http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:44:18 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63200-lake-district-holidays.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:44:54 GMT Can anyone recommend a good place/area to stay in the Lake district. We have two dogs and are interested in taking lots of walks and wildlife/landscape shots. A local pub or two is a priority! :p:p Thanks - Wizzo Can anyone recommend a good place/area to stay in the Lake district. We have two dogs and are interested in taking lots of walks and wildlife/landscape shots. A local pub or two is a priority! :p:p Thanks - Wizzo ]]> General Wildlife wizzo http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63200-lake-district-holidays.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63192-chainsaws-stag-beetles-nitrogen-and-fungi.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:41:42 GMT Many of you out there who own and occasionally use chainsaws, may not be aware of a campaign to encourage users to fell dead standing trees higher than normal, say, at a height between waist and below shoulder height. This is not only easier on the back to do, but also leaves more wood available... Many of you out there who own and occasionally use chainsaws, may not be aware of a campaign to encourage users to fell dead standing trees higher than normal, say, at a height between waist and below shoulder height.

This is not only easier on the back to do, but also leaves more wood available for wildlife, such as fungi and invertebrates.
One of our most remarkable beetles, the Stag Beetle lives in such habitats for up to 6 years chomping away at the wood before emerging as that wonderful beast we all should know and love.

Many fungi, such as Smokey Bracket and Turkey Tail will often begin to grow on such habitats and it is these fungi which are most important, as we all need nitrogen to survive and there is very little, if any, nitrogen in dead wood.
It is known that the beetle can 'fix' nitrogen from the atmosphere, but so little that it would take 130 years for enough to be 'fixed' for it's survival needs, so how do they obtain their nitrogen ?

Research has already taken place with Lesser Stag Beetles and it is now known that they obtain their nitrogen from chewing the minute fungal threads called mycelium.
The mycelium is the main 'body' of the fungus, the toadstool itself being only there to produce spores.
It is suspected that the Stag Beetle too, obtains it's nitrogen 'fix' in the same way, and work is currently underway looking into this.

So in the meantime, can I appeal to anybody who has a dying or dead tree in their garden and is planning to have it taken down, please do your bit to help wildlife and tell the man with the chainsaw to cut it between waist and just below his shoulder height - the creepy crawlies and the birds and fungi will love you for it.

Many thanks, Neil. ]]> General Wildlife fairplay http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63192-chainsaws-stag-beetles-nitrogen-and-fungi.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63123-when-will-autumn-arrive.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:34:29 GMT summer plants have regained leaved and have bud up again, the fuchsias are now back out in flower again and the nasturtium seeds have germinated and grown into large plants, frogs and toads are out on the lawn, this is not normal November weather in yorks summer plants have regained leaved and have bud up again, the fuchsias are now back out in flower again and the nasturtium seeds have germinated and grown into large plants, frogs and toads are out on the lawn, this is not normal November weather in yorks ]]> General Wildlife tom00_uk http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63123-when-will-autumn-arrive.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63056-very-strange-sight.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:20:46 GMT Walking my dog today I came across a very sad & strange sight, the picture below is rather disturbing, this was in a wood on the South Downs, perhaps not so strange that a young dear has been killed, but how and what has eaten half of it, in such a tidy way, it seems like the head half appears untouched but the back half is clean, I don't even know what type dear this is..... any ideas or clues would be interesting.


Stew:( ]]> General Wildlife ohgreatstew http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63056-very-strange-sight.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63028-so-can-animals-experience-display-emotions.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:22:10 GMT Don't know if this is the correct forum for this subject - but here goes. Do you believe that amimals can feel or display emotions such as...rage, anger, love, deceipt or selfishness. My opinion is a definate yes. I've witnessed all of these emotions/feelings in probably all of my pets, at some time or another. If this is the wrong forum, I will try and move it? Wizzo ]]> General Wildlife wizzo http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/63028-so-can-animals-experience-display-emotions.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62998-1000-marine-skeleton-ids.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:35:41 GMT Walking along the tideline on a beach in Cornwall I came across a huge area of these all washed up on the shore. Firstly can anyone please identify them? Secondly would someone have an idea as to why there were so many at the same time. The date the pictures were taken was 21/08/09. There had not... Walking along the tideline on a beach in Cornwall I came across a huge area of these all washed up on the shore. Firstly can anyone please identify them? Secondly would someone have an idea as to why there were so many at the same time. The date the pictures were taken was 21/08/09. There had not been any major storms or large swell. Thank you
Peter
]]> General Wildlife Stomperone http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62998-1000-marine-skeleton-ids.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62899-when-do-new-arrivals-become-natives.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:36:52 GMT One thing I've been wondering about, is when we get new species arriving in the UK, seemingly under their own steam with no human intervention, when do we class them as natives to Britain? Take the Collared Dove for example, it had a massive expansion to it's range last century, we class it as part of our native fauna now don't we?

