Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods (other wildlife)

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

RE: Bits & Bobs, Odds & Sods (other wildlife)

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

Two male Brimstone butterfly along Chaddock Lane this afternoon

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

Male Brimstone butterfly on Chaddock Lane Astley yesterday

Barry Corless · Status: Offline

A first for my Rochdale (Norden) garden today a Hummingbird Hawk Moth

Paul A Brown · Status: Offline

My first Butterfly of the year today a Red Admiral in Astley

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Hope Carr Nature Reserve

Common White Wave Moth usually nocturnal but fluttering around nettles.

On the edge of the main lake good numbers of Common Blue Damselflies

with a single Blue-Tailed Damselfly in amongst.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

My first sighting of a Cinnabar Moth today but didn't expect it to be on a car park at Bolton Royal Hospital!

Mobile phone pic attached.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

One of my best mates sent me a photo tonight saying hed been attacked by this insect.
I think its one of the Ichnuemon Wasps but which one I wouldnt know, theres shedloads of them.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

2 male Orange Tips & a basking Speckled Wood butterfly today at Bickershaw Country Park 25/4/2020.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Weds 20th April

I was sent some photos off a good friend today, asking if I knew what it was. I text him back telling him it was an American Mink.
It was his neighbour that sent him the images, theyd seen it along the River Tame between Broomstairs and Audenshaw. It would be a Lifer for me!

Tony Coatsworth · Status: Offline

Pretty sure I saw a Weasel on the Fallowfield Loop yesterday. By Gorton Cemetery near the railway bridge. Thought it was a Rat at first but was smaller and pale brown - no black on tail. Moved really fast as I approached on my bike.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

My first butterfly sightings of the year at Bickershaw Country Park today were Comma x 5 & Tortoiseshell x 20.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Noticed this really strange looking fungus near Holden's Farm, Horwich Moors today growing on moss on a tree trunk.

Believe it's some kind of Crustose Lichen but looks more like frog spawn!

paul shaw · Status: Offline

A Peacock butterfly was flying around the workshop today (Bredbury), not sure if it had come in from outside or if it had been disturbed from hibernation, it appeared to be healthy and flying strongly, it made it's way out after of the building after about 10 minutes. Amazing to see in December and and a sight totaly lost on the other lads in the workshop.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

You're welcome Rob

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Mike Chorley wrote:

Hi Rob

The Collins Field Guide to Mammals describes Noctule as a "large robust bat" with "long and slender" wings. Habitat "woods and parks" "Flies very early, evening flight often starts before sunset. Flies high (15-80ft sometimes up to 150-300ft) straight and fast, with repeated short and fast turns and dives"

The main confusion species in this part of the country seems to be Leisler's which has more limited distribution in the NW, is larger and lighter (if seen in good light!), emerges slightly later and flies with shallow dives or sometimes a switchback flight. Seems to be a less urban species.

Hope this helps.

Thankyou for your input Mike, very much appreciated. Although the only sure fire ways of ID for any Bat are with a detector or by measurements and structure analysis whilst in the hand, I think I observed enough to at least narrow it down for an educated guess. to 1 of the very same 2 you mention.
Either a Noctule or a Lesser Noctule (Leislers), and the fact that Leislers are very rare in the UK but fairly common in Ireland suggests its likely to be a Noctule.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

Hi Rob

The Collins Field Guide to Mammals describes Noctule as a "large robust bat" with "long and slender" wings. Habitat "woods and parks" "Flies very early, evening flight often starts before sunset. Flies high (15-80ft sometimes up to 150-300ft) straight and fast, with repeated short and fast turns and dives"

The main confusion species in this part of the country seems to be Leisler's which has more limited distribution in the NW, is larger and lighter (if seen in good light!), emerges slightly later and flies with shallow dives or sometimes a switchback flight. Seems to be a less urban species.

Hope this helps.

Rob Creek · Status: Offline

Greenbank Park, Levenshulme.

A few Bats (possibly 5 or 6 individuals) seen over the last couple of weeks when taking Michelles Staffy for an evening walk.
- 4 appear to be a Pipistrelle sp, the other 2 though are different.
- 1 being a bit larger with longer wings and is a very fast flyer with agile swoops, but Id only be making an educated guess as to its ID.
- the other could be a Long-eared Bat which Ive seen plenty of over the years but surprisingly difficult to nail it when your on a park with no lights and relying on the gaps in trees that show it as a silhouette against what little light there is left in the sky!

