ABtrees

That first sighting is spectacular. Here's a variation though - the Lesser PE - which for me is even more beautiful. Distinguished primarily by the 2 eyespots on the top wing as well as the lower. Same butterfly in both pics by the way ! The one I would really like to see is the Poplar Admiral - absolutely stunning

Pls be careful AJS - sadly there are far too many 'do-gooders' around who just don't get the fact she would almost certainly be dead by now if you hadn't helped. Below are a few snaps of ours from last year - her first ever flight, first 'kill' and then sat up in the hazel whist she got her bearings, then away. we had fed her on 'local produce' only for 4 weeks - mice/voles, a sparrow, beetles, grasshoppers and other assorted delicacies - just so she new what to look for ! and never directly from our hand - through the bars or just put in the bottom of the cage.

Kept me busy for a day or two !

Hard as nails. Planks don't warp too badly. But watch out for the beetle once it's cut - imho second only to Alder as a woodworm magnet ! Excellent firewood though !!!!

And here's another candidate 100 yds further along. But someone help me out here (please), why is the tree on the left inundated and the right hand one (60m away) almost ivy free. The have undisputedly provided what must be almost identical conditions for ivy growth - one smothered the other unaffected - any thoughts ?

Well sadly here's an old one gone from last night - I would say definitely 'sail area' was a factor - but only a factor not the only cause of the tree (root) failing. JC, I do agree that there's more of it (but in my opinion it's still just the 'pain in the arse' ivy it's always been). I think maybe we just had a few good (ivy friendly) growth years (you call it climate change - if you must) where we had a succession of mild winters, wet springs and warm but not super hot summers. For my part I hate the stuff - I will continue to cut / kill / remove as much of it as possible (manual only - no chemicals) but I promise you it's a losing battle. I have excessive amounts of habitat (bugs, birds and bats which I all enjoy) and no matter how hard I try (to diminish the wretched stuff), I will not make the slightest difference to the local ecology - but if you are right the loss of these older trees certainly will !

All I can add is that you've obviously never had the privilege of owning a Countax ride on mower - masterclass in (deliberately???) complicated design !!!!

Morning. This is always difficult but ....... you need to recover your property. In my limited experience, any talk of solicitors and administrators may be premature. It kind of assumes the chap had a valid will - he may not have done. In any event his widow (assuming they were married) may not have had any experience of dealing with death and the estate and there could be other people involved (anywhere from helping sort stuff out to have taken complete charge of it - formally appointed or otherwise). Whether or not there is a valid will might change the route, people involved and type of probate granted (but as Stubby says that could be weeks/ months down the road). You have said he was self employed but was there a Ltd. company because that will change things as well - quick search on his name at companies house ( Find and update company information - GOV.UK (company-information.service.gov.uk ). The problem is you don't know what is going on or how far they have got (imagine 20 or 30 unlabelled 'work in progress' watches on his bench). In order to apply for probate they will have to value the estate and the danger is they confuse your watch as being part of that. Hopefully you have a picture of it ? My next best course of action would be to send (recorded delivery) her a letter (and the picture) and ask her to clearly and positively identify your watch and confirm that she still has it in her possession. Take a copy of this (photograph & everything going in (to) the envelope!). Sorry to trouble her but (covering letter) ..... "maybe YOU have a buyer interested (!!!) and don't want to lose the sale" sketch - so could she get back to (ideally call) you as soon as possible (within a week). As soon as she does so, go and pick it up. If she doesn't at all (maybe 2 weeks) then approach the solicitors. Good luck AB

I'm not sure about that - looks to me like the geese have made themselves invisible ! and the Whooper (?) is about to do the same !!!! Nice pics btw

Thankfully it's supposed to go cold again tonight - may even freeze ! The last week has been bonkers here in central France : Last week I spent half an hour watching a red squirrel bouncing around the treetops building a new drey (I know they don't hibernate as such - but for this guy Spring had definitely arrived )! Then out in the field on New Year's eve, a Brimstone came fluttering past on the breeze and to cap it all the bloody tick season has started early - out in the woods yesterday, came back in, jumped in the shower and there's one of the buggers on the top of my shoulder - 3rd of January - come on ! Keeping an eye out for swallows .............. !

Ok. As we're now allowing sunrises - here's last Saturday on a roundabout, somewhere just north of Le Mans

Definitely Spindle. We have quite a few scattered around the place (in France before you ask). What has really caught my attention this year is the phenomenal amount of seeds some of the trees are carrying. Crappy snaps attached ! Is there a name for a Spindle mast ? !!!!