The question occured to me when reading about butterflies such as the Queen of Spain Fritillary. There have been a fair number of sightings in the past few years and even evidence that a breeding population may be gaining a foothold in the south east. However there is some doubt as to whether they are natural vagrants, even though there are nearby populations across the channel. We don't really know and probably never will, so (and this I suppose is a slightly different question) at what point do we decide when it is likely a natural expansiona and part of our native fauna?

Sorry if some of that doesn't make sense, it's been a long day :o ]]> General Wildlife James M http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62899-when-do-new-arrivals-become-natives.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62774-interference.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:38:01 GMT Has anyone here ever interfered with something natural? I keep seeing around the internet people who want to deter Sparrowhawks etc. It really angers me, if you feed one you feed them all. I personally only interfere if the animal in question is in danger from human or pet. Has anyone here ever interfered with something natural? I keep seeing around the internet people who want to deter Sparrowhawks etc. It really angers me, if you feed one you feed them all. I personally only interfere if the animal in question is in danger from human or pet. ]]> General Wildlife TheSeagull http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62774-interference.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62762-swans-high-street.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:52:34 GMT Pretty village of Bosham on the Sussex south coast is inundated by the sea and swans at most high tides but villagers cope with 2ft high threshold steps to their front doors. Here's a video clip from our visit yesterday ;)
]]> General Wildlife nytecam http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62762-swans-high-street.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62710-scientific-names-confusion.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:22:27 GMT I've always been interested in wild plants and have known quite a few scientific names for a long time. I don't know many birds though.
I've just noticed that the Dunnock is Prunella modularis and I remembered that Selfheal is Prunella vulgaris.
Are there many instances of the same generic names being used for totally different organisms? Or have I just made a mistake here?

Thanks,

Steve :confused: ]]> General Wildlife JackintheGreen http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62710-scientific-names-confusion.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62682-bonfire-night.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:48:39 GMT It's that time again! I find bonfire night celebrations very upsetting when I think about how many hedgehogs have got into pre-built bonfires. We are having a mini-campaign in the Visitor Centre asking people to check their bonfires. Would appreciate it if you could do the same.

Cheers ]]> General Wildlife rangersarah2 http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62682-bonfire-night.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62661-invasive-meerkats.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:09:15 GMT Hi, Read in the paper a few days ago, that a couple had built a meerkat run in their garden and stocked it with four. Has anyone checked whether they could become invasive, some are bound to escape from there or elsewhere. Max. Hi,

Read in the paper a few days ago, that a couple had built a meerkat run in their garden and stocked it with four.

Has anyone checked whether they could become invasive, some are bound to escape from there or elsewhere.

Max. ]]> General Wildlife m1.carson http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62661-invasive-meerkats.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62654-worries-me.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:00:29 GMT News - Extinction crisis continues apace (http://www.iucnredlist.org/news/extinctioncrisiscontinuesnovember09launch) very worrying reading News - Extinction crisis continues apace

very worrying reading ]]> General Wildlife clackdish http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62654-worries-me.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62640-bird-animal-droppings.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:06:34 GMT Can anybody assist please. These were on a fishing platform on the edge of a lake.Image: http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/data/31/thumbs/2009_11040001.JPG (http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/archive/showphoto.php?photo=116685)Image:... Can anybody assist please. These were on a fishing platform on the edge of a lake. ]]> General Wildlife heys http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62640-bird-animal-droppings.html http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62581-mounting-skulls-and-feathers.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:28:16 GMT Hello :) Like many others on this site, I have an ever-growing collection of found objects. My home is like a small museum, but most of my finds are housed in boxes due to a lack of horizontal surfaces on which to display them. I would be most grateful for any ideas on how to increase... Hello :)

Like many others on this site, I have an ever-growing collection of found objects. My home is like a small museum, but most of my finds are housed in boxes due to a lack of horizontal surfaces on which to display them.

I would be most grateful for any ideas on how to increase the maximum surface areas for display (I have wall space and a large darkwood dresser). I'd like to hang the skulls vertically (like shields :D) and I particularly need advice on how to display feathers.

I also need to know how to mount fragile items like spider crab carapaces and certain shells.

Although not wildlife, some suggestions on how to mount old fragments of pottery and small rock samples would also be appreciated :D

I'm aiming for aesthetically pleasing displays and not scientific ones, and I'd be particularly interested to see photographs of how other members have chosen to display their finds :)

Cheers,

Andestine

]]> General Wildlife Andestine http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/general-wildlife/62581-mounting-skulls-and-feathers.html