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  1. Fozzybear

    UK 'Picture-wing' fly id please?

    Spotted loads of these small yellow flies on a burdock this morning here in Essex but after looking in my (limited) field guides on insects I have no idea which species they might be, except that they appear to be a kind of picture wing fly, possibly some kind of marsh fly or similar. Can anyone...
  2. Fozzybear

    Yellowhammers and Hares on a Sunday morn.

    A wonderful, if damp, early morning walk yesterday here in mid-Essex took me through Great Baddow and southwards to Galleywood Common via the bridleways and farm footpaths east of Galleyend. A route I've walked many times in the past, though infrequently, it offers small spinneys, arable fields...
  3. Fozzybear

    Books about Fulmars?

    Does anyone know any good books on Fulmars? I've seen James Fisher's monograph, The Fulmar, but it's somewhat expensive to say the least and I assume that by now it must be somewhat out of date - is that the case? Is there a better, more recent book?
  4. Fozzybear

    Baffled of Essex

    I found this reasonable sized moth in my bathroom at the weekend and finally managed to get a photo and catch it to release it outside this evening but after trawling through my moth id book twice I'm still no closer to figuring out what species it is - though that's unsurprising as I am...
  5. Fozzybear

    A week in Purbeck

    Had a rather toasty week in Dorset last week, at Corfe Castle. Lovely scenery and terrific for wildlife too. I didn't get to as many heaths as I expected as there was so much to do and being on foot they were mostly a little far for me to walk in the heat, though my brother did so and racked up...
  6. Fozzybear

    A week near Minsmere

    ClarkWGriswold suggested I should post this in the main forum rather than ex-beebs so thought I'd do so, though I should stress that I'm no hardcore birder and prefer to wander around and look for general wildlife rather than chase reported sightings. Just got back today from my spring holiday...
  7. Fozzybear

    A week in Suffolk

    Just got back today from my spring holiday to Suffolk, lots of wandering around the heaths and forests in the countryside around Westleton, Dunwich and Minsmere. Saw loads of stuff, will attach a list below, the highlights being Stone-curlews, Little owls, Turtle Doves, Green Tiger Beetles...
  8. Fozzybear

    Small Ladybird sp. identification? Nephus quadrimaculatus?

    Small Ladybird sp. identification - UK? Nephus quadrimaculatus? Hi, I've just found this ladybird in my garden (on my back door), probably around 2mm in length (very small!) and looking in my Coccinellidae book I wonder if it is Nephus quadrimaculatus - I have a lot of ivy, which they seem to...
  9. Fozzybear

    Your best non-birding wildlife moment?

    To accompany Chickadeedee's thread, what was the best wildlife moment you've had not related to birds, be it insect, mammal, fish, reptile or whatever? My first close sighting of a Fox, one wandering around a little wild area outside my village and walking right past me, was pretty memorable...
  10. Fozzybear

    Patch wish list

    Just thinking and wondered what wildlife I'd most like to see on my patch - other than seeing the Otters that are here I'd probably most like to see Little Owls, which I know have bee seen within a few miles of here but are a bird I've never seen. I'd also love to see a Marsh Harrier over the...
  11. Fozzybear

    UK: Smew?

    This is a pair of very shy birds I saw today on my local patch in Chelmsford, Essex. I 'think' they're Smew but I know my id abilities are not exactly top drawer so would appreciate very much a look from some better eyes. I know some Smew had been seen just south of here earlier in the month but...
  12. Fozzybear

    Books on Kingfishers?

    Does anyone know of a good, comprehensive book on the Common (UK) Kingfisher? I have one of the Charlie Hamilton James books (Kingfisher: Tales From The Halcyon River) but was wondering if there was something more in-depth? Have borrowed Paolo Fioratti's book 'Kingfisher' (edit: not David...
  13. Fozzybear

    Attenborough DVDs rotting!

