Today's Wildlife Encounter

[noel]

On the subject of the intelligence of dogs I recommend the book Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

I did offer my chums their money back if they did not think it was a brilliantly enjoyable book but I fear if I offered the same on the Foum all those lurkers might appear and abuse my generous nature.

You know what Forum lurkers are like.

I've just ordered it. Thanks for the recommendation.

That reminds me of one of my favourite passages from Good Omens, which thankfully the internet has provided:

“Two of them lurked in the ruined graveyard. Two shadowy figures, one hunched and squat, the other lean and menacing, both of them Olympic-grade lurkers. If Bruce Springsteen had ever recorded “Born to Lurk,” these two would have been on the album cover. They had been lurking in the fog for an hour now, but they had been pacing themselves and could lurk for the rest of the night if necessary, with still enough sullen menace left for a final burst of lurking around dawn.”

[mr brightside]

“Two of them lurked in the ruined graveyard. Two shadowy figures, one hunched and squat, the other lean and menacing, both of them Olympic-grade lurkers. If Bruce Springsteen had ever recorded “Born to Lurk,” these two would have been on the album cover. They had been lurking in the fog for an hour now, but they had been pacing themselves and could lurk for the rest of the night if necessary, with still enough sullen menace left for a final burst of lurking around dawn.”

I like their moxie, i try to run races like that.

[anthonykay]

Second successive morning when I have seen the little egret from the bathroom window just after getting up. Yesterday it was flying past, today it was perched in a tree less than 200 metres away; a very noticeable white object under grey skies.

[Travs]

Had a duck in the garden this morning.

Was standing at the back door and this thing popped up out of the hedge like a periscope, realised it was a duck's head/neck. Then it came up like a submarine and sat on the hedge.

[MattPo]

My regular morning walk round The Gallows Hill Nature Reserve by the Wharfe in Otley was rewarding this morning. Saw the first newts of the year in a small pond. Two Reed Warblers (had to look them up) and a lovely close sighting of a lone Redwing. Chiff Chaffs soon?

[Llani Boy]

Whilst out with the dogs this afternoon, checking out another new concessionary footpath, a Snipe took off from nearly under my feet and I watched it zig-zag away into the distance.

There seems to be a profusion of concession footpaths opening in the White Peak which is very welcome as it give greater flexibility of run/walking routes

[noel]

First few curlews calling over the fields and hills.

[MattPo]

First wood anemones in flower today.

Anyone heard a chiffchaff yet?

[Llani Boy]

Spookily I saw my first Wood Anemones of the year, this afternoon.

No chiffchaff though!

[Mossdog]

Female grey wagtail yesterday in one of the intakes, and a solitary long-tailed tit on the bird feeder today. Rarely do we see long tailed tits here, and on the few occasions over the decades I've spotted them in the garden, they've always been in flocks. This one was on its lonesome

On Sunday, the upper fells were all a chorus with plover, curlew and grouse.