Author Topic: Seen today  (Read 999663 times)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #50 on: 27 April, 2008, 10:03:45 pm »
First swallows this year
Several buzzards
Kestrel
Yellowhammers (one seen, loads heard)
Heard a woodpecker pecking wood
Jay
Wheatear
Another dead badger (when are we going to see a live one?)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #51 on: 28 April, 2008, 12:02:58 am »
On today's CTC trundle: -
First cuckoo, amazingly just after someone had just said she hadn't heard one this year
Wild garlic in flower, in sufficient profusion to fill the air with its scent
House martins (I'd seen a pair of swallows working a riverside meadow on Thursday, and lots more over this weekend)
Lots of cowslips
Bluebells, changing gradually from the vague blue mist of a few days ago into a patchy carpet
and a blackbird that started its alarm calls with something that sounded far too much like a mechanical problem with someone's bike, until it finally remembered how to do it properly :)

Pete

Re: Seen today
« Reply #52 on: 29 April, 2008, 08:55:56 pm »
Not sure whether this should be here or Food & Drink  ;): yesterday on the grass verges, St Georges Mushrooms* in profusion, and I picked about 2 lb: part for supper and part made into a paté.  These are somewhat hit-or-miss in our area, you get good years when they show up (usually a few days after St George's Day) in abundance, other years hardly any.  This appears to be a good year.  Alas the maggots usually beat one to it, but I got enough worm-free ones to be going along with.  They have a lovely mealy scent and are best fried in butter until tender.  Yes I knew this would turn to Food & Drink stuff...

*Calocybe gambosa

First cuckoo, amazingly just after someone had just said she hadn't heard one this year
Just occurred to me, heard the first cuckoo in England on a ride back on 13th April, one of the earliest I can remember (and that's after we heard and saw one when in France back in March).

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
Re: Seen today
« Reply #53 on: 30 April, 2008, 10:56:09 pm »
Not strictly today but while at CenterParcs last week.



and a different family.



ickle boy (21 mths) was ver happy  ;D

John
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #54 on: 01 May, 2008, 10:46:10 pm »
This morning - quite marvellously - a barn owl flapped languidly alongside me for about a quarter of a mile while I was on my way into work this morning. 

It's years since last I saw one, and the first time ever I've seen one in daylight.  I hope to see it again tomorrow, and plan to have my camera ready.   :)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #55 on: 02 May, 2008, 10:55:52 am »
The other day I spotted a pair of goldfinches in my local park. I was very excited as I've never seen one that clearly before - bright yellow under their wings and a red beret. Lovely.

border-rider

Re: Seen today
« Reply #56 on: 02 May, 2008, 02:50:15 pm »
We're lucky enough to have them in the garden here :)

Very fine little fellows.  We have a Niger seed feeder that they rather like, and in the winter they eat bugs off the old teasel heads.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #57 on: 02 May, 2008, 11:49:37 pm »
A small flock of goldfinches here by Deptford Creek
[Quote/]Adrian, you're living proof that bandwidth is far too cheap.[/Quote]

bobajobrob

Re: Seen today
« Reply #58 on: 04 May, 2008, 02:16:47 pm »
My neighbour's cat, in my kitchen last night. It came in through the catflap. It reminds me of an ewok. It also came into my bedroom in the middle of the night and started scratching.


border-rider

Re: Seen today
« Reply #59 on: 04 May, 2008, 02:20:27 pm »
Cute :)

When I was a student I lived one hot summer in an attic room of a big terraced house

I used to keep the skylight open at night, and a big fat tabby used (literally) drop in to see me on a regular basis. He couldn't get back out, of course, and had to be taken downstairs and ejected

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Seen today
« Reply #60 on: 04 May, 2008, 05:46:37 pm »
Went to Montrose Basin this afternoon. Saw Goldfinches, greenfinches, chaffinches, bluetits, sand martins, swallows, a swift, and a greater spotted woodpecker. Also a Heron, some eider ducks and a redshank.

The highlight (before I got the camera out) was an eider duck being attacked by a seal. It was damaged early on so couldn't take off but made it safely to shore.

..d
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

CathH

Re: Seen today
« Reply #61 on: 05 May, 2008, 08:26:37 am »
Was at Strawberry Hill House (what a very surprising place) yesterday for a exhibition, saw lots of groups of bright green parakeets all over the place!  Loud little devils, aren't they?

