We keep finding frogspawn all over the place - on the drive, on the road. It's like Mrs frog was on the way to the pond, but couldn't keep it in any longer. We moved some into our pond - I'm not sure how it'll do.
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We keep finding frogspawn all over the place - on the drive, on the road. It's like Mrs frog was on the way to the pond, but couldn't keep it in any longer. We moved some into our pond - I'm not sure how it'll do.
On last nights RATRun, an hour before dusk, we had just got onto the Tissington Trail when we disturbed a Barn Owl. It flew ahead of us, never further than 60yds away, for nearly a mile to Rivendale. It stopped briefly a couple of times and perched on a wall and a post, before we got too close, and off it went again.
A fantastic 8 or 9 minutes and neither of the six of us had ever observed a Barn Owl at such close quarters for that length of time.
Fishing at Builth wells yesterday, the first swallow of the year took a drink from the pond and then went on its way.
Came home to find the goshawk eating one of our chickens by the house. It flew onto the fence post 20 yards away and we glared at each other before a couple of crows bombed it away.
It has now killed 2 ducks (including little Ericwho was everyone’s favourite) and a chicken in 2 weeks. No way of stopping the carnage.
The best sort of carnage to have though ;).
I drove down the A470, south of Builth Wells, last weekend for the first time in many years. I had forgotten how beautiful the River Wye is on that stretch.
A lovely day for spotting birds on the banks of the River Manifold. I'm no expert, but I managed to get my camera on some of them (I'm no expert at that either)
Here's a chaffinch on a feeding table
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Three grey wagtails on the riverbank
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And a treecreeper making its way up the tree. (I saw a nuthatch, too, but it was too quick fo me to get my camera on it.)
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The Treecreeper is a great spot Marco.
A few of us are planning to run the length of The Manifold, from its confluence with the Dove to its rise near Flash, on Coronation Day. A scenic 23 miles which will hopefully be nice and quiet with everyone sat at home watching the telly!
The Manifold is a beautiful valley, (but don't tell everyone), that I first discovered on a school trip(!) in the late 1970s. Weather permitting it should be a great day, although I don't actually know where the Manifold rises - or if it's in an open access area - I await your detailed report! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Out for a walk with my wife recovering from the fabulous Guiseley Gallop race (faster than last year), and the spring flowers are really emerging now. First Bluebells, Stitchwort and Violets out here in Yorkshire. Friends say they have heard Willow warblers, but I'm still listening. Happy Easter forumites.
Pleased to see my first Blackcap of the year by the Wharfe in Otley this morning.
I interrupted my bike ride today to go for a short walk behind a hedge (you can guess why), and a hare bounded off across the field.
The first two swallows of the year this morning. Two days earlier than last year.
Saw my first wheatear yesterday, the swallows have been around here for a while now, think I recorded my first one in March, they do seem early this year despite the weather.
And here today. But just one - which I'm told "does not a summer make"Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
Aye, Swallows and wheatears on the back road from Welshpool to Carno this afternoon. Off to look at the Clywedog Osprey tomorrow - which now have two eggs.
First swifts seen in Little Stretton yesterday and quite sure I saw a whinchat on the lower slopes of the Long Mynd today.
Ornithological high light of our recent Mid Wales trip was seeing a Sedge Warbler at RSPB Ynys Hir. Heard it singing near us, but was very hard to spot as it remained hidden. Then it revealed it's self. A new bird for me.
A few roe deer, green woodpecker and plenty of pheasant courtship action.
The bluebells have also finally got going. It wil still be a week or so until they peak but shows how cold it is compared to last year when they were already starting go over.
First pied flycatcher of the year just up the road. Not heard the cuckoo in the valley but others have
Green woodpecker on Humphrey Head
The little egret on the SUDS pond near my home has now been replaced by a big grey heron. Or two herons; today while walking near the pond I saw a heron flying away, and then noticed another one standing in the pond.
