Author Topic: Seen today  (Read 999517 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5350 on: 25 May, 2019, 01:45:20 pm »
We've seen the heron a few times in the park since. Also, a kingfisher on Wednesday evening.

Yesterday we went to Minsmere for the day. Saw one bittern, heard another booming, and saw a number of marsh harriers. Also, a small swarm of bees on a post.

Lucky man, I've never seen or even heard a bittern. Mind you I don't exactly live near any marshy flatlands so its not surprising.

A couple of years ago Jan and I spent the day at Minsmere with My Pal Terry Who Art In Sibton. Terry is a keen ornithologist and has even verged towards twitching in the past. Given that Sibton is only a short distance from Minsmere, he has been a regular there over the past 40 years or so.

On the day we went in 2017, we saw about 6 bitterns and, for the real purists the highlight of the day, a purple heron. Whilst everyone in The Bittern Hide trained their lenses on the purple heron, which was very hard to see because it was hiding itself so well in the reedbed, a bittern appeared right in front of the hide and showed itself spectacularly for a good 15 minutes. I took about 50 almost identical photographs of it in classical "hunting bittern" pose.



Terry said as we were leaving that it was one of the best days he had ever had at Minsmere. It was only our second or third visit.
Quote from: Dez
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ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5351 on: 25 May, 2019, 08:43:19 pm »
4 herons in about half a mile of riverback this afternoon, plus the biggest gaggle of geese I've ever seen.  Some good opportunities to test out my new Lumix 100-300 zoom (200-600mm M4/3 equivalent)
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5352 on: 25 May, 2019, 09:05:02 pm »
A European Hornet. Gracious they’re big!
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Mrs Pingu

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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5353 on: 25 May, 2019, 09:41:59 pm »
An otter, and finally a kingfisher.
Do not clench. It only makes it worse.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5354 on: 26 May, 2019, 07:19:01 pm »
I've heard quite a few cuckoos cycling in Scotland this week. Today i also saw Oystercatcher, Red Deer and a Golden Eagle.

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk


ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5355 on: 27 May, 2019, 09:11:06 am »
I've not seen a kingfisher yet, though I have heard them.

Herons and swan with my new lens on Saturday



“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5356 on: 27 May, 2019, 02:23:38 pm »
Woodcock on the lawn, just outside the back door
Cuckoos heard most days.
Collected the chip from the wildlife cam - pleased to report at least one resident water vole is still stuffing her face.
Having a stand- off with a blackbird....
The male has probably moved on to one of the other colonies in search of more conquests.
Too many hares and hedgehogs killed on the roads.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5357 on: 02 June, 2019, 03:29:00 pm »
A single firefly in the garden last night, and a bat zooming round.

Today a dragonfly, and storks copulating on a roof in the village where I stopped for coffee. Making a hell of a racket in the process, too.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5358 on: 02 June, 2019, 09:07:41 pm »
A single firefly in the garden last night, and a bat zooming round.

Today a dragonfly, and storks copulating on a roof in the village where I stopped for coffee. Making a hell of a racket in the process, too.

When storks copulate, who flies in with the baby?
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5359 on: 03 June, 2019, 07:14:50 am »
Pied Wagtail a new species for our garden this morning and last night a red kite. (didn't land but was only about 10 foot in the air)
We removed a large beech hedge that ran across our garden 1/3rd of the way down a couple of months ago. It originally divided the garden into veg and lawn areas. we lawned all of the garden including what was an overgrown area at the bottom. We thought that this might have a detrimental effect on the number and type of birds we see but in fact the reverse has happened and we are getting a wider range of species. Its a largish garden maybe 1/5 acre and has dry stone walls and there are still plenty of trees and hedges round the perimeter as well. 
We have also had magpies and jackdaws which we never had before .
I think perhaps they like the more open aspect as they can keep an eye out for predictors more easily. 
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5360 on: 05 June, 2019, 04:02:50 pm »
A completely black wild rabbit. Not dark brown, very very black, it was only 10 feet away so I could definitely tell.
It was only a couple of hundred yards from the village so its entirely possible someone's pet rabbit got out and bred with the local wild ones. This one was young and seemed happy amongst its normally coloured friends.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Salvatore

