Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018320 times)

The Family Cyclist · « **Reply #6525 on:** 16 June, 2023, 02:16:37 pm »

This morning out fairly early on the path by river near my house. Rabbit running towards me which is odd as I'm walking my greyhound so normally rabbits keep a good distance.

Then a second of so later all becomes clear as a fox comes loping after the rabbit. They both disappeared up a side track which isn't really accessible to humans and didn't hear anything so suspect fox wasn't successful in chase.

I had been considering letting chickens have some more free ranging but having seen fox effectively going behind my house I'll keep them safe and secure

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6526 on:** 20 June, 2023, 01:26:13 pm »

Quote from: CrazyEnglishTriathlete on 14 June, 2023, 12:31:39 pm

A badger about 15 miles out of Le Mans - near Cures. Never seen a badger in France before.

Used to be a common site in France during the summer:

Peter · « **Reply #6527 on:** 20 June, 2023, 03:16:27 pm »

Yeah - one won The Tour five times.

Snakehips · « **Reply #6528 on:** 20 June, 2023, 10:09:27 pm »

Seen today? Yes , but not by me. Somewhere in this pic there is a bird. Can anybody see it? Can anybody tell me what it is please?

Pingu · « **Reply #6529 on:** 20 June, 2023, 10:13:39 pm »

Quote from: Snakehips on 20 June, 2023, 10:09:27 pm

...Can anybody tell me what it is please?...

Small and blurred

L CC · « **Reply #6530 on:** 20 June, 2023, 10:41:50 pm »

Canary.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #6531 on:** 27 June, 2023, 08:02:04 am »

Not so much seen, as heard.

So many birds in the garden, all feeding their young.

This time of year, we spend more on fatballs+birdseed than we do on cat+dog food.

They are getting through about 6 fatballs a day.

Pingu · « **Reply #6532 on:** 27 June, 2023, 01:40:42 pm »

Yeah, our bird food is getting hammered too.

cycleman · « **Reply #6533 on:** 02 July, 2023, 08:15:03 pm »

I was woken up by one of the cats this morning at 0545 .on investigation I found she had cornered a green woodpecker In the lounge. How she managed to catch it I have no idea but I'm pleased to report that I was able to release it apparently unharmed much to the cats disappointment

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6534 on:** 06 July, 2023, 12:38:50 pm »

Walking the dog this morning through the snicket next to our house. There is a six foot fence on one side the ends in an enclosure for an external oil boiler for a cottage.
The cottage has a flat roof extension at this point.
On the fence was sat a squirrel which was looking at us. On the boiler enclosure was the cat belonging to the cottage doing that weird lying down thing they do where they fold their legs under themselves.
The squirrel looked at me and the dog for a second then ran back towards the cottage along the fence took a flying leap then landed on the cats back and used it as a vaulting horse to make a second leap onto the flat roof before jumping into a tree.
Not sure who was more surprised, me the dog or the cat.

L CC · « **Reply #6535 on:** 07 July, 2023, 10:56:21 am »

Curlew shouted at me on the way to work. I wouldn't have thought it was wild in the right way out here but clearly, yes it is.

rafletcher · « **Reply #6536 on:** 07 July, 2023, 03:15:04 pm »

Heard first, then seen, a circling kestrel.

JonBuoy · « **Reply #6537 on:** 08 July, 2023, 05:42:54 pm »

A load of gift-wrapped willow(?) trees:

https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net/NQxoPMOHCbTDUUrW7-gp_5If77jPQTpahqK-0OA-NKE-2048x1536.jpg

All thanks to these things which are apparently Ermine Moths:

https://dgtzuqphqg23d.cloudfront.net/8nQbjC21P5B3Mg27AFt2zyIRyKDekSttuBk2PGhsPUw-2048x1536.jpg

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6538 on:** 09 July, 2023, 08:23:21 pm »

Large raptor seen on Westcliff sea front this evening, being mobbed by herring gulls.

Pretty crap photo:

I'm inclined towards female hen harrier.

T42 · « **Reply #6539 on:** 18 July, 2023, 11:02:57 am »

On ride yesterday, nothing unusual, just the commonplace storks and swans, and one displaced seagull being chased by a throng of bully-boy crows. Oh, and a few buzzards but they're as common as get out.

Heard a wol around 4 am. Got up & closed window.

Basil · « **Reply #6540 on:** 19 July, 2023, 09:42:08 pm »

Gosh, the swifts are loud this evening. They've come together into a large flock which is screaming so loud that I had to turn down the treble on my hearing aids as it was painful on the dog walk.
Are they gathering for the great bugger off?

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6541 on:** 19 July, 2023, 10:08:22 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 19 July, 2023, 09:42:08 pm

Gosh, the swifts are loud this evening. They've come together into a large flock which is screaming so loud that I had to turn down the treble on my hearing aids as it was painful on the dog walk.
Are they gathering for the great bugger off?

I reckon they'll be gone in about 3 to 4 weeks, sadly. The swift season doesn't last long.

This spring was the first time I recall seeing one in April - the evening of 30th.

Pingu · « **Reply #6542 on:** 19 July, 2023, 10:28:49 pm »

They've usually gone by the time we get back from our holibobs. So they go in the last two weeks of August up here.

Canardly · « **Reply #6543 on:** 19 July, 2023, 10:54:01 pm »

On advice, due to the sap possibly causing severe skin irritation, I chopped down a Prickly Lettuce which I had allowed to mature in order to identify just what is was. However, in doing so, I disturbed a quantity of vivid green crickets (thinks). Another example of how interconnected everything is.

rafletcher · « **Reply #6544 on:** 20 July, 2023, 05:06:46 pm »

Flying ants, and on the back of that about 50 swallows.

alfapete · « **Reply #6545 on:** 20 July, 2023, 07:22:12 pm »

Quote from: rafletcher on 20 July, 2023, 05:06:46 pm

Flying ants, and on the back of that about 50 swallows.

'Flying ant day' is often whilst my daughter (and, in more recent years, myself) are camping at Wimbledon

Snakehips · « **Reply #6546 on:** 22 July, 2023, 11:41:06 am »

Encountered a pair of badgers strolling down my road here in KT2 at about 10:30 last night.

slowfen · « **Reply #6547 on:** 22 July, 2023, 02:20:23 pm »

Hummingbird hawk moth yesterday

Bledlow · « **Reply #6548 on:** 22 July, 2023, 10:03:55 pm »

Not unusual, but the location's new.

Mrs B & I were walking to Tesco this morning & she spotted a muntjac watching us.

That's the big Tesco in Napier Road, Reading. There's a little strip of semi-wooded land between the car park & the river with a path & some benches. The muntjac was there. Looked rather relaxed.

cycleman · « **Reply #6549 on:** 23 July, 2023, 08:43:51 am »

Obviously just finished it's weekly shopping