That reminds me, I too saw two herons today. In a field. I guess they're courting ahead of nesting. It's rare to see them together, but (I think) it's more common at this time of year.
A female mallard and five tiny chicks sneaking through the garden. I hope the cat doesn't see them - mind you she's busy catching field voles: 2 already today!
Cuckoo, 1st of the year on Round Hill above Olicana.
Heard the cuckoo at last yesterday morning(from our garden), then went up the reservoir in the afternoon to catch some trout for dinner and another 3 calling. I caught the dinner, so a rewarding couple of hours!
We get families return every year because my neighbour feeds them several times a day and they remember where they are welcome and well treated. The mother starts pecking on her door from dawn. Five sounds like a young mother because clutches get bigger - we have had a clutch of twelve. They don't all survive predators of course but their visits every few hours is one of the joys of Spring.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Running on the fells behind my house this last few weeks, I've noticed how in two of the intakes the lapwings have become increasing bold at dive-bombing me, presumedly as their chicks hatch and grow. Today, while doing my usual ploy of simply pulling my hat down and ignoring them, I was shook out of my day-dreaming-fantasy-revelry of running through the race tape first, by what I can only call an actual flick of a wing tip on the cap. Nearly fell over with the shock :). Maybe the bird had miscalculated the buzz, or perhaps there's a psycho-demon element adrift in the gene pool.
That's amazing. Maybe it's the same one, and he/she is just wondering what to do to get your attention. :)
Yeah. Or maybe the lapwings were playing chicken, although I expect they'd consider that activity too 'poultry". Sorry, 'fowl' play on words there...Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Or maybe they have just been watching too many Alfred Hitchcock films.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mossdog
Polecat seen under Farleton knott, I know you get em in wales but I’d never seen one round Cumbria/Lancashire before
There’s a good population of them round here in wales, being mainly nocturnal most perple don’t see them or realise they are about. A few days ago I went to the back door to go and shut the chickens away and a polecat ran across the doorstep and under my shed, it turned round and stared at me. I told it to make itself useful and go catch some rats and mice down the pens!
I have a soft spot for the polecats and they have caused us no problems so far.
That’s great to hear
Osprey nabbing a large trout on St Mary’s Loch this morning, mustn’t have known it’s catch n return only on there
I should have learnt not to tempt fate, 2 of our goslings killed last night (10 hatched), they are quite chunky at 12 days old. Something scratched a hole into the pen, possible large rat but I strongly suspect a polecat.
Does anyone here speak blackbirdese?
The birch tree in a neighbouring garden belongs to a blackbird, who seems to have a lot to say for himself. Unlike so many other birds, which tend to be rather repetitive, the blackbird always seems to come up with new things to say, and I would quite like to find out what it all means.
They tend to be saying "Git orf my land".
They are bilingual here in Wales obviously.
Yes it's very much territorial but also an element at this time of year in trying to attract a mate hence the vocal gymnastics.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
So if I had taken up singing when I was young, I might not have had to wait until my late 30's to get married? :pQuote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
My local Nature Reserve in Otley keeps giving. Now I'm retired I start most days with a walk round it and feed the birds. This morning, I watched a Nuthatch going in and out of it's nest hole in a tree. Saw and heard Blackcaps and a Garden warbler (I can only identify it by it's song) Watched a Wagtail catching and collecting flies and then feeding them to a fledged youngster.
Yesterday evening cycling on the Monsal Trail I could see some sort of wildlife kerfuffle ahead of me. I got to around twenty feet away and could see that it was two Magpies attacking a Grey Squirrel. The Magpies flew off but the Squirrel just sat there, with its erect S shaped tail, just looking at me as I cycled past.
Around 30 mins later when I came back past the same spot there were 3 Magpies squabbling but no squirrel to be seen!
Magpies are the worst bird, I saw one killing a fledgling blackbird in addingham last weekend.