Your day's wildlife

[potsy]

I was with my cat in the backgarden and we have loads of brambles, weeds, holly etc at the bottom of the garden. Anyway the birds in the bushes started going ballistic squawking and the bushes were shaking with all the noise.
I looked around and guess what I saw sat on the fence?

Bill Oddie?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I was with my cat in the backgarden and we have loads of brambles, weeds, holly etc at the bottom of the garden. Anyway the birds in the bushes started going ballistic squawking and the bushes were shaking with all the noise.
I looked around and guess what I saw sat on the fence?

Stoat?

 

[gbb]

Green woodpecker, a probable Sparrowhawk flying away from me, really quite close and two Red Kite quartering the fields beside the Morborne transmitters.
Flocks of what I assume were large waders, light in colour, slightly cranked back wings, in groups of maybe 20 or 30s, almost geese like formation.

 

[Illaveago]

I spotted a large- ish bird soaring high above me ,it had crescent shaped wings. At first I thought it was a gull and that it would swoop down to join some others that were circling below it. It didn't, instead it continued to glide across the town maintaining it's height looking as though it was hunting. I'm thinking that it was some kind of raptor.

 

[MikeG]

I spotted a large- ish bird soaring high above me ,it had crescent shaped wings. At first I thought it was a gull and that it would swoop down to join some others that were circling below it. It didn't, instead it continued to glide across the town maintaining it's height looking as though it was hunting. I'm thinking that it was some kind of raptor.

Wedge shaped tail, or forked tail?

The former would likely be a buzzard, and the latter a red kite. There have been re-introduction programmes for both, and they have both started off strongly in the West of Britain and moved east to almost all parts. Buzzards are much more common than kites, with the possible exception of the areas around captive-breeding release sites. Buzzards give a very characteristic squawk when soaring.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I spotted a large- ish bird soaring high above me ,it had crescent shaped wings. At first I thought it was a gull and that it would swoop down to join some others that were circling below it. It didn't, instead it continued to glide across the town maintaining it's height looking as though it was hunting. I'm thinking that it was some kind of raptor.

Near Chippenham (if that’s where you were) it is more likely to be a buzzard although nearer the Ridgeway Red Kites are locally abundant.

 

[Illaveago]

Was it a red kite? they have a tail like a v shape.

There are some Red Kites around here but I don't think it was. The forked tail is quite distinctive and I think their wings are cranked. The wings were tapered. I've just looked at some plan views and a large Falcon or Harrier seems to fit.

 

[Illaveago]

Buzzards are pretty common around here now. One year I saw 6 circling overhead. The wing shape was wrong for a Buzzard. I'll have to put my long lens on my camera just in case I see it again.

 

[the stupid one]

A flying flock of lapwings, and a lawn full of fieldfares. And a bunny and a fox.

 

[Aravis]

I spotted these two just now on a nearby roof in the fading light. They only gave me one chance before they were off:

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I spotted these two just now on a nearby roof in the fading light. They only gave me one chance before they were off:

View attachment 392189

They pair for life you know? And they have only been in the U.K. since 1952. I love them. Such a good shot.

 

[philk56]

The local waterbird hangout that I pass most days on my ride:

 

[gbb]

Yesterday saw two different interesting sights...
Driving, left lane A1M , glanced to an adjacent field and saw a brightly coloured cock pheasant just coming out of a small copse....with a fox about 10ft behind, both about 20 or 30 ft from me.
No idea of the outcome, it was there and gone of course.

Later, I took a short bike ride across brickpits (it started raining within a couple miles so turned back shortly after) sun had fallen but just enough light to see a buzzard take flight from the ground maybe 15ft from me. I wondered was he foraging /hunting or do they roost on the ground ?

 

[MikeG]

...... light to see a buzzard take flight from the ground maybe 15ft from me. I wondered was he foraging /hunting or do they roost on the ground ?

No, they definitely roost in trees. They sit on the ground usually because they're eating, but we do sometimes come upon them on the ground with no sign of a meal.

Sneaked up to within about 15 feet of a muntjac this morning. Believe it or not, I had my pooch with me at the time, off the lead.....

 

[MikeG]

The local waterbird hangout that I pass most days on my ride:

View attachment 392886

Swan River?