HAPPY NEW WEEK!
Last week's Chat thread is HERE.
I missed a few days last week. I've read all your posts, but I won't try to reply except to wish everyone well.
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Some large animal has been hunting on my deck before dawn (about 5:00 am). It lands on the deck with a big thud. It's either jumping down from the tree limb over the deck or jumping up from the top step. I can hear it chase fairly large prey (probably raccoons). If it's coming out of the tree, it could be a bobcat! I have deer staying in my backyard along the creek, and a pair of bobcats could have moved in to predate the fawns. I've read that bobcat numbers are increasing a lot in this region. I'm not afraid of them; they aren't a threat to me. I hope I get to see whatever it is!
I happened across the webpages of a couple of photographers whose work just makes me happy when I look through their galleries, so I thought I'd share their sites.
The first photographer is Michael Shainblum, who photographs gorgeous landscapes and seascapes (especially with the Milky Way in the background). Here's his website (click on "Photography") and his Facebook page.
The second is George Karbus, who lives and works on the west coast of Ireland (but also takes photos all over the world). He focuses on coastal and marine photography. Here's his website (click on "Gallery") and his Facebook page.
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I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Thanks, BRENDA and ALAN - there are places for them to climb up, but they seem to need help to actually get out!
Ospreys Rule OK, but Goldfinches come a close second!
That is useful information about the bees in the bird bath.
I hope people might be interested in this news -I have been away for a couple of days staying with a friend and we went to see the famous Bee-eaters at the quarry near Brampton. It is monitored by the RSPCA and there are people with big scopes, though there was a decent view with binoculars. There is just the one pair and a helper now, apparently there were two pairs to start with. There was plenty of popping in to the nest to feed the young, which are expected to fledge quite soon. I saw one bird with a large bee in it's beak giving it a bashing to get rid of the sting. They have been seen with dragonflies too.
Evening all:
Lmac: Auld Reekie initally struck as Old Smell until I Googled it and saw the association with Edinburgh.
Brenda: Thanks for letting us know Margo had a good time at the theater. Fingers crossed the next tests will show an improvement.
OG: We have lots of bees in our garden. I've watched them hover at the lip of the spouts ont the fountain and land on the edge of the lower bowl, so assume they've been looking for a drink. I've also fished a few out with the aquarium net I bought for feathers. Some recovered but, of course, timing is everything. I assumed that their wings get too wet to fly. As Alan noted, we've also had a couple of birds drown in the fountain - at which point we did add rocks just under the surface in the deeper, lower bowl, and also a couple of ladders from bird cages! Maybe a junior life belt next?
Shades of Month Python: Just read on the BBC website that a man had to be rescued from a tree in Wigan after he climbed it in an attempt to catch his parrot. :-)
Speaking of birds and fountains: Here's a photo I took a few weeks back of the birds enjoying a bath in our garden.
EDIT: WOT IS WITH THAT TYPE!!
Pretty fountain, Annette. Busy, too!
Diane: Thankfully, backyard fountains are exempt from drought restrictions if they're visited by wildlife.
Sounds good, Lindy. I hope you get the weather!
Our herring gulls are red listed birds. Think about that the next time you hear some flaming idiot calling for a cull of them.
Morning, don't know where my summer went, no walking this morning instead a grey dreich day and a bus journey to work.
Hi, Lmac. Our summer has gone in the same direction!