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Sheffields Flora and Fauna


Guest Trefcon

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No photos I'm afraid but this afternoon I was out and about around Fulwood Lane at the top of the Porter Valley, and was treated to the most fantastic flying display by a lapwing, swooping and soaring, absolutely magical, with a background of the wind sighing and curlews calling on the moors. What more could you ask, and then to top it all I had a rare encounter with a brown-coated Hilldweller patrolling its territory! ;-)

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No photos I'm afraid but this afternoon I was out and about around Fulwood Lane at the top of the Porter Valley, and was treated to the most fantastic flying display by a lapwing, swooping and soaring, absolutely magical, with a background of the wind sighing and curlews calling on the moors. What more could you ask, and then to top it all I had a rare encounter with a brown-jacketed Hilldweller patrolling its territory! ;-)

Very glad to have a real life rather than cyberspace encounter with a very amiable member of the species Bayleaf on a very pleasent but windy day.

Soon after, I too watched the aerobatics of the Lapwing, followed by a sighting of 3 cock pheasants in the fields leading down into the Mayfield valley.

All in all a very pleasant afternoon.

HD

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Not a lot of activity in Bradway this afternoon, though I did watch this little chap build a house

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Not a lot of activity in Bradway this afternoon, though I did watch this little chap build a house

You watched a wasp build a nest!!! :blink:

Do you want me to phone the environmental health people or will you? B)

In a week or two when there is a swarm of hundreds of them looks like some silly b***** is going to get stung :o

Where did you say it was? In your garden? Right next to your house?

You'd better come up here next few Wednesdays instead of me coming out there! lol

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You watched a wasp build a nest!!! :blink:

Do you want me to phone the environmental health people or will you? B)

In a week or two when there is a swarm of hundreds of them looks like some silly b***** is going to get stung :o

Where did you say it was? In your garden? Right next to your house?

You'd better come up here next few Wednesdays instead of me coming out there! lol

What I did not say is the house does not exist any more, it sort of disappeared when the wasp went away to fetch some more supplies :angry:

Sorry wasp

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What I did not say is the house does not exist any more, it sort of disappeared when the wasp went away to fetch some more supplies :angry:

Sorry wasp

So how did you get rid of it? <_<

Not the old gallon of paraffin trick? :rolleyes:

The nest was in a tree on a very dry hot day :unsure:

OK, Shall I phone for the Fire Brigade before the fire in your garden threatens your house or will you? lol

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When Richard came down a few weeks ago he left some Sheffield Natural History books with me. They're available for anyone to borrow and then pass on around the members. I've been meaning to scan a couple of covers to post, but work has got very busy now. I'll make the effort tonight.

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Not well up on woodpeckers but:

Could they be responsible for these ?

Obviously some old ones, but some newly arrived.

I don't know what else would cause them.

There are more (and deeper ones) round the other side of the trunk but it was facing the sun so I couldn't get a clear picture.

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Not well up on woodpeckers but:

Could they be responsible for these ?

Obviously some old ones, but some newly arrived.

I don't know what else would cause them.

There are more (and deeper ones) round the other side of the trunk but it was facing the sun so I couldn't get a clear picture.

During the Easter holidays I was taking a short cut through Herdings wood on the path that goes from Gleadless Road opposite the Heeley & Sheffield House, down the side of the Carlton Social Club, through the woods and emerges on a path on Leighton Road.

While in the wood there was this very loud intermittent noise like a chainsaw or a motorbike, but there was no one around and the noise was coming from above.

High up an old, long dead tree trunk (too high to get a picture with just my mobile phone) was a woodpecker, giving the tree a good pecking and causing all that noise.

Quite an amazing bird to see, and I have never seen one in Sheffield before. Last time I saw one I was on holiday in Northumberland near the Scottish border.

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We're lucky enough to get woodpeckers in the garden occasionally. They're Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, and I was surprised to see how small they are. Despite being 'Greater' they're only the size of a blackbird, or a bit smaller. As for pecking holes, they'll peck at an existing hole, such as where a branch has come off, to make a hole big enough to nest in, or they'll peck away to get at grubs boring in the wood.

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We're lucky enough to get woodpeckers in the garden occasionally. They're Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, and I was surprised to see how small they are. Despite being 'Greater' they're only the size of a blackbird, or a bit smaller. As for pecking holes, they'll peck at an existing hole, such as where a branch has come off, to make a hole big enough to nest in, or they'll peck away to get at grubs boring in the wood.

Well, except for Woody Woodpecker on the "Woody Woodpecker Show" on TV I have only ever seen about 3 or 4 of them for real.

How come are they?

Especially in the Sheffield area.

