why do call him/her an "it"?

_Because for me, 'it' is an 'it', not a 'he' or 'she'.

Although I am a very keen observer and lover of nature, I don't anthropomorphise it - so the birds in my garden are not 'my' birds, they are not 'cute' and they are not animal versions of humans .... although I am fully aware that many people do regard things differently from me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:Headphone Hermit: You have raised a great number of complex issues that would require me to respond to at great length.

Something was important enough for you to take the time to write to me. I respect and honor that and I am willing to take the time to talk with you. For the most efficient use of our time I need you to clarify what you hoped to achieve with your posts--at least the original post. Please begin by narrowing down what you are asking of me.


----------



## Headphone Hermit

JosefinaHW said:


> . Please begin by narrowing down what you are asking of me.


I think my post #229 was clear in its message. Your supplementary feeding of animals will, inevitably, attract wildlife into your garden. A direct consequence of you providing food for seed-eating creatures is that you will increase the abundance of those creatures in your garden. A direct consequence of increasing the number of seed-eaters is that you will also attract creatures that will eat those seed-eaters also. Thus it is your supplementary feeding that will encourage hawks because they will respond to the increase in their prey items in your garden. This will upset some people - but it is the nature of predator-prey relationships.

I think there is an illogicality in welcoming birds that eat insects or that eat slugs or snails (as many of those who encourage birds into the garden are happy to see) but to discourage a raptor. I am happy to see increased numbers of **** (hahaha - automatic word detection has replaced the group name of _Paridae_ as it thinks it is a rude word!) and finches in my garden as a result of my provision of supplementary food ... and I am also happy from time to time to see sparrowhawk that flash through my garden hunting them.


----------



## JosefinaHW

Headphone Hermit said:


> I think my post #229 was clear in its message. Your supplementary feeding of animals will, inevitably, attract wildlife into your garden. A direct consequence of you providing food for seed-eating creatures is that you will increase the abundance of those creatures in your garden. A direct consequence of increasing the number of seed-eaters is that you will also attract creatures that will eat those seed-eaters also. Thus it is your supplementary feeding that will encourage hawks because they will respond to the increase in their prey items in your garden. This will upset some people - but it is the nature of predator-prey relationships.


:Headphone Hermit: These are all blindingly obvious facts. To write them twice after I asked what you hoped to achieve with your post makes it extremely difficult not to consider them insulting.

The real conversation begins when we acknowledge the raw nerves that were hit and the emotions that
triggered that "Yup, I'm selfish".

I am well aware that many people who do not agree with our belief think that all of us who believe in the fundamental equality of worth of all animals are calling those other people selfish. They think all of us are calling them selfish for not sharing their vegetables and flowers or for refusing to limit the purchase of those gorgeous leather shoes, coats and bags. I was telling you that I do not think that way when I said "to what degree do I (and I mean just me) have to avoid buying" them.

As two intelligent people who are both keen observers of nature we have much to learn from one another. If you would like to hear another thoughtful, intelligent, morally and ethically conscientious person's perspective on anthropomorphism, the use of affectionate terms, the meaning of the use of the word cute, all in relation to non-human animals, I am open to holding that conversation. I will only hold that conversation, however, via private messaging.

This is my first US presidential election campaign as a member of TC. In the past twenty-four hours the level of drama, insults and bad-feeling in posts has increased dramatically and I sadly suspect that it will only increase. I do not want to add more of it to this forum. I will, however, continue to post photos of and use affectionate language for animals because many of us enjoy this and I do it with a clear conscience.


----------



## joen_cph

Road sign near Castle Menzies, central Scotland. There seems to be a special affection for Red Squirrels in the UK.


----------



## sospiro

joen_cph said:


> View attachment 87325
> 
> 
> Road sign near Castle Menzies, central Scotland. There seems to be a special affection for Red Squirrels in the UK.


Yes there is! There aren't many in UK so it's always lovely to see one. I like the grey ones too though.


----------



## Pugg

sospiro said:


> Yes there is! There aren't many in UK so it's always lovely to see one. I like the grey ones too though.


Goodness me, who trained the that squirrel .:lol:


----------



## sospiro

Pugg said:


> Goodness me, who trained the that squirrel. :lol:


It's very old and IIRC, they created it piece by piece. They added a section and waited until the squirrel mastered that one, then added another.