Again, Stere - thanks for your input. Following arbwork's lead this morning, I had done a couple of hours reading and convinced myself it was P. ramorum and then you come up with that as a really good alternative shout, especially as it specifically mentions hornbeam's susceptibility. What I did read is that apparently chestnuts are susceptible to ramorum and we have v.healthy sweet and horse, so (again) you may be on to something ! Am I right in thinking that the only way to be sure is to have it tested ? And in any event I assume it's bad news and the affected trees should be taken out asap ? Presumably firewood ??? It's in central France btw. And as for the squirrels, we don't have any greys only reds and can't say I've noticed any damage on my young hornbeams - that's not to say it hasn't happened you understand, just that it's not at a level that I've noticed ! That said, our wood is fully naturally regenerating - haven't planted anything in the last 15 years ! Main problem is deer and they seem to generally prefer my apple trees or young walnut ! Oh and I agree on the weather btw. What we need (and used to have) is a properly cold winter (lower than -10 C) - that would slow a lot of this stuff down a bit.

Thanks very much for that heads-up. Rather alarmingly it does indeed look like that could be what it is. I've just spent the last hour reading up on it and none of it is good - it would appear it's all over France, devastating much of their forest and woodland. Looks like I've got a very busy Xmas break coming up - but at least I'll be keeping warm !!! I'll keep you posted.

Haven't posted on this thread for a while so here's (quite) a few of my latest snaps

Help ? My trees are suffering. I have recently lost a whole load of spruce, more than a few Oaks have died off along with some of the Alder and now to cap it all the Hornbeams are dying too. The Hornbeams worry me the most. I have a feeling that this is some sort of canker (first picture)but (as I have said many times on here) most of my opinions are just guesses. Will someone definitively tell me what this is and what (if anything) I can do about it pls.? The trees get to look pretty sick and then when I fell them most of the tree is already dead. Any thoughts greatly appreciated. AB

Hi Stuart Yeah they really get you going the first time you come across them - I was convinced I was about to be very badly stung - again! Do you have any other / clearer pictures ? Whilst the whole group are 'wasp beetles' I am curious as to what you have actually found. Pretty sure that they are Plagionotus (rather than Clytus Arietis ) but I don't think they are P.Arcuatus (wrong yellow/black pattern). They might be P. Detritus or possibly P. Scalaris - or maybe not ?!!!! I know there are people far more knowledgeable than me on here so hopefully one of them will jump in and clarify what you've got. AB.

Early Golf ball ?

Very, very good. That's exactly what it is. AKA : Bearded vulture or Gypaete Barbu locally. Very rare even where we were. They are massive 43" tall and about 8ft wingspan. Staple diet consists of animal bones which they swallow whole or break by dropping them onto rocks from a great height. Interesting birds - there was one in the UK last year only the 2nd in 20 yrs - but they reckon that was a young bird over from the Alps.

OK more from the Alps - first some hoppers and then some butterflies to follow. I think the caption on the last one could be : 'Oh, ..... that sort of Jump' but I'm sure someone on here will come up with a better suggestion ?

Yes - officially apparently the Short-toed Snake Eagle. Clue's in the name on the Chough - Alps - due East of Annecy. You left out the young Black Redstart and do you want to hazard a guess at the big fella with the distinctive silhouette above the mountain. As a clue to its size, it was about 1/2 a mile from me - that picture is heavily cropped and taken on a 400mm. Think barn door !

Hi Doug Not exactly ! But there were plenty of them ..... Not seen them before.

Evening. Been off on my hols - so here's a small selection of (really v. poor quality - sorry) pics. A couple of easy ones and a couple a bit more difficult. The one of the 'crows' I was really pleased with, in fact it's fair to say I was ........... ? I'll put a couple of others up in bugs and beasties -maybe tomorrow

I told you numbers were increasing ! So after 10 years waiting to get the first picture of an Oriole ............ wife's been out with the camera again this morning ! So that'll be a pair of Orioles AND a Middle Spotted Woodpecker thrown in for good measure - I going to get her to pick some lottery numbers for tonight (so we can afford a better camera!). And then the chick (Oriole not the wife) gets in the frame too !!! Like London buses I tell you !

My guess is the smallest of the brood !!!