billc
Youth Player
Posts: 490
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Post by billc on Sept 6, 2018 8:24:36 GMT
Nature Notes- the Barn Owl
When we think of owls we think of them as animals that represent wisdom. But that is the view of the ancient world. Ancient Greece to be exact the owl was used to represent Athena the Goddess of Knowledge in the Greek world and Minerva in the Roman. A view of the bird which has returned in modern times which the owl in “Harry Potter" has now set. During the Middle Ages however, owls carried a completely different meaning.
First of all, people who lived in the Middle Ages had a soft spot for word play. So words that resembled each other became associated with one another, even if the actual meaning of these words couldn’t be farther apart. The owl is an example of this.
The Latin word for owl is Bubo. Bubo is also the Greek word for boil, as in lymph node filled with pus and this is where the Bubonic plague got its name. To the medieval mind this meant that owls and swollen lymph nodes were connected. And so the owl became associated with the deadliest of diseases. In other words, if you asked a person from the Middle Ages about owls they would call them the filthiest of animals.
Second, people of the Middle Ages tended to interpret their world through Christian parables. The owl is nocturnal , and it avoids daylight. Because of this, the mysterious owl was used in Christian morality tales to represent those who avoided the light of Christ and would rather dwell in darkness. If you then put together the idea of owls being grimy animals that shied away from light, over time this interpretation of the owl developed which is reflected in medieval art. Fortunately it has been vanquished construal.
It is a lovely bird and when the sun is down, in the soft twilight the bird is abroad, ghost like, in flapping measured flight sometime emitting a hissing scream as it hunts. The owl of Minerva does indeed spread its wings and fly at dusk. That is the image I have of the Barn Owl from last summer when one flew over one clear July night in Abbey Green on the lookout for prey. It has a curios heart shaped face, the eyes dark and handsome with the feathers appearing satin like . Yet they are easily trained and if you wear a glove they can sit comfortably on your hand and admire one of the most perfect creations in nature as the picture of my wife and daughter at the recent event to mark the opening of the climbing frame at Westwood Rec in memory of Zach Barker shows
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Sept 6, 2018 16:58:07 GMT
Seen some funky ladybirds {and shield beetles} about this week, one that had a black backround with two orange 'eye' spots, black pupils, like a voodoo mask. One of the Venus Flytraps trapped a daddy longlegs. First kill.
Homebrewing toneet.
At The Edge - Baddeley Edge Spring Water, Artemisia etc.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Sept 6, 2018 18:14:47 GMT
Seen some funky ladybirds {and shield beetles} about this week, one that had a black backround with two orange 'eye' spots, black pupils, like a voodoo mask. One of the Venus Flytraps trapped a daddy longlegs. First kill. Homebrewing toneet. At The Edge - Baddeley Edge Spring Water, Artemisia etc. First time I saw a venus fly trap for real it was a bit of a disappointment. Much smaller than on the telly, very impressed at what they do though.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Sept 6, 2018 19:45:01 GMT
Seen some funky ladybirds {and shield beetles} about this week, one that had a black backround with two orange 'eye' spots, black pupils, like a voodoo mask. One of the Venus Flytraps trapped a daddy longlegs. First kill. Homebrewing toneet. At The Edge - Baddeley Edge Spring Water, Artemisia etc. First time I saw a venus fly trap for real it was a bit of a disappointment. Much smaller than on the telly, very impressed at what they do though. Not quite the Little Shop of Horrors, no Chuffed but still effective for flies and such. Not had one for twenty years, decided to have another go, armed with better knowledge re environment, using rainwater etc. Was quite successful with Flytraps, sundews, pitcher plants in a south facing lean-to/conservatory in Torquay, interested how I'll fair with them more northerly. Better than a Vapona or electric swatter imo.
