ABtrees

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.

Update : Why do things never quite turn out as planned ?!!! The caterpillars went on their hols as suggested and boy do they like plantain ! So 'my friend' put them in the aquarium kept them fed and watered and made a nice gauze lid for it - everyone happy. Then the weather failed to keep it's side of the bargain. It just stayed cold, wet and horrible and actually still is - tomorrow is full cloud, drizzle and a high of 10 degrees. Anyway long story short about 4 days in one of the blighters pupated, followed by pretty much all his mates (mainly stuck to the roof and glass). Sadly looks like I'm going to miss the show (back in the UK - quarantining). Yesterday - one very excited daughter on the phone - we have our first butterfly hatched. Today we have 18 ! They're currently residing in the greenhouse out of the wind and rain - I reckon Monday is the big release day (16 degrees and sunshine). I'll try to get some video taken of it but in the meantime hope you enjoy the pic - doesn't really do them justice.

Finally spring is here and they're all waking up and preparing for the sunnier days ahead. This is Lucky !

Morning all. Had a few 'not so common' turn up in the last few days so here's a quick selection (of variable quality !) along with a couple of 'old reliables'. Haven't yet got the one I want -but who knows maybe today ?!!!

Moi aussi. I have seen these birds every year for the last 10 yrs. You rarely see more than one at a time and the male stands out like a sore thumb - I am definitely seeing them more often (or maybe that should read noticing them). The Marsh is significantly bigger and Male has a lot of brown on (female almost entirely brown with a white head). For me the Hen could be mistaken for a Montagu's Harrier but in all honesty I don't think I have ever seen one - the key for me is the black bar along the wings - not just the tips. Mick - I totally agree almost unique in colour AND flight - amazing to watch (must make the effort and get some pics). 3 weeks ago nearly had an accident - driving along and suddenly there's one along side me flying parallel to me in the field, not 20 metres away. Literally couldn't take my eyes off it - wouldn't have looked good on the insurance claim form !

That is exactly why this forum is so good - the level of knowledge on here is so useful. Thank you Paul for the heads up on this - I think your ID is spot on Autumnalis it is. I stand corrected. But from what I have just read these little critters aren't a barrel of laughs either ! Or rather their larvae aren't. I've never seen (noticed) them before - ever been ''bitten' ? Definitely another one to 'look out for'. Ticks here (France) have a 'season' starting about now and going through till October - have always put it down to temperature and we are always that bit colder than the UK in the winter. My daughters have already taken 3 or 4 off our 2 cats so we're back into our daily 'bug-check' routine now (that's on us not the cats). Reckon I found 6 or 7 on me throughout last year - get them removed early - that's the key. So many deer around atm - that's the problem. Thanks again Paul

Saw quite a few of these guys in the last few days - all heading upstream !

TICK ALERT ! Be warned - think Lyme's - always do a bug check after a day in the woods - and use a proper tool to remove them when found. Anyone ever seen a scarlet coloured tick ? If so please tell me what this is. I know there are normally black and black and red ones but I've never seen one like this - any ideas or info pls. ?

Thanks for all the positive feed back. The 'mouse' in question was actually one of those Garden Dormice (as fully protected under EU law - I think to the tune of 5000 Euro fine for disturbance !!!). However valued it may be - they're not blessed with much intelligence and are extremely curious. There are several positioning holes in the front axle to adjust the width of the track. I reckon it had put it's head into the hole, lost it's balance and panicked. I put on both my gloves (they have needle sharp teeth) lifted it so it was upside down and eased its head back out of the hole. As soon as it was free I just let it fall to the floor and the rest is history. Good on the 3 of you (and I'm sure plenty of others on here) for your respective rescues. Not sure I would tackle a fully tooled up Roe buck though ! And yes Doug I too have had to do the (pleased to say) occasional humane despatch - last one (sorry to say) was a Great Tit attacked by one of our chickens - broken wing and leg - not good.

On the Iggly thread the question came up on intervening (a bit) to help wildlife out. I generally believe not to do so unless the animal is truly at risk. There's an old abandoned DB selectamatic in a field near me. On Saturday I was walking past and saw this tail flapping about on the front axle stub. This little fella was completely stuck - so should you intervene or not ? Needless to say ……….. he did look a bit dazed once freed though - he just sat there for a bit. Came back that way 20 mins later and he was gone.

Forecast now showing 'only' minus 6 for mon and tues night then back to 18 this time next week - I think they'll be going 'on their holidays' this afternoon for a couple of days - back by the weekend ! As I said this particular butterfly is one of my favourites so anything I can do to help will probably get done - not too fussed about 'other people's rules' !!!

Yeah that was my main concern. Mind you there's only so much one can (should) do - it's just I do like to see these and I'm trying to nurture as many different species as possible. I am quietly convinced that last year we had two broods one v. early (April) and the other Sept ish. But I can't find any records of this happening - even locally. My daughter has been spotting loads of newts in the last few days as well (see pic below.). They're pretty cool - but nothing on Mick's from last year !

Oh and we are incredibly lucky to have found ourselves in fritilliary central : Silver -washed, Queen of Spain, Marbled, Lesser Marbled, Violet, Heath, Dark Green, Knapweed and Small Pearl Bordered to name (quite) a few !

Absolutely bang on Paul - saw a few more than usual last year (see the Local Wildlife thread that I'm sorry to say I hijacked last year) so left maybe 50m2 of lawn uncut all summer long and found these 3 days ago. Chuffed. However I'm in a bit of a quandary : I believe in generally leaving things be and letting nature take it's course BUT today was 23 degrees - next Weds forecast is for 4 inches of snow followed by minus 8 !!! I'm not sure they'll make it so thinking of kidnapping the whole lot for a few days and putting them back afterwards - what do you reckon ?

You're definitely heading in the right direction with that - and no more in the middle (of France !). Go on, name names then ?

Quite pleased with these little fellas (if they are what I think they are) - anyone want to have a guess ?