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## geralmar

My wife and I got back home in the middle of the night from a long road trip. While I was unloading the car a skunk waddled up to me, sniffed my shoe, then turned and waddled away. Rather than relieved I felt greatly offended.


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## JosefinaHW

joen_cph said:


> View attachment 87325
> 
> 
> Road sign near Castle Menzies, central Scotland. There seems to be a special affection for Red Squirrels in the UK.


I love the sign and what a beautiful place!


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## JosefinaHW

geralmar said:


> My wife and I got back home in the middle of the night from a long road trip. While I was unloading the car a skunk waddled up to me, sniffed my shoe, then turned and waddled away. Rather than relieved I felt greatly offended.


:lol: That's a great one! Thanks for sharing.


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## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> Yes there is! There aren't many in UK so it's always lovely to see one. I like the grey ones too though.


You should see what they'll do for an almond! :lol: That's great, Sospiro! Thanks.


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## Poodle

JosefinaHW said:


> You should see what they'll do for an almond! :lol: That's great, Sospiro! Thanks.


Cheeky JosefinaHW


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## sospiro

Monty
© DOP

There is a male osprey (Monty - short for Montgomeryshire) which has been returning to the Dyfi Osprey Project in Wales for several years.

The DOP staff asked its followers on Facebook if you could ask Monty a question, what would it be.

Monty has replied.


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## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> View attachment 87422
> 
> 
> Monty
> © DOP
> 
> There is a male osprey (Monty - short for Montgomeryshire) which has been returning to the Dyfi Osprey Project in Wales for several years.
> 
> The DOP staff asked its followers on Facebook if you could ask Monty a question, what would it be.
> 
> Monty has replied.


Monty is Ceri's dad! This was great, Sospiro! Thanks


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> Monty is Ceri's dad! This was great, Sospiro! Thanks


Yes he is!

He has a perilous journey ahead and I hope he makes it to Africa and then returns in the Spring to hopefully start another family.


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## helenora

watching this now. Documentary about elephants.


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## JosefinaHW

helenora said:


> watching this now. Documentary about elephants.


:Helenora: Please repost the link to the elephant documentary; All I see in your post is the text at the bottom. Thanks.


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## helenora

ok, I see. Here is the link for a documentary by Simon Trevor. I wanted to find his documentary from 1971 called "The African elephant", but couldn't.....it seems like there is nowhere on the internet , only on amazon


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## JosefinaHW

I am thrilled to say that I enjoyed two hours of excellent viewing of the Perseids! This is the first time in quite a long time that the sky was clear enough to watch that long.


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> I am thrilled to say that I enjoyed two hours of excellent viewing of the Perseids! This is the first time in quite a long time that the sky was clear enough to watch that long.


How fabulous! So pleased for you. I've never seen them and it's been cloudy here so far but maybe soon.


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## sospiro

Screen shot from the livestream of Dyfi Osprey Project of _Tegid_; brother of _Ceri_ who sadly died.

Tegid will be starting his migration to Africa soon and will hopefully return in a couple of years time. He has perfected the skill of eating while perching and that's the remains of a mullet in his talons.


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## TurnaboutVox

Today watching beside a loch in Shetland we saw a pair of 'Bonxies' (Great Skuas) waylaying 'Tirricks'' (Arctic Terns) for the fish they were carrying. Such exciting aerial warfare!

And then on arrival at our holiday base at Orkney, an otter streaked across the road in front of us. We have previously failed to see one in any of our Scottish country holidays. Our base for this week is about 100m from the shore at Scapa Flow, so I think we'll be staking the beach out tomorrow.


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## sospiro

TurnaboutVox said:


> Today watching beside a loch in Shetland we saw a pair of 'Bonxies' (Great Skuas) waylaying 'Tirricks'' (Arctic Terns) for the fish they were carrying. Such exciting aerial warfare!
> 
> And then on arrival at our holiday base at Orkney, an otter streaked across the road in front of us. We have previously failed to see one in any of our Scottish country holidays. Our base for this week is about 100m from the shore at Scapa Flow, so I think we'll be staking the beach out tomorrow.


Hope you have a wonderful time.


