Author Topic: Seen today  (Read 999942 times)

border-rider

Re: Seen today
« Reply #125 on: 27 May, 2008, 06:14:48 pm »
A scruffy GS woodpecker trying to burgle the blue tit's nest box :o

The nest box is just outside my office window so i can see all the comings and goings.  The woodpecker was knocking hell out of it.

I found this

Quote
In parts of the country, great spotted woodpeckers regularly attack wooden nest-boxes. The eggs and more commonly the young of blue tits, great tits, coal tits and nuthatches have all become victims. The woodpeckers gain access to the nest either by enlarging the box entrance or by drilling through the side of the box on a level with the contents

Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dendrocopos major

This fella is noticeably more bedraggled that the bright and shiny ones who have been eating the peanuts on our feeders

Re: Seen today
« Reply #126 on: 27 May, 2008, 11:25:46 pm »
Nightingales here today for us too.  Not on Ditchling Common this time, but we were out walking a mile or two to the west, in an area of open space on the edge of town known - appropriately enough - as Nightingale Meadows.  First time I've heard them sing at that spot - comforting to know that they can read... ;)

Idly looking at the OS 1:25k for the local area today, I was surprised how many places are called "Nightingales" or "Nightingale [something]".  Naturally Wikipedia has a page that describes their preferred habitat (and here seems to be it).

Re: Seen today
« Reply #127 on: 28 May, 2008, 01:16:48 pm »
Camping in Watlington at the weekend:
Lots of small rabbits keeping the grass down; lots of Red Kites swooping over the site :D; a couple of sky larks over a field on a lovely walk; some swifts and wagtails too. 8)
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annie

Re: Seen today
« Reply #128 on: 28 May, 2008, 01:27:17 pm »
On my walk along the river path to Stowmarket, hundreds of damsel flies and dragon flies.  It was a sight I shall not forget in a hurry, I felt as though I had stepped into the scene of a wonderful fairy tale.  I also some some Highland cattle and lots of bunnies.  There was a moment of tense, nervous anxiety as I walked through a field full of cows, they are naturally inquisitive and they were intrigued by myself and the three dogs.  I wasn't too happy to have at least 30 of them behind me, 10 to the side and another 5 or 6 at the front.  It meant I ended up covered in cow pooh, the farmer watched from his door, his arms folded and a scowl upon his face.  This is the farmer who last year put a bull in the field and has since been told by the council he is not allowed to do this as the public footpath runs through his field.  He blocked in the styles and has made life very uncomfortable for us walkers.

2.5 hours on my feet, the dogs are exhausted and are sleeping soundly.

Saw a heron fishing on the river and the sound of hundreds of starling overhead.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #129 on: 29 May, 2008, 12:35:29 pm »
Seen on Mull and West Highlands last weekend:

Golden Eagles (first sighting for me  :thumbsup: )
White Tailed Eagles
Buzzards
Bullfinches
Siskins
Seals
Red Deer
Mountain Hares (with some white patches still in their fur)

Two of the eagle sightings were from the main road at Craignure  :thumbsup:

Re: Seen today
« Reply #130 on: 29 May, 2008, 01:53:05 pm »
Walking back through Ealing late on Sunday night an old brindled fox trotted past on the pavement, breaking into a lope when it saw us. A moment later a young fox stood its ground ahead of us, staring as we approached, then sauntered across the street.

They have a marvellous ability to vanish into the shadows. Crossing the road to see where the young one had gone, there was no sign, and not even any side alleys it could have turned into.

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #131 on: 29 May, 2008, 03:02:04 pm »
Yer foxes is good at jumping too.  I had a close encounter with one in New Cross Gate a few years ago.  It gave me the eye and launched a Prodigious Leap from the pavement onto a garage roof.
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #132 on: 29 May, 2008, 03:30:40 pm »
Yer foxes is good at jumping too.

Indeed. My sister's garden is surrounded by high fences and garages, but foxes get in. One was only prevented from carrying off the guinea pig by the screams of a panicking niece.

CathH

Re: Seen today
« Reply #133 on: 30 May, 2008, 12:22:42 pm »
Mummy duck and 5 little quacklings walking across the road in front of me.  The road is closed to vehicular traffic and will be closed for a couple of months more, so no danger of them getting squashed.  Too cute.

FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #134 on: 30 May, 2008, 04:36:55 pm »
Traffic jam on a country(ish) road not usually prone to traffic problems. Traffic queueing in both directions.
Rode to the front of the queue to find a female Mallard shepherding 8 balls of brown fluff along the white line in the middle of the road. ::-)

Dismounted and ushered mother and babies up onto the verge and cycled home with a big grin!   ;D
This isn't just a thousand to one shot. This is a professional blood sport. It can happen to you. And it can happen again.

