Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1016972 times)

sg37409 · « **Reply #4600 on:** 26 June, 2016, 04:53:14 pm »

A pine marten - The 2nd time i've seen one :thumbs:
It hopped on to the road on the descent towards Gartmore on the back road looked at me and disappeared back into the trees.

Also, a tiny bat sitting on the road. Don't know much about them to say what kind, or even if it wasn't dead :-(
Also, 2 moles at separate points, neither were flattened or visibly injured but they were probably dead :-(

Ruthie · « **Reply #4601 on:** 27 June, 2016, 11:42:52 pm »

A big gangly hare

, lots of bunnies, magpies, blackbirds, pigeons, doves, vetch, various fading umbellifers, red clover.

Pingu · « **Reply #4602 on:** 28 June, 2016, 12:13:01 am »

Quote from: Ruthie on 27 June, 2016, 11:42:52 pm

A big gangly hare , lots of bunnies, magpies, blackbirds, pigeons, doves, vetch, various fading umbellifers, red clover.

I saw hunners o' bunnies yesterday, too. And slugs.

Kim · « **Reply #4603 on:** 28 June, 2016, 01:01:41 am »

Muntjac encounter at point-blank range on Sunday's audax: We both came to a hasty stop in the middle of the road, stared at each other for about 3.5 seconds, before it shook its head and dived back into the bushes.

Also assorted suicide pheasants. I tested the 'ride straight at them' prey animal avoidance tactic, and when I caught up, they weren't there.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #4604 on:** 04 July, 2016, 05:25:12 pm »

What I thought was a peregrine above the Wye at Wintour's Leap yesterday, but I've just checked and it must have been a hobby, due to the white tip to its tail.

Wombat · « **Reply #4605 on:** 05 July, 2016, 08:58:57 am »

An empty swan nest, with a cob wandering around looking for its mate, and the eggs.

Pen was injured, presumably during an attack on the eggs by a fox or dog, so local caring person took her to the local RSPCA place, to be tended. Next day she was making good progress, so all were assuming she'd be out and back with her mate, and hopefully the eggs if they checked out OK (rather unlikely on the egg front, they were way late, and should have hatched by now).

Caring person phones yesterday, to check when he can collect the pen to take her back, and they say "Oh, we put her down, its only a bird."

Its not "only a bird", you fucking morons, its a much loved wife of a now bereaved cob, and treasured local resident. I am seething over this, as are a large group of residents.

Ham · « **Reply #4606 on:** 05 July, 2016, 12:53:03 pm »

A grass snake on the allotment, which has lots of ickle froglets at the moment

andyoxon · « **Reply #4607 on:** 07 July, 2016, 02:43:54 pm »

This years crop of blue/coal tits having a great time picking insects (I assume) off flower heads on the large Cotoneaster waterii shrub/tree we have.

T42 · « **Reply #4608 on:** 07 July, 2016, 05:43:18 pm »

Driving the 20 km back from the hospital at around 3 am, we had to slow for deer 7 or 8 times and once for a pair of wild boar piglets trotting across the road nose to tail.

cycleman · « **Reply #4609 on:** 08 July, 2016, 07:11:02 pm »

I have mid Wales over the last few days I have seen 7 buzzards and 1 red kite and 2 skylarks. Also a lot of swallows and some swifts

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #4610 on:** 09 July, 2016, 10:55:25 pm »

The bunny-wunnies are back at the end of Fort Larrington Road. They're going to be in for a Watership Down-stylee surprise when The Man starts building two hundred new houses on those fields

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #4611 on:** 10 July, 2016, 11:20:05 am »

A hare on Felton Lane (I've no idea why it's called that as it's nowhere near any place called Felton but apparently that is its name). It ran into a field and then we stood looking at each other. Well, I stood, the hare sat. I love the way they sit 'up' as opposed to a rabbit sitting 'down'.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #4612 on:** 13 July, 2016, 12:26:25 pm »

I have just seen a water vole in Priory Park! The first one for years!

My attention was drawn to noise and movement coming from a clump of reeds. I could see a broad brown snout busily chomping those reeds in a way that would be quite uncharacteristic for a brown rat. After I had been watching this beast for a few second, it plopped into the water and disappeared.

Some weeks ago I was chatting to a bloke who told me that there were water voles in precisely the area I saw it, but I was very sceptical: it's probably about 10 years since I saw one in the park, and the rat population has increased dramatically in that time. However, I had a good look around the area concerned and there did seem to be an awful lot of reeds cut off just above water level.

