Super! Nature Notes

Turqs

Who lives there?

whispered

Good question, turqs.

It is surprising how many trees have naturally developing hollows inside them, with very little indication of damage on the outside. They are caused by the natural stresses and strains of growth. So the hollow in the middle of this tree may not have been actively excavated by anything. (I discovered this after doing a course on finding bat roosts in trees - and being shown lots of amazing secret sleeping places I'd never have suspected)

But this one has obviously been chiseled out from the outside subsequently - I would guess by a woodpecker (probably Great Spotted). Because its such a major, conspicuous, bit of excavation, I'd guess that it was looking for food, rather than making a nest/roosting hole.

If there is an entrance/exit hole higher up the trunk, I wouldn't be surprised if this hole was made by a woodpecker going after a nestful of baby birds. It might also have been enlarged by a squirrel later.

If there isn't one, I'd say it was a more routine case of going after wood-dwelling grubs etc.

Turqs

Actually it was only a stump of broken or chopped tree (can't remember now). I think it was hungry woodpecker's job though. Look here, another broken/chopped tree:

It's a one very blurry picture, but holes are visible. Dead tree means lots of tasty creatures ;)

It was just on the edge of quite old stubble field.

Turqs · Post edited by Turqs at 2016-12-07 15:57:30

Here's picture of similar place just few yards away (and one of my fave oaks in the middle):

Urban_Tribesman

whispered

^Aw, lovely, UT

Yes, those other pics are definitely woodpecker, Turqs - though a Nuthatch might have had a go too.

Ponygurl

Well, I got a pack of wild coyotes I'd say within a half mile of where I'm staying. I've been woken up by their crazy calls several times during the past week. They like to call early in the morning, like around 4 am. They whoop and yip, and at first I didn't know what it was. It sounded like hyenas. I've been trying to record their calls on my phone, but it seems as soon I'm ready to record..they stop! I found a clip of their sounds- the third sound clip in is what I've been startled awake by. Gonna try to record them again-

Whickwithy

Pretty cool, UT....

Turqs

whispered · Post edited by whispered at 2016-12-16 15:46:54

Wish I had a coyotes to listen to. But I have a garden full of birds - they've made the feeding station part of their daily routine, so it's always busy. The window box feeder works well, so they are coming as close as they possibly could, which is lovely.

When I get the chance, I've been reading a lot about primate evolution; I may post some highlights shortly

Whickwithy

Coyotes? Really? It seems like birds would sound a lot better?

Turqs · Post edited by Turqs at 2016-12-16 17:41:56

whispered

Whickwithy said:
Coyotes? Really? It seems like birds would sound a lot better?

Both for choice! I just love the sense of being surrounded by wild creatures. I used to make an annual trip to the North Norfolk coast in the autumn. That's the time of year when the geese arrive from the Arctic for the winter, whilst waves of migratory birds sweep through on their way south to Africa. If you get a spell of Easterly winds and fog, you can find yourself caught up in a "fall" of migrating birds which have been forced to make an emergency landing on their journey. So that everywhere you go, the fields and hedgerows are alive with birds.

One year, I remember walking along a coastal path and literally having to step over Redstarts that had crash-landed in the fog, thousands of them hijacked on their way from Scandinavia to sub-Saharan Africa. Magical!

Whickwithy

Yah, I'm with you on that. The sound of the geese flying over is sort of like a call to winter.

I remember reading an article about one migratory bird lately (I can't remember which one). It was crazy. They were saying that the bird could stay in the air for the complete trip of like 3,00 miles. Crazy.

I've got lots of wild creatures around my house but, very few, other than some birds make any noise that intrigues me. I guess squirrels, with their chatter, sometimes can be amusing. Chipmunks is a sound I don't like at all because I don't like them digging their holes. I have cleared a swath of probably a mile by transporting them across the marsh. Ha! There are LOTS of them over there now. Crows used to really annoy me. Just such a grating sound. But, I guess I've gotten used to it. Grackles, now, I haven't heard them in ages and am glad.

I just love the way, in the spring, it's like the birds are all celebrating the spring with their songs. What a great way to wake up! I doubt they are really celebrating but it sure sounds like it. And, to me, it's fascinating that the songs disappear come summer.

The other thing that tickles me is the squirrels in the cold weather. They are so much more energetic in what they do. Of course, they are just trying to stay warm but it's still fun to watch them so full of energy.

Whickwithy

I was just posting this somewhere else and thought it might fit nicely here. It's about English gardens.

Gardens

I just bought three books on English Gardens and I don't know whether to be disheartened or encouraged. Of the three books, "A Natural History of English Gardening: 1650–1800", "Vita Sackville-West's (makes me thing of the Hobbit and cracks me up every time) Sissinghurt", and "Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds", I've only received "Sissinghurst" and the surprising thing, to me, is that it is very readable. "A Natural History of English Gardening: 1650–1800" has a lovely dust jacket.

Of them all, I am most enjoying "Secret Gardens of the Cotswolds" by Victoria Summerley and Hugo Rittson-Thomas. Considering she was exectuive editor of The Independent, it makes sense. She makes a fascinating lyrical story and the pictures by Rittson-Thomas are gorgeous.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories