A new year and a new photo thread to keep us entertained through the months ahead.

My first addition is something suitably seasonal - a wintery scene taken in the Amsterdam woods.

All contributions very much welcomed, and if the photos we've seen in previous years is anything to go by, we've a lot to look forward to.

Enjoy!

17 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Hi Sharon.  Hope you and Steve  are well. It looks like a Pine Processionary  caterpillar.  Google it for advice regarding pets and humans.  

Steve.  X

Thanks Steve

We are well thank you. The one I thought I really could rule out was the processionary, as they come in the spring time and they are orange/brown/blue in colour these seem to be black and white or a faint yellow and they are not walking in procession.

We live overlooking fields and in part the sea, as this has never happened before as long as we have lived here, I'm thinking they may have blown in from North Africa or the farmer has disturbed some beasties while he has been turning the soil....its all very unusual, and I cant find anything on the interweb....

They are not on any of the fruit trees or plants as I can see and they just appeared yesterday........so I'm at a loss, but I'm sure someone on here will come up trumps for me (we need a new expression there so I don't have to use HIS name)

Best wishes to you and yours 

x

 

 

 

57 minutes ago, crazylegs said:

Thanks Steve

We are well thank you. The one I thought I really could rule out was the processionary, as they come in the spring time and they are orange/brown/blue in colour these seem to be black and white or a faint yellow and they are not walking in procession.

We live overlooking fields and in part the sea, as this has never happened before as long as we have lived here, I'm thinking they may have blown in from North Africa or the farmer has disturbed some beasties while he has been turning the soil....its all very unusual, and I cant find anything on the interweb....

They are not on any of the fruit trees or plants as I can see and they just appeared yesterday........so I'm at a loss, but I'm sure someone on here will come up trumps for me (we need a new expression there so I don't have to use HIS name)

Best wishes to you and yours 

x

 

 

 

Sharron.  We good thanks.  The Processionary is the only one I know out your way, but if it's hairy don't touch is the general rule.  Hairs stick in your skin. 

Steve.  X

could it be this as it is found around you

http://www.pyrgus.de/Utetheisa_pulchella_en.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utetheisa_pulchella

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by smudger

3 hours ago, crazylegs said:

Can anyone help in identifying this caterpillar?

They arrived yesterday by the 1000's, our terrace is overrun with them, they are about an inch long.  I'm very concerned that they may be dangerous for Clyde my gorgeous boy.

Any help out there? Don't forget we are on the Balearic islands

Thanks in Advance 

Sharron x

Hi Sharron,

it's probably the large white, they eat cruciferae, cabbage, cauliflower, alyssum etc.  I had an influx of them last year about this time and managed to get several to pupate and fly off, they shouldn't harm Clyde, my Happy came to no harm.  Babyboy is the one that should know for definite.

Thanks everyone so far...........

Clyde has walked past a couple, so he doesn't seem interested in them, I'm just a over protective mum I guess!!

I really don't want to harm them and let them go on their merry way, but if the choice is them or Clyde, its just no contest!

x

 

Edited October 17, 20186 yr by crazylegs

18 minutes ago, crazylegs said:

Thanks everyone so far...........

Clyde has walked past a couple, so he doesn't seem interested in them, I'm just a over protective mum I guess!!

I really don't want to harm them and let them go on their merry way, but if the choice is them or Clyde, its just no contest!

x

 

Rightly so, mans best friend has never been a caterpillar, apart from that one time in my experimental days.

The boys off to Nepal with his school on Friday so I've said to look out to see if these dudes are still around.

1 hour ago, Soulman58 said:

The boys off to Nepal with his school on Friday so I've said to look out to see if these dudes are still around.

More likely to see Sadhus in India than Nepal, they have their own aura, though sometimes I wonder if that's just a dyslexic's spelling of aroma.

2 hours ago, Soulman58 said:

The boys off to Nepal with his school on Friday so I've said to look out to see if these dudes are still around.

