Wildlife

[macinblack]

Over the past week or so I've encountered a number of birds of prey - Distance and poor camera on phone means rubbish images but here goes.

[RIP]

Last one looks like an elongated Spitfire or summat?!

[Verena]

This morning, at long last, and after talking about it for a couple of years, a friend and I got up early, sort of run/jog/walked up to Llyn Cwm Llwch just below Pen Y Fan for a swim https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/brecon ... -cwm-llwch

It is known for its beauty but also for its leeches. I've only swum in there once before a few years ago, which involved me psyching myself up beforehand for about a week, and all around the edge there were leeches then, many the size of my middle fingers - none actually went on me though.

This time I felt more relaxed about the little critters, and we only saw a few very tiny ones, maybe it's too hot for them too?

We did see a baby frog jump in and swim away from us though, a peregrine falcon was perched above us the whole time, and best of all, when we got out we saw loads and loads of little newts.

Water was crystal clear and warm.

[ScotRoutes]

Loads of frogs yesterday on a boggy track survey, but also this guy, lazing in the sun.



I almost trod on it and it was in no hurry to move.

One of the pleasures of walking is that I'm more likely to spot stuff at walking pace than at riding (or even running) speeds.

[ledburner]

Loads of frogs yesterday on a boggy track survey, but also this guy, lazing in the sun.



I almost trod on it and it was in no hurry to move.

One of the pleasures of walking is that I'm more likely to spot stuff at walking pace than at riding (or even running) speeds.

The adder almost had ya
I'll collect my coat on the way out...

[ScotRoutes]

I came across two, intertwined, adders a few weeks ago. I think they were multiplying!

(True story btw)

[Mariner]

He is back again wild camping on my lawn/meadow.
P1290559 (1024x516) by michaelwex10, on Flickr

[ledburner]

He is back again wild camping on my lawn/meadow.
P1290559 (1024x516) by michaelwex10, on Flickr

[Verena]

Hedgehog update: Babies have survived the night, I'm in touch with a helpline who have confirmed they are about three weeks old, and who will arrange for me to take them to a rescue centre hopefully later today.

Thanks Matt for the advice

Hoglet update: the rescue lady named them Tom and Jerry; the smaller one sadly didn't make it, but the other one did, and I had this message today "Hi there. Just to say your hoglet is currently a whopping 650g and is now in my garden 'rewilding!'" (he weighed 100g when I had him)

[redefined_cycles]

Could say I've been waiting for this day for a long long time... a BofP to actually hang around to be pictured. Entered the trails and suddenly saw a bird hovering. Pretty sure it was a barn owl but some on here might no better. It even came back after I'd got out the camera and then I saw 2 about 10 mins later... probably the same one and another.


Thought I'd got some decent pics... obviously not.


This was probably the best shot. Ain't she/he gorgeous.


Sorry

[slarge]

Looks like the red kites have reached my neck of the woods. Having seen them slowly move up the M40 since their reintroduction there around 30 years ago, there was a couple over Stratford on Avon way last year (only 15 miles away) and 1 is now taking up residence just north of Warwck (over the woods and fields around me).

A real reintroduction success story - even if they are a lot more scruffy than the buzzards.

I note that they've had some bad press down south for being a possible danger to children and small animals..... Looks like some people just don't want to coexist.

[Bearlegged]

a possible danger to children and small animals

Wait until these people learn about cars.

[Bearbonesnorm]

a possible danger to children and small animals..... Looks like some people just don't want to coexist.

Uhm, some people are just clueless dicks. Nearly all birds of prey will take what's easy. Lifting the average dog or 3 year old is well beyond most of them. A pheasant is about the Kites lifting limit.

That's certainly barn owl territory Shaf.

[slarge]

Over the past week or so I've encountered a number of birds of prey - Distance and poor camera on phone means rubbish images but here goes.

Ermm - isn't this a small plane?

[whitestone]

I note that they've had some bad press down south for being a possible danger to children and small animals..... Looks like some people just don't want to coexist.