    Just discovered that some of my David Attenborough DVDs are unplayable, they have a horrible swirling pattern on the playing surface and a few have a misty/stickiness to the label side! One of them is my copy of The Life Of Mammals that David signed for me. :-( I've checked all my BBC dvds and...
  14. Fozzybear

    Ticking off the New Naturalists

    Since the world of birding often revolves around lists I thought I'd start one on books - in this case New Naturalist books I've read. I know a lot of us collect these types of book, along with poyser and the like, but might never get around to reading them (maybe just occasionally leafing...
  15. Fozzybear

    Symposium!

    I went to the British Naturalists' Association symposium yesterday, which was at Moulsham Mill here in Chelmsford - friends of mine are members and suggested I go along so my brother and I bought tickets. We were lucky to get them as they sold out very quickly and the place was packed. There...
  16. Fozzybear

    Life on Earth & The Trials of Life - coming on Blu-ray!

    Looks like these two classic David Attenborough series are coming out on Blu-ray in November! My DVD of Trials of Life is cut (the old 3 disc edition) so am really pleased it's coming out but I wonder what the picture will be like... should at the least be a lot clearer than the old...
  17. Fozzybear

    Great news!

    I'm so pleased I could burst after reading this in my local paper: http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Adder-spotted-Galleywood-Common-time-40-years/story-16787916-detail/story.html for the first time in at least 40 years Adders have been seen on one of the local commons after a lot of habitat...
  18. Fozzybear

    Ragged UK butterfly - hairstreak?

    Hi, saw this little butterfly at Hanningfield Reservoir in Essex earlier today and I think it's a hairstreak but being so ragged I really am unsure about it. I 'suspect' it's a White-letter Hairstreak but would really appreciate it if someone could cast an eye over these photos and give an opinion.
  19. Fozzybear

    So many books!

    My obsession with the Collins New Naturalist books has now reached a tipping point... I've filled a shelf! Have another book on order from amazon too (the new Ted Benton book on Grasshoppers and Crickets) so the collection will be spreading onto a second shelf, plus I've about two more shelves...
  20. Fozzybear

    Some ladybirds I'm trying to ID...

    Hi, took some pics of ladybirds on my patch here in Essex and near Dunwich in Suffolk this week and am trying to figure them out... assuming they're not harlequins! 1. I think is a 24 spot? Was found right by the river on the grass surrounded by buttercups (which along this meadow were...
  21. Fozzybear

    Minsmere holiday!

    Well, I'm back! Had a week's holiday at Westleton in Suffolk, just a couple of miles from Minsmere and got back yesterday. The weather wasn't as good as when I went last May but it was still pretty nice for a reasonable amount of the week and though things are quite quiet with not much activity...
  22. Fozzybear

    Bee Fly - too early in year?

    Dashing out to my patch (to see a Glossy Ibis!) I disturbed on the path what looked very much like a Bee Fly but I only got a glimpse of it. I can't find out if it is the right time of year for them though? I know it was certainly very warm out there!
  23. Fozzybear

    Lidl cheapy Bresser scope

    They're at it again - from Thursday Lidl are selling a Bresser 20-60x spotting scope for £29.99: Ideal for all types of outdoor, nature and wildlife viewing activities including bird watching Magnification: 20x - 60x Field of view at 20x: 29m/1000m Rotates through 360°...
  24. Fozzybear

    Monday goodies

    Took the bus out to Hanningfield Reservoir last Monday then met up with a friend there and drove east to Wallasea Island in the afternoon to see what we could find. At Hanningfield I found large numbers of birds on the water: Teal, Wigeon, Mallard, Canada and Greylag Geese, Gadwall, Pintail...
  25. Fozzybear

    Two UK garden spiders - can someone ID please?

    Found these in/on my garden waste wheelie bin this afternoon, both ones I've not seen before and would love to know the species so very much appreciated if anyone can advise. I think the first 'may' be Amaurobius similis or fenestralis (I think fenestralis is more likely outside in the garden?)...
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