Invasion of the Square Spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa

At some time, around the 14th/15th of September, the kitchen (and other rooms of the house) wereinvaded by the LBJ (little brown Job-otherwise known as an unknown bird in the avian/birdwatching world) of the Moth world.
Not that it was that small though. At about 17mm, it is hard to ignore, especially when it is a mid- dark brown, and appears almost everywhere. At first we had just a few, dotted here and there in the kitchen. Then there were more. For about two/three days this went on.
So I assume that Mrs. Square spot thought that somewhere nearby was a nice safe place to lay her eggs, or something like that. Nothing exciting like Painted Lady Butterflies. Well, at least these Moths had a safe start into life. And although being just brown, either with a 1/2 'closed' X, or with other yellowish marks, (including the square spot!) I love these little creatures. With gales blowing my head off outside, they were reluctant to get outside, but eventually they agreed with a few sheltered spots.
Here's a few shots of my visitors:

Square-Spot-Rustic, Xestia xanthographa

Wild September Safari

I've not posted much recently, mostly due to health and time and rain/wind.

So here's some shots taken this month:

Scarlet Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis

Wild Ivy, Hedera helix

Mystery White Flower, about 7mm long.

One of the wild Carrot family. About 20cm tall.

Common Knapweed, entaurea nigra

Scarlet Pimpernel, Anagallis arvensis



Square spot Rustic, Xestia xanthographa

Little Micro Moth which survived a few seconds in the largest burner of my hob, and survived!


Micro Moth, without ID. (one of the many Grass Moths, perhaps?)

Kreativ Blogger Award

Ater having just nominated 7 bloggers on Birding on Wheels, in August, I was very much surprised when, Caroline Gill, one of my lovely followers, nominated Wildlife on Wheels for this Kreativ Blogger Award, just ten days later! Thank you very much, Caroline.

Time for blogging has been very rare lately, as I was occupied with an interview at this time. This was for Spokeout, the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA)magazine. Rob Cousins, the journalist burdened with bringing my ideas over to the members of the IWA, has been very patient with me, as I have not been the easiest to work with.
On top of this, I struggled with health problems, mainly my back and neck again. Unable to sleep, due to an extra dose on top of my ever present chronic pain, meant that I was forgetting quite a lot. And so, I was forced to delay my response to nominate my own nominees for this award.
With so many choices in Blogosphere, it is not easy to choose. Even thinking of those 7 things about myself, is not an easy job, I tell you!
I'm just very boring, do not like shopping, nor do I like soaps.



Now I have to think of 7 new things about myself to tell you, after it had caused me enough grief to think of the previous 7 on Birding On Wheels! So what can I tell you?
Perhaps you didn't know that

1. I have always been a very creative person, writing poetry, fiction, fantasy, drawing, sketching, painting. I'd always create something. This I got from Elly, my dear mother, who died on Easter Saturday this year. .
Since the strength in my one good hand has been diminishing over time, making things like this has become more difficult. Photography is a good replacement for the visual stuff I used to do. But it has come pushing my writing aside, something I still love doing.

2. My ultimate way of recycling? I used to wear a lot of long skirts when I was still walking, and I've changed my favourite ones into things I can use now, since wearing them has become a thing of the past, due to my wheels. My green batik wedding dress (£ 5.00 in a local 2nd hand shop, ) is being used as a handbag(skirt), while the top I made into a jacket, which is too narrow now. Another favourite batik cotton skirt is one of my pillow cases, these days. This was a wrap around skirt, and making a rectangle out of a circle with a hole in the middle, was very difficult, as this was only a skirt just over the knees. And my pillows are not these narrow little ones which people here seem to use, but proper sized ones.After this I took the easy way out and used another -short wrap-around to make a wrap for my shoulders. ! These things are great fun. Good for racking my brain. These days, sewing is too difficult and painful, so I haven't done any of these projects lately. But who knows... perhaps I'll do another project in time to come? There is still some materia in the shape of skirts,l waiting in my cupboard.
When Francis' wallet started leaking small change, 20 years or so, I bought a set of large needles and uased the big curved one to repair the separate pockets at the side and bottom. (is it any wonder I've got so much trouble with my hand?) It did last another few years before he really got to buy a new one.