Bloody hell.  Nepal.  WOW how good is that. I went the Trough  of Bowland. Lancashire on my school trip and I lived in Lancashire 

Steve 

Edited October 18, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

3 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Bloody hell.  Nepal.  WOW how good is that. I went the Trough  of Bowland. Lancashire on my school trip and I lived in Lancashire 

Steve 

I went straight to jail and didn't pass go

1 hour ago, TattooDave said:

I went straight to jail and didn't pass go

I didn't get caught.  Got a few fines on the way but no time banged up

1 hour ago, Winsford Soul said:

Bloody hell.  Nepal.  WOW how good is that. I went the Trough  of Bowland. Lancashire on my school trip and I lived in Lancashire 

Steve 

I went to the local sewage farm with a dairy next door to it!!!

2 hours ago, Winsford Soul said:

Bloody hell.  Nepal.  WOW how good is that. I went the Trough  of Bowland. Lancashire on my school trip and I lived in Lancashire 

Steve 

I went on a school trip to the big paper mill in our town where the paper pulp smelled like vomit on an industrial scale!

Sunset over Skomer with camera silhouette 

Steve 

My little girl ... 

 

35 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

My little girl ... 

 

Martyn.  She's gorgeous mate but she is little if she same height as you unless you had your heels  on. Looks like you had a fabulous time.  

Steve.  

Cheers Steve, she is a bit shorter than me, her brother is just over 6ft.

It was great Steve, and she looked stunning, I was a very proud Dad yesterday, Carol took the photo, she caught it just right

Edited October 19, 20186 yr by martyn pitt

29 minutes ago, martyn pitt said:

Cheers Steve, she is a bit shorter than me, her brother is just over 6ft.

It was great Steve, and she looked stunning, I was a very proud Dad yesterday, Carol took the photo, she caught it just right

Well chuffed for you mate. All that practice at Willington  last week that Carol had with the camera paid off . Definitely one to be printed off and framed. 

2 hours ago, martyn pitt said:

My little girl ... 

 

What a beautiful photograph. congratulations to you and your lovely daughter.

Peter

So from beauty to the beast! Here's Ace, aka, the beast or lump. The pictures provide little context as regard the size of him - he's huge. Someone asked me in the week what he was - a Bengali Tiger. 

2 hours ago, Peter99 said:

So from beauty to the beast! Here's Ace, aka, the beast or lump. The pictures provide little context as regard the size of him - he's huge. Someone asked me in the week what he was - a Bengali Tiger. 

Middle name looks like mischief to me pete 😂😂😂 atb baz 

Does it get anymore atmospheric than this . The restaurant up the stairs on the left hand side is called the Plantagenet and part of it dates back to the 10th century, it even has a medieval Flemish fireplace that's actually big enough to take two dining tables . The food is amazing, its not cheap but worth every penny. Through the archway you can make out Tenby harbour

Steve

14 hours ago, baz1 said:

Middle name looks like mischief to me pete 😂😂😂 atb baz 

That's my middle name as well mate don't know why people say that . I,m just a shy , quite retiring type person  

Steve

3 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

That's my middle name as well mate don't know why people say that . I,m just a shy , quite retiring type person  

Steve

Mmmm ???😵

Kingfisher ( Male ) 

Steve

Ariel Dual. The crow seen off the Buzzard , who was just minding its own business

Steve 

 

Kingfisher with Roach for breakfast.

Not the best picture I've ever taken , light was rubbish first thing this morning in the mist and gloom and shooting from a very awkward angle

Steve

 

Ness Gardens on the Wirral , Sat morning , before going to see Soul ll Soul at the Philamonic Liverpool .... very disappointing ... as was the warm up DJ . 

Whoever did the sound wants his hearing tested . I know the Phil has an acoustics all of its own , but surely they should have had it sorted better than it was. Quite a few punters left well before the end. 

Edited October 21, 20186 yr by stevegods

35 minutes ago, stevegods said:

Ness Gardens on the Wirral , Sat morning , before going to see Soul ll Soul at the Philamonic Liverpool .... very disappointing ... as was the warm up DJ . 

Whoever did the sound wants his hearing tested . I know the Phil has an acoustics all of its own , but surely they should have had it sorted better than it was. Quite a few punters left well before the end. 