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## sospiro

Goldfinch taking a rather unusual bath


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## JosefinaHW

sospiro said:


> Goldfinch taking a rather unusual bath


:sospiro: I really enjoyed the finch video! I was the companion human to a lovebird many years ago; his name was Maximilian. Did he love to bathe the same way! Anytime he heard a spigot running anywhere he would fly to that room and "jump" up and down my arm because he was so happy about it. He even did this in the bathtub and the shower. One time I was running a bath while I was in the kitchen doing something else and out of the corner of my eye I saw him fly towards the bathroom but it didn't click until a few seconds later.... there he was in the water... OMG! he was gasping/weezing and I kid you not... I put my finger over his nostrils and gently breathed into his beak a few times. He was perfectly fine and it never stopped him from chasing any of the water. 'Startled the heck out of me, though.


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## JosefinaHW

This is the photo of an orphaned young squirrel who was successfully raised by an apprentice wildlife rehabilitator. She is a friend of my sister's. I haven't met her yet but I am told the stories and sent photos: she has an amazing success rate.


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## JosefinaHW

This is the other sibling that was rescued. Notice all the jars of powders of formula for the different types of animals she helps. LOL


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## JosefinaHW

This is a photo of a bat that my sister rescued from her and my brother-in-law's pool. The poor guy looks uncomfortable in this photo as if she stuck him awkwardly on the stems of a rose bush, but the photo is deceiving this way. The little guy flew off in a minute or two my sister said. (Isn't it amazing to see the bat's wing bones!!!) She doesn't know how this guy wound up buoyed up in the pool--I can't think either because the bats fly down and catch an insect or catch a drip of water frequently while one or all of us (except the dogs) are in the pool and they do it so elegantly.


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> :sospiro: I really enjoyed the finch video! I was the companion human to a lovebird many years ago; his name was Maximilian. Did he love to bathe the same way! Anytime he heard a spigot running anywhere he would fly to that room and "jump" up and down my arm because he was so happy about it. He even did this in the bathtub and the shower. One time I was running a bath while I was in the kitchen doing something else and out of the corner of my eye I saw him fly towards the bathroom but it didn't click until a few seconds later.... there he was in the water... OMG! he was gasping/weezing and I kid you not... I put my finger over his nostrils and gently breathed into his beak a few times. He was perfectly fine and it never stopped him from chasing any of the water. 'Startled the heck out of me, though.




What a great story. Lucky that you realised in time!


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> This is a photo of a bat that my sister rescued from her and my brother-in-law's pool. The poor guy looks uncomfortable in this photo as if she stuck him awkwardly on the stems of a rose bush, but the photo is deceiving this way. The little guy flew off in a minute or two my sister said. (Isn't it amazing to see the bat's wing bones!!!) She doesn't know how this guy wound up buoyed up in the pool--I can't think either because the bats fly down and catch an insect or catch a drip of water frequently while one or all of us (except the dogs) are in the pool and they do it so elegantly.


Perhaps it was a juvenile and not experienced enough around water.

Bats are wonderful creatures and that's a lovely photo.


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## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> Too long without posting a picture of the groundlies
> 
> The pups in this litter were very young when they started to come out of their den. They were so tiny.


I don't know why Imgur says this image was no longer available. Here it is again:


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## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> This is the photo of an orphaned young squirrel who was successfully raised by an apprentice wildlife rehabilitator. She is a friend of my sister's. I haven't met her yet but I am told the stories and sent photos: she has an amazing success rate.


Again, re-post after some problem at Imgur.com


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## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> This is the other sibling that was rescued. Notice all the jars of powders of formula for the different types of animals she helps. LOL


----------



## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> This is a photo of a bat that my sister rescued from her and my brother-in-law's pool. The poor guy looks uncomfortable in this photo as if she stuck him awkwardly on the stems of a rose bush, but the photo is deceiving this way. The little guy flew off in a minute or two my sister said. (Isn't it amazing to see the bat's wing bones!!!) She doesn't know how this guy wound up buoyed up in the pool--I can't think either because the bats fly down and catch an insect or catch a drip of water frequently while one or all of us (except the dogs) are in the pool and they do it so elegantly.


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## JosefinaHW

This is a lousy photo of a tremendously good-looking groundhog/woodchuck/marmot that just moved into the garden about two weeks ago. I still haven't been able to see if s/he is a male or female.


