Today's Wildlife Encounter

Out running today I saw three Crows. At first I thought it was two Crows, one of which was ill or stuck...flapping about on the same spot, the other just watching on. When I went to see if I could help it turned out to be, as I say, three. One watching on and one getted battered by the third which was basically holding it down and pecking it to death!! I chased the two offenders off and was left with a very sorry looking one flapping about unable to fly so I ushered it into the hedge out of the way. As I resumed my run the two 'offenders' just returned and resumed there gruesome task. Kind of weird, kind of unsettling!? I felt a little guilt at not rescuing the poor thing but I wasn't in a position to do an awful lot...and I guess its down to the survival of the fitest at the end of the day. I can only think they were going to kill and eat the victim, though it really did look like pure murder! They do call a group of Crows a 'murder' I think!!

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Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy

...it really did look like pure murder!

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That's the nature of the corvids

A barn owl flew close past me in the dusk yesterday evening - beautiful. Mind you I could have been hallucinating as it was 45 miles into the Hardmoors 55!

From the car today a total of four magnificent Red Kites on the outskirts of Harrogate near Pannel Ash. One flew quite close to the lane I was on and it was impressive and quite big close up. I have often seen them when I travel south especially along the M40 but this is the first time I've seen them myself in the North.

Lapwings on Grain Pole Hill (Anglezarke). Heard them last week on Winter Hill but didn't see them.

Skylark singing in the White Peak (above Milldale) on Saturday.

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Originally Posted by GeoffB

Skylark singing in the White Peak (above Milldale) on Saturday.

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We saw and heard a couple over the weekend plus first mipits of 'spring' too

wandering round a little known nature reserve near Glossop today...in the hopes of seeing a shy Woodcock. Was rewarded and saw one :)

Three sightings of little owls today.

First one in the middle of the road. I had to stop right in front of it before it flew away.

The second on my lunchtime run, while I was heading out.

The third on my lunchtime run, while I was heading back. I assume it was the same one, as it was in the same tree as before.

Little owls are in many ways like buses...

big flock of Lapwings, 40 at least. also seen curlew and a snipe recently.