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Post by chuffedstokie on Sept 6, 2018 19:52:12 GMT
First time I saw a venus fly trap for real it was a bit of a disappointment. Much smaller than on the telly, very impressed at what they do though. Not quite the Little Shop of Horrors, no Chuffed but still effective for flies and such. Not had one for twenty years, decided to have another go, armed with better knowledge re environment, using rainwater etc. Was quite successful with Flytraps, sundews, pitcher plants in a south facing lean-to/conservatory in Torquay, interested how I'll fair with them more northerly. Better than a Vapona or electric swatter imo. Nearest garden centre to me is probably Astbury I'll have a look at the weekend. I've got a decent South facing glazed bit on the back of the house. Are they easy to keep.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Sept 6, 2018 20:27:57 GMT
Not quite the Little Shop of Horrors, no Chuffed but still effective for flies and such. Not had one for twenty years, decided to have another go, armed with better knowledge re environment, using rainwater etc. Was quite successful with Flytraps, sundews, pitcher plants in a south facing lean-to/conservatory in Torquay, interested how I'll fair with them more northerly. Better than a Vapona or electric swatter imo. Nearest garden centre to me is probably Astbury I'll have a look at the weekend. I've got a decent South facing glazed bit on the back of the house. Are they easy to keep. Homebase stock them {#2.99}, but you can't get any sense with phone inquiries, I had several wild goose chases to find deliveries not arrived, sold out etc. I resorted to the web {#5} but healthier specimens than HB I believe. Since been told the nursery at Trentham Gardens is where it's at for carniverous plants. Prepare to lose an arm and a leg and not to the trap! I've since been told that if buying from a shop/nursery, buy one from the back... those at the front are more likely to have been prodded and fingered, you're already on a loser as it is harmful to them to close without prey. The redder the inside of the trap, the healthier the plant. Happy plant hunting.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Sept 6, 2018 22:21:40 GMT
Not quite the Little Shop of Horrors, no Chuffed but still effective for flies and such. Not had one for twenty years, decided to have another go, armed with better knowledge re environment, using rainwater etc. Was quite successful with Flytraps, sundews, pitcher plants in a south facing lean-to/conservatory in Torquay, interested how I'll fair with them more northerly. Better than a Vapona or electric swatter imo. Nearest garden centre to me is probably Astbury I'll have a look at the weekend. I've got a decent South facing glazed bit on the back of the house. Are they easy to keep. As for 'easy to keep'/ Dunno. They're at risk in their natural environment, a very localised plant, indigenous to the sweaty swamps of Louisiana or somesuch. A plant who's survival in the wild relies on a fragile balance. In that sense it takes particular conditions, and a bit of thought for it to thrive in the house. Luckily they seem to benefit from being left alone. They rely on insects to provide all their nutritional requirements, they don't take any in from their roots from the bog. So they don't need growmore, babybio, or any plant feed etc. Apparently terracotta pots leach minerals which are poison to them, so no re-potting required for a while. They don't like the flourides etc nor ph of tap water, so rainwater/distilled or whatever. They like warm, sunny locations, with the chance of the odd fly. A case of water and watch. They go dormant in winter/cool {when there are fewer flies}, but still need to be kept damp. I've copied something I saw on the web. Two flytraps in a mini bog garden with sphagnm moss and some bark. Keep the moss moist and alive with rainwater, ensure yr watering enough, and not too much. That's all on paper and a new 'adventure'. Not had them long, I would have put them outside on these really hot days, increase catch chance etc. They benefit from the occasional misting. They've been on a south facing window sill for a couple of weeks, sending up new traps and one's just had a daddy'. There's a couple of other closed traps but can't tell if that's small midges or because of curious fingers. Got one in the kitchen window that's acting as control.
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Post by potterinleeds on Sept 7, 2018 8:48:13 GMT
Beautiful, early autumnal morning today. Chilly though - out running at 6.30am, was 5C here and on a sheltered, south-west facing slope, I saw numerous patches of ground frost, each about a foot across. Bit of a shock to the system - it was 35C when I left New York on Tuesday .
