tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.comments2023-11-13T07:19:45.061+00:00CABINET OF CURIOSITIESUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6696125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-18456501850091519132023-11-12T20:45:08.676+00:002023-11-12T20:45:08.676+00:00Thanks for the tip-off! Will keep looking and hopi...Thanks for the tip-off! Will keep looking and hoping .....Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-32346248005275418862023-11-12T15:28:55.814+00:002023-11-12T15:28:55.814+00:00We heard the loud, sharp call of a Hawfinch near o...We heard the loud, sharp call of a Hawfinch near our house yesterday. Suburban North Tyneside. They are out there, apparently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-50111923675218992062023-10-25T15:25:27.750+00:002023-10-25T15:25:27.750+00:00That's interesting. I guess most invading spec...That's interesting. I guess most invading species acquire a load of other species that feed on them or parasitise them as the years go by. I have noticed that quite a few harlequins here have distorted wing cases and I wonder if they have been parasitised. 7-spots and 2-spots had a good year here. Incidentally, I've seen quite of lot of Himalayan balsam plants here that has been heavily infested by a leaf miner, so maybe that might eventually have an impact on its abundance.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-68186120814687942412023-10-25T06:27:21.168+00:002023-10-25T06:27:21.168+00:00Here in my part of the west London suburbs, Harleq...Here in my part of the west London suburbs, Harlequin numbers have been far lower in recent seasons. They have now been known to be affected by some our parasitoids such as Dinocampus coccinellae. &-spots still seem the most common here.Conehead54https://www.blogger.com/profile/18423862602236191493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-55045336371357939492023-10-18T19:17:40.623+00:002023-10-18T19:17:40.623+00:00I guess the recent cold weather here will have bro...I guess the recent cold weather here will have brought their season to an end but it was good to see them so late in the year. We still had a few red admiral butterflies in the garden yesterday!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-83484142579854749882023-10-17T22:26:38.399+00:002023-10-17T22:26:38.399+00:00Saw four today, very late in the year for them!Saw four today, very late in the year for them!Simon Douglas Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-1032306829663469092023-10-14T21:43:42.551+00:002023-10-14T21:43:42.551+00:00Migrated to Instagram and Threads @durham_country_...Migrated to Instagram and Threads @durham_country_diarist thank you for the kind commentPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-46691723341975037412023-10-14T20:35:55.141+00:002023-10-14T20:35:55.141+00:00How lovely! Miss you on Twitter, where did you go?...How lovely! Miss you on Twitter, where did you go? I will always read your blog now. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-42908279025820116802023-09-17T19:27:51.935+00:002023-09-17T19:27:51.935+00:00Totally agree - I think both are an asset to a gar...Totally agree - I think both are an asset to a garden, adding character. They’re also host to a vast number of tiny animals at the bottom of food chains, as well as being intrinsically beautifulPhilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-15942592034815516862023-09-16T19:18:15.394+00:002023-09-16T19:18:15.394+00:00I love liverworts (and other bryophytes) and welco...I love liverworts (and other bryophytes) and welcome them to my garden. But if you google anything about how attractive these are, you just find links for ridding you garden of them. I think I’ll google to see if a Japanese gardens, at least, welcome liverworts since they make excellent use of mosses. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-58327258147140674632020-04-27T22:27:12.680+00:002020-04-27T22:27:12.680+00:00hmmhmmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-64080639316705218222018-08-05T14:09:03.627+00:002018-08-05T14:09:03.627+00:00Thanks for letting me know. Absolutely wonderful w...Thanks for letting me know. Absolutely wonderful work. So glad I got to see them. I'll be following your work on your web site from now on.