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buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 19 5:33 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

An interesting moth, but no idea what it is. With any luck the caterpillar stage of most butterflies and moths is over now, so we stand a chance of our cabbages and salad growing a bit before the winter.

In a cosy polytunnel there is no saying how long caterpillars will keep munching

Henry

gz

Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8600
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 19 7:30 pm Post subject:

buzzy wrote:

That's a Silver Y (Autographa gamma) gz. Mainly a migrant species, but the ones that arrive in spring may breed, and be reinforced by an autumn wave of incomers. So uncertain which category this falls into, but I have never heard of them being a nuisance. They apparently feed on "a wide variety of low plants" whatever that means.

Henry

Thanks..it's beautiful...and there are a few in the polytunnel!!

buzzy

Joined: 04 Jan 2011
Posts: 3708
Location: In a small wood on the edge of the Huntingdonshire Wolds

Posted: Wed Oct 02, 19 11:10 pm Post subject:
I've seen them in hundreds in good immigration years. They are indeed beautiful. Henry

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Thu Oct 03, 19 6:23 am Post subject:
With any luck it means they will have a browse through most things but not eat anything to destruction. My hearting cabbages are recovering from the caterpillar onslaught, but the kale and purple sprouters are still looking rather sick. Hope enough of them pull through to give me a crop. Something, probably a mouse, has been chewing on my courgettes in the greenhouse.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 19 2:18 pm Post subject:

wow ,sparrow count was about 30

a hedge, a pot of seeds n mealworms and a pot of peanuts seem popular.

over the last few weeks i have been working on getting them used to me moving among them, a couple of feet if i move and a few inches if they do so far.

my logic is if this lot get to know me now when the survivors of winter bring their offspring in march i will be able to get up close for snaps etc without upsetting them.

there is a new dik but although he has had a few feeds from under things he is nowhere near as comfy as the sparrows

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6540
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 19 2:29 pm Post subject:
Dpack, it's okay to admit that you always wanted to be a Disney princess with sparrows flitting about you.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Oct 07, 19 3:07 pm Post subject:

Shane

Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 3467
Location: Doha. Is hot.

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 19 4:01 am Post subject:

dpack wrote:

a pot of peanuts

Always best to put your peanuts in a wire cage feeder as birds - especially babies - can easily choke on whole peanuts.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 19 6:59 am Post subject:
No, I can't see Dpack in the role of a Disney princess somehow. You are doing well with your sparrow taming though. No sign of Mikro Dik even though another one has turned up?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 19 11:37 am Post subject:

no mikro sammison but this am i met manxi sammison, not even a stump

at the mo the sparrows sound more hitchcock than disney

many out of sight in the hedge making a lot of noise, then stopping, then starting again.

i have no idea what they are up to.
might be ground predator lurking next door or in the alley but they usually just potter off elsewhere for a bit for a cat or whatever

tis nice to know there are sammisons around, i was a bit worried that either displaced rats or rat directed poison might have done for them

as dik is now scoffing dried mealworms from the sparrows banquet they might have been having words with him:lol:

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Oct 08, 19 11:39 am Post subject:

Shane wrote:

dpack wrote:

a pot of peanuts

Always best to put your peanuts in a wire cage feeder as birds - especially babies - can easily choke on whole peanuts.

tis a wire pot with a perch stick so they can peck through the mesh

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 19 6:52 am Post subject:

I quite often hear a bush 'twittering', so know there are a plenty of sparrows inside. I have never managed to tame them, but I don't have that sort of patience; I don't go fishing for the same reason. I do have pet robins though. My 'down the garden' robin comes and pecks round where I am working, particularly if I am working on a compost heap or digging a bed.

Interesting that you have a manxi sammison. Wonder if it was an accident or just born that way.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45459
Location: yes

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 19 10:54 am Post subject:
trauma at a guess

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6540
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 19 11:43 pm Post subject:
Haven't seen the offender myself, but had to pull 31 porcupine quills out of my dog's chin a few mornings back. They're funny little critters, but this was the first time our old girl had to learn that they are not to be chased. Hopefully she'll keep it in mind the next time she decides to run after something in the dark

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15575

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 19 6:36 am Post subject:
Do the spines break of easily if something attacks it? I hope your dog is all right after that. She should have a good idea now that you don't chase them.

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