First time for a badger in our back garden last night. He ruined a few fence panels but I'd already earmarked them for replacement. I can only assume he was confused or disoriented and was looking for ways out.
Obviously due to the unseasonably mild conditions at least one of the three regularly visiting Hedgehogs have come out of hibernation and been helping themselves to the cat food & biscuits.
Last week I mistakenly bought a pack of dog food!! & apparently they like that even better so as long as the mild spell continues they will be having a feast every night.
Shocked to learn though that their average lifespan is only 2 to 3 years but so glad to be helping this now endangered species.
With the help of Google I identified an Elephant Hawk-moth caterpillar in our Hale garden this afternoon, about 6cm long, quite a monster. Never seen one previously and was surprised to read that they are quite common in the UK.
At least 8 Painted Lady on the buddleia in our Openshaw garden. Seems there is a once in a decade eruption of this species at the moment coming through the country.
Female Roesel's Bush Cricket in our Leigh, Lilford garden yesterday. Apparently this is the first ever record for Greater Manchester (per the GMLRU). It's a fairly common species in the south and east, but like a lot of things, it's spreading northwards.
OMG (as they say), what a record. You are indeed a very fortunate person. When I was out walking the local moors yesterday, I kept seeing bugs jump out of the way and I thought of this species as I knew it is spreading. Now I'm going to have to look even harder at the ground.
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Female Roesel's Bush Cricket in our Leigh, Lilford garden yesterday. Apparently this is the first ever record for Greater Manchester (per the GMLRU). It's a fairly common species in the south and east, but like a lot of things, it's spreading northwards.
Reporting through this thread as Bramhall does not have one for other wildlife. My brother had a dark-green fritillary nectaring in a Bramhall garden (where he was working) this afternoon, a pretty extraordinary record for Stockport.
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Ever wondered what the Earth was like before life evolved? Stick around.
We have a total of four hedgehogs visiting our garden. There are two others in the Rochdale Hedgehog rescue centre, to be picked up and released soon. Better oder some more food.
Link to two of our visitors fighting over food, last night. https://youtu.be/LfnjfRQ1RmU
A Migrant Hawker dragonfly spent about 10 mins in and around my Irlam garden at noon today and seen to catch a few flies in mid flight. A garden first.
ummingbird Hawk-moth in my garden near Hyde Hospital, Gee Cross at 9.40am feeding on phlox. Unfortunately it flew off at a great rate of knots just as I was about to click the camera shutter
Just been watching a fox, possibly a female in our Hale garden. It could have been looking to drink from our pond but was very nervous and didn't stay long.
Whilst sitting in the garden waiting for bats to appear this evening a large hawker type dragonfly flew between a couple of trees for a few seconds, probaly about 20 foot up. The time was 22:10, I cant recall seeing a dragonfly on the wing after sunset before.
Despite having no real interest in moths as such, I couldn't ignore the rather impressive (for a non-moth person anyway) Elephant Hawk Moth which found its way into my Astley conservatory this morning. Beautiful colours on its underparts in particular.