Author Topic: A random thread for the wildlife stuff - you know the drill (Read 137264 times)

Wowbagger · « **Reply #500 on:** 28 June, 2020, 11:22:20 am »

Life imitates art.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #501 on:** 30 June, 2020, 01:14:31 pm »

Arising from the above... a hef-hef-heffalump?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-us-canada-53226526/family-rescue-bear-cub-swimming-with-a-jar-stuck-on-its-head

T42 · « **Reply #502 on:** 30 June, 2020, 01:37:48 pm »

Snippet on radio this morning said that 96% by weight of mammals are now either human or domesticated for our use. Pity the poor 4%.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #503 on:** 24 July, 2020, 10:18:10 am »

I spoke to my brother last night. He told me that a vulpine intrusion had accounted for two of his hens.

It seems that these hens, which he had only a couple of months, flatly refuse to go into the hen house to roost at night. They go in during the day to lay their eggs. Brother David said that their pen is entirely enclosed in wire netting but Mr. Fox found a weak point and forced his way in. He killed two (half the flock) and carried one of those two away.

ElyDave · « **Reply #504 on:** 24 July, 2020, 12:35:12 pm »

Just about to get onto a conf call with coleagues yesterday when a sparrow decided to fly into my office through the open back door. Instead of flying straight out again it decided to fly behind me into the far corner and sit on an empty demijohn. I managed to shoo it out quickly enough.

With what seems like 5 or 6 sets of nesting sparrows in the back i guess it was intevitable.

Kim · « **Reply #505 on:** 25 July, 2020, 12:17:05 am »

At least it wasn't a squirrel...

ElyDave · « **Reply #506 on:** 25 July, 2020, 06:18:37 am »

or our friend Roland.

Not many squirrels round here

Jurek · « **Reply #507 on:** 25 July, 2020, 06:59:00 am »

They're mostly to be found in South East London.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #508 on:** 07 August, 2020, 04:29:41 pm »

A pig with an Apple in its mouth?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/07/german-nudist-chases-wild-boar-that-stole-laptop-berlin-teufelssee

hellymedic · « **Reply #509 on:** 07 August, 2020, 05:25:55 pm »

Poor bargain, when you're expecting PIZZA!

pcolbeck · « **Reply #510 on:** 10 August, 2020, 09:45:46 am »

We have a terracotta dish about 18 inches across that was for under a big pot that broke. I put it in the middle of the lawn with a couple of small flat rocks in in and filled it with water, its been there all summer. I thought the birds would use it and they do a bit but the bees are mad for it. I can watch a continuous stream of them flying to it and when I move it to the path whilst I mow the lawn they get very confused and cross. They keep flying to the place it was. 30 seconds after I put it back its got bees on it again.
I wonder if its the rough texture of the unglazed terracota and the rocks they like? Maybe they find it easier to grip and drink without falling in.
Try it its fascinating to watch them. Took them a a couple of days to find it initially but they have been using it all summer now.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #511 on:** 13 August, 2020, 09:28:40 am »

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/13/large-blue-butterfly-flutters-in-cotswolds-for-first-time-in-150-years

That's a brilliant piece of work - and how about that? A butterfly preying on ants? Makes a change from the ichneumon.

Basil · « **Reply #512 on:** 13 August, 2020, 06:37:15 pm »

There was a small wasp in my kitchen today. Either a small species, or just small. Definitely a wasp.
Anyway, I realised that was the first I've seen this year. Anyone else noticed this?

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #513 on:** 13 August, 2020, 07:20:49 pm »

Quote from: Pingu on 06 June, 2020, 06:05:17 pm

You know those pigeon deterrent spikes?

IMG_6146_01 by The Pingus, on Flickr

Most excellent photo. As for the spikes, those are soft southern woossy spikes, no match for an Aberdonian pigeon.

Kim · « **Reply #514 on:** 29 September, 2020, 07:58:31 pm »

It appears that the squirrels of Kenilworth have adopted drop-bear tactics. Had a near miss with one earlier this afternoon.

fuzzy · « **Reply #515 on:** 04 October, 2020, 02:58:06 pm »

We may have been adopted by the towns population of Goldfinch.
We have 5 feeders on our feeding station. Two are sunflower hearts, one is Niger, one is mixed seed and the other is suet balls. The sunflower hearts have six perches between them, the niger two and the other feeders have at least four perches. Just now, each of the sunflower and niger perches were occupied with birds feeding. The other perches were all occupied by Goldfinch social distancing and waiting. There were also Goldfinch on the top of the hangars. I counted at least fifteen Goldfinch perched or fluttering and hovering as well as Blue, Great and Coal tits swooping in to a gap, grabbing a beak full and disappearing.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #516 on:** 13 October, 2020, 09:11:52 pm »

Over 1,000km a day. These birds would make wonderful randonneurs...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/oct/13/jet-fighter-godwit-breaks-world-record-for-non-stop-bird-flight

Quote

A bird said to have the aerodynamic build of a “jet fighter” has been tracked flying more than 12,000km (7,500 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand, setting a new world record for avian non-stop flight.

The bar-tailed godwit set off from south-west Alaska on 16 September and arrived in a bay near Auckland 11 days later, having flown at speeds of up to 55mph.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #517 on:** 18 October, 2020, 11:15:20 pm »

I was having a good natter with my pal Penny this afternoon and she told me that in her youth her family had a cat who was a result of his mother being impregnated by his older brother. Of course, I asked whether they called him Oedi-puss, but apparently not. He was called "Tom".

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #518 on:** 01 November, 2020, 01:45:42 am »

Pet cat goes missing for three days, returns home incurring debt!

T42 · « **Reply #519 on:** 10 November, 2020, 02:04:05 pm »

There's a stink bug orbiting the fluorescent light in my office, right over my head. It's when the motor cuts out and they drop straight down that you start praying.

hellymedic · « **Reply #520 on:** 11 December, 2020, 07:35:43 pm »

https://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/saved-by-creed-norwegian-boy-fends-off-wolf-pack-with-heavy-metal-a-740680.html

Schoolboy encountering wolves deters them with his choice of heavy metal music.

Steph · « **Reply #521 on:** 03 January, 2021, 05:20:19 pm »

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/03/a-wing-and-a-prayer-how-birds-are-coping-with-the-climate-crisis?utm_term=950fd8caf9caaf39c146efbd4d1a3bca&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUK&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUK_email

tiermat · « **Reply #522 on:** 09 January, 2021, 08:42:13 am »

Good news: Twix the cat's bowels are perfectly normal and healthy.

Bad news: I discovered this by having to clean his shit up from the front door mat! Not a brilliant start to Saturday but he hates going out for toilet trips in the snow.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #523 on:** 09 January, 2021, 01:01:37 pm »

Ah well, at least it was a solid one!

Gattopardo · « **Reply #524 on:** 10 January, 2021, 09:07:20 pm »

Not a fan of urban foxes, or foxes in general. This little fox has been sleeping/napping on a law in the cold weather. Now I don't like the idea of an animal suffering.

Now I think that these foxes should be controlled by humans being culled as we are a great food source.

Now why does seeing this fox napping upset me so?

Author Topic: A random thread for the wildlife stuff - you know the drill (Read 137264 times)

fuzzy