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So we're either paying for their coats through our licence fee and/or paying more for our coats so they can get them for free. I'm just glad they seem to be getting the benefit - it looked proper chilly on that first episode.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattPo
2 kites in my mums garden in Leeds. Not quick enough to get a picture but they often fly low over the house., they are more common than kestrels in the area.
I can't take chris packham seriously any more, not after he got involved with that group trying to ban farmers from shooting crows and magpies. It didn't suit his image at the time.
Saw a red admiral butterfly in the sunshine on the edge of the forestry. Was trying to get a photo of it with the snow but it wouldn’t settle.
A first for January and sub zero temps!
Not seen them wearing clothing from my favorite supplier yet - Mountain Warehouse! Cheap and cheerful, and does the job. Perhaps it's so cheap because they don't donate lot's to the media.Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Lots of Curlew up above Askwith in the Wharfe valley this afternoon. Nice
I believe I saw a Hummingbird Hawk Moth yesterday evening shortly before sunset.
In fact at first I thought it was an actual hummingbird due to the size. But a quick scan of Google told me that was incorrect as they appear to be confined to the Americas.
Missus says very likely it was the Hawk Moth, a few of the hummingbird overwinter here if they can find shelter - like a greenhouse, barn, shed and come out in the spring warmth. They are normally a bit tatty (and hungry!) when they come out of hibernation, but I doubt it stayed still enough for you to inspect!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
"When to see it
June to August are the main months. Has been recorded in winter, and is known to hibernate, and therefore spring records may refer to overwintering individuals rather than new immigrants. Mainly diurnal, visiting Aubrietia, Buddleia, Viper's Bugloss, Red Valerian and various other plants."
Saw my first skylark of the year today, just to the north-west of Ticknall in the People's republic of South Derbyshire.
I'm fairly sure I heard one a couple of days ago in Whittington (Staffordshire), but this was a definite siting today as I saw it take off vertically, like a helicopter, whilst constantly making its chattering call.
Which People in South Derbyshire? The posh ones in Calke Abbey and Repton School, or the ex-miners and pottery workers in Swadlincote?Quote:
Originally Posted by Marco
The hill is alive with frog sex 🐸 🐸
First lambs of the year and I also startled a muntjac dear on tonight's run
A lone Curlew, the first of the year, whilst out with the dogs this morning.
I met a dog today that was banned from talking to strangers.
It would be pretty impressive if it did talk to strangers :)Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
Dog: "I'd love to stay and chat but I'm banned from talking to strangers".
On the subject of the intelligence of dogs I recommend the book Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
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.
https://media.tenor.com/0cwKJIHyUuoAAAAC/no-camel.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by Marco
https://media.tenor.com/JzpVSNXLjFUA...an-griffin.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by noel
Nice. Lol. :D
I've just ordered it. Thanks for the recommendation.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
That reminds me of one of my favourite passages from Good Omens, which thankfully the internet has provided:
Quote:
“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.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
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.
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.
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?
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
First few curlews calling over the fields and hills.
First wood anemones in flower today.
Anyone heard a chiffchaff yet?
Spookily I saw my first Wood Anemones of the year, this afternoon.
No chiffchaff though!
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.
No Chiffchaffs yet here, but the first clump of frogspawn in the pond. We thought we weren't going to get any this year. It seems quite late.
I've now finished this. A really good read - thanks. It had a wonderful narrative pace about it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Another (rather lonely) muntjac deer spotted on yesterday's run. I initially thought I had scared it off but after a further climb, it revealed itself again and we had full eye contact for a while before it ran off through the trees.
Earlier, my run was brought to a halt by what appeared to be a mixed flock of finches. A lovely thing to behold at this time of the year.
Nearly stood on a pair of shagging frogs on sunday's run.
Running back home through one of the upper allotments today, I was serenaded by the lovely song from a skylark - uplifting metaphorically and literally.
I was visiting a relative in Little Paxton, Cambridgeshire, today. I went for a walk along the bank of the Great Ouse; at one point something blue emerged a few feet away from me and flew across the river. That was actually the first kingfisher that I have ever seen.
Whilst out cycling this morning there seemed to be flat frogs all over the roads. A sure sign of spring.Quote:
Originally Posted by mr brightside
Fantastic. You never forget your first Kingfisher sighting.Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonykay
Yes! ChiffChaff heard and seen this morning.
Great to see the first Osprey (the female) is back at Clywedog Reservoir near Llani Boy's home patch. Link to live stream video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Te...Gqdk3G5HXiJerg