http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos...tear-39058.jpg
I know it is not a rare bird by any means but to me this Wheatear is the most elegant bird of all. Seen today in the Big stone / Cracken edge area.
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http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos...tear-39058.jpg
I know it is not a rare bird by any means but to me this Wheatear is the most elegant bird of all. Seen today in the Big stone / Cracken edge area.
3 days backpacking and 2 nights wildcamp around the Llyn peninsular coastal path with the Missus, brought usual array of interesting wildlife and flora. Highspots for me were watching a pair of peregrines hunt a sea cliff and choughs (always nice to see and hear).
But top spot was the adder in the Pwlelli sand dunes, virtually trod on it but just saw it's movement and stopped. Beautifull bright male specimen (I think), I held it's attention whilst the Missus got the camera out for a couple of photos. I love snakes and adders were very common when I lived in Sussex, but this is the first I've seen in years and the first in Wales. Chuffed to bits, I stopped the oncoming dog walkers and gently encouraged it out of harms way.
Woodchat shrike. In Sicily. I've not seen a shrike before, but this one was very fearless.
http://www.birdforum.net/opus/images...hat_Shrike.jpg
A red Kite flying over Ilkley Moor yesterday. I know there's plenty round Harewood and Bolton Abbey, and I've seen them over the A59 near Blubberhouses, but a first for me, on Ilkley Moor. I also watched/heard a skylark, singing all the way up from ground level as it rose like a jump jet straight up, until I couldn't see it with the naked eye, then it disappeared even from binocular view, but I could hear it clear as a bell all the time!
Bank Vole in the drystone wall in our yard...tempted out with peanut butter
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/1...backyardwa.jpg
Lovely photo wharfee
Wood warbler and pied flycatcher in Strid Woods yesterday afternoon, first swift of the year today driving near Pudsey (me driving, not the swift!)
First swifts over the River Lune too yesterday.
Good to see them back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Navigator
My first Swift scything through the blue sky over 'ellifield yesterday.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Any advance my first Spotted Flycatcher this year, in a nearby wood?
Not spotted a Spotted Fly wharfee. Any cuckoos your way yet?Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
My Swifts are due any day now - our favourite visitors. I cleared their nest boxes of the current unwanted inhabitants :angry: (no I'm not saying what, some would not approve) so they are alll ready for the swifts who have preferential treatment. They've nested on the house since we arrived in 1986 but numbers decrease every year, we are lucky to have 2 pairs now, where the valley used to be full of them.
Flycatchers due as well, always turn up and use one of the boxes in the apple trees.
We've had cuckoos round the moor edge of Ilkley/silsden for a week or more now. Keeping my eyes open for a ring ouzel, which a birdwatching, spaniel walking guy who I see in passing fairly regularly has told me are due any time now, in the little plantation bit up on Nab End.
Never 'ad Cuckoos 'round 'ere DT. I'm always happy to hear a Cuckoo.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Magic bird. Usually heard before seen....as here... http://www.forestofbowland.com/wild_birds_ringouzelQuote:
Originally Posted by plodding bear
Theres some on Stanage edge at the moment I'm told.Quote:