Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018399 times)

Regulator · « **Reply #2725 on:** 09 July, 2012, 07:19:02 am »

Not today but Friday evening (this is my first access to the interweb in a week)...

... a pine marten at the gate of the cottage in Scotland. He was eyeing up the dog and then seemed to decide that the garden wasn't an area he wanted to be in.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2726 on:** 09 July, 2012, 10:10:01 am »

Quote from: Crumbling Nick on 08 July, 2012, 11:10:23 pm

Lots of swallows (I think) perched on telephone wires. They didn't have the usual long tail streamers, so I assume they're fledglings. The numbers puzzle me. This year has been too wet & cool for insects: insectivores would surely have suffered. Do young swallows socialise outside their immediate family this early?

I thought wet weather led to more insects, especially those with an aquatic larval stage. See Clarion's Bucket, above.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2727 on:** 09 July, 2012, 11:20:57 am »

I heard that swifts and swallows were fewer in number this year because the cold, wet weather had hampered their migrations.

why1040 · « **Reply #2728 on:** 09 July, 2012, 11:24:59 am »

We seem to have the normal number of swifts nesting in our stables...two pairs (with squeaky offspring) in the main stable block, one pair (still apparently waiting for eggs to hatch, but nest was made a little later) in my horse's stable on the corner bit. We don't seem to have as many as normal chattering on the electricity line above them though. No scientific data is inferred from this

JonBuoy · « **Reply #2729 on:** 10 July, 2012, 06:51:46 pm »

The largest slug that I have ever seen - shades give an idea of the scale of the beast. It was playing 'chicken' with the bikes on the cyclepath.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2730 on:** 11 July, 2012, 12:14:51 pm »

Two herons and a little egret apparently flying in formation.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #2731 on:** 11 July, 2012, 12:49:40 pm »

2 evenings ago I saw a Hooded crow in Aberdeen! Yes, I was surprised as well!
Pingu looked at me like I was talking BS when I told him, but it was defo a hoodie.

That monster slug...ewwwh! *shudders*

why1040 · « **Reply #2732 on:** 11 July, 2012, 02:55:35 pm »

A heron and a kestrel (not together I hasten to add). Several muntjacks when driving home last night.

And my horse appears to be an uncle...the swifts in his stable have hatched and we are hoping the magpies don't get this batch!

Bledlow · « **Reply #2733 on:** 12 July, 2012, 01:50:24 pm »

Mrs B reported seeing lots of infant frogs on her run around the lake at Reading University last night.

CrinklyLion · « **Reply #2734 on:** 13 July, 2012, 06:43:37 am »

Yesterday, whist sprinting for a bus to site so no time to take a photo, a baby hedgehog snuffling along the pavement! He clocked me and thought about rolling up, but then decided I wasn't much of a threat and continued his wander. Squeeeeeeeeeee and a half!

tiermat · « **Reply #2735 on:** 13 July, 2012, 07:36:53 am »

Last night, as we were heading to Thirsk, Deano and I spotted a kestrel.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #2736 on:** 14 July, 2012, 09:04:19 am »

Hector the cat has just been chased back into the house by Mrs Blackbird. It happens about three times a day.

Pingu · « **Reply #2737 on:** 14 July, 2012, 11:03:16 pm »

Saw a bat tonight over our garden. I was a bit concerned that they haven't done very well this year.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2738 on:** 15 July, 2012, 02:44:02 pm »

A red kite from here. I was watching it for about 5 or 10 minutes as it wheeled above the fields to the south of the road. It's only the second I've seen in Essex. The previous was a juvenile viewed briefly near Pattiswick whilst out riding with Auntie Helen of this parish.

Pingu · « **Reply #2739 on:** 15 July, 2012, 04:24:57 pm »

Yesterday - a dead fox

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #2740 on:** 15 July, 2012, 10:28:08 pm »

In Kensington Gardens, rather a lot of these:

They are pretty feisty - quite able and willing to take a few feathers out of a harmless passing pigeon, I noted today. I’ve no doubt that one could kill a pigeon if it felt like it.

Potential food supply spotted:

Almonds went down very well - their technique was to take two at a time, eat one, bury the other, and come back for more:

Riggers · « **Reply #2741 on:** 16 July, 2012, 08:20:39 am »

Adder! First time I've seen one. Just by the side of a cycle path going out of Brighton. Brilliant.

Later on in the ride… Roe deer jumped out in front of me, running ahead, jumping occasionally, looking back at me. Offroad near Staplefield.

fuzzy · « **Reply #2742 on:** 16 July, 2012, 08:36:44 am »

Yesterday afternoon, whilst descending a hill in towards Hambleden, a brace of birds crossed the road ahead of me causing me to break hevily and swear vociferously. They looked like a Mr and Mrs Guinae Fowl (sp?) but I can' be sure.

The lead bird was very drab whereas the male following had grey flecks on it's flank, blue in the tail and face area (I think as I was in Ohmyfuckinggiddyaunt) mode at the time. The male also had a crest that looked like a single strand that curved back and formed a loop (but bear in mind my state of mind when making these observations).

Feanor · « **Reply #2743 on:** 17 July, 2012, 11:32:20 am »

Mother and 2 very young deer, at a distance of about 5m, standing at the edge of the woods on the ride in this morning.
The little ones were about the size of a small dog.

They froze and looked at me, but ran off before I could get the camera out.

nicknack · « **Reply #2744 on:** 17 July, 2012, 04:56:45 pm »

I thought this chap was a victim of the traffic at first but he was just sunning himself in the road. I relocated him to the verge and I hope he didn't go back to the road. Seen after a very pleasant lunch with Mr and Mrs Wow at the Shipwright's Arms near Faversham.

David Martin · « **Reply #2745 on:** 17 July, 2012, 06:14:55 pm »

A fox, making off with what looked like an ex-pigeon (wood) on the other bank of the canal. It was good enough after stashing the loot to wait while I fettled camera settings and then to pose for a photo.

Fox by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Bledlow · « **Reply #2746 on:** 17 July, 2012, 06:23:57 pm »

Very small frogs, crossing a path in the grounds of Reading University, heading away from the lake.

Peter · « **Reply #2747 on:** 18 July, 2012, 12:30:14 am »

Quote from: nicknack on 17 July, 2012, 04:56:45 pm

I thought this chap was a victim of the traffic at first but he was just sunning himself in the road. I relocated him to the verge and I hope he didn't go back to the road. Seen after a very pleasant lunch with Mr and Mrs Wow at the Shipwright's Arms near Faversham.

NN, that's an adder, isn't it? How did you pick it up and was there much resentment?

nicknack · « **Reply #2748 on:** 18 July, 2012, 07:01:53 am »

Quote from: Peter on 18 July, 2012, 12:30:14 am

NN, that's an adder, isn't it? How did you pick it up and was there much resentment?

It's a grass snake and it didn't seem to mind much.

marcusjb · « **Reply #2749 on:** 18 July, 2012, 07:29:08 am »

Great picture nicknack.

I have never seen one in the wild, expect those squashed by cars (the same can be said of red squirrels sadly).

Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018399 times)

fuzzy