Wonderful Nature - Thread

[Beth3346]

aww, what a sweet kitty

mockingbirds get so protective while they're nesting, BC. it's cool that they knew you weren't a threat.

the birds are out here too I saw a couple of robins and bluebirds. i've been hearing mourning doves and mockingbirds singing too.

[Heart Of Midnight]

There is snow, there is melted ground, there is snow.. Cold, warm, cold.. this is the Finnish spring. 

At the beginning of this month, I was able to admire crocuses and bumblebees. Migratory birds arrived and began searching for mates. I could smell the melted earth around me and watch the ice melt on the lake.
Now, on Saturday, winter arrived back. I get to admire the snow-covered land and the forest again. Feel the freezing cold. But even though I love winter, I feel sad precisely because of these migratory birds, especially the small ones. They can't survive without the help of us people. Winter feeding must be continued. Most of all, I worry about the hedgehogs. I really hope I don't find them somewhere in the middle of the snow! I heard that yesterday someone had found a hedgehog in poor condition. I hope it survived and got help in time! Now more snow and cold have been promised for the next few days. I have to be really careful now in my yard and in the woods too.

[Artemesia's Garden]

Today I took the baby to the woodland playgroup and the best thing was listening to the birds in the trees. All birds are 'duck' to my little one but I'm sure she'll soon get the hang of it

Post Merge: April 22, 2024, 01:08:06 PM

There is snow, there is melted ground, there is snow.. Cold, warm, cold.. this is the Finnish spring. 

At the beginning of this month, I was able to admire crocuses and bumblebees. Migratory birds arrived and began searching for mates. I could smell the melted earth around me and watch the ice melt on the lake.
Now, on Saturday, winter arrived back. I get to admire the snow-covered land and the forest again. Feel the freezing cold. But even though I love winter, I feel sad precisely because of these migratory birds, especially the small ones. They can't survive without the help of us people. Winter feeding must be continued. Most of all, I worry about the hedgehogs. I really hope I don't find them somewhere in the middle of the snow! I heard that yesterday someone had found a hedgehog in poor condition. I hope it survived and got help in time! Now more snow and cold have been promised for the next few days. I have to be really careful now in my yard and in the woods too.

I didn't know it was like that, I just think of Finland as being like Moomintroll forest and once spring has arrived you play a flute and start planning hikes and garden parties. I love hearing you talk about where you live. We stopped feeding the birds about a month ago. There was a light frost last nigth but I think it will be the last.

[Heart Of Midnight]

I didn't know it was like that, I just think of Finland as being like Moomintroll forest and once spring has arrived you play a flute and start planning hikes and garden parties. I love hearing you talk about where you live. We stopped feeding the birds about a month ago. There was a light frost last nigth but I think it will be the last.

Moomintroll forest!  A wonderful image!

This is now a very rare situation! There are usually night frosts and they belong to the Finnish spring, but not this one, that it is also freezing during the day and the snow is blowing! 
As March turned into April, it had been unusually warm..it had attracted birds to move to Finland exceptionally early. The cold northerly flow started suddenly, but perhaps the worst situation for the birds was the snowfall, because it covered all the food.
I have read news about many dead migratory birds (Robins, Chaffinchs, Song Thrushes..) I have also read that some birds have started to make an escape migration.
Fortunately, many people besides me have helped them and continued to feed them. Now the weather forecasts look a little more positive, as plus degrees and rain have been promised for the rest of the week. In the last days of the month, it may already be closer to 20 °C in some parts of the country!

[Beth3346]

Does anyone know what kind of lizard this is? they were in my garden. the plant next to them is a gardenia for reference. i didn't want to get close and scare them off but it looks like it's about 6 inches long and 1 - 1.5 inches wide.

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[BlackCurtains]

That looks like a Texas Spiny Lizard

"The Texas spiny lizard is a species of phrynosomatid lizard native to the south central United States, in the states of Texas, Arizona and Oklahoma, and northeastern Mexico in the states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí."

[Gator]

I planted some purple passion vine, also called Maypop here in the southern U.S., this year and it is the host plant for fritillary butterflies.  I have caterpillars and found three chrysalis so far.  Two have hatched but I missed seeing the butterflies emerge.
I also have some wild senna that popped up.  Member of the pea family.  And I have baby caterpillars of cloudless sulfur and little yellow butterflies!🦋🦋🦋🦋

[BlackCurtains]

The other night I turned my porch lights on and went out to check things. I don't leave my apartment very often so don't see the outside of my door or the state of my balcony often. There were these huge geckos all over the place, they all took off running when I stepped out.

More importantly, the cat that I've seen a few times was at the bottom of my stairs! I haven't seen him in a while. I tried to get him to come to me, but he was nervous and eventually ran away.

[Griffin]

I saw an adder today Went for a short morning run, luckily I spotted it on the path and was able to circle around. The snake had probably sensed me well before I saw it, I think it was crossing the path and had stopped to make sure it was safe, with me stomping like that.

There are small woods and some fields around here and I've seen adders several times before so I try to be careful when I'm out. It's still a rare occurrence, I don't even see them every year, they are pretty good at avoiding humans.

[Heart Of Midnight]

^ Wow..  ^ I don't remember when I last saw a live adder. I have found dead snakes a few times (killed by cars).
--
Summer was and summer is gone. I don't remember anything special about it.
 
A few times there were nice thunderstorms and on the last thunderstorm day of this summer, the lightning hit really close and I was really scared! I was admiring the approaching storm under the shelter of the canopy and I tried to video the lightning with my phone. It all started suddenly with a terrible gust of wind and torrential rain! While I was photographing it, the lightning came and struck very close to me in the forest so that I could hear a strong crackle of electricity followed by a bang and a rumble that shook the whole body! I almost jumped in the air and screamed and a few swear words flew out of my mouth! Ha, that was the end of my filming and I ran inside in a panic to pull out the electrical wires. Fortunately, nothing bad happened to anyone, and there were no fires. The storm passed as quickly as it had started.

[Heart Of Midnight]

  The first snow came on 1st November! Welcome winter! 
It was wonderful to wake up in the morning and see that it was a winter wonderland outside! (And still is!)

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[BlackCurtains]

What beautiful pics

I would put my face right in that snow if I could

[Heart Of Midnight]

Thanks!

Now the snow is just a memory in these photos. They all melted away when the heat returned. Maybe we'll get a black winter & xmas.