Steve. I try to get to Ness botanical gardens at least once a year normally after a morning  visit to RSPB Burton Mere wetlands.  It's so different from most gardens that are open to the public.  Doesn't quite match Bodnant for me personally but well worth a visit 

Steve 

On ‎17‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 11:29, crazylegs said:

Can anyone help in identifying this caterpillar?

They arrived yesterday by the 1000's, our terrace is overrun with them, they are about an inch long.  I'm very concerned that they may be dangerous for Clyde my gorgeous boy.

Any help out there? Don't forget we are on the Balearic islands

Thanks in Advance 

Sharron x

Crimson Speckled. Google 'Utetheisa pulchella larva' for the Larval stage.

Eta: I see someone beat me to it. Good call.

5 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Crimson Speckled. Google 'Utetheisa pulchella larva' for the Larval stage.

Eta: I see someone beat me to it. Good call.

Keep up.  Keep up.  Big thread to fall behind too much 

Steve 

@Winsford Soul Half expected you to be down 'ere chasing the Cat Birds. One or two sighted around Sennen and Lands End area, huge furore with literally hundreds of Ornithologists chasing them.

8 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

@Winsford Soul Half expected you to be down 'ere chasing the Cat Birds. One or two sighted around Sennen and Lands End area, huge furore with literally hundreds of Ornithologists chasing them.

I know mate. Two guys from local patch origanly had gone down to see the white rumped Swift which is even more rare in the UK  but they missed that bird but apparently they where in the right place for the cat bird as rare as it is it has been seen on our shores before on a few occasions . Im not a twitcher just a lover of wildlife in general who happens to take more bird pictures than anything else 

Steve 

Just now, Winsford Soul said:

I know mate. Two guys from local patch origanly had gone down to see the white rumped Swift which is even more rare in the UK  but they missed that bird but apparently they where in the right place for the cat bird as rare as it is it has been seen on our shores before on a few occasions . Im not a twitcher just a lover of wildlife in general who happens to take more bird pictures than anything else 

Steve 

Some of the birding pics I've seen of yours have been stunning, hence me associating you with Ornithology! 

49 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Steve. I try to get to Ness botanical gardens at least once a year normally after a morning  visit to RSPB Burton Mere wetlands.  It's so different from most gardens that are open to the public.  Doesn't quite match Bodnant for me personally but well worth a visit 

Steve 

Steve mate , hope you are well ... 

I love Ness , and we took a stoll around Burton Mere before we went ... I have never got round to visiting Bodnant , but think we must next year.

and I don’t know what a Cat Bird looks like , but I’m in Sennen every year , so will I’ll keep an ear out for a bird that meows  

 

2 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Some of the birding pics I've seen of yours have been stunning, hence me associating you with Ornithology! 

Thank you kind sir having spent years outside fishing,  walking and  generally just mooching about the countryside you can sometimes second guess what they're going to do and be ready with the camera. 

Steve 

I'm not a great photographer but, here is my good friend Syrphus ribessi, taken on LG phone. 

Strangely they do sound like a cat, they look a bit like this...

2 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

I'm not a great photographer but, here is my good friend Syrphus ribessi, taken on LG phone. 

Is their name associated with currants, ribes being the botanical name for the currant family?

9 minutes ago, stevegods said:

Steve mate , hope you are well ... 

I love Ness , and we took a stoll around Burton Mere before we went ... I have never got round to visiting Bodnant , but think we must next year.

and I don’t know what a Cat Bird looks like , but I’m in Sennen every year , so will I’ll keep an ear out for a bird that meows  

 

Steve.  All good thank you very much.  Trust you are well.  I can't recommend enough going to bodnant in May when the world famous laburnum arch is in flower 

 It's amazing to see.  The rest of the gardens and grounds are fantastic 

Steve 

Just now, TattooDave said:

Is their name associated with currants, ribes being the botanical name for the currant family?

Not that I know of Dave, the Larval stage is carnivorous but the adult stage may have a fondness for the flowers of the Currant family, you got me there old son! All t'best pal! 

3 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Not that I know of Dave, the Larval stage is carnivorous but the adult stage may have a fondness for the flowers of the Currant family, you got me there old son! All t'best pal! 

