What a delightful trip report. I really enjoyed reading. And despite having some 25 years of birdwatching under my belt this is the first time I learn that the white chest band on common buzzards has a name!
I only learned it recently, too - it’s a lovely name and whenever I see photos of town mayors with their various neck adornments I get to think of buzzards!
I really enjoyed this. I love reading and learning about an environment that might superficially resemble the one I live in (temperate) but with all different species, many related to the ones I see. It is like they are parallel (or something.) It makes me dream of going to Europe and observing and photographing all the not-necessarily-rare wildlife.
I was particularly excited to learn about the wasp spider. I listened to this in the car (read by the surprisingly good AI voice) before coming back to look at the pictures, and wondered if the wasp spider was related to the writing spiders of the Southeastern US. Sure enough, they are in the same genus - Argiope. Some of ours make the straight line of ZZZZZ's, and others sit in an X of four of those lines, at the center of their webs. I'm thrilled to know these are called "stabilimentum" as now I can write about them more accurately and succinctly!
Oh thank you so much for sharing - I’ve never heard of writing spiders, but they’re beautiful! And I’m glad (and surprised to know) the AI voice isn’t awful.
I remember being on holiday in Croatia and not knowing that praying mantis live wild there. Like you say - not necessarily rare or remotely interesting to the locals, but I thought it was incredible! We have no mantis species here at all.
I did not know that! But now I am reminded that when visiting family in Colorado, I found out (from the kids, who love insects) that they lived in a part of the state with no mantis species, and at least on iNaturalist, the only ones nearby were an introduced species from Europe. Here in Georgia, we have a native Carolina mantis and an introduced Chinese mantis. I had been taking them for granted!
After reading yesterday, I ended up browsing iNaturalist for the preserve you highlighted, admiring pictures of wrens and kingfishers and dragonflies that are similar to, related to, what we have here, but different.
It was very interesting to watch. Buzzards are heavy, but the marsh harrier is bigger - I wouldn’t like to guess who would have won if they weren’t both too well fed to fight over the prey!
Lots of fabulous sightings Gem and really well done on your spotted flycatchers. A species which is frustratingly avoiding me this year. They are very scarce around us though.
I’ve only seen a handful in total, mostly in the very North of England or Scotland so I was pleasantly surprised. Now I just need to find a Pied Flycatcher!
Ahh fantastic. Yes I saw some straggling swifts at Fowlmere in Cams - most of them disappeared weeks ago. Presumably this years going follow their parents later on?
What a delightful trip report. I really enjoyed reading. And despite having some 25 years of birdwatching under my belt this is the first time I learn that the white chest band on common buzzards has a name!
I only learned it recently, too - it’s a lovely name and whenever I see photos of town mayors with their various neck adornments I get to think of buzzards!
I think I will do the same from now on.
I really enjoyed this. I love reading and learning about an environment that might superficially resemble the one I live in (temperate) but with all different species, many related to the ones I see. It is like they are parallel (or something.) It makes me dream of going to Europe and observing and photographing all the not-necessarily-rare wildlife.
I was particularly excited to learn about the wasp spider. I listened to this in the car (read by the surprisingly good AI voice) before coming back to look at the pictures, and wondered if the wasp spider was related to the writing spiders of the Southeastern US. Sure enough, they are in the same genus - Argiope. Some of ours make the straight line of ZZZZZ's, and others sit in an X of four of those lines, at the center of their webs. I'm thrilled to know these are called "stabilimentum" as now I can write about them more accurately and succinctly!
Here is one of my region's Argiope, from a recent hike that I hope to write about eventually: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/305906210
Oh thank you so much for sharing - I’ve never heard of writing spiders, but they’re beautiful! And I’m glad (and surprised to know) the AI voice isn’t awful.
I remember being on holiday in Croatia and not knowing that praying mantis live wild there. Like you say - not necessarily rare or remotely interesting to the locals, but I thought it was incredible! We have no mantis species here at all.
I did not know that! But now I am reminded that when visiting family in Colorado, I found out (from the kids, who love insects) that they lived in a part of the state with no mantis species, and at least on iNaturalist, the only ones nearby were an introduced species from Europe. Here in Georgia, we have a native Carolina mantis and an introduced Chinese mantis. I had been taking them for granted!
After reading yesterday, I ended up browsing iNaturalist for the preserve you highlighted, admiring pictures of wrens and kingfishers and dragonflies that are similar to, related to, what we have here, but different.
Absolutely cracking write up! My favourite parts in no particular order:
- the fact that buzzards wear a Mayoral Chain
- bird fingers
- the beleaguered marsh harrier dad, just doing his best with a deadbeat daughter
- the little floofball wren
- wasp spiders?!? I had no idea
Stunning photos as always - and interesting to get a sense of the history too
The marsh harrier chick really is the laziest ‘failure to launch’ 😂
This is like going on a guided nature walk through the reserve, love it. Crazy you got to see the buzzard and marsh harrier interacting like that!
It was very interesting to watch. Buzzards are heavy, but the marsh harrier is bigger - I wouldn’t like to guess who would have won if they weren’t both too well fed to fight over the prey!
Lots of fabulous sightings Gem and really well done on your spotted flycatchers. A species which is frustratingly avoiding me this year. They are very scarce around us though.
I’ve only seen a handful in total, mostly in the very North of England or Scotland so I was pleasantly surprised. Now I just need to find a Pied Flycatcher!
Pied flycatchers Turning up frequently on the east coast now. Migration is happening.
Saw 10 swifts on Norfolk coast yesterday
Ahh fantastic. Yes I saw some straggling swifts at Fowlmere in Cams - most of them disappeared weeks ago. Presumably this years going follow their parents later on?