Your day's wildlife

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rualexander

Legendary Member
DSCF8876_2.jpg
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
Just come back from a few days in the Pyrenees :smile:. On the way down we stopped at a walled village perched on the side of the valley. While walking round and going through an arch at the front of the village church, a cat appeared and seemed to be crouching down as it walked along :wacko:. The reason soon became apparent - it was being 'bombed' by swallows upset at it's presence. Due to the bird's speed this is not a good photo - I'm surprised anything came out at all :laugh:

View attachment 91553

The birds did seem to make an a buzzing sound as they passed the cat - extra effort flapping their wings?

Later on in the actual mountains managed to get this shot - any butterfly experts here?

View attachment 91554

Swallowtail butterfly
 
2 Hares in the hay field, a pair of Kites over Reds field, about a dozen Goldfinches in the next field and not wildlife but could have been a angry, the Bull decided to go for a stroll up the road. We quickly managed to get him back to where he was supposed to be going.
 

gbb

Squire
Location
Peterborough
Call description is perfect for Oystercatcher and they always call in flight. Description isn't quite right but I am pretty sure that's what you saw
Funny thing is, ive been leaning toward Oystercatcher. Peep ....peep, typical wader type call. The bill seemed broad and yellow, but it was a fleeting glance as it headed waway.

Given that this is potentially a Montagu's harrier strongly suggest you don't post further details on here
I agree. Having done some homework on the net, it seems even the RSPB have come in for criticism for something theyve done re talk of these birds . At that point i decided talk could be unwise.
 
Just come back from a few days in the Pyrenees :smile:. On the way down we stopped at a walled village perched on the side of the valley. While walking round and going through an arch at the front of the village church, a cat appeared and seemed to be crouching down as it walked along :wacko:. The reason soon became apparent - it was being 'bombed' by swallows upset at it's presence. Due to the bird's speed this is not a good photo - I'm surprised anything came out at all :laugh:

View attachment 91553

The birds did seem to make an a buzzing sound as they passed the cat - extra effort flapping their wings?

Later on in the actual mountains managed to get this shot - any butterfly experts here?

View attachment 91554
Its a swallowtail, Papilio machaon. http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?species=machaon
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
The local woodpecker (great spotted) population is booming. Problem is, they're all coming to my garden at the same time to stuff them silly on the suet blocks. Or at least they would, if only they didn't spend so much time chasing each other away. Amazing aerial acrobatics and an astonishing amount of noise. I think I need to get some more feeder poles to spread them out a bit more.
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
[QUOTE 3742970, member: 9609"]good to see you're back - but more importantly where is your camera? we need a picture of Mr Woodpecker.[/QUOTE]
Five years I've lived here, five years I've fed the birds and for five years I've failed to get one single photo of the woodpeckers. The feeders are opposite my living room and bathroom windows but if they see any movement inside the house, they're gone.
 

Hugh Manatee

Veteran
The local woodpecker (great spotted) population is booming. Problem is, they're all coming to my garden at the same time to stuff them silly on the suet blocks. Or at least they would, if only they didn't spend so much time chasing each other away. Amazing aerial acrobatics and an astonishing amount of noise. I think I need to get some more feeder poles to spread them out a bit more.

We have one here that does exactly the same thing with suet blocks. Fools! Aren't they concerned about the state of their arteries?!
 

gbb

Squire
Location
Peterborough
Ok, so now you reqlise how difficult it is to identify raptors at a quick glance.
My last few sightings of raptors at a very specific point, now I know...and its not so exciting, but very nice to watch them.
Went to work early with the binoculars and planned to park up and see if theyre out there before continuing to work. Pulled round the corner ...there he is, bold as brass on a lampost. I sat and studied everything about him although light was poor and so was the detail. The most striking thing was a grey chest, sweeping round from wing to wing, first time ive seen that detail on these ones...plus as he flew off, very light patchy tail / rump feathers...but not a block of white.
He flew off to be mobbed by a crow, all this happening 40ft away from me and then another of his kin came swooping across from some nearby trees, same grey chest...butstill too dank to get further detail.
So realistically, Buzzard s...just seemed longer winged, slimmer than the ones ive seen so often plus the light feathers...I gather they can enter a pale phase.
Not so exciting now, but still a really good study of them quite close up for 5 minutes or so.
 

coffeejo

Ælfrēd
Location
West Somerset
View attachment 91837
Just heard weird snorting noises in the garden, so got a torch to see what it was
:wub:

One of my snuffling visitors died a month or so ago (my landlords found his/her body in one of the barns) and either its mate has also died or it only came to my garden because t'other liked it and has now chosen somewhere else to feed. It's surprising how much I miss the noise each evening.
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
:wub:

One of my snuffling visitors died a month or so ago (my landlords found his/her body in one of the barns) and either its mate has also died or it only came to my garden because t'other liked it and has now chosen somewhere else to feed. It's surprising how much I miss the noise each evening.
I've heard little noises and shuffling before but this was quite loud grunting etc, I'm a little worried that I disturbed them whilst they were "courting";) as I would like lots of baby hedgehogs.

My next worry is that they can't get from our front garden to the back due to our side gate, but they go via next door (I've seen them go that way several times before), but they seem to be building a shed or something at the end of their passage to the back garden. So we are going to have to cut a hog hole in our fence.... I hope they find the new route when we do.
 
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