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## Dr Johnson

JosefinaHW said:


> This is a lousy photo of a tremendously good-looking groundhog/woodchuck/marmot that just moved into the garden about two weeks ago. * I still haven't been able to see if s/he is a male or female.*


Do they let you get close enough to do that?


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## JosefinaHW

Since our friend Hulu has her energies directed elsewhere at the moment I thought I'd post a photo of three juvenile squirrels that were born this year. I especially like the darker colors of the squirrel at the bottom--his parents have very interesting fur colors as well (I will try to take a good photo of them).

(I will not be taking over Hulu's _My Daily Squirrel Report_; I thought it would be worth waiting for her to pick that up and rename it _My Daily Russian Squirrel Report_. :devil:










The following is a close-up from a few years ago when I used to feed the squirrels peanuts on the deck.


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## JosefinaHW

A photo of an absolutely adorable groundhog pup


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## JosefinaHW

Dr Johnson said:


> Do they let you get close enough to do that?


: Dr. House:  Absolutely. I was only 5 feet away from this groundhog when I took his/her photo (I have no idea how to explain the awful blurriness of this picture.) This is a groundhog that is very afraid of humans (at least me), so it will take quite awhile for him/her to get used to me. I sit on a little stool on the deck wearing clothes that blend with the color of the deck and I don't move--I now know the hours this groundhog comes out of the den, so I make sure I'm out there at least 15 minutes prior. This enables me to watch for about 3-5 minutes before s/he notices me.

Anyway, I am very close, yes, but since groundlies are so low to the ground and have that bushy tail, unless they are jumping/or stepping down from a high rock or some other thing, I cannot well enough to determine.


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## JosefinaHW

Also, regarding how close groundhogs/woodchucks/marmots are to me when I take their photos. In any photo where you see the pups and/or mother eating close to the deck I am only 4 feet away and the mother absolutely knows me and knows that I am there watching. At that point the groundhog has been living long enough in the garden den to trust me, as long as I don't make any fast motions. She will even let me know if I haven't put enough carrots out or if she wants more as you can see in the following. She is only 3 feet from me.


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## znapschatz

JosefinaHW, 

What a great bunch of animal photographs! Thanks for posting them. You are surely some hard core friend of the critters!:tiphat:


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## JosefinaHW

JosefinaHW said:


> Also, regarding how close groundhogs/woodchucks/marmots are to me when I take their photos. In any photo where you see the pups and/or mother eating close to the deck I am only 4 feet away and the mother absolutely knows me and knows that I am there watching. At that point the groundhog has been living long enough in the garden den to trust me, as long as I don't make any fast motions. She will even let me know if I haven't put enough carrots out or if she wants more as you can see in the following. She is only 3 feet from me.


: Dr. Johnson: I didn't measure it exactly but I saw today that I am really am an extra meter away from the groundhogs in these photos.


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## JosefinaHW

The newest arrival in the animal garden--a chipmunk born this year

http://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

I am seriously missing Hulu's "Daily Squirrel Report," so I'm including one of my favorite squirrel photos.

http://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

:Huilu: I'm so sorry!!! I misspelled your name in the previous post and I cannot edit it. _Mea maxima culpa_

[/QUOTE]


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## JosefinaHW

This is a very blurry photo of a family of deer from earlier this summer.

http://postimage.org/app.php


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## JosefinaHW

David Attenborough doesn't have to worry about any competition from me....

This is a photo of a skunk that was born last year and has been a regular visitor to the animal garden.

http://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

I am so grateful to David Attenborough for all the wonderful videos he has made.

The following is one of those endless amazing photos of him with animals. There was a photo/scene that I absolutely loved: he was sitting on a rock, on a beach with thousands of crabs all over the beach behind him, in front of him, and walking all over him. He had a smile that I will never forget. If anyone remembers what series that photo was from please let me know!

http://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

The photo I remember was taken during daylight and I think Attenborough was older than in the following.

http://postimage.org/


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## sospiro

Love your squirrel photos JosefinaHW!

A friend of mine recently told me about these little guys and she said she can often hear them 'more-porking' in the evenings near where she lives. I love owls!


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## sospiro

JosefinaHW said:


> I am so grateful to David Attenborough for all the wonderful videos he has made.
> 
> The following is one of those endless amazing photos of him with animals. There was a photo/scene that I absolutely loved: he was sitting on a rock, on a beach with thousands of crabs all over the beach behind him, in front of him, and walking all over him. He had a smile that I will never forget. If anyone remembers what series that photo was from please let me know!