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Post by Northy on Sept 8, 2018 6:50:08 GMT
Beautiful, early autumnal morning today. Chilly though - out running at 6.30am, was 5C here and on a sheltered, south-west facing slope, I saw numerous patches of ground frost, each about a foot across. Bit of a shock to the system - it was 35C when I left New York on Tuesday . Pretty cold at castle Raby yesterday and on a walk around High force/low force the day before.
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Post by felonious on Sept 9, 2018 15:07:46 GMT
It's that time of the year, the bloody squirrels are busy burying the walnuts in the lawn
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Post by felonious on Sept 12, 2018 6:28:36 GMT
I've got rid of the Sparrowhawk a few times in the last year from his preferred perch on the bird bath. Yesterday the cheeky sod was there again this time having a bath.
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Post by potterinleeds on Sept 12, 2018 20:11:29 GMT
I've got rid of the Sparrowhawk a few times in the last year from his preferred perch on the bird bath. Yesterday the cheeky sod was there again this time having a bath. I was in the front garden yesterday, heard a piercing shrieking noise, and looked up to see our local Sparrowhawk wheeling overhead with a live adult starling wriggling in his talons.
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Post by felonious on Sept 13, 2018 7:12:43 GMT
I've got rid of the Sparrowhawk a few times in the last year from his preferred perch on the bird bath. Yesterday the cheeky sod was there again this time having a bath. I was in the front garden yesterday, heard a piercing shrieking noise, and looked up to see our local Sparrowhawk wheeling overhead with a live adult starling wriggling in his talons. At this time of the year there's usually around 40 Starlings coming down and probably more Sparrows and of course the Starlings are making a racket and squabbling so any Sparrowhawk with an ounce of hearing can hear them from a mile away or in this case from his safe haven in the trees at a neighbours house 300 metres as the Sparrowhawk flies across the fields.
I gave up with the feeders by the apple tree on the other side of the house some years ago when the buggers were using the children's trampoline as a launch pad for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On this side everyone in the house has more vision and there's a large hydrangea for cover by the side of the feeders. Early on in the year the Sparrowhawk was bouncing up and down on the hydrangea trying to flush the poor birds out.
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Post by Northy on Sept 13, 2018 7:47:43 GMT
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Post by Northy on Sept 13, 2018 11:10:49 GMT
His view for a few weeks. He saw 8 humpback whales from the boat on the way over.
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Post by felonious on Sept 15, 2018 11:27:24 GMT
I spent a minute or two about 12/15 feet away from a Blackcap yesterday. It was sitting on a gate as I approached and wasn't phased when I stopped and had a good look.
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 15, 2018 16:51:56 GMT
Today's subject is 'The Allure of Autumn Berries': I don't know about you, but I HATE seeing people picking blackberries, elderberries, etc., from hedgerows - 'foraging' is supposed to be - what - trendy??? Fun??? 'Orsefeathers to THAT. I always want to say to them ' you don't need to pick those - you can buy your food from the shop or grow some in your garden - the birds and small mammals can't. SO BLUDDY WELL LEAVE THE BERRIES WHERE THEY ARE. The berries are extra important to the wildlife in view of the lower numbers of insects about through the amount of pesticides now used in much of our farming. So now I'm in a bad mood thinking about it. But in any case here's the www link for you: voice.gardenbird.co.uk/a-garden-birders-diary-allure-of-autumn-berries/?utm_source=GardenBird
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Post by potterinleeds on Sept 17, 2018 8:16:20 GMT
Lovely flat surface to the mist when viewed off Otley Chevin this morning - almost as good as a proper cloud inversion - with sunshine lighting the top, and the odd hill / tree poking out here and there. Plenty of autumnal tints beginning to show round here.
