Falco peregrinus

20/09/2022

20/09/2022

20/09/2022

A very plain warbler with no distinguishing features (a feature in itself!). It spends a lot of its time in the cover of trees and bushes and can be more difficult to see than its relative, the blackcap. Despite its name it is not really a garden bird, except in mature gardens next to woods. Its song is similar to that of a blackcap, but has longer mellow phrases.

20/09/2022

The garganey is a scarce and very secretive breeding duck in the UK. It is smaller than a mallard and slightly bigger than a teal. The male is most easily recognised with a broad white stripe over the eye. In flight it shows a pale blue forewing. It feeds by 'dabbling'. Garganeys are listed as a Schedule 1 species.

18/09/2022

The bittern is a thickset heron with all-over bright, pale, buffy-brown plumage covered with dark streaks and bars. It flies on broad, rounded, bowed wings. A secretive bird, very difficult to see, as it moves silently through reeds at water's edge, looking for fish. The males make a remarkable far-carrying, booming sound in spring. It's very small, reedbed-dependent population make it an Amber List species. It is also a Schedule 1 species.

18/09/2022

Bewick's swan adults are white all over and young birds greyish with a pinkish bill. Compared to the similar whooper swan, these swans have proportionally more black and less yellow on their bill. They're also smaller than both mute and whooper swans and have faster wingbeats. Bewick's swans are a Schedule 1 species.

18/09/2022

Why did the cat have to go to an accountant? They got caught up in a purramid scheme.

A cat’s average lifespan increased by a year over the span of time between 2002 and 2012, according to a study by Banfield Pet Hospital.
According to The Huffington Post, cats typically sleep for 12 to 16 hours a day.
Cats are crepuscular, which means that they’re most active at dawn and dusk.
Cats are fastidious creatures about their “bathroom.” If you have more than one cat, you should have one litter box for each.
Cats can spend up to a third of their waking hours grooming.
Cats live longer when they stay indoors.

16/09/2022

Willow t**s are between blue and great t**s in size, with no yellow, green or blue. They have a large sooty-black cap extending to the back of the neck and a small untidy black bib. It is mid-brown above, with whiter cheeks and pale buff-grey underparts. Its wings show a pale panel not found in marsh t**s.

14/09/2022

Why did the cat have to go to an accountant? They got caught up in a purramid scheme.

Cats’ purring may be a self-soothing behavior, since they make this noise when they’re ill or distressed, as well as when they’re happy.
Cats will refuse an unpalatable food to the point of starvation.
Despite popular belief, many cats are actually lactose intolerant.
Female cats have the ability to get pregnant when they are only 4 months old!
Grapes and raisins, as well as onions, garlic, and chives, are all extremely harmful foods for cats. Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure — although the reasoning behind that isn’t clear. Meanwhile, onions, garlic, and chives wreak havoc on your cat’s gastrointestinal system and can cause anemia.

14/09/2022

Sparrow-sized but slim and with a long, deeply notched tail, the male has a black head, white collar and a drooping moustache. Females and winter males have a streaked head. In flight the tail looks black with broad, white edges.

14/09/2022

When cats need to go to the airport, who do they call? A tabby.

If you keep your cat active during the day, he will sleep better at night. If you’re not free-feeding your cat, you can also help her get a good night’s sleep by providing her with a substantial evening meal.
It’s believed that catnip produces an effect similar to L*D or ma*****na in cats. The effects of nepetalactone — the chemical in catnip that can makes cats crazy — wears off within 15 minutes, and won’t surface again for a few hours, even if your cat remains in sniffing distance.
Kittens can be spayed or neutered when they are only eight weeks old. If possible, these procedures should be performed in the first 5 months of your cat’s life.

10/09/2022

The pectoral sandpiper is a bit larger than a dunlin. It has a brown, streaky breast, white belly and slightly downcurved bill and yellow-brown legs. The brown breastband (which gives the species its name) and white belly are its most distinctive features.

10/09/2022

The peregrine is a large and powerful falcon. It has long, broad, pointed wings and a relatively short tail. It is blue-grey above, with a blackish top of the head and an obvious black 'moustache' that contrasts with its white face. Its breast is finely barred. It is swift and agile in flight, chasing prey.

10/09/2022

10/09/2022