He's fab isn't he. According the wiki, the red crab migration was in _The Trials of Life_.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favourite_Attenborough_Moments


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## znapschatz

JosefinaHW said:


> I am seriously missing Hulu's "Daily Squirrel Report," so I'm including one of my favorite squirrel photos.
> 
> http://postimage.org/


Good one! You take good photos.


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## JosefinaHW

Thanks Znapschatz. Most of the better quality photos I've posted have been taken with my regular camera instead of the phone. One day, hopefully before the groundhog and the chipmunk hibernate, I will get the camera out again. As Always, Warm Greetings to Leslie and Rorschach!


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## SixFootScowl

My latest experience of the "Natural World" is that on our recent trip, my whole family and our dog got infested with ticks. Hundreds of them. We all have little red marks all over our ankles and legs and elsewhere. Good thing we caught it shortly after they ran up our legs or we would have goe to sleep with them. Nobody got the typical bullseye Lyme disease rash, so it looks like we are okay and nobody is running a fever, and it is now two weeks since we got them. It was an established trail with some low grass, maybe 6 to 8 inches tall. That is all it took. Down in Missoiuri.


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## sospiro

Florestan said:


> My latest experience of the "Natural World" is that on our recent trip, my whole family and our dog got infested with ticks. Hundreds of them. We all have little red marks all over our ankles and legs and elsewhere. Good thing we caught it shortly after they ran up our legs or we would have gone to sleep with them. Nobody got the typical bullseye Lyme disease rash, so it looks like we are okay and nobody is running a fever, and it is now two weeks since we got them. It was an established trail with some low grass, maybe 6 to 8 inches tall. That is all it took. Down in Missouri.


Sounds awful and I'm glad you all seem to be OK.


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## SixFootScowl

sospiro said:


> Sounds awful and I'm glad you all seem to be OK.


Thanks. It was the early larval stage so they had not bitten anything else. We apparently were the first host. So I think the chance of disease is pretty limited.


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## Sloe

I saw a badger eating a hamburger that someone had thrown away a couple of days ago.
This morning I saw a fox. They run really quickly you see they are predators.


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## JosefinaHW

Wild turkeys last week

image upload no registration

Sloe, I would love to see a badger in the wild.


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## hpowders

Post deleted.


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## SixFootScowl

JosefinaHW said:


> Wild turkeys last week


Nice. Around my house we mainly get Canada geese and it is not pretty. Can't take a walk in the park or even on the side walk around some parks there are so many goose droppings. The Canada goose population is out of control.


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## Pugg

Florestan said:


> Nice. Around my house we mainly get Canada geese and it is not pretty. Can't take a walk in the park or even on the side walk around some parks there are so many goose droppings. The Canada goose population is out of control.


Christmas is approaching.....


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## SixFootScowl

Pugg said:


> Christmas is approaching.....


I'd rather have coal chunks than goose poop.


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## TxllxT

Florestan said:


> Nice. Around my house we mainly get Canada geese and it is not pretty. Can't take a walk in the park or even on the side walk around some parks there are so many goose droppings. The Canada goose population is out of control.


In Holland it's the same story. Only when they come closer to Schiphol airport all of sudden measures are taken.


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## TxllxT

Mushrooms are growing again (in the Czech Republic at least)


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## SixFootScowl

Just beware these. They will blow your mind.








https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybin_mushroom


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## geralmar

As filthy as they are, Canada geese are protected in the U.S. by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and the Migratory Birds Convention Act (1994). So killing one without a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit is a federal crime. (It's OK to scare them; but how long does a goose stay scared?) I worked for a township government and the birds occupied the pond next to the administration building. Walking to the car could be an adventure.

The roof of the administration building was once taken over by a flock of pigeons. The expected sanitary crisis ensued. My office was on the top floor and I could look out the window and see the results on the asphalt ledge below the window. A pest control company was hired to deal with the birds "humanely". Recordings of cannon shots had no effect. Next a couple of owl models were strategically placed on the roof ledge to comical failure. Finally the top level decision was made to poison the birds-- discreetly on a late Friday afternoon so as not to alert the public. My coworkers and I watched the poison feed being spread outside our windows and then the pigeons beginning to feed. No one said anything when the birds began to fall over. Saturday morning the pest control people collected the dead birds off the roof and the grounds around the building. Monday morning no pigeons were to be found.

