Author Topic: A random thread for the wildlife stuff - you know the drill (Read 138564 times)

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #125 on:** 16 January, 2015, 05:14:30 pm »

The kittens went to the cattery today. When they went in their run they were both shaking like jellies.
How bad did I feel?

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #126 on:** 17 January, 2015, 01:57:09 pm »

They were shaking with excitement, I promise.

andrewc · « **Reply #127 on:** 19 January, 2015, 04:18:23 pm »

Quote from: andrewc on 22 December, 2014, 01:27:01 pm

This chap's a little bit lost.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/watch-i-woke-up-found-8330927

Now in captivity & needing some treatment http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/seal-found-newton-le-willows-field-transferred-8336343

Poor little chap didn't make it.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/dumbledore-stranded-seal-died-8474949

andrewc · « **Reply #128 on:** 19 January, 2015, 08:53:02 pm »

I thought _I_ looked bad in lycra.......

Moleman76 · « **Reply #129 on:** 22 January, 2015, 05:48:14 am »

A MACIL, of course

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #130 on:** 31 January, 2015, 05:54:51 pm »

I spent this morning doing a little dance round the litter tray because Pumpkin produced a poo of such quality rather than the brown puddles she was doing earlier this week. Since we got the cats in November the only time she's done any decent poos was the week she was living on boiled chicken.
I'm hoping we might have cracked it on food number 5 which is good cos I was getting quite worried about her....

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #131 on:** 31 January, 2015, 07:31:33 pm »

And now she's looking all sorry for herself

Pingu · « **Reply #132 on:** 31 January, 2015, 11:59:12 pm »

And now she's perky again

runsoncake · « **Reply #133 on:** 04 February, 2015, 11:24:31 pm »

Just realised that now since our much loved dog has passed on the local hedgehogs are safe.

Somehow Ted had discovered the trick of unzipping the spiny ones before they "balled up", impressive but unpleasant and messy. (Victory shake would only happen indoors, gory streaks everywhere)

Looking forward to Team Spiky taking on the previously untouchable molluscs in our garden.

woollypigs · « **Reply #134 on:** 05 February, 2015, 09:58:43 am »

My granddad's dog weed on the hedgehogs. Very brave for wee mutt, cause they only had to stretch their legs and I would never have got my fourth dog.

Ham · « **Reply #135 on:** 06 February, 2015, 11:35:39 am »

The story behind

The tree is the Moroccan Argan tree http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argan_oil - unique to the area. The production of the oil is labour intensive and viewed as women's work, although in an enabling sense rather than a derogatory manner - a way that women are able to do work, frequently organised in cooperatives. Part of the responsibility of the visiting tourist is to watch them cracking the nuts

then grinding and extracting oil

then handing over money for the product.

And the animal connection? They get goats to eat the nuts first as that is apparently the easiest way to remove the outer coating. The goats appreciate their role.

woollypigs · « **Reply #136 on:** 06 February, 2015, 12:31:52 pm »

Ok I need to go back to school, I was sure that goats didn't grow on trees ...

runsoncake · « **Reply #137 on:** 07 February, 2015, 12:59:59 am »

Quote from: woollypigs on 06 February, 2015, 12:31:52 pm

Ok I need to go back to school, I was sure that goats didn't grow on trees ...

Some parts do... http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelovelyplants.com%2Faruncus-dioicus-the-goats-beard-plant%2F&ei=OWPVVMPZEsfW7AbwlIDADQ&bvm=bv.85464276,d.ZGU&psig=AFQjCNFV_Tjgt-j6R1_nbutKwIyjkMHKpA&ust=1423357106842887

EDIT: Ooooh eckk! What a big link!!!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #138 on:** 11 February, 2015, 10:42:41 am »

Quote from: Oranj on 06 February, 2015, 08:57:56 am

I spotted a wren in the back garden at the weekend, the first I've seen for many years. This prompted Mrs O to buy a bird feeder.

That's quite a surprise: the wren is the commonest British bird, although often quite hard to see because it grubs around in the undergrowth. However, at the right time of year the male wren's territorial song makes it one of the loudest creatures on a decibel-per-gram rating.

Pingu · « **Reply #139 on:** 02 March, 2015, 12:23:44 pm »

Ninkasi fell off a windowsill and landed feet first on a piece of poo in the litter tray

essexian · « **Reply #140 on:** 06 March, 2015, 11:33:31 am »

Last evening my considerably better half and I were discussing the fact that it will soon be the start of the “Killing Season”… the season when our pack of moggies kill anything with wings or four legs they can get their paws on. It’s mostly fledgling they take out of nests to play with….. not nice but they get bored after four or five months of mayhem.