2 images.
1st one an obvious Pipistrelle sp.
2nd one showing its long wings

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Returned from a holiday in Portugal last month & was struggling to identify the butterfly picture I took on the left.

Turns out it's a Speckled Brown but compared with a UK picture I took shows a remarkable variation in colour

which apparently is down to the amount of sunlight - the further south you go the more orange they become.

Lez Fairclough · Status: Offline

Not even going to attempt to name it (given my rather poor bird identification record), but a very large noisy bumble bee with furry orange lower abdomen flew into the house this afternoon - the cat did a runner & I wasn't far behind!

Steven Nelson · Status: Offline

1 Small Tortoishell butterfly flying around this afternoon in Cadishead

Peter Nolan Woolley · Status: Offline

Common marbled carpet moth, this afternoon at home in Openshaw.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

Hollingworth Lake

Brown Hawker in a couple of areas, inc in front of the hide.

Also several Speckled Wood and either Peacock or Small Tortoiseshell very quickly past the hide....only dark underwing seen

Peter Nolan Woolley · Status: Offline

Sharing my bus journey home into town, a Ichneumon wasp, could not say to what species.

Peter Nolan Woolley · Status: Offline

Popular Hawk Moth in work, Stockport today.

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Canal (Bridgewater?) between Stretford Tram stop and Watch House Cruising Club
1 Pyramidal Orchid
21 Marsh Orchid sp.

Steven Higginbottom · Status: Offline

Nick Hilton wrote:

Walking the dog and grandson around Davyhulme Park at midday today I (and a few other families) was very surprised when a small bat species (presumed Pipistrelle) was flying around the ponds in bright sunshine. I can only assume the heavy rain in the night meant it couldn't feed then.

There was a Pipistrelle sized bat out flying at Elton Reservoir around 2pm today as well. I Was thinking that their hibernation roosts could have become flooded for them to be flying in the day. Interesting for them to be out during daylight.

Cheers Steven

Nick Hilton · Status: Offline

Walking the dog and grandson around Davyhulme Park at midday today I (and a few other families) was very surprised when a small bat species (presumed Pipistrelle) was flying around the ponds in bright sunshine. I can only assume the heavy rain in the night meant it couldn't feed then.

A couple of the local Magpies also showed interest and had a few attempts at catching the bat. It seemed to easily evade them at the last moment. Even on attacks on it from behind the bat evaded the relatively clumsy magpies. A bit of internet reading and bats have excellent daytime vision it turns out. By the very fact they are normally nocturnal I had assumed they would have poor daylight vision! Still learning!

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

Ashton-in-Makerfield.

A fox was hunting the hedgerow of a field off the southern edge of the heath this morning while we were waiting for the Hooded Crow to return.

Mike Chorley · Status: Offline

The only consolation from waiting half an hour for the bus up to Strinesdale last Sunday was a new addition to my fungus list. Cellar Club growing between the fairly newly laid paving stones at one of the bus stops at Oldham Mumps. In among all the litter at first I thought someone had dumped pasta from a packaged salad!

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

First queen bumblebees of the year just; two buff-tailed around the Uni campus on Oxford Road.

Ian Boote · Status: Offline

Blackthorn in flower Walshaw

Keith Williams · Status: Offline

Late post for last Saturday

A Red Admiral was sunning itself on laurels in my Pennington back garden.

Steven Nelson · Status: Offline

Tufted Vetch still in flower (9th Dec!) alongside the slip road off Jn 4 M56 Whythenshaw.

-- Edited by Steven Nelson on Friday 9th of December 2016 07:46:08 PM

Ian Boote · Status: Offline

Nettle Leaved Bell Flower on waste ground outide Manchester Victoria.

Steven Nelson · Status: Offline

Numerous Amanita fungus growing under the large conifer trees near Debanhams end of Trafford Centre this afternoon. After a bit of research I think they are 'The Blusher' Amanita Rubescens

Joel Tragen · Status: Offline

Eyed hawk moth on st annes road, chorlton, this morning.