So those down south have a habit of leaving dead children and pets lying around? Good job I live in the civilised north

[redefined_cycles]

My little man managed to capture this as they ran off


But a few hundred metres down (at St Marys Lighthouse near Whitley Bay) I spotted this. Tried to get closer but got told there potentially seals around that side of the rocks/lighthouse.

Asked em later after viewing the bird from afar, what it was... A Coumarind apparently. Looked ginormous.

[redefined_cycles]

They obviously meant cormorant http://www.paulography.co.uk/?page_id=530

[arkay]

Possibly a bit of a cheat, but seen in the Surrey hills...



Storks are being bred to be reintroduced... I never knew they used to be a native species in England, but haven't been around for 600 years or so.

[ledburner]

this Heron was seen perched on the neighbours roof, watching the fish pond. it landed next to the pond and forgot again there is netting over it.

[frogatthefarriers]

No photos, but a horrible wildlife encounter in our yard. Mrs Frog noticed that the magpies were making a lot of noise by the gate leading to the paddock. When I went to look, I could see that a hawk, or some-such, had caught a magpie and was holding it down on the ground and the other magpies were mobbing it, as they do. All the while, the caught magpie was screaming its head off. What to do? I have no love for magpies - they get into the shed where the swallows nest and steal chicks - but the screaming was very distressing all the same. I left them be, figuring that the downed bird was probably too hurt to survive and I'd be robbing the hawk of his dinner for no good purpose.

I went out a little later and the mobbing magpies had given up, but hawk and prey were still there and the cries had died down to a feeble squeaking. The hawk was pulling bits off. I feel very bad about this.

Update:-
This morning I went out to see what was left, if anything, of the prey and was surprised to see that the hawk was still there. It tried to fly off but the carcass was obviously to heavy and it couldn't clear the fence. Here's a rubbish photo.

[fatbikephil]

No photos, but a horrible wildlife encounter in our yard. Mrs Frog noticed that the magpies were making a lot of noise by the gate leading to the paddock. When I went to look, I could see that a hawk, or some-such, had caught a magpie and was holding it down on the ground and the other magpies were mobbing it, as they do. All the while, the caught magpie was screaming its head off. What to do? I have no love for magpies - they get into the shed where the swallows nest and steal chicks - but the screaming was very distressing all the same. I left them be, figuring that the downed bird was probably too hurt to survive and I'd be robbing the hawk of his dinner for no good purpose.

I went out a little later and the mobbing magpies had given up, but hawk and prey were still there and the cries had died down to a feeble squeaking. The hawk was pulling bits off. I feel very bad about this.

Aye tis a bit distressing when Nature, tooth and claw, is in full swing. I did once see a Magpie tear a starling apart, just outside the house and by the time I got out it was too late. So this is a bit of retribution. At least it's not as bad as all the flat frogs (sorry...) I've seen this weekend, mown down by cars. They will provide food for other rodents though...

[ledburner]

I saw this on a path and it intregued me.
A first looking at the colour under the slug, I first thought it was,a slug on/eating a butterfly, now I'm not sure may be so maybe plant husk or a snail shell?

IMG_22082021_221128_(800_x_600_pixel)-01.jpeg (147.65 KiB) Viewed 2882 times

What do you make of it.
Also gouged in its side.?

[benp1]

Wildlife first for me - found a gloworm!

Spotted it on my dog walk, was in a spot just around the corner from home. Got home and grabbed the older two kids to have a look. They spotted it as we walked towards it, it had moved places and looked like it had found a mate already.

Was chuffed to have finally seen one

[ledburner]

Wildlife first for me - found a gloworm!

Spotted it on my dog walk, was in a spot just around the corner from home. Got home and grabbed the older two kids to have a look. They spotted it as we walked towards it, it had moved places and looked like it had found a mate already.

Was chuffed to have finally seen one

[Bearlegged]

A good bivvy trip last night, with a herd of deer in the dark, bats doing loop-the-loops, a barn owl, and a herd of deer in the morning!

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTHt8prM1EQ/