Seen today

[clarion]

Heard today - woodpecker next to the surgery.  I couldn't see it, but it must have been on the far side of one of the two closest trees.  He gave a hammer as I drew to a halt, then two more as I was getting my breath back and my keys from my bag.

[TimO]

Five ladybirds on the ceiling of my Bathroom.  I occasionally see one in there, but I don't know why five of the wandered out today.  Presumably just the right combination of moisture and temperature kicked them into activity.

[Bledlow]

Fairly fresh dead badger beside the road between Henley & Wargrave this morning. Looked as if something had been munching on its guts.

[Moloko]

Five ladybirds on the ceiling of my Bathroom.  I occasionally see one in there, but I don't know why five of the wandered out today.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Xr8vUTm64h0&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/Xr8vUTm64h0&rel=1</a>

[PaulR]

Last night, on the road back from son number 2's school after a parents' evening, a badger.  A live badger. Trotting happily along the side of the road and then hopping up the embankment and looking round at us as we passed.  We were absolutely over the moon about this.  We've never seen live badgers in the wild before and, what's more, this was in London. 

(Well, on the edge of West Wickham: here)

[Pingu]

A plethora of road kill today - a badger, a mountain hare & a frog 

Live stuff seen: buzzards, red grouse, lapwings doing their crazy aerobatics.

[L CC]

Mad March Hares.
I thought that was a bit of a myth but they were crazy like crazy things. Very distracting.

[pcolbeck]

Mad March Hares.
I thought that was a bit of a myth but they were crazy like crazy things. Very distracting.

Brilliant aren't they. We get loads of hares round here.

[border-rider]

Three old boys out on nice vintage club bikes near Kington; the one in front on the descent had  a cardboard box on his rack, containing a small dog

also a large fox near Llanfihangel Crucorney, a hare near Knighton and a kite near Llandrindod Wells.

[PaulR]

last night, a tawny owl in Frank Dixon Way and two very athletic frogs on the pavement outside our house

[TimO]

Last night, near Streatham Common station, I saw a ginger domestic cat and urban fox within about three foot of each other.  Neither seemed to be in the least bit interested in the other, and far more worried about me, even though I couldn't get anywhere near them because of a six foot high metal fence between us!

I've always assumed that there would be some animosity between the two species, or at least avoidance, since they must be targeting broadly the same sort of prey.

[clarion]

I saw a rather beautiful but very dead rat in the middle of the car park as I drew in to work.  I managed to move it before anyone drove over it.

It had been killed by a bite to the neck, but hadn't been eaten by the predator.  I'd guess a cat or a fox.

A number of birds - crows and magpies were worrying at the wound.  When I moved the corpse, the crows were wandering about as if they were saying, 'I'm sure I just left my breakfast here...'

[Moloko]

A swan in the local brook. It was sporting the last remnants of its juvenile plumage.
I was at least 10 metres away from it and it still had a hissy fit.  

Yep, it's spring.

[border-rider]

Great close-up of a sparrowhawk dismembering a pigeon at the roadside.  I was nearly on it before it saw me; just up the road from Tewdric's house.

[jogler]

It does suprise me how close you can get to wildlife sometimes on the bike before you are spotted.It realy can be a joy:especially on quiet country lanes with no vehicles & few folk about.
It has been one of the unexpected benefits of doing audax rides.

[border-rider]

Indeed

I did a perm Denmead 600 on my own in July 2006; it was a glorious weekend, and I managed to tweak the route to stop at home at about 400 k.

Just after dawn next morning, another beautiful day, I was tiddling up a little lane between Hungerford and the Test Valley and came up behind a big fox, just sitting in the road with his back to me looking at the day.  I got very close before he heard me and scampered off

[L CC]

Literally dozens of frogs/toads on the lanes tonight. They seem to be just sitting in the middle of the road drinking up the warmth and wet.
I didn't hit any, but 2 wheels are a better aim than 4, I reckon it'll be carnage in the morning.

[border-rider]

loads of frogs on the lane past our house last night and this evening, and so many in our yard that I had to use a torch to be able to walk across it without squishing lots.

[jogler]

A stag with gert antlers on the little lane that goes up to Haresfield Beacon on the way home

I enjoyed something similar in Glen Garry last year.Taken from my Dear Diary thread in Ride Reports

A red deer is running along side me approx 10 metres away in the trees.It appears to be spooked & panicy:it suddendly hangs a very sharp right which brings it across the front of me so close that I am almost wearing the antlers on the barbag.Frightening & exciting at the same time to have wild life so up close.I wonder if the deer felt the same way

The deer did not  become aware of me untill I had almost passed it by

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

The first wasp of the year.

[Mrs Pingu]

The first wasp of the year.

+1
and... 8 seals, the usual ubiquitous buzzards, noisy larks, anna red sqrl 

[Cudzoziemiec]

Not seen but heard, the year's first skylark. Yesterday.

[hellymedic]

The first wasp of the year.

+1 on Friday.
First mozzie in the kitchen too...

[SteveC]

Avocets on the River Clyst.  Last chance before they all migrate up north to breed.
Also godwits and widgeon feeding like mad, getting ready for their return to the breeding grounds.

S

[andrew_s]

A great white egret, in the half flooded field 3/4 mile from my regular sunday pub, along with 70-80 wigeon, 50 teal, a dozen or so shoveler, some canada geese, a couple of herons