Today's Wildlife Encounter

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Originally Posted by Welsh Harrier

Swallow in the conservatory today - Mrs WH rescued it before the dogs had a snack!

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Saw my first swallows of the year on Wednesday. We've had them in the house a couple of times in previous years - they come in through the upstairs windows looking for nesting sites. Amazingly they're quite easy to catch in your hands, as they settle on the curtains when they can't get out through the glass - at least I've caught them a couple of times like this. I've put a shelf up in a small outbuilding & cut a suitable notch in the top of the door in the hope they'll nest in there. They didn't last year, but I live in hope.

I was sitting out in the garden this afternoon with birds flying all round me. A reed bunting feeding on the bird table 6 feet from my head, & a woodpecker on the other one about 20 feet away. Pity I've got to go running tomorrow really...

That sounds like a gorgeous way to spend the afternoon! I rescued a swallow that had been caught by a cat once and it was a lovely little thing, such amazing colours. My friend also rescued a swift and it had whiskers, I didn't realise they did.

House martins are back in Masham and there is a starling in the market place imitating a curlew perfectly! The swallows can't be far away now.

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Originally Posted by Splatcher

Saw my first swallows of the year on Wednesday. We've had them in the house a couple of times in previous years - they come in through the upstairs windows looking for nesting sites. Amazingly they're quite easy to catch in your hands, as they settle on the curtains when they can't get out through the glass - at least I've caught them a couple of times like this. I've put a shelf up in a small outbuilding & cut a suitable notch in the top of the door in the hope they'll nest in there. They didn't last year, but I live in hope.

I was sitting out in the garden this afternoon with birds flying all round me. A reed bunting feeding on the bird table 6 feet from my head, & a woodpecker on the other one about 20 feet away. Pity I've got to go running tomorrow really...

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First pair of swallows last Sunday, Rhiwlas. Then a whole flock of Martins and Swallows (about 20) semed to come into Llangurig as I watched yesterday. Do the species mix?
Worrying, is our lack of Sloworms in the garden this year, we have a very healthy population but no sign on the compost heap so far, wonder if the harsh winter has taken its toll? I do hope not, as they are long lived and we recognise some indiviuals each spring.
Next anticipated arrivals are our Swifts (we have nesting boxes on the house) and the Cuckoo - both species in serious decline.

Loads of sand martins down by the river Wharfe early this morning, as well as all the usual suspects. An early morning walk with the dogs, along a nice peaceful river bank - lovely.
Later, a run on the moors to make up for the fact that despite having entered it, I never made it to the start of the Calderdale Hike. Mind you, it was pretty warm by then, and I'm never at my best in the heat!

Two Red Admirals on the summit of Harrison Stickle.

Two swallows on the wires by the house today, and two house martins in the nests under the eaves.

We've also got jackdaws trying to get big sticks in through the owl hole near the top of the barn. They seem to have the same intelligence as my dog, as they also try to get sticks through a gap sideways.

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Originally Posted by noel

...jackdaws trying to get big sticks in through the owl hole...

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sounds painful for the owl:eek:

Bees! Bees! Bees!

Never seen so many on the moors before, It was really scarey at one point after running quick through deep heather/bilberry to get clear of the swarms only to realise I was in the bottom of a deep valley and the only way out was a bash through deep Heather/bilberry!!!!!

...and I saw a ring Oezel (Sp?) first this year

Okay cows aren't really 'wild' life I know, but these two guys were so lovely on my run this morning

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5076/p4100231.jpg

Awwww! :)

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Originally Posted by Stolly

Okay cows aren't really 'wild' life I know, but these two guys were so lovely on my run this morning

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/5076/p4100231.jpg

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Peregrine stooping on duck, pair of Hen Harriers, Grouse - probably some other stuff as well. Lovely night out camping in the hills.

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Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak

...and I saw a ring Oezel (Sp?) first this year

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Ah! Turdus torquatus; Ring Ouzel...the mountain blackbird. A magnificently mysterious migrant in my mind. I saw Ring Ouzels at the Coniston and Mearley Clough races last year. Good spot IDP.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3397/ringouzel.jpg

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Originally Posted by wharfeego

Ah! Turdus torquatus; Ring Ouzel...the mountain blackbird. A magnificently mysterious migrant in my mind. I saw Ring Ouzels at the Coniston and Mearley Clough races last year. Good spot IDP.

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3397/ringouzel.jpg

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There used to be 2 nests in Blackden clough on Kinder, they were used every year but a landslide washed them away about 3 years ago and they never returned. Have seen them occasionally in the rockier cloughs but I think this is only the second time seen them near Howden before

Yeah I've seen them quite a few times on the rocky side of Gt Whernside, a shy bird and you have to have a sharp eye to spot them. Migrates from the Atlas mountains I think.

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Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak

There used to be 2 nests in Blackden clough on Kinder, they were used every year but a landslide washed them away about 3 years ago and they never returned. Have seen them occasionally in the rockier cloughs but I think this is only the second time seen them near Howden before

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We saw a pair of Hen Harriers and a Peregrine stooping on some waterfowl (which sensibly refused to leave the water) and grouse. A nights wild camp and fishing trip in Pumlumon area.