Next the droppings on the roof had to be dealt with and because building maintenance was my department's responsibility, I was told to find a local business to get rid of them. After following procedure I contracted with a one-man cleaning service to do the work. He told me he would begin by hosing off the roof beginning immediately after office hours Friday. As I was leaving work Friday I met him going up to the roof with a hose. At last the saga was coming to the end.

When I arrived at the office Monday morning I was surprised to see, rather than the slow start to the week, everyone rushing about on my floor. The maintenance supervisor quickly explained the reason: the contractor had forgotten to turn off the hose when he quit work and the hose had run unattended all weekend. Dropping-laden water had seeped down into the top floor, inundating some offices but in particular the computer room. As I watched, despite orders to desist the head computer technician sloshed out of the room carrying computer equipment. Told he was risking electrocution he said flatly that he had no choice.

I tried to persuade the contractor to sign a statement "simply explaining what happened;" but he coyly demurred, then completely disappeared. The department head hired the firm that decontaminated the floor. I received my first and last bad performance review. I hate pigeons.


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## SixFootScowl

geralmar said:


> As filthy as they are, Canada geese are protected in the U.S. by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) and the Migratory Birds Convention Act (1994). So killing one without a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service permit is a federal crime. I worked for a township government and the birds took over the pond next to the administration building. Walking to the car could be an adventure.


Very few birds that aren't protected by that 1918 act.



TxllxT said:


> In Holland it's the same story. Only when they come closer to Schiphol airport all of sudden measures are taken.


Pretty sure airports (at least in the US) have to get permits to control them.


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## EdwardBast

Views two days ago from a ledge on my local mountain:









The grey patch mid frame is a dead pool created by beavers:


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## TxllxT

Parasol mushrooms










Penny bun, cep, porcino or porcini

Many of them on our island! (protected)


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## Nate Miller

I live in rural Pennsylvania. This is my property..









this morning when I left for work, there was my resident goose, about 20 ducks, a blue heron, and a flock of wild turkeys. the heron was fishing near the house, so he took to the air as soon as I walked out, but the turkeys were having an argument with my goose and paid me no mind as they cackled and strutted around displaying to my goose to make their point. It was a sight to see.

right now a flock of at least 20 turkeys is living up in the treeline at my place. the other day they were crossing the road and got scattered by a passing car and a bunch of them took to the air and were in the trees around my shed while I was out doing chores. Watching a big flock of turkeys flying close by is pretty cool, really.


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## Nate Miller

Florestan said:


> Nice. Around my house we mainly get Canada geese and it is not pretty. Can't take a walk in the park or even on the side walk around some parks there are so many goose droppings. The Canada goose population is out of control.


you city folk crack me up

I get sometimes up to 70 geese at a time on my lake. I've had more than 20 permanent residents some years

out here in the country, we watch where we walk out of habit, so to me goose poop is a blessing. It helps this Penn clay soil I have and doesn't cost me a dime

animals do what animals do and trying to fight nature is nothing but hubris. you have to decide for yourself whether you live with the animal or you kill them.

I live with them.

I have geese that were born on my land and come back every year. they know me and treat me differently than other humans. they aren't pets, but they know me and I can freely walk among them without spooking them or being bothered by them

I just watch where I walk :lol:

here's some of the gang from a couple years ago. when they wanted me to put out some more corn, they would come up and rap on the screen door, and then sit down and eat my straw mat until I got out and feed them


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## SixFootScowl

Nate Miller said:


> you city folk crack me up
> 
> I get sometimes up to 70 geese at a time on my lake. I've had more than 20 permanent residents some years
> 
> *out here in the country, we watch where we walk out of habit*, so to me goose poop is a blessing. It helps this Penn clay soil I have and doesn't cost me a dime
> 
> animals do what animals do and trying to fight nature is nothing but hubris. you have to decide for yourself whether you live with the animal or you kill them.
> 
> I live with them.
> 
> I have geese that were born on my land and come back every year. they know me and treat me differently than other humans. they aren't pets, but they know me and I can freely walk among them without spooking them or being bothered by them
> 
> I just watch where I walk :lol:
> 
> here's some of the gang from a couple years ago. when they wanted me to put out some more corn, they would come up and rap on the screen door, and then sit down and eat my straw mat until I got out and feed them


I prefer not looking at the ground constantly to avoid the goose poop as it is so thick in some places you cannot even walk normally. So right now we drive an extra two miles to a site that has not been infested. The problem is that the natural balance is gone. Let a few dogs roam the park and those geese will not be around to leave any poop.