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-31427220309587845992018-08-05T13:01:36.392+00:002018-08-05T13:01:36.392+00:00It was made by the Materialistics group from South...It was made by the Materialistics group from South Shields because of the Tall Ships Race coming to Sunderland. It will be taken down on Wednesdayredindianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15851722679351110002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-60880743567125518252018-08-05T10:48:48.622+00:002018-08-05T10:48:48.622+00:00They're about 10 foot high and 266 inches roun...They're about 10 foot high and 266 inches round actually and made by the Materialistics who meet in South Shields but come from Washington and Sunderland too. It's all coming down on Wednesday morning.redindianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15851722679351110002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-40933857862378952672018-08-04T23:45:32.065+00:002018-08-04T23:45:32.065+00:00That's fantastic!That's fantastic! Wilmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14717012784233946753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-85906029737174791012018-08-04T19:33:33.344+00:002018-08-04T19:33:33.344+00:00Absolutely wonderful - so much work has gone into ...Absolutely wonderful - so much work has gone into the cosy. The octopus is superb :)Ragged Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090463834740346114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-49672288325345644272018-08-04T18:42:34.130+00:002018-08-04T18:42:34.130+00:00It is wonderful.It is wonderful.Adrian Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09061432566298145837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-43115188368763418092018-07-11T01:06:52.730+00:002018-07-11T01:06:52.730+00:00do they come in white. with pink stripes? I found ...do they come in white. with pink stripes? I found one outside and want to make sure the kids are safe. she was very pretty. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06979437123243172808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-61231950422035422872018-06-30T21:11:59.440+00:002018-06-30T21:11:59.440+00:00I just discovered Harriet Isabel Adams work today ...I just discovered Harriet Isabel Adams work today - and have already fallen in love with it. There is a kind of liveliness and freedom in her line that is really unique. Would love to know more about her and her work - but information seems sparse. sigrun hodnehttps://omstreifer.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-80655147503670338322018-04-17T09:23:27.910+00:002018-04-17T09:23:27.910+00:00Found some in our garden near chesterfield!Tried t...Found some in our garden near chesterfield!Tried to upload a photo but can’t Nicola cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-70583369552473250962018-03-16T21:17:14.964+00:002018-03-16T21:17:14.964+00:00Nice account Phil. Bud Finch does seem to be an ap...Nice account Phil. Bud Finch does seem to be an appropriate name. Population here in SW Sunderland is thriving, spreading from mature thorn strongholds & being met with more frequently as a suburban breeding bird, even in more modest gardens. Certainly on the up in most parts of VC66.Stevie Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02914855990290934625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-37564957951955752992018-01-28T14:17:14.857+00:002018-01-28T14:17:14.857+00:00Thanks Amanda - I hope you find one!Thanks Amanda - I hope you find one!Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-90708874839573386082018-01-28T14:05:16.930+00:002018-01-28T14:05:16.930+00:00I would love a copy of that book, and will be look...I would love a copy of that book, and will be looking in the old book shops in London when I return. Very interesting post.Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11428722886156980698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-77617668010009118362018-01-20T17:32:56.836+00:002018-01-20T17:32:56.836+00:00Great to hear from you! Hope all is well. The bigg...Great to hear from you! Hope all is well. The biggest changes in finch numbers I've noticed around here (apart from the bullfinches) is that greenfinch numbers seem to have plummeted, presumably because of the parasite. There always used to be half a dozen visiting the bird table at this time of year, but none at all so far. On the plus side, tree sparrows seem to be doing well and are frequent visitors to the garden. They even investigated a bird box last year, but didn't nest. Maybe this year......Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609107148344256875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4998479738444661160.post-16611555376794630452018-01-19T10:57:24.909+00:002018-01-19T10:57:24.909+00:00Great to read that piece of research Phil. Like yo...Great to read that piece of research Phil. Like you I've noticed a number of bullfinches in somerset in recent weeks, in areas not normally seen. Anecdotal, but there does seem to be more about these days (and we saw 13 at WWT Washington on Christmas Eve - which was by and far the best present)The Wessex Reiverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01781303871936178731noreply@blogger.com