Saw 2 White Peacocks strutting along Masham main street while on my way back from the co-op this eve.

Ha ha...thats great! I think its this time of year that the young ones start looking for new territory cos last year one landed on my roof and then popped down into my garden. Bit of a surprise! :)

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Originally Posted by Masham Man

Saw 2 White Peacocks strutting along Masham main street while on my way back from the co-op this eve.

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Nice to see a pair of common sandpiper back by the Wharfe this evening. Great view of tawny owl on way home too

I saw an interesting brown bird today (that's not an oxymoron) when I was running along the river. It was flying up vertically and dropping back down again to the grass. It was about the size of a small pigeon...did I mention that it was brown? :o

Any ideas?! :wink:

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Originally Posted by Hes

I saw an interesting brown bird today (that's not an oxymoron) when I was running along the river. It was flying up vertically and dropping back down again to the grass. It was about the size of a small pigeon...did I mention that it was brown? :o

Any ideas?! :wink:

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Skylark?

Grass Snake! It was on Saturday but I hope you wont all be annoyed which is not today.....but it was today on Saturday

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Originally Posted by goldsim1963

.....but it was today on Saturday

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Everyday is today (philosophically speaking)

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Originally Posted by Rob Furness

Everyday is today (philosophically speaking)

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Except perhaps yesterday and tomorrow?

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Originally Posted by Alexandra

Except perhaps yesterday and tomorrow?

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You can only be present in today, you can't go back or forward, the only way to not be present in today is to drink too much!
Then you don't know where the hell you are:confused:

I saw a squirrel this morning in a tree, thought it was an owl at first, and that's without a drink!
You see more wildlife as your eyesight deserts you.

Wheatears on Ilkley Moor, red kite over Nidderdale, Mrs PB on warpath...

If tomorrow was today it would be yesterday.

Bats! Many of them. Three Bats! And a small, long thing that ran across the road, weasel, stoat?

Ahhh - you want to know how to tell them apart, don't you?

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Originally Posted by stevefoster

Bats! Many of them. Three Bats! And a small, long thing that ran across the road, weasel, stoat?

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http://www.wildlifebritain.com/stoatorweasel.php

Stoatly easy, black tip on tail is a stoat.

And the Weasel has a W on his pyjamas.

It might have been a stick insect...
I saw my first ducklings on wednesday, aah!

Deffo not a stick insect, must check out his PJ's next time.

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Originally Posted by Grouse

Ahhh - you want to know how to tell them apart...

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Weasel is weasily distinguishable from the Stoat which is stotally different.

Found a trap the other day which I think was set for weasels or stoats; I sprung it but what does anyone think about that - I know there must be good arguments for trapping them especially at nesting time?

Yeah, don't want weasels and stoats eating young grouse or pheasants, or dogs disturbing them. Much better to blast them out of the sky with a shotgun!
I have mixed feelings on this; if it wasn't for the shooting, we wouldn't have the moors. And it is a much better option than battery farming. It's just the controlling of all other wildlife and activity for the benefit of the birds I sometimes feel is a bit unbalanced.

Why wouldn't we have the moors if it wasn't for the shooting?

Because most of it would be over-run with bracken and other scrub vegetation. No-one is going to protect the moors unless they have a vested interest in doing so, I'm afraid. That'd be landowners and shooty types, as far as the moors are concerned.
I think Ilkley moor was in danger of being covered by bracken once Bradford Council banned shooting. Now they've allowed it again, people have a reason to maintain the moorland environment, and so are doing.
I'm not judging wether it's a bad or good thing, just pointing out that without vested interests protecting the moorland environment, it would probably disappear if left to it's own 'natural' devices.
Like the old aristocracy used to protect the forests for hunting, shipbuilding timber, etc.

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Originally Posted by plodding bear

without vested interests protecting the moorland environment, it would probably disappear if left to it's own 'natural' devices.

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The moor will still be there despite "vested interests".

What you mean to say is that the use of the moor for grouse rearing and shooting or for sheep farming would not exisit.

The moor could be maintained in better shape if it is left to it's own 'natural' devices'.

What I'm getting at is that if left to it's own devices, it would lose the characteristics of the 'moors' that we presently know and love - all the heather and stuff. It would very soon be overrun with bracken, hawthorn and scrub vegetation; In a sense our moors are an artificial environment, created for a specific purpose. The rearing of grouse. Many other birds benefit, but basically without those vested interests, you'd lose them. No one will pay for their maintainance out of goodwill.
It's much the same with other environments, chalk downland springs to mind. without sheep grazing, and cows being used to keep vegetation down, we'd lose all that as well.
Don't forget the vast majority of Britain was woodland, probably what it would return to if left alone by man.

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Originally Posted by plodding bear

I have mixed feelings on this; if it wasn't for the shooting, we wouldn't have the moors.

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Too true PB. Yes the moors would still be there, but the Northern Peak District in particular, would be hard to move accross without the heather & bracken being controlled.