biggs682
Itching to get back on my bike's
- Location
- Northamptonshire
A gull striking a pose on top of the post
Your day's wildlife
- Thread starter Flick of the Elbow
- Start date
-
- Tags
- wildlife
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
petek
Über Member
- Location
- East Coast UK
Many more to come.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
A lovely skinny stoat ran out in front of me this morning. Luckily it got across the road without being squashed.
Then I watched a magpie swoop across the road into the verge and grab a small mammal - a vole or shrew I guess. I think it was a quick death - there was just the one little squeak!
Then I watched a magpie swoop across the road into the verge and grab a small mammal - a vole or shrew I guess. I think it was a quick death - there was just the one little squeak!
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Most definitely in the "well I've never seen one of those in the garden before" category
Male Golden Pheasant
Male Golden Pheasant
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Update on the Golden Pheasant....
I sent the sighting to the Derbyshire Ornithological Society. Their Chairman contacted me asking for the photos to corroborate the record (they obviously thought I was some nutter who had actually seen a chicken or something). Seems it's extremely unusual to see in any habitat in Derbyshire, let alone a garden.
There is a wild population in UK but whether this is from that area or is an escape from a collection who knows?
I sent the sighting to the Derbyshire Ornithological Society. Their Chairman contacted me asking for the photos to corroborate the record (they obviously thought I was some nutter who had actually seen a chicken or something). Seems it's extremely unusual to see in any habitat in Derbyshire, let alone a garden.
There is a wild population in UK but whether this is from that area or is an escape from a collection who knows?
Last edited:
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
There was a pub near me that kept them. Not sure if they do anymore or if they moved to Glossop.
I used to record for the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) and I got a similar Spanish Inquisition when I saw crossbills on my tetrad. A friend got the same when a yellow browed warbler turned up in his garden. He had a camera at hand though which flummoxed the naysayers.
Poacher
Gravitationally challenged member
- Location
- Nottingham
Guess what bird was Tweet of the Day on Radio 4 this morning? Apparently only a small viable resident population around Thetford in Norfolk, so maybe yours was an escape from a local collection, or just possibly a Norfolk one trying to establish an outpost - did you count its toes?
Meanwhile, in deepest Notts, bird of the day was a Great Grey Shrike (at ~SK669323). Superb light on it, sorry no photos as neither I nor my equipment (which I didn't even bother to take with me) were up to the task, but there are some superb images on the nottsbirders site. Waited about an hour for it to show up in the area I was watching, but used the time well gathering some delicious apples from a forgotten tree and watching a Buzzard being mobbed. Scores of winter thrushes around as well.
PS Rather poignantly, we were in sight of Vimy Ridge Farm , and the guns in Borders Wood were firing continuously, and certainly didn't fall silent all the time we were there.
Last edited:
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Guess what bird was Tweet of the Day on Radio 4 this morning? Apparently only a small viable resident population around Thetford in Norfolk, so maybe yours was an escape from a local collection, or just possibly a Norfolk one trying to establish an outpost - did you count its toes?
Meanwhile, in deepest Notts, bird of the day was a Great Grey Shrike (at ~SK669323). Superb light on it, sorry no photos as neither I nor my equipment (which I didn't even bother to take with me) were up to the task, but there are some superb images on the nottsbirders site. Waited about an hour for it to show up in the area I was watching, but used the time well gathering some delicious apples from a forgotten tree and watching a Buzzard being mobbed. Scores of winter thrushes around as well.
Got to be an escape. Must be some secret pheasant fancier in the Peak District
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
Confucius reigns. Some snowdrops have been out since early autumn this way. Bit of odd weather and it all goes to pot. Nice soil btw.
petek
Über Member
- Location
- East Coast UK
Grey seals and pups at Donna Nook this morning.
Out in the harbour at the weekend on one of the organised trips, spotted: common scoter,Black necked grebe,great crested grebe,spoonbill,great white egret,stilt sandpiper. Rb merganser, around 200 cormorants. Avocets, bar tailed godwit and Great Northern diver.
It seems they are doubling the amount of trips next year to 20 odd. I only go in winter as I prefer the winter birds.
No pics, I don't own a decent camera.
It seems they are doubling the amount of trips next year to 20 odd. I only go in winter as I prefer the winter birds.
No pics, I don't own a decent camera.
Dave 123
Legendary Member
- Location
- Cambridgeshire alps
Cycling to work this morning I rode past a female muntjac. I was about 2' away from her.
She just did the 'I'll pretend I'm not here' pose.
She just did the 'I'll pretend I'm not here' pose.
Heltor Chasca
Out-riding the Black Dog
About 40km from the Arrivée on yesterday’s 205km Audax I was riding in the dark on my Todd and I could hear a barn owl screeching as it quartered the field to my left. After a few moments it floated above the hedge line and travelled with me along the lane in the glow of my Schmidt Edulux II. Discerning as they are inquisitive these wise owls. Magical.