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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5361 on: 06 June, 2019, 11:05:04 am »
I went to my favourite insect spotting site this morning - it's about 15 minutes walk from home. First off was a ladybird. Nothing unusual, but when reviewing the photo I noticed a small insect on its back/shoulder, or rather the body of a small insect with its legs in the air.



The ladybird wasn't alone on the stalk. There were two greenflies. Soon there was only one greenfly.



The ladybird kindly turned to provide me with a full-face view.



Breakfast over, it buggered off with the decaying passenger still there.




Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Salvatore

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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5362 on: 06 June, 2019, 11:55:08 am »
A few feet away sunning itself on a leaf was a rather lovely damselfly(?) [edit: a female Banded Demoiselle, unless anyone knows different].



It too had a minute guest on its back, alive this time, which didn't stay long.

Quote
et avec John, excellent lecteur de road-book, on s'en est sortis sans erreur

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5363 on: 07 June, 2019, 01:12:40 pm »
Superb photos in both posts, Salvatore.

The dead ? aphid on the ladybird - how strange!

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5364 on: 07 June, 2019, 02:16:49 pm »
A rat running along the middle bar of the garden fence in broad daylight.

We had chickens for years and no sign of (live)rats. No chickens now but a rat in the garden!

The cat was a good ratter when she was younger (from a semi feral farm cat litter) but she's tiny and 15 yeas old now and the dogs a wus all bark and no bite.
I need a new cat or maybe borrow Tommy next door's berserker Jack Russell.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5365 on: 07 June, 2019, 02:40:19 pm »
Green woodpecker zooming across the road and into the forest.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5366 on: 07 June, 2019, 06:51:07 pm »
A badger's crossed the road just in front of me between bicester and thame  :thumbsup:
the slower you go the more you see

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5367 on: 08 June, 2019, 04:32:44 pm »
A large pod of bottle nose dolphins playing feeding close to the shore at New Quay today.
Managed a couple of rubbish phone shots.


20190608_132408 (2)
by Basil W, on Flickr


20190608_132343 (3)
by Basil W, on Flickr
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Kim

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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5368 on: 08 June, 2019, 09:00:16 pm »
Baby badger snuffling around the verge.  I stopped and got my camera out, and it did a runner.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5369 on: 10 June, 2019, 10:52:30 am »
A completely black wild rabbit. Not dark brown, very very black, it was only 10 feet away so I could definitely tell.
It was only a couple of hundred yards from the village so its entirely possible someone's pet rabbit got out and bred with the local wild ones. This one was young and seemed happy amongst its normally coloured friends.

loads of those around here, almost certainly from interbreeding of escapees with the wild population.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5370 on: 17 June, 2019, 10:49:13 pm »
Among others, a barn owl out hunting early (8 pm ish), and a red squirrel scampering across the top of a gate in Northumberland farming country. The second red skwerl in as many weeks.

And closer to home, my local urban fox a-prowling along the riverbank.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5371 on: 23 June, 2019, 09:05:56 pm »
A French Partidge is the latest visitor to our bird feeders. For the last few days its been joining the wood pigeons clearing up the seed the finches spill from the grass under the feeders.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5372 on: 26 June, 2019, 05:12:45 pm »
Birbs (many & varied), two seals and an otter.  The seals and otter were, alas, too far away to be photographed.
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Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #5373 on: 27 June, 2019, 07:01:17 pm »
A couple of small balls of Squeeeeee-inducing fluff, aka oystercatcher chicks.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5374 on: 27 June, 2019, 10:53:24 pm »
Tammy norries?