ABtrees

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 !!!

Have to say I am a bit concerned about the one on the left !!!

So I believe but I'm pleased to report not around here (don't forget I'm in deepest darkest France). We have them back every summer (for us they are a fancy version of returning swallows - "heard my first Oriole today") - and they do seem to be increasing in numbers. Seeing them and trying to get a picture has become something of an obsession for my whole family. We've been on many walks (armed with binoculars and big lens on the camera), got really close and (if we're lucky) just catch a fleeting glimpse of the bird diving deeper into the forest. As Dave says (above), they are oh so secretive. The picture above was heavily cropped (original below) and taken at around 100 m on a 300mm lens (extended to 420mm) and he was sat there for less than 90 seconds albeit shouting (a completely raucous alarm call rather than the usual melodious tune)! I'm just going to have to improve my bushcraft and /or get lucky and find a nest site ! Oh to have the time - eh !

So here's the story ....... This young lady decides to learn to fly by chasing grasshoppers and young great tits around our garden She gets bored and so after a quick rest on the side of our house sets off up the hill into our bit of wood - and that's when it all kicks off ! There's one bird that we often hear but very, very rarely see and for over a decade have never been able to photograph. Anyway turns out he doesn't like Kestrels (can't imagine why !) so he chases her into the wood and then just sits there shouting at her until she gets fed up and leaves - never to be seen again - so far. And that bird is ...... Wife took the pics - well chuffed !

Hi Doug. Not 100% but it looks suspiciously like a Four-banded Longhorn (Leptura quadrifasciata). Nice find if it is.

Bit of an update - today I think we found the daddy ! Biggest 'Capricorn' I've ever seen. Picking up on previous conversation, I reckon I may be losing a few old Oaks shortly !!!! I am actually not 100% sure that this and the one posted previously are the same species - so would be very happy for any real experts to correct me - as usual ! OK I've done a bit more digging - it turns out the picture from last year (in the quote) IS actually a different species. It is the Lesser Capricorn (Cerambyx Scopolii). The one from today is definitely the Great Capricorn (Cerambyx Cerdo). They both eat Oak trees ! Glad we cleared that one up - eh !!!!

OK here you have it then.... yes it's one of those Big Beaks ! Story goes, flew into the bedroom window - knocked out cold - wife picks him up - seriously dazed - sits him on her hand for 10 mins (posing for photos!). Sorts himself out, little shake and flies off into the bamboo. Everybody happy !

Why do these things always happen when I'm not home ? Had suspected that these guys were nesting locally and this morning wife had a slightly closer encounter than expected ( after this little fella had just discovered what bedroom windows are made of !). I'm sure you will all get it straight away but here's the teaser !

Totally agree with your dad on the horseflies - I attach my crappy pictures of the same below - the compound eyes are fantastic. Over here (France) we commonly get 5 or 6 types once the 'season' starts with the occasional 'special' !!! The deer flies are either golden (with green eyes) or normal brown (with copper eyes and mottled brown wings). Pleased to say I have never been bitten by the big fella - yet ! Have to say in my experience it definitely had time - I have had one settle and start to bite within 30 seconds of leaving my back door. Were you wearing white/light coloured clothing as they seem to home in on this? On the hornets I have to agree (again) - generally docile and by and large they will give you fair warning if you're to close for their comfort. I have strimmed straight over the entrance hole of a nest and chainsawed into a fallen tree with a nest in. On both occasions they came bundling out (maybe 40 or 50) and just flew around a few feet in front of me. It felt like I was being 'assessed' - almost an 'Are you sure you want to carry on ?' moment !!! We have the Asian version over here now - they are supposed to be much more aggressive but I haven't found this at all - so far !!!

….… and they'll probably be just as clear in their diagnoses as we are so far on this thread !!! My best guess is a horsefly. Perhaps not the 'normal' sized version but maybe one of the bigger ones. They land super lightly, you often don't even feel the bite and are renowned for 'cutting' into you rather than a bite as such. Also you may want to do a quick search on Horsefly bite cellulitis for an explanation of the lump and continued itching. Regulars on here may recall me whining about being stung by a hornet a few years ago. It still itches occasionally and I have a permanent lump a couple of mm under the skin about the size of a lemon pip.

Only slightly different subject (breed) - anyone seen any Swifts yet ? Usually reckon they get here about now ! None so far though.