We need a Nature Forum

Or that osprey is from the Latin ossifragus - bone breaker

I didn't even know there was such a bird

I agree that we could do with a Nature topic though.

Good idea! Most of the nature stuff doesn't really fit anywhere.

I would love to have a thread like this, but could not contribute a lot, since I don't know a lot, I just enjoy the countryside and seeing the birds in the trees.. The red kites hovering are a particular delight locally.

I agree. A nature forum would be great.
I never allow my trees to be pruned until August as by then birds usually have done the nesting and breeding bit. On Sunday just as DS was about to cut the top off a conifer out flew a ringed dove and he nearly fell off the ladder Only then did he spot a nest with two eggs in it.

Aka I have noticed what appears to be a family group of collared doves around recently. I have never noticed younger birds before, but we have a group of four, two mature birds, and two who are obviously of the younger generation. They are really lovely delicate looking creatures. I too, like to leave the pruning and cutting back until later in the year.

Osprey news from Rutland (BBCNews)

So,how do we go about getting a nature topic on the Forums page.

Anything Nature might do.

Are the powers that be noting?

Poppicock, just post away on this thread , it has been started !

Never thought of that!Thanks Nonu

We also have a lot of collared doves, up to twelve at times. Unfortunately we also have a Sparrow Hawk and it can catch, kill and de-feather said collared dove in less than one minute and fly away with the 'dressed' body. All we have left is the large pile of feathers.!

I haven't seen any hedgehogs this year.Not one.

Anyone else not seen any?

I don't know whether we need a separate Nature Forum or not. Certainly it would be easier to find at a later date. Meanwhile though, this one is very interesting to be going on with. Thank you for the link boot. I didn't know that Ospreys had been re-introduced to England.

There are Ospreys in Cumbria.

There's more information about the Lake District osprey project at: www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/caringfor/projects/osprey_project

Poppikok No, we have not seen any either, and I have an awful feeling that the torrential rain and flooding we had must have completely wiped out their nests. We have two holes under one of our fences which we thought were being used by hedgehogs, but there has been no sign that these have been used by any animal at all. Such a shame. Incidentally, we once found a hedgehog on our lawn without a head! We asked around about this, and we were told that sometimes the foxes nudge the hedgehog until they wake up, then the only part they can eat is the head. Not sure if that is right, someone will no doubt put me righenlilghten me. We were also told, when we found a baby hedgehog during the day (and took him to a hedgehog sanctuary) that hedgehogs found during the day are usually quite poorly.

Good idea about a Nature Forum. Anyone asked HQ yet? If not, I'm happy to.

We could put anything to do with biology under science couldn't we, or environment?

Sometimes we like to look at nature in a picturesque rather than scientific way, I think. I would be grateful to you finnochio if you would ask for a Nature Forum.

dusty and boot. I've gone ahead and asked.

Jess From what I've seen, the environment forum can be fraught with political issues, and perhaps some posters don't always want to address nature from a scientific perspective.

I guess there's bound to be an element of cross-over from those two forums, but a Nature Forum, in it's simplest form, may please many posters.

If Gransnet decide not to include one, then this thread will do nicely, but I hope they do.

I quite like the idea, though I would be someone learning from it more than contributing! (apart from the etymology of names etc. which I love! ) so, yes!

Best of luck fin.It would be really nice if we could post pictures on said Nature Thread,as in the Pictures Thread.

Ideal!!

Thanks poppi.

Here's a link to pics. of a hoopoe, one of the oddest birds to spend their summer's here. We had five in the garden late yesterday afternoon. We think they're beginning to gather for the long trip back to Africa for the winter.

Bit of a long link, but give it a try.

www.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/files/2011/11/hoopoe_crest.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blogs.crikey.com.au/northern/2011/11/14/bird-of-the-week-a-eurasian-hoopoe-pops-in-for-a-beer-at-the-roebuck-plains-roadhouse/&h=650&w=950&sz=299&tbnid=0wAjj1GQ4ZRBiM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=130&zoom=1&usg=__ajgy5Zgmka8WVqB7GjC58h1b7UQ=&docid=m5QVqmOaw3wv2M&sa=X&ei=-SIWUqmVL4Oi0QWjr4HgDA&ved=0CC4Q9QEwAA&dur=871

Last year I put a thread about the Loch of the Lowes ospreys (Perthshire) on a 'chat' forum but I agree it would have been much better on a Nature forum. Please, GNHQ.