Wildlife in Stevenston

Show the photographs you've taken in this album.
Forum rules
Here you can show the photographs you've taken. Use a storage agent such as https://www.imgur.com - our forum attachment system has limited storage and therefore reserved for photos in our Threetowners' Photo Album.
michaelm
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 1623
Joined: Tue May 06, 2014 7:55 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by michaelm »

They all look fairly well camouflaged against whatever the background is there iain.
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

A Green Hairstreak, photographed a few days ago above Saltcoats. Despite being bright green, they’re usually surprisingly hard to see – it’s easy not to notice them amongst the green Birch leaves they like to perch on. May is the peak flight season of the species, and they can be quite abundant in peaty habitats sheltered by young Birch scrub. They’re relatively easy to approach and photograph (i.e. they’re quite confiding), but every few seconds, when another Green Hairstreak flies by, they flit off and get caught-up in a spiralling aerial battle before settling down elsewhere.

Image
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

Ophion obscuratus, a species of parasitic wasp, caught at Ardeer Quarry Local Nature Reserve a few weeks ago. Ophions are parasites of moth caterpillars. They’re all gangly, orange insects that look very similar. However, Ophion obscuratus has very obvious yellow lines on its thorax. Also, it's the only Ophion to be on the wing all year, even in the middle of winter. Like moths, ‘daddy longlegs’, caddisflies etc., Ophion wasps are attracted to light – I've seen the odd one sitting on the outside of the living room window on summer evenings. Although they look fierce, they don’t sting – however, some very similar-looking families of orange parasitic wasp do.

Image
Vivc113
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:21 am
Location: The Super Moon

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by Vivc113 »

Great pic. It looks as if it's saying:

"You seeing enough of me, buster".
"Words are very.... unnecessary... they can only do harm".
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

An Eider creche just off the Ardeer Peninsula yesterday. Different broods of Eider chicks amalgamate into creches, which are guarded by females. These females are usually not the chicks’ parents. However, Eiders return to the same colonies to breed, so even though the females guarding the creche are not the parents of the chicks, they are nonetheless often closely related to them.

Image
User avatar
creamolafoam
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 556
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2010 7:28 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by creamolafoam »

iain wrote: Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:40 am An Eider creche just off the Ardeer Peninsula yesterday. Different broods of Eider chicks amalgamate into creches, which are guarded by females. These females are usually not the chicks’ parents. However, Eiders return to the same colonies to breed, so even though the females guarding the creche are not the parents of the chicks, they are nonetheless often closely related to them.

Image
Can you tell me at what time of yr when wagtails have their chicks? Have a couple floating about this site I’m working on, but not a sign of a yunck. Always thought it was about this time of the yr.
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

Funnily enough, I was out for a walk in the Stevenston/Saltcoats countryside today and came across a family party of Pied Wagtails - so, despite the cold spell in early spring, there are obviously some wagtail chicks fledged already. I'd expect your wagtail young would appear (out the nest) within the next couple of weeks. Alternatively, they could be massively delayed owing to a failed initial breeding attempt (e.g. losing a clutch/brood to a predator), or perhaps they were just late in pairing-up. For example, maybe the male struggled to attract a female until the last few weeks. (There's been a male Blackcap singing beside the wee pond at Ardeer Quarry Local Nature Reserve for many weeks, who has yet to secure a female because he has a corrupted song that doesn't sound much like other Blackcaps.)
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

Some Elephant Hawk-moths caught at Ardeer Quarry Local Nature Reserve a few days ago. They’re not uncommon, their caterpillars feeding on the common plant Rosebay Willowherb; however, like most moths, you almost never encounter them by chance during the day. Photobombing the picture in the top-right corner is a Least Black Arches moth, which provides some scale and illustrates that Elephant Hawk-moths are pretty big beasts.

Image
Vivc113
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:21 am
Location: The Super Moon

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by Vivc113 »

Iain, I was wondering if you could tell me if there can be black moths?? Looking suspiciously like the ones above.

I visited the country on Monday with the intention of sitting in a shaded spot. However, approaching this spot I was pounced on by a bunch of black insects. They were on my bags and on the back of my legs. Had to run. At no point did they bite but very unpleasant looking creatures.
"Words are very.... unnecessary... they can only do harm".
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

There is a species of fly abundant at the moment in the countryside that has the same 'triangular' wing shape as the Elephant Hawk-moth and has a habit of landing on people when they stop for a rest - the Downlooker Snipefly. It has some yellow/orange on its body, but unless you take a close look at it, it just looks dark grey. That's my guess as to what you've seen. I have photos of one somewhere, but I don't know where. The photo below is of one taken by Steven Falk, an entomologist whose online photo collection is free to use. They look sinister, but are harmless.

Image
Vivc113
Mega Heid Poster
Mega Heid Poster
Posts: 3446
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 10:21 am
Location: The Super Moon

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by Vivc113 »

Yep. That is them. Very creepy looking. Lurking in long grass at the moment, so need to avoid this next time. When I moved to a not so grassy area, they were not so keen to follow.
"Words are very.... unnecessary... they can only do harm".
iain
leading Poster
leading Poster
Posts: 607
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:03 pm

Re: Wildlife in Stevenston

Post by iain »

Bird’s-foot Trefoil growing near Shore Compound/Africa House on the Ardeer Peninsula. When it grows en masse, it produces a strong scent, which smells like a cross between Gorse and Wall Flowers. It’s both an important larval foodplant for species such as the Common Blue butterfly and the Six-Spot Burnet moth, and a valuable nectar and pollen source for all kinds of butterflies, moths, bees and flies.

Image

Image

Image
Post Reply