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Post by Northy on Sept 18, 2018 9:09:16 GMT
Local inhabitants on round island and its sister serpent island, which is round and doesn't have serpents, unlike round island which isnt quite round and has serpents
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 18, 2018 9:27:21 GMT
Local inhabitants on round island and its sister serpent island, which is round and doesn't have serpents, unlike round island which isnt quite round and has serpents HOW FABULOUS! (The second one looks like Denise Coates..........)
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 18, 2018 11:21:40 GMT
I spotted an adder today out warming itself on the sandstone rock by the side of the path. Unfortunately it saw me first and was scarpering into the undergrowth so it was a fleeting sight. "Why couldn't the viper viper nose? --- Because the adder adder 'andkerchief!" BOOM BOOM! (The cubs used to love that one!) Oh, all right. I'll get me coat......
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Post by felonious on Sept 18, 2018 11:40:29 GMT
Local inhabitants on round island and its sister serpent island, which is round and doesn't have serpents, unlike round island which isnt quite round and has serpents HOW FABULOUS! (The second one looks like Denise Coates..........)Does she wear a shell suit?
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 18, 2018 11:42:59 GMT
HOW FABULOUS! (The second one looks like Denise Coates..........)Does she wear a shell suit? PROBABLY! Pity she wasn't called Michelle!
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Post by felonious on Sept 18, 2018 11:43:20 GMT
Mrs Sparrowhawk was back this morning perched by the guttering on the outhouse with a magpie squawking about two feet away on the tiles. Completely ignoring the magpie and one a few feet further back.
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Post by Northy on Sept 18, 2018 12:41:26 GMT
Today's subject is 'The Allure of Autumn Berries': I don't know about you, but I HATE seeing people picking blackberries, elderberries, etc., from hedgerows - 'foraging' is supposed to be - what - trendy??? Fun??? 'Orsefeathers to THAT. I always want to say to them ' you don't need to pick those - you can buy your food from the shop or grow some in your garden - the birds and small mammals can't. SO BLUDDY WELL LEAVE THE BERRIES WHERE THEY ARE. The berries are extra important to the wildlife in view of the lower numbers of insects about through the amount of pesticides now used in much of our farming. So now I'm in a bad mood thinking about it. But in any case here's the www link for you: voice.gardenbird.co.uk/a-garden-birders-diary-allure-of-autumn-berries/?utm_source=GardenBirdForaging is what our ancestors did to survive. We do a little bit but only enough to make 1 pie a year, but the blackberries wont be picked this year, they have failed. So many sloe and damsons trees about atm, and plenty of wild apple trees where we are that they fall to the ground and are never eaten.
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Post by Northy on Sept 18, 2018 12:42:12 GMT
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 18, 2018 14:35:22 GMT
I went over to Rudyard this afternoon to the hotel for lunch with the kids and went for a short walk along the lake. We had a nice treat coming back there were several Newfoundlands being trained to rescue people in the water down on the corner by the dam overflow. There was quite a crowd watching. Proper heartwarming stuff. I remember seeing them in action on TV in the docks at Bristol a few years back but seeing them in the flesh was brilliant. OMG! (As they say….) Fel, I've only just spotted your post when I was trawling back looking for one from Dees re. teasels - how brilliant to have seen the Newfoundlands training locally - I SO wish I could have done. There was a TV series called 'Extraordinary Dogs' on Channel 5 maybe 4 years ago - this featured the work of various breeds of working + rescue dogs and their handlers from around the world and their valuable contributions - and the programme included Newfs being trained for water rescue, their training involving them being dropped out of helicopters (!!!!!!) into a lake in order to quickly get them to swimmers in difficulty - it was incredible, and they were brilliant - they had no fear - they just got on with it. Seeing them being dropped out of helicopters was truly mind-boggling stuff. Apparently Newfs have 'webbed' paws and specially 'oily' coats which means they're ideal water dogs, and because of their size and strength they can tow people or even boats. There was the usual book to go with the C5 series, so I bought a copy and sent it + a DVD of the series to a dear friend in the USA (Maryland) - she and her husband have two black Newfoundlands and are completely devoted to the breed - they've had a succession of them over many years, always having two at a time, although they always have at least four dogs, recently having also had two beautiful white Pyrenean Mountain Dogs (known as Great Pyrenees in North America) and a St Bernard, so gawd knows how much their current pet food bill must be for four dogs of such a huge size. I can't find a YT clip for the water-rescue Newfs training in the C5 series, but this one is very similar. Everyone should see them - they're marvellous and such amazing heroes:
