Anybody recommend a good insect book, one with all British insects in?
No idea about a book with all insect and suspect it would be massive !!
but two of my favourites are:-
Field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of Britain and Ireland - Brookes, Cram and Lewington
Collins butterfly guide - Tolman and Lewington
i have a cheap bee guide somewhere but can't find it to recommend at the moment
Cheers Mike, to be quite honest I only really want a book for Butterflies, Drangonflies, Damsleflies and Bees. I'll take a look at the ones you've suggested. Cheers again.
Mike Crawley said
Mon May 9 4:40 PM, 2016
Scott robinson wrote:
Anybody recommend a good insect book, one with all British insects in?
No idea about a book with all insect and suspect it would be massive !!
but two of my favourites are:-
Field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of Britain and Ireland - Brookes, Cram and Lewington
Collins butterfly guide - Tolman and Lewington
i have a cheap bee guide somewhere but can't find it to recommend at the moment
Scott robinson said
Mon May 9 3:54 PM, 2016
Anybody recommend a good insect book, one with all British insects in?
Mike Chorley said
Thu May 5 7:16 PM, 2016
Cheers Rob. I'll pass that along as well.
Rob Creek said
Wed May 4 7:33 PM, 2016
Hi Mike, it maybe worth noting... The RSPB recommend a 5% disinfectant solution for cleaning feeders, bird table etc. That is pretty much what is available to buy as a household solution. I used to work in the janitorial industry and 5% solution was also the norm for disinfectant supplied to a wide range of industries, and products have to be animal and child safe with regards to potential risk of toxicity if ingested. Obviously lots of stronger solutions are available as are more specialist products with more specialist uses, including Jeyes Fluid which in itself as a neat fluid is toxic if ingested and can be a particular risk to Felines, but I've read that even Jeyes can be used for cleaning bird feeders when used in the correct dilution. But one article suggests a lot of people just use warm water with a bit of mild washing up liquid, and also every once in a while, more so in summer, pour boiling water over to eradicate any bugs or mites etc that can gather on rotting or mouldy stale food that is left in the feeders, the risk with that in the way of scaulding goes without saying. Hope this is of help. Rob
Mike Chorley said
Thu Apr 28 8:29 PM, 2016
Thanks Vic. I'll pass that on. She assumed that normal household products wouldn't be suitable but wasn't sure what would be as the instructions with the feeders were fairly vague.
Cheers, Mike
vic chatterton said
Thu Apr 28 6:29 PM, 2016
Hi Mark,
There's loads of advice on the internet on cleaning feeders just Google "bird feeder hygiene". Basically feeders should be cleaned once a week. A small stiff brush is ideal for removing old stale food that might have stuck in joints etc followed by a wash down with ordinary water. The area under the feeders should be cleaned as much as possible removing any old food remains etc. Once the area has dried off a disinfectant should be applied both to the feeder and the area around and below. General household disinfectants are NOT normally appropriate. There are several brands of disinfectant designed solely with birds in mind. The best is probably Chapelwood Bird Feeder Disinfectant. This product is available on Amazon UK but is not cheap. There are other brands available that are much cheaper but I suppose it's the old adage "you get what you pay for"
Vic C.
Mike Chorley said
Wed Apr 27 9:07 PM, 2016
I couldn't find a thread for the specific advice wanted so this seems as good a place as any.
A friend want's to know what she should use to disinfect her feeders. Never having lived anywhere where I could put any up, I said I'd ask around.
stuart lewis-gough said
Sat Jul 31 8:38 PM, 2010
thanks to all who offered advise, i now have one firmly on the year list after finding one on the stream at barrow bridge,bolton.