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Sheffield Botanical Gardens, July 3rd and 4th 1838 - Cottagers Class

Mr Marsden, Little Sheffield, received one sovereign in addition, having obtained the greatest amount in money prizes for vegetables.

Mr Machon, Little Sheffield, received 10s. for having achieved the second highest amount.

Mr Fielding, Sheffield received 5s for the third greatest amount.

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Sheffield Botanical Gardens, July 3rd and 4th 1838 - Cottagers Class

Mr Marsden, Little Sheffield, received one sovereign in addition, having obtained the greatest amount in money prizes for vegetables.

Mr Machon, Little Sheffield, received 10s. for having achieved the second highest amount.

Mr Fielding, Sheffield received 5s for the third greatest amount.

I take it that these are horticultural show prizes.

Sheffield still has its share of these, like this one in Norfolk Heritage Park in 2006

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Guest Gramps

We're lucky enough to get woodpeckers in the garden occasionally. They're Greater Spotted Woodpeckers, and I was surprised to see how small they are. Despite being 'Greater' they're only the size of a blackbird, or a bit smaller. As for pecking holes, they'll peck at an existing hole, such as where a branch has come off, to make a hole big enough to nest in, or they'll peck away to get at grubs boring in the wood.

Our Woodpeckers seem to be nesting here again this year. One of them has been feeding in the garden all through the winter.

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=5203&view=findpost&p=44471

I'll wait until they're feeding the young before trying to grab some photos - they seem to be much less nervous about having people around at that stage.

We have one pair of nesting Curlews within earshot and have even see them occasionally but Skylarks are very scarce this year, I've seen only one whereas five years ago there were at least half a dozen pairs in the fields along the lane.

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Our Woodpeckers seem to be nesting here again this year. One of them has been feeding in the garden all through the winter.

http://www.sheffield...indpost&p=44471

I'll wait until they're feeding the young before trying to grab some photos - they seem to be much less nervous about having people around at that stage.

We have one pair of nesting Curlews within earshot and have even see them occasionally but Skylarks are very scarce this year, I've seen only one whereas five years ago there were at least half a dozen pairs in the fields along the lane.

Lucky you Gramps, I love to hear curlews, one of the most haunting sounds, along with peacocks!

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Guest Trefcon

There are woodpeckers in Wolly Wood, i remember spotting their nesting site about 12 years ago. I've also seen them flitting about the tree line at the back of our house. Best of all though i have seen a Green Woodpecker in woods alongside the M1 near Chapeltown. There are also Green woodpeckers in the small wood along side the old Firth Park library. And finally when i worked at East Yelland power station in North Devon, a Green woodpecker always seemed to fly across the road as we approached the station down the country lane.

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When Richard came down a few weeks ago he left some Sheffield Natural History books with me. They're available for anyone to borrow and then pass on around the members. I've been meaning to scan a couple of covers to post, but work has got very busy now. I'll make the effort tonight.

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Guest Trefcon

This Heron was perched above the pond by the entrance to Wortley Top Forge this aftrenoon.

I thought i saw an Heron above our garden the other day, turned out to be a Buzzard soaring on the hot thermals getting higher and higher, then just sailed away.

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This Heron was perched above the pond by the entrance to Wortley Top Forge this aftrenoon.

I thought i saw an Heron above our garden the other day, turned out to be a Buzzard soaring on the hot thermals getting higher and higher, then just sailed away.

What's the easy way to distinguish a Heron and a Buzzard?

The bird in your pictures certainly looks very Heron - like.

There is a similar bird which has its home on one of the ponds in Graves Park (the one with the island where the geese nest) which has been there for several years and which I had assumed was a Heron.

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Guest Trefcon

An Heron has a massive beak and long legs !

No, i saw the large wing span out of the corner of my eye and just thought Heron, then i realised it was a Buzzard.

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Guest Gramps

What's the easy way to distinguish a Heron and a Buzzard?

The trailing legs and feet....

http://www.ephotozine.com/photo/1579699

To be fair, at height the Heron wing shape is very similar to a Buzzard, especially when the sun is in your eyes. :)

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Guest Gramps

Our Woodpeckers successfully raised two offspring which are now being encourage to find a patch of their own, - regularly chased off the bird table by one of the parents.

We had a Cuckoo calling quite close to the house on the mornings of 2nd and 5th. June. A bit late in the season I thought but it's he first time I've heard one in over ten years.

Hope all the young Curlews and Skylarks have fledged....the 'farmers' are busy with their killing machines :(

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Bees seem to be doing well this year. At least around here.

Lots of different kinds as well.

==============

I can't imagine why, but last week the birds seemed to disappear. Just the odd few about.

I was a bit worried because there are even more cats about than usual this year but the birds re-appeared after a couple of days.

==============

I've not seen the field mice for a while now. I think the cats have done for them.

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