Diario de spyr

This was a very difficult summer for butterflies. Can anybody help identify these two? Thanks a lot!

Here in Switzerland, the first young swifts have left their nests and are on their way to Africa (first observed signs of departure on July 12th). While young birds in other nests are still being fed, large flocks of swifts are travelling west. Their route leads to France and Spain and from there to Africa. We hear in the media about an extreme heatwave in Spain. Not a good coincidence! We wonder what has become of the many swifts already migrating in this sweltering heat. Appeal to all European iNaturalists: Do you know where and how far the flocks of birds have gone by now? Is there any news about birds that have died in accidents? Many thanks for your information!

En Suisse, les premiers jeunes martinets ont quitté leur nid et sont en route pour l'Afrique (premiers signes de départ observés le 12 juillet). Tandis que les jeunes des autres nids sont encore nourris, de grands groupes de martinets se dirigent vers l'ouest. Leur route mène vers la France et l'Espagne et de là vers l'Afrique. Les médias nous parlent d'une vague de chaleur extrême en Espagne. Ce n'est pas une bonne coïncidence! Nous nous demandons ce qu'il est advenu des nombreux martinets qui migraient déjà dans cette chaleur étouffante. Appel à tous les iNaturalistes européens: Savez-vous jusqu'où sont allées les volées d'oiseaux ? Avez-vous des nouvelles des oiseaux morts dans des accidents? Merci beaucoup pour vos informations!

Aquí en Suiza, los primeros vencejos jóvenes han abandonado sus nidos y se dirigen a África (los primeros indicios de partida se observaron el 12 de julio). Mientras se alimenta a los jóvenes en otros nidos, grandes bandadas de vencejos se dirigen hacia el oeste. Su ruta lleva a Francia y España y de allí a África. En los medios de comunicación se habla de una ola de calor extremo en España. No es una buena coincidencia. Nos preguntamos qué habrá sido de los muchos vencejos que ya están emigrando con este calor sofocante. Llamamiento a todos los iNaturalistas europeos: ¿Sabes hasta dónde han llegado las bandadas de pájaros a estas alturas? ¿Hay noticias sobre aves que hayan muerto en accidentes? ¡Muchas gracias por su información!

Identifying different species is not always easy. Many thanks for your help!

Who recognizes this hissing? It is the last sequence of a longer series of screeches and hisses heard at 3 a.m. in a larger area with meadows and old trees. Two animals were involved, which later moved away in two different directions. At first, they were calling in quick succession, when they were separated, at greater intervals. Because the recorded voice, as it came closer, came from above and moved very quickly (and otherwise silently), we wonder if an owl may have been behind it? Can anyone help solve the mystery? Thank you very much!

The newspapers report that the air temperature in the last ten months has always been significantly above the expected. Vegetation is at least 1 month ahead. After exceptionally warm April days of up to 28° C, there are repeated drops in temperature, then it suddenly returns to 0°C at night. The butterfly season starts slowly: After several observations of Aglais urticae, Gonepteryx rhamni, Anthocharis cardamines and the first Lycaenidae are flying. As soon as the sun shines, there is a strikingly large variety of wild bees and hoverflies. Spiders and beetles are also easy to spot. Many thanks to all of you who can help with IDs!

Looking through my observations from last year I found this one: The shot seems to be sharp and shows the animal pretty well. It would be great if it could be identified more precisely. Can any of you help? Thanks a lot for helping solve this mystery!

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/154113338

These characteristic observations (hoverflies, earthworm, violets, cornell cherry) still need an ID: Can you help? Thanks!

First butterflies and the Wangensbach violets are in full bloom: It's end of February, and spring is here.

Thank you for your IDs for the lovely violets!

Christina Georgina Rossetti
Autumn violets

Keep love for youth, and violets for the spring:
Of if these bloom when worn-out autumn grieves,
Let them lie hid in double shade of leaves,
Their own, and others dropped down withering;
For violets suit when home birds build and sing,
Not when the outbound bird a passage cleaves;
Not with dry stubble of mown harvest sheaves,
But when the green world buds to blossoming.
Keep violets for the spring, and love for youth,
Love that should dwell with beauty, mirth, and hope:
Or if a later sadder love be born,
Let this not look for grace beyond its scope,
But give itself, nor plead for answering truth—
A grateful Ruth tho' gleaning scanty corn.

t is an exceptionally warm month of February. Thanks to the southerly winds ("Föhn"), it will be up to 20°C in the Rhine Valley today! Small insects, a snail and various mosses thrive in the forest. Thanks a lot for your suggestions for identification.!

It's only beginning of February. But recently, the warm temperatures and first butterflies flying remind us of the season we used to call "spring". Who can help to identify this bird by its call? Thanks a lot! https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198087384