Something beautiful can become ugly if way overaboundant. We refer to the Canada geese around here as "sky carp" and sea gulls as "flying rats." :lol:


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## Vaneyes

'Identifying the Musical Tastes of Birds' 

http://hyperallergic.com/337111/identifying-the-musical-tastes-of-birds/


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## JosefinaHW

Nate Miller said:


> here's some of the gang from a couple years ago. when they wanted me to put out some more corn, they would come up and rap on the screen door, and then sit down and eat my straw mat until I got out and feed them


I love this photo!!! Please post a much larger version of this image. I have never had ducks or geese come that close to my house; that is so exciting. My family had a house in the Poconos on a private lake. For the first 20 years few only saw a faw ducks or geese at any given time, although there were a large number of herons, especially the green-backed herons. All this time we put out peanuts, corn and all types of nuts and seeds. Suddenly one year every day we had a patrol of ducks parade up the hill from the lake and eat at the base of our largest feeder. Of course we put out more food and little by little the ducks were joined by the geese and the number grew to about 25-30 birds at one time. It was so fun to watch--this single file procession of 25-30 ducks and geese up and down the lawn. It was well-worth the time of cleaning up after them at the top of the hill and at the edge of the lake. Our house sat right above part of the lake and then where the lake flowered over a moderate-size waterfall--with the increase in the ducks came the arrival of the minks!!!! I love minks--all the members of the Mustelidae, really. Then later on the beavers moved in.... fabulous stories about the beavers.

Greetings from a fellow Pennsylvanian! Please post more photos of the wildlife that visit your property.


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## JosefinaHW

One of my favorite visitors to the animal garden.... 'am bad that I didn't have all the suet feeders out at the time this photo was taken--that has most certainly been corrected.

https://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

One of the squirrels is especially assertive; 'watches me from outside the kitchen windows and then meets me at the sliding glass door:

https://postimage.org/


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## JosefinaHW

I'm resurrecting this thread for all those interested in the topic. The following is one of the three marmots/woodchucks/groundhogs that are hibernating under my breezeway (I'll find photos of the other two later):


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## JosefinaHW

Winter Wildlife in Yellowstone (including otters, but not weasels or otters)

I found this photographer when I was searching for images of alpine marmots some time back.






This is the link to her wildlife portfolio page. Yellow-bellied marmots are included but not the alpine marmots.

http://goeddelphotography.com/portfolio/wildlife/


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## Orpheus

Lots of these cheeky little blighters here:



For those with an ornithological bent, they are _Brotogeris chiriri_, the canary-winged parakeet. I think they used to be fairly common pets in Europe and the US when conservation laws were more lax, but are now rarely kept as they are not the easiest of birds to breed in captivity.

It took my wife some time to get this picture, despite the local flock coming to nibble away at the upper portions of her parents' house almost every day, as they are very camera-shy and usually fly away with loud screeches and chattering as soon as they see one pointed in their direction. They are otherwise very boisterous and noisy little things, and seem unconcerned by human presence as long as they neither come too close nor point scary objects at them.

One or two flocks are resident in the city park by our home, who have made it a habit lately to fly past in the morning and evening (or just hang around eating flowers from the trees nearby) while chattering and squawking loudly. This invariably causes our pet parrots to make an ear-splitting racket of their own in response, despite us telling them that the wild parakeets are not their friends and probably don't even want to be. It can be especially annoying to be jerked rudely awake by this noise at the crack of dawn, or have the baby woken by it when she is tired and grumpy, and we are trying to settle her down. Neither wild nor tame birds care at all, of course...


----------



## elgar's ghost

A few years ago 'Junk food' honey was produced in France after bees were feeding off discarded M&M shells from a nearby Mars processing plant. Different coloured honeys emerged ranging from pale yellow to purple but it seemed that the bees favoured the blue and green shells in particular.


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## SixFootScowl




----------