Pete

Re: Seen today
« Reply #135 on: 30 May, 2008, 06:09:34 pm »
I remember - years ago - an AA man doing just that! He stopped all the traffic on the busy A6038 near Baildon Yorks. (Hollins Hill) to let Mummy duck and her brood waddle across!  All the held-up motorists (and I - held up on bike) watched the scene in good humour: not one impatient hoot.  :)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #136 on: 30 May, 2008, 07:19:03 pm »
I was out cycle-training with a group of five youngsters in a residential area when a fox came out of a house garden on the opposite side of the road. It calmly trotted along the pavement while watching us, then halted about 15m away, looked right and left and right again and crossed the road.

We were all very impressed with its road sense :)


Re: Seen today
« Reply #137 on: 31 May, 2008, 12:07:57 pm »


Marsh harrier, effortlessly gliding across the fens.

And at welney some moorhen chicks, little black fluffy balls with red beaks and a bald petch on their heads.

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #138 on: 31 May, 2008, 07:53:25 pm »
I think I saw a wildcat in Glen Rinnes. It was big enough, the right colour and had the club-shaped ringed tail. It watched me approaching then disappeared into the gorse  :thumbsup:

Also a saw a red squirrel on the verge of a road.

Plus the usual buzzards, kestrels, etc.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #139 on: 31 May, 2008, 09:00:22 pm »
Not today, but in Wales this past week:

lots of red kites
lots of buzzards
a pied flycatcher feeding its baby near Strata Florida
a pair of pied flycatchers near the Rheidol power station
dolphins from Aberystwyth prom
plus quite a lot of assorted other things
Quote from: Dez
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Fi

Re: Seen today
« Reply #140 on: 31 May, 2008, 11:31:39 pm »
Baby starlings invading the bird table lately.  They can feed themselves easily, but when the parent comes too, they insist on being fed.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #141 on: 02 June, 2008, 08:12:22 am »
A few days ago in Corfu we saw a school of dolphin in the bay here. It was after sunset and just getting dark. They went past in a leisurely fashion heading northwards.
[Quote/]Adrian, you're living proof that bandwidth is far too cheap.[/Quote]

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #142 on: 02 June, 2008, 10:10:07 pm »
An owl on the Lecht - very pale, barn owl?
Nearly ran over a red squirrel near Dinnet.
A weasel or stoat dashing across the road with something in its mouth - I think the former as it was really tiny.
1 brown hare, 1 mountain hare.
Red grouse.
Buzzards, kestrel.
And a deer crossing the river Don.

IanDG

  • The p*** artist formerly known as 'Windy'
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Re: Seen today
« Reply #143 on: 02 June, 2008, 10:19:22 pm »
seen on Great Bernera, near Bosta beach on Friday




Re: Seen today
« Reply #144 on: 03 June, 2008, 01:12:33 pm »
Seen the night before last, a baby blue tit fast asleep on my windowcill!


CathH

Re: Seen today
« Reply #145 on: 03 June, 2008, 01:27:10 pm »
Awwww!  We're well into fledging time now, as was proven by the live (and unharmed) birdy gift (baby sparrow I think) that I was presented with yesterday morning by my cat-share!  No photo - too busy trying to encourage him into a tree before heading off to work.

Wascally Weasel

  • Slayer of Dragons and killer of threads.
Re: Seen today
« Reply #146 on: 03 June, 2008, 03:34:47 pm »
For the last couple of weeks I've been watching the progress of a brood belonging to a pair of Egyptian Geese (similar to shellducks if you know the type).

They have nine goslings, all of which seem to have survived so far...although I feel like I'm tempting fate by mentioning that.

Pete

Re: Seen today
« Reply #147 on: 05 June, 2008, 02:10:11 pm »
Perhaps a less-than-welcome sighting: Harlequin Ladybird.
Settled on my shirt for a few seconds as I was out cycling this lunchtime.
They are a known pest and are displacing our native species I believe, but I don't know whether sightings should be reported in some way...

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Seen today
« Reply #148 on: 05 June, 2008, 06:47:43 pm »
Had bloody stacks of them hibernating in my house last winter. They didn't last long...

Re: Seen today
« Reply #149 on: 05 June, 2008, 11:26:41 pm »
Often when arrive home from work, I have to avoid riding over toys, bikes, scooters, balls, etc., in the driveway. Today I had to dodge this:



Doing this:




[click for bigger]
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