This sighting has made me quite ridiculously happy.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #4613 on:** 13 July, 2016, 12:27:39 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 10 July, 2016, 11:20:05 am

A hare on Felton Lane (I've no idea why it's called that as it's nowhere near any place called Felton but apparently that is its name). It ran into a field and then we stood looking at each other. Well, I stood, the hare sat. I love the way they sit 'up' as opposed to a rabbit sitting 'down'.

Probably a Tudor dogging site. "Felt One Lane."

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #4614 on:** 13 July, 2016, 12:42:47 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 13 July, 2016, 12:27:39 pm

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 10 July, 2016, 11:20:05 am
A hare on Felton Lane (I've no idea why it's called that as it's nowhere near any place called Felton but apparently that is its name). It ran into a field and then we stood looking at each other. Well, I stood, the hare sat. I love the way they sit 'up' as opposed to a rabbit sitting 'down'.

Probably a Tudor dogging site. "Felt One Lane."

Evidence of rubbish left in field gates indicates that part of it hasn't changed in centuries. The hare, sensibly, lives at the other end.

Pingu · « **Reply #4615 on:** 13 July, 2016, 10:35:11 pm »

Bats

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #4616 on:** 14 July, 2016, 01:35:07 pm »

A very oddly shaped cat. Tiny wee head, big wide hips. From above she looked like a skittle.

Steph · « **Reply #4617 on:** 19 July, 2016, 09:08:23 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 04 July, 2016, 05:25:12 pm

What I thought was a peregrine above the Wye at Wintour's Leap yesterday, but I've just checked and it must have been a hobby, due to the white tip to its tail.

Main way of telling them apart is shape. Ignore tail tips. Perry is shorter-winged, and the wings taper sharply from a wide base. In a fast descending glide or stoop it has a very distinctive 'anchor' shape. Wing beats are rapid and fluttery.

Hobby is long, lean and longer in wings and tail, wings being far more slender and body elongated compared with perry. Wing beats are far more sweeping, but it does spend a lot of time gliding while eating moths held in its feet. Look for the red underneath.

Nuncio · « **Reply #4618 on:** 20 July, 2016, 12:21:18 pm »

The peregrines nesting atop this office tower block appear to have fledged. This morning we have been entranced by a series of aeronautic acrobatics from a big one and two smaller ones to a backdrop of green fields and pristine blue sky. They're having a lot more fun than we are.

Not sure if it's related to the fledging, but we have had several pigeon feather showers cascading past the window over the past week.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #4619 on:** 22 July, 2016, 09:24:29 am »

A hare this morning. Not such a rare site round here but this is the first time I have seen one in someone's front garden. Rabbits in a garden yes but hares? Usually you only see them in the fields.

ElyDave · « **Reply #4620 on:** 23 July, 2016, 03:43:16 pm »

Grass snake sunning itself on the road last thursday.

Young wild rabbit in the garden just a few minutes ago.

rafletcher · « **Reply #4621 on:** 23 July, 2016, 09:13:07 pm »

A couple of circling buzard said, not common for this part of south bucks. And half a dozen swallows mobbing a kestrel.

Pingu · « **Reply #4622 on:** 28 July, 2016, 09:41:51 am »

Five juvey starlings on the feeders this morning, making a racket and annoying the other birds.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #4623 on:** 28 July, 2016, 09:49:26 am »

Quote from: Steph on 19 July, 2016, 09:08:23 pm

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 04 July, 2016, 05:25:12 pm
What I thought was a peregrine above the Wye at Wintour's Leap yesterday, but I've just checked and it must have been a hobby, due to the white tip to its tail.
Main way of telling them apart is shape. Ignore tail tips. Perry is shorter-winged, and the wings taper sharply from a wide base. In a fast descending glide or stoop it has a very distinctive 'anchor' shape. Wing beats are rapid and fluttery.

Hobby is long, lean and longer in wings and tail, wings being far more slender and body elongated compared with perry. Wing beats are far more sweeping, but it does spend a lot of time gliding while eating moths held in its feet. Look for the red underneath.

If shape is more distinctive than colour then it probably was a peregrine. As far as I remember now. Thanks!

rafletcher · « **Reply #4624 on:** 31 July, 2016, 10:59:18 am »

The annual congregation of red kites over the field across the road, around a dozen of them quartering over the grass that was cut last evening. Incredibly well camouflaged when they occasionally land. Plus all too infrequent this year, butterfly's in the garden, several large and small whites, a couple of meadow brows, and a freshly minted red admiral.