What I see in my backyard...

[AdmiralAdama]

I wonder what kind of bug that is, AA? It's part ladybug, part beetle.

Maybe. The middle school kids in the neighbourhood may be messing with gene splicing.

AA

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[scifan57]

Random bug in my backyard.
AA
<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=23308"/>

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Could it be a milkweed beetle?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraopes_tetrophthalmus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tetraopes_tetrophthalmus-1.jpg

 

[AdmiralAdama]

Could it be a milkweed beetle?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraopes_

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=23315"/>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tetraopes_tetrophthalmus-1.jpg

Yes - likely. That is a milkweed ( stunted by the severe drought ) the bug was sitting on.

AA

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[skimonkey]

Maybe. The middle school kids in the neighbourhood may be messing with gene splicing.

AA

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Gene Splicing...gosh, anything is possible now a days!

Could it be a milkweed beetle?
Tetraopes tetrophthalmus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

View attachment 23315http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tetraopes_tetrophthalmus-1.jpg

I think you've got it right, Sci!! Good jobs there!

 

[Czevski]

This bird was showing off for me on my walk this morning. He waited for me to take several photos before he took off.

 

[stranding]

This bird was showing off for me on my walk this morning. He waited for me to take several photos before he took off.

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=23323"/>

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=23324"/>

<img src="http://www.ipadforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=23325"/>

There have been SO MANY lovely photos posted by folk recently that I can't keep up. In a couple of days, I will be able to go trawling & have a good look!

 

[scifan57]

Mr. Squirrel came back today.

 

[skimonkey]

Mr. Squirrel came back today.

View attachment 23362



View attachment 23363



View attachment 23364

With the peanut in his mouth again!!

Love the pic with the squirrel looking up at the camera!! Too cute!

 

[scifan57]

He was top of the class in the last squirrel training academy class. Instead of bringing an apple for the teacher, they bring a peanut.

 

[stranding]

Mr. Squirrel came back today.

That squirrel is a real card! Where does he pick up his peanuts?

We saw two of our young blackbirds having a good wash in the bath yesterday. At least, we think they were "ours" that were from the nest just feet away, but not sure how long it takes a male to get his adult black colours(?) Do you think they've been watching the Olympic swimming?

 

[leelai]

Love your photos Stranding.....

how cute are they and very healthy looking and plump

They may be 'yours' but I think they'll be yours now regardless!

 

[stranding]

Love your photos Stranding.....

how cute are they and very healthy looking and plump

They may be 'yours' but I think they'll be yours now regardless!

Yeah, any visitors to the dirty green bathwater are very welcome & become "ours" by default! But the plumpness you see might be from the splashing around. It's so funny to watch but tricky to capture in photos.

We are convinced they must be "our" pair, two left over from the nest in the spring. They have learnt the good places to hang out, the same ones as when they were being fed as babies. It's heart-warming to see that they still go round together, politely taking it in turns for the jaccussi!

Presume they will each need to go their own way soon:-(

This might well be one of them. If not, they would have looked exactly like this as a baby:

 

[Richard Brown]

I too love your bird photos Stranding. You did well to capture the pair so sharply. I also like the youngster peering round the garden tool - surely a greetings card candidate.

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[AdmiralAdama]

Yeah, any visitors to the dirty green bathwater are very welcome & become "ours" by default! But the plumpness you see might be from the splashing around. It's so funny to watch but tricky to capture in photos.

We are convinced they must be "our" pair, two left over from the nest in the spring. They have learnt the good places to hang out, the same ones as when they were being fed as babies. It's heart-warming to see that they still go round together, politely taking it in turns for the jaccussi!

Presume they will each need to go their own way soon:-(

This might well be one of them. If not, they would have looked exactly like this as a baby:

Don't some bird types pair bond? Sometimes for life?
AA

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[stranding]

I too love your bird photos Stranding. You did well to capture the pair so sharply. I also like the youngster peering round the garden tool - surely a greetings card candidate.

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Thanks Richard!
Re the card idea, I got there ages ago