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Post by felonious on Sept 18, 2018 15:04:17 GMT
I went over to Rudyard this afternoon to the hotel for lunch with the kids and went for a short walk along the lake. We had a nice treat coming back there were several Newfoundlands being trained to rescue people in the water down on the corner by the dam overflow. There was quite a crowd watching. Proper heartwarming stuff. I remember seeing them in action on TV in the docks at Bristol a few years back but seeing them in the flesh was brilliant. OMG! (As they say….) Fel, I've only just spotted your post when I was trawling back looking for one from Dees re. teasels - how brilliant to have seen the Newfoundlands training locally - I SO wish I could have done. There was a TV series called 'Extraordinary Dogs' on Channel 5 maybe 4 years ago - this featured the work of various breeds of working + rescue dogs and their handlers from around the world and their valuable contributions - and the programme included Newfs being trained for water rescue, their training involving them being dropped out of helicopters (!!!!!!) into a lake in order to quickly get them to swimmers in difficulty - it was incredible, and they were brilliant - they had no fear - they just got on with it. Seeing them being dropped out of helicopters was truly mind-boggling stuff. Apparently Newfs have 'webbed' paws and specially 'oily' coats which means they're ideal water dogs, and because of their size and strength they can tow people or even boats. There was the usual book to go with the C5 series, so I bought a copy and sent it + a DVD of the series to a dear friend in the USA (Maryland) - she and her husband have two black Newfoundlands and are completely devoted to the breed - they've had a succession of them over many years, always having two at a time, although they always have at least four dogs, recently having also had two beautiful white Pyrenean Mountain Dogs (known as Great Pyrenees in North America) and a St Bernard, so gawd knows how much their current pet food bill must be for four dogs of such a huge size. I can't find a YT clip for the water-rescue Newfs training in the C5 series, but this one is very similar. Everyone should see them - they're marvellous and such amazing heroes:
Here's one similar to the one I saw on TV. It looks like they hold it every year during the festival.
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Post by murphthesurf on Sept 18, 2018 15:08:33 GMT
I went over to Rudyard this afternoon to the hotel for lunch with the kids and went for a short walk along the lake. We had a nice treat coming back there were several Newfoundlands being trained to rescue people in the water down on the corner by the dam overflow. There was quite a crowd watching. Proper heartwarming stuff. I remember seeing them in action on TV in the docks at Bristol a few years back but seeing them in the flesh was brilliant. PS: What's the hotel called, please, Fel? I was wondering if they might know if the water training is a regular thing? I would love to see the Newfs doing it. Ta!
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Post by felonious on Sept 18, 2018 15:41:23 GMT
I went over to Rudyard this afternoon to the hotel for lunch with the kids and went for a short walk along the lake. We had a nice treat coming back there were several Newfoundlands being trained to rescue people in the water down on the corner by the dam overflow. There was quite a crowd watching. Proper heartwarming stuff. I remember seeing them in action on TV in the docks at Bristol a few years back but seeing them in the flesh was brilliant. PS: What's the hotel called, please, Fel? I was wondering if they might know if the water training is a regular thing? I would love to see the Newfs doing it. Ta! I always refer to it as the Rudyard Hotel however the signs on the roads say "Hotel Rudyard"....all day carvery and you can park and wander down to the lake.
Here you go hotel-rudyard.com/
It was on the lake so you might be better trying the visitor centre. www.rudyardlake.com/visitor-centre/
There's a nice friendly small café down there that they're extending as well. Well worth a trip.
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