Wildlife Top Trumps

[Headfry]

Yes Sue, they are huge as slugs go, and also stunning to look at. Never knew they existed until I saw that first one.

[rustylady]

When we first went to visit the allotment a couple of years ago we disturbed a Muntjac deer which was sleeping in or near the "shed". Not seen it since, but I know they live nearby, Foxes too. Actually on the plot I've recently seen all manner of birds, get lots of butterflies and dragonflies in summer. Frogs are regulars. AND THE BL***Y NEIGHBOURS CATS.

[whigger]

Quite luckily living in the country we tend to see quite a lot of wildlife. Seem to have resident pairs of Robins, Blackbirds and Dunnocks. We are also regularly visited by blue, coal and great tits. Wood mice and common voles also seem to have set up residence.....so much so that we have been visited a couple of times by a Barn owl. Plenty to see in the surrounding fields as well.....Buzzards, Red legged Partridge, Roe deer, sparrowhawks, foxes, and it's a good time of year for Hare watching as well. The local woods are also teeming with Red Squirrels.....we're lucky enough to be just too far north for the greys to have pushed them out.

[Paul Wagland]

They are huge & creepy looking aren't they but they're supposed to be less harmful than 'ordinary' slugs as they live off fungus & decaying matter, don't think they've told that to the ones in my garden though, I'm sure they nibble the plants. They are quite attractive though I suppose in their own way!

I think leopard slugs are carnivorous - they eat other types of slug so are definitely a good thing!

[roitelet]

Where to begin? Living in a very rural setting the wildlife is quite amazng so I think that it will just have to be a list.

Birds - Sparrows, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Willow Tits, Longtail Tits, Crested Tits, Wood Peckers green and spotted, Black Redstarts, Field Fares, Redwings, Nuthatches, Tree Creepers, Sparrow Hawks, Black birds, Thrushes and passing by Buzzards, Barn Owls and Long Eared Owls.

Mammals - Field Mice, Harvest Mice, Dormice, Lerot (Garden dormice) Hedghogs, Rabbits, usually dead thankfully, Red Squirrels, Hares and passing through Deer and Badgers, No evidence of foxes or polecats although they are around.

Aquatic things - Frogs, bright green, Toads, Crested newts, back swimmers, water measurers and Water beetles

Misc - Dragonflies assorted large and small, Spiders some quite spectular, Adders nearly stood on one and Slow worms, not to mention a huge variety of butterflies and moths in a good year which last year wasn't.

[greg77]

a group of beautiful goldfinches visit couple of times a week.

[Graham S]

Wildlife Top trumps

We have common lizards and slow worms ever year on the allotment- basking in the sun on the black weed control fabric.
Foxes visit and bury eggs, stolen from the ducks and geese on the river.
Deer pass through - never see them but see where theyv'e been.

Headfry - make sure you make a 'cage' for your hive out of chicken wire if you have a woodpecker problem!

cheers
Graham

[kirsty b]

I have seen a fox on my allotment, was more concerned with chasing him away from my chook run than taking a pic.

Also have a pair of robins, a family of blue tits and various other birds.
Red Admiral butterflies, had loads last year and found a little lizard while cleaning out my hen house too. He was only about 3 inches long, really cute.
Saw a squirrel belting through the trees along the side of my plot too on one occasion.

[Headfry]

Hi Graham, thanks for tip, yes we know about the woodpeckers, and cover is made! have both green and spotted types around.
How are your bees?
mine are very busy!!! there seems to be a lot of them now, many more than expected for the time of year. It was such a small late swarm too.

[Graham S]

Wildlife top trumps

Hi Headfry

Bees are doing well, flying most days when the temperature gets above 10degrees C. Our queen (a buckfast cypriot) seems to be laying well - but I think it maybe her last year as this is is her 3rd season. Hopefully we'll get a couple of new queens out of her, as she (and her off spring) have great temperaments and are excellant nectar/pollen collectors.
Can't wait for the first seasons honey - every year its different!

cheers
Graham

[Headfry]

This, with lots of luck will be our first honey year! The 'girls' seem to have survived the gales, how are yours?
I have a glass quilt on so can see them (bliss) without taking hive apart - this has worked very well for my novice ways, I am not sure it was the correct thing to do trough winter but it has helped me when feeding candy. much less time taken with hive open!
What type of hive have you Graham? I'm a national girl!
I love my bees, honey is just a by product for me - but a very yummy one!
I can't wait to hear their humming on a soft summers morning, day, evening! heavenly

[Graham S]

They have survived - amazingly still flying even in the wind. We have nationals also (3) - but only one occupied at the moment. Hopefully get altleast one more up and running this year as our queen will be retiring soon!
cheers
Graham

[scared55]

Just found this thread.

We see a bit - all listed on the wildlife page at our site. Photographs are all our own and separated into four albums, birds, mammals, reptiles/amphibians and insects/gastropods.

KK

[Elijay]

Are leopard slugs rare? A few years ago they invaded my kitchen to get at the cat food. I'd just moved into a dilapidated house and was aware that some slugs were coming in during the night - leaving slimy trails as evidence. Very early one morning I came down for a drink and found one gorging itself in the cat's bowl! The trail hadn't given any indication to size so I was slightly taken aback when I saw it for real. They don't come in any more as I've stopped up the gaps. They must have an incredibly sensitive sense of smell?

[sewer rat]

Forgot to mention the skylarks - loads of them - love listening to them on a warm day - not too many of them at the moment though (warm days that is, not skylarks - got loads of them again.)