FatBloke

  • I come from a land up over!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #62 on: 05 May, 2008, 11:58:51 am »
Saw an adder crossing the road somewhere on the Isle of Wight yesterday. Hopefully, Hummers Jr. who was following didn't squish it (he was reading a map at the time)  ::-)
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.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #63 on: 05 May, 2008, 01:20:48 pm »
Not much of a bird-watcher... but I'm getting into it for sure...
Yesterday driving-off for the day saw what I believe to be a Sparrow Hawk walking on the pavement at the end of our suburban cul-de-sac, it charged into a bush and then out again ending-up sat proudly on the end of a garage.   Not at all phased by our sitting and looking from the car.  Earlier apparently it had been in the neighbour's garden pulling away at some unfortunate dead bird.  About 500 yards up the road we turned at a roundabout to see a Kestrel (I think) dive into the grassy verge a few feet in front of us and emerge with it's prey and scarper across the road into the field beyond.  Finally going across the Chilterns the usual magnificent display of Red-kites.  Quite a day for raptor spotting!
Me and the lad were off to see birds of a different kind... Warbirds at RAF Hendon.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #64 on: 05 May, 2008, 07:11:50 pm »
On Saturday I saw a pair of Peregrine Falcons near the top of Scarfell Pike. They were probably nesting among the cliffs up there.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #65 on: 05 May, 2008, 09:17:14 pm »
Nuthatch - not sure how rare these are, but my impression is less rare than they used to be.

3 red kites.  I'd be surprised not to see any these days on the sort of route I took today.  Which is not to say that they don't look magnificent, circling slowly round, the Black Mountain a backdrop behind them.  They just look right there.

A lizardy thing.  Greeny and about 3 inches long, scuttled across the road just in front of me.  Maybe a newt?

Two curlews in a field by Llanddeusant.  I've only ever seen them on the coast before so it was a bit odd to see them poking their long beaks into the ground, miles form the sea.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #66 on: 05 May, 2008, 09:59:09 pm »
Last night there was a large pregnant toad cowering under the door step as we returned in darkness. I hope it found its way downhill and over the main road to the river.

Today, walking on Gittisham Common, we startled several deer. A small herd of highland cattle heard our approach and ran off. They seemed much wilder or more timid than most farm cattle. E had a brief glimpse of a small lizard.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #67 on: 05 May, 2008, 10:17:07 pm »
Seen today--groundhog nibbling at our black-raspberry canes.  >:(  And after all we've done to provide habitat.  :'(

Heard today--migrating Northern Parulas (Parulae?) singing in our neighborhood.
scottclark.photoshelter.com

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Seen today
« Reply #68 on: 05 May, 2008, 11:02:45 pm »
Pics from Sunday. Two firsts for me.

A goldfinch and a greater spotted woodpecker. It was miserable weather so the pics are somewhat poor quality. Too slow on the shutter speed.


"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Pete

Re: Seen today
« Reply #69 on: 06 May, 2008, 12:50:00 pm »
Nice pictures, David.  #1 is a Goldfinch, not a Goldcrest, but nicely 'bagged' all the same.  ;)

Re: Seen today
« Reply #70 on: 06 May, 2008, 04:25:45 pm »
Seen this morning--a white-crowned sparrow at our feeder, for the first time since we've lived in our house (12 years?). I've been hoping one would show up since we moved in--I know they winter in some farm fields out in the County, but have never seen one in town before.
scottclark.photoshelter.com

Re: Seen today
« Reply #71 on: 06 May, 2008, 10:06:58 pm »
Seen today: a tern hovering above the pond in my local park. I've never noticed one there before, though I haven't been looking. I noticed it today because it was flying around the pond, hovering every few feet. Very impressive and graceful, and much nicer than the greedy herring gulls we normally see.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #72 on: 07 May, 2008, 01:20:18 pm »
Seen on my morning commute at Abbeywood in Bristol.



Swan in foreground was very protective - luckily out of view there is a fence !


nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Seen today
« Reply #73 on: 07 May, 2008, 03:13:09 pm »
Not seen, but heard my first 2 cuckoos this morning. A ladybird hitched a ride on my shoulder for a couple of miles.

And a couple of speckled hens were seen fleetingly in the newly reopened 4 Horseshoes in Graveney.  ;D
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #74 on: 07 May, 2008, 04:45:20 pm »
Seen on the weekends sailing trip

Couple of Sea Eagles being mobbed by the local gulls

Porpoises

Seals
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