Danny Spencer said
Fri Jul 30 8:47 PM, 2010
stuart. go to healey dell nature reserve. park near the viaduct.guarenteed dipper on river
Ian Boote said
Thu Jul 29 11:12 PM, 2010
Agree with Bradshaw Brook Bolton saw one recently and quite regularly 7 Acre Countrty Park at the north end but have seen them all along it. Path runs alongside the brook Compstal Nature Reserve around the weir/bridge but also further down the river there's a path below the lodge along the river. Finally below Hinds Weir in the centre of Bury although river bank folliage can restrict views and burrs cp bury on any part of the river but often near the bridges that enters the carpark.
good ticking
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Friday 30th of July 2010 12:10:03 AM
Dennis atherton said
Thu Jul 29 8:55 PM, 2010
Hi stuart,
i am not sure where is local for you but i have had good dipper sightings on bradshaw brook in bolton this year and also on Binn Green/Yeoman Hey Plantation, the brook near dovestones main car park had a few dippers on it just last week
Chris Harper said
Thu Jul 29 5:59 PM, 2010
If you go onto the bird sighting part, there is a thread for dipper spotting. Most in Winter, though, even the ones at Etherow seem to be hiding at present
stuart lewis-gough said
Tue Jul 27 5:15 PM, 2010
thanks Stuart.
stuartherring said
Mon Jul 26 8:33 PM, 2010
hi the river tame around saddleworth and the chew brook in greenfield are GUARANTEED dipper rivers i see one or two every time i walk the dog
stuart lewis-gough said
Sun Jul 25 6:05 PM, 2010
thanks for the tip Tony.
Tony Coatsworth said
Sun Jul 25 2:38 PM, 2010
Etherow Country Park by the weir is pretty reliable
I have had them by Stockport bus station on the Mersey in the winter
stuart lewis-gough said
Sun Jul 25 10:36 AM, 2010
Does anyone know the best place locally to watch dippers.ive not seen one in years and want to add to my year list. any help appriciated.
Cheers Mike, to be quite honest I only really want a book for Butterflies, Drangonflies, Damsleflies and Bees. I'll take a look at the ones you've suggested. Cheers again.
No idea about a book with all insect and suspect it would be massive !!
but two of my favourites are:-
Field guide to the dragonflies and damselflies of Britain and Ireland - Brookes, Cram and Lewington
Collins butterfly guide - Tolman and Lewington
i have a cheap bee guide somewhere but can't find it to recommend at the moment
The RSPB recommend a 5% disinfectant solution for cleaning feeders, bird table etc. That is pretty much what is available to buy as a household solution. I used to work in the janitorial industry and 5% solution was also the norm for disinfectant supplied to a wide range of industries, and products have to be animal and child safe with regards to potential risk of toxicity if ingested.
Obviously lots of stronger solutions are available as are more specialist products with more specialist uses, including Jeyes Fluid which in itself as a neat fluid is toxic if ingested and can be a particular risk to Felines, but I've read that even Jeyes can be used for cleaning bird feeders when used in the correct dilution.
But one article suggests a lot of people just use warm water with a bit of mild washing up liquid, and also every once in a while, more so in summer, pour boiling water over to eradicate any bugs or mites etc that can gather on rotting or mouldy stale food that is left in the feeders, the risk with that in the way of scaulding goes without saying.
Hope this is of help.
Rob
Cheers, Mike
Hi Mark,
There's loads of advice on the internet on cleaning feeders just Google "bird feeder hygiene". Basically feeders should be cleaned once a week. A small stiff brush is ideal for removing old stale food that might have stuck in joints etc followed by a wash down with ordinary water. The area under the feeders should be cleaned as much as possible removing any old food remains etc. Once the area has dried off a disinfectant should be applied both to the feeder and the area around and below. General household disinfectants are NOT normally appropriate. There are several brands of disinfectant designed solely with birds in mind. The best is probably Chapelwood Bird Feeder Disinfectant. This product is available on Amazon UK but is not cheap. There are other brands available that are much cheaper but I suppose it's the old adage "you get what you pay for"
Vic C.
A friend want's to know what she should use to disinfect her feeders. Never having lived anywhere where I could put any up, I said I'd ask around.
Compstal Nature Reserve around the weir/bridge but also further down the river there's a path below the lodge along the river.
Finally below Hinds Weir in the centre of Bury although river bank folliage can restrict views and burrs cp bury on any part of the river but often near the bridges that enters the carpark.
good ticking
-- Edited by Ian Boote on Friday 30th of July 2010 12:10:03 AM
i am not sure where is local for you but i have had good dipper sightings on bradshaw brook in bolton this year and also on Binn Green/Yeoman Hey Plantation, the brook near dovestones main car park had a few dippers on it just last week
Most in Winter, though, even the ones at Etherow seem to be hiding at present
I have had them by Stockport bus station on the Mersey in the winter