3. I used to be a member of a Buddhist organisation in the 70s. I was never baptised, and so I started looking into religions around the time I was 18 or so. They were based in The Hague, and I'd combine a visit to my sister and her new son, with going to their centre. Go to meetings there and stay with Louise overnight, who had rented a shop as living accommodation, which was a real nice place.

4. I'd love to return as a Gannet after my death. I'm fascinated by how these birds plummet into the sea at great speed. Their misile like bodies will suddenly spot a meal down there in the sea and like a Peregrine Falcon spotting a Pigeon, the Gannet increases speed immediately.Also, they have a beautiful Yellow & white plumage, so yes, that makes a good combination. having an extra hard skull up front where they hit the water, doesn't hurt either.

5. I always hated being a girl, especially after my two rain operations, when they'd shorn my head; and everyone thought I was a boy,until my hair had grown again. I was never one for dressing up, or for buying clothes. Besides, they'd get ruined in the forest (my playground) anyway. And I still hate buying clothes.

6. Apparently, I am more masculine than feminine, because I'm not scared of Spiders! This seems to come from cavemen. Not that I like them; I find them intriguing. Just observe them, how they move with 8 legs.
(I do need to add that when you cannot walk any more, movements like a Spider walking can get quite puzzling. Co-ordination is different, or missing perhaps?))

7. I usually talk softly when I'm out on the road, and to my photo subjects like Insects and Birds. It works, in that they will stay put. OK, most of the time.

Anyway, here we go. Be brave, and have a look at the blogs, by clicking on the links.



Life in Egypt.
Rena Jones
The Snipe
The Frog Blog
Bloody Cranesbill
Barnstead Botany Blog
Cabinet of Curiosities

Posthumus Award nomination:
If you are anything like me and like Peregrine Falcons, then you'll like this blog. I started following a pair (and their families) of Peregrine Falcons in De Mortel, Brabant, in Holland, in 2007. I had been asked to translate for a UK garden Bird forum. I met a great bunch of people via the Slechtvalken (Peregrines) Forum, and Vroona was one of these. Vroona had created a very detailed website on her great obsession: Peregrine Falcons.
As an extension of her website, Vroona used two blogs also. One a kind of global Peregrine webcam diary, with photos, and news from all the different breeding sites and webcams around the world, and one which was meant to talk Peregrine Falcon in more detail. Both blogs are in English, while her website was in Dutch. This last blog would transfer her wealth of Peregrine Falcon knowledge to the English speaking Falcon lovers, at last.
Unfortunately, Vroona died earlier this year, just before Easter. Vroona managed to post just the one time in January 2009.
Still, this one post on the Feathers does show you the person behind the name.
The website has been taken off-line, I do hope that we can keep these blogs alive.
Have a look at the blog; it is worth it!

Peregrine Falcons

Summer Spider and Caterpillar species looking for ID

Any ideas of any of these identities? Please leave a comment or email to birdingonwheels@gmail.com
This is a picture of a tiny Caterpillar; probably of a micro Moth. I found it about one of those little black segments of a Blackberry. Just around it really. Very earthy green colour. Very difficult to capture the colour, which was lighter than on the photos. About 7-9mm.

Down on the path, I spotted this lovely Caterpillar, crawling forward towards the front door. I needed to move it from here; with wheels and shoes getting to and fro, it was never really safe for any small creature, down on the ground. Easier said than done!
I remembered I had a small brochure in my diary, which I always keep behind my back. Did it want to walk onto this? Of course not! And why would it? It was probably hungry for a meal. as larvae it needs to feed well; it still has a long way ahead.

I've seen quite a few Small Tortoiseshell Butterflies, lately, which is a good sign, after having seen very few this summer.

This caterpillar is dark brown with light stripe running along its back.






A stray and late Common Dog Violet, Viola riviniana, on the bank along the road where I've seen many flowering this spring.


Two of those Summer Spiders which I caught in the kitchen.

This one has an overal banded or striped look, with very light brownish legs from the ankle joints. Under here, the legs are silvery looking.
Sizewise, it was just under or about 20mm.




This Spider has 4 light brown squarish spots on the brown abdomen. The thorax is of a darker brown. The knee joints of the front legs are of a different brown again than the rest of the brown legs; giving them a striped look,at first.
The front legs are about twice as long as the hind legs. This makes you wonder if it is for catching prey or for climbing?