-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Monday 27th of June 2016 11:15:37 AM

-- Edited by Joel Tragen on Monday 27th of June 2016 01:31:31 PM

Shannon Llewellyn · Status: Offline

Out in my Chorlton back yard with the bat detector; as well as the usual common pipistrelle that were about, picked up a noctule going over. smile

Ian Boote · Status: Offline

Marsh Marigold plant with several flowers open Moses Gate

Dogs Mercury in flower Clifton Aqueduct, Wood Sorrel on opposite river bank same area

Primrose and Lesser Celandine in flower Mere Clough.

Bernard McGurrin · Status: Offline

driving home @22-45 last night when a fox crossed the road nr spring view cricket club.

Ian Boote · Status: Offline

Red Clover and Oxeye Daisy in Bury Centre in flower

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Street tree feeders , Burleigh rd. Stretford -
The squirrel was on the extra feeder I put up the other day , avoiding the new metal one with spikes and the old one covered in olive oil.
The extra one leaves the squirrel in a more vulnerable spot than the rest so it avoids using it , but once accessed the rewards are greater.
With it raining it wasn't much use squirting it with water .
Out came the Ali £2.99 catapult .
From my sniper position ( front door hallway ) used ice cube ammo ...ie hearts,squares and discs to fire at the invader !
Alas they are not aerodynamic to say the least. .....on my penultimate shot no# 11 BULLSEYE !!! right on the critters backside. ...
.... It Didn't Budge..the "Force with me wasnt" .... got my extendable pole marched across no-man's land and tried to "whack it ".
This worked , it flew through the tree to the nearby sorbus and I gave it a poke.
Not seen it since. .... think I'll get a RSPB feeder instead , it's got to be easier.

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

We use sunflower hearts at home and would regularly go through a full feeder in a day becuase the squirrel would scoff the lot

We invested in a "squirrel buster mini" from the RSPB

the outer cage is supported by a spring - if anything too heavy gets on the perches, the cage drops and closes the feeder

we're still getting through a feeder's worth every day, but it's all birds now! The squirrel has been totally defeated, and as such has moved off, meaning birdlife has flocked back. Goldfinches, Greenfinches, bullfinches, coal tits, blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, robins, wrens, nuthatches, the odd siskin, even a woodpecker (great spotted). Wonderful. Worth the investment, so much that we've bought a second to put in another location which is gaining popularity

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Tuesday 3rd of November 2015 03:28:17 PM

phillipskelly · Status: Offline

Recently installed a squirrel Resistant feeder in the tree at Burleigh rd . Stretford, the plastic ones are getting chewed to bits by the grey squirrels . The feeder is basically a metal tube with lots of holes in it , similar to a nut feeder but with a thicker criss-cross mesh and diamond shaped holes . Best used for Sunflower Hearts .... you've probably seen em .
Anyhoo ! the squirrels can get a few seeds poking out but not many , and they soon "naff off" . Also I pushed twigs through to add extra
perches. This also made it awkward for the squirrels. ....... until I saw one up-side down pulling them OUT ! And chewing others off .
Last night I added new perches sprayed with a" mozzy" deterant (skin so soft by Avon - this is really bitter to taste and works) then covered them with Chilli powder . It worked this morning - squirrel soon left with no damage to feeder.
As it sat in an adjacent sorbus tree a Ginger cat climbed the feeder tree and tried in vain to get it . Too Far Away. - it was Angry. ..
Down it got ....went through the fence to the sorbus tree .... they both have vanished now - RESULT - A DOUBLE SIX .
It's getting like the Serengetti down here !

Bernard McGurrin · Status: Offline

Driving home @00-25 when a fox ran across Liverpool road at hindley nr low hall car park,

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Still good numbers of Large whites and at least 5 speckled wood along Canal between Marsland road and Walton road in Sale today.

Julian Winstanley · Status: Offline

Hummingbird Hawkmoth on the buddleia in our garden (Marple)

Bernard McGurrin · Status: Offline

11 red admiral and 3 small tortoiseshell butterfly + loads of bees and wasps on and around buddleia and roses in my bickershaw back garden this afternoon,

Ian McKerchar · Status: Offline

Originally posted today by Bernard McGurrin:

5 red admiral in my bickershaw back garden on and around the buddleai this afternoon

Andy Isherwood · Status: Offline

Good numbers of Speckled wood and also a single very scruffy Brimstone along Bridgewater canal between Sale and Walton park. Also well in excess of 15 grey squirrel and 3+ unidentified Hawkers.