I love hoverflies, we get a totally different one here, but it does a good job nonetheless.  I'll have to do a little more research, it seems like it might be a coincidence

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrphus_ribesii. 

Dave./ BabyBoyAndMyLass  I couldn't find any links with its name to any type of currents or any of its flowers .as you said probably just a coincidence 

Steve 

 

Edited October 21, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

29 minutes ago, TattooDave said:

I love hoverflies, we get a totally different one here, but it does a good job nonetheless.  I'll have to do a little more research, it seems like it might be a coincidence

This one just a very familiar species common everywhere however they are used in the industry as being very good indicators of the health of certain specific habitats, some being very particular about where they live and breed.

They are also very useful for controlling commercial pest species biologically, especially Aphids.

Crap picture in comparison, but, here's a bedraggled looking me and Mr Handsome Doberman, Ace. Early morning for me at the National Water Sports Centre which is just round the corner from where I live. Still building my confidence with walking him as he reacts terribly to other dogs - he goes absolutely mad.

19 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

This one just a very familiar species common everywhere however they are used in the industry as being very good indicators of the health of certain specific habitats, some being very particular about where they live and breed.

They are also very useful for controlling commercial pest species biologically, especially Aphids.

Living in a fairly urban location we don't see a lot of aphids here, I tend to squish the aphids if they dare land on the fresh foliage of my bonsai.  I did look up the scientific nomenclature of the local species, Eristalis Aeneus, and apparently their larval stage feed on rotting sea weed, there's no accounting for taste.

Probably a bit of a wander from the usual subjects covered here but quite like these pictures I took last year to post on a fb group. Had this Bass since I were 17 and she's been everywhere with me, I've done in excess of a thousand gigs with her, everywhere from Glastonbury to Oswestry and very many studio sessions. Although she looks mint in pictures and onstage she is actually considerably beat up when examined close up. With string muter engaged and Fender Flatwound strings getting on for twenty years old (the strings) matched with this lovely vintage Vox she is perfect for that classic vintage McCartneyesque tone. With neck pickup only switched in she has that lovely rich tone ala Jamerson, actually in the right hands the tonal possibilities are endless, I do have other vintage basses but this one is my baby and can be seen most weekends in a club somewhere in the extreme southwest! 

23 minutes ago, BabyBoyAndMyLass said:

Probably a bit of a wander from the usual subjects covered here but quite like these pictures I took last year to post on a fb group. Had this Bass since I were 17 and she's been everywhere with me, I've done in excess of a thousand gigs with her, everywhere from Glastonbury to Oswestry and very many studio sessions. Although she looks mint in pictures and onstage she is actually considerably beat up when examined close up. With string muter engaged and Fender Flatwound strings getting on for twenty years old (the strings) matched with this lovely vintage Vox she is perfect for that classic vintage McCartneyesque tone. With neck pickup only switched in she has that lovely rich tone ala Jamerson, actually in the right hands the tonal possibilities are endless, I do have other vintage basses but this one is my baby and can be seen most weekends in a club somewhere in the extreme southwest! 

Whilst I appreciate your obvious love for what you do. I personally don't have a musical bone in my body, never learned to or wanted to play any musical instrument in any way shape or form. I don't even know the difference between a bass guitar and a lead guitar,  just heard they saying.  I know a acoustic guitar isn't electric but is there such a thing as a acoustic bass or lead guitar  ? Excuse my ignorance 

Steve 

Edited October 21, 20186 yr by Winsford Soul

5 minutes ago, Winsford Soul said:

Whilst I appreciate your obvious love for what you do. I personally don't have a musical bone in my body, never learned to or wanted to play any musical instrument in any way shape or form. 

Steve 

No, but you are a music lover Steve, without you people like me wouldn't exist. It has been asked elsewhere in the forums if a knowledge of the mechanics of the music may lead to a loss of the mystique and affect ones' listening pleasure... It can!

Without the appreciative persons' ear and love of music the musicians' existence is futile, so pat yourself on the back, music is only another form of Mathematics anyway! 

Anyway it's a nice piece of woodwork at any rate, my 'stick' as it is affectionately known! 

?My 

Persian cat Oscar, watching the footy lol