Anyway, it seems that Pootle the mega tom was listening as he left me a present this morning…. A dead, fully grown pigeon! It’s the largest thing he has ever killed…poor thing is now buried in the garden as we do with all their kills… Let’s hope he isn’t starting large and getting larger as he couldn’t get the ex-pigeon through the cat flap but looking at the blood on it, he did try!

Oh… and there is currently a pigeon calling away on our roof. I wonder if it’s looking for its mate? Do they mate for life? Its quite sad really.

Pootle is now sleeping on the back of the sofa. To punish him...we have turned off his electric blanket.....

Ham · « **Reply #141 on:** 06 March, 2015, 01:15:45 pm »

Quote from: essexian on 06 March, 2015, 11:33:31 am

Last evening my considerably better half and I were discussing the fact that it will soon be the start of the “Killing Season”… the season when our pack of moggies kill anything with wings or four legs they can get their paws on. It’s mostly fledgling they take out of nests to play with….. not nice but they get bored after four or five months of mayhem.

Anyway, it seems that Pootle the mega tom was listening as he left me a present this morning…. A dead, fully grown pigeon! It’s the largest thing he has ever killed…poor thing is now buried in the garden as we do with all their kills… Let’s hope he isn’t starting large and getting larger as he couldn’t get the ex-pigeon through the cat flap but looking at the blood on it, he did try!

Oh… and there is currently a pigeon calling away on our roof. I wonder if it’s looking for its mate? Do they mate for life? Its quite sad really.

Pootle is now sleeping on the back of the sofa. To punish him...we have turned off his electric blanket.....

I took this picture of your back garden

Jasmine · « **Reply #142 on:** 06 March, 2015, 03:11:18 pm »

Quote from: essexian on 06 March, 2015, 11:33:31 am

Oh… and there is currently a pigeon calling away on our roof. I wonder if it’s looking for its mate? Do they mate for life? Its quite sad really.

I'm afraid so, yes. When I was younger, one of our old cats caught a collared dove. Its mate sat on the telegraph pole next to the house for 2 years after that. The biggest thing the cat ever managed was an adult rabbit. He used to eat them though - except the heads, which he would leave by the door. I can see why some people think cats are a bit evil.

We had another who only ever caught toads from the pond. He'd carefully carry them around for about 20 minutes then put them back in the pond, totally unharmed. Eventually I think he just caught the same toad over and over, who didn't seem too traumatised by it. Very odd.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #143 on:** 16 March, 2015, 09:19:06 am »

Yep, pigeon = love dove.

Staying on birds, I vote robin!

Wombat · « **Reply #144 on:** 16 March, 2015, 03:34:42 pm »

Mute swan!

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #145 on:** 17 March, 2015, 06:37:18 pm »

Penguin waddle put to the test.

Pengs on treadmills!

matthew · « **Reply #146 on:** 22 March, 2015, 10:44:01 pm »

Unfortunately it was dark and I didn't have a video camera, however this evening I had the odd experience of a cat walking to heel.

To explain I have been feeding my sisters cats for the weekend, Harry is allowed outside but gets shut in each evening. He has a locating fob on his collar with a hand held tracker so that if he hasn't come in on time you can go and find him. He is now trained that if you go out with the locator in the evening it is time to come home for diner. Therefore he calmly walks back with you, some times getting between your feet, sometimes leading you by a meter, mainly just following to heel.

Kim · « **Reply #147 on:** 22 March, 2015, 11:45:36 pm »

My first cat used to do that (along with other tricks like fetch, hide & seek and jumping on cue to grab things out of your hand). She'd come when you called, and would regularly accompany me out the door on my way to school in the morning, stopping at the edge of her territory and mowling at me not to be so silly. A couple of times I did what she wanted, and she lead me back to the house.

Subsequent cats proved much less trainable, though the sound of a box of Iams being shaken usually had the desired effect.

ian · « **Reply #148 on:** 23 March, 2015, 11:23:09 am »

I've seen a cat that thinks it's a dog. It's quite odd. We were out walking one day and a cat darted past us, and stopped, and turned, the way dog's do when their owners aren't keeping up. Two other dogs caught up and they all stopped in a group, panting and wagging their tails. Apparently, the cat was an orphan and had been brought up with the puppies and for all intents and purposes thought it was a dog and behaved like one.

hellymedic · « **Reply #149 on:** 25 March, 2015, 10:44:48 pm »

http://www.camdennewjournal.com/westhampsteadferret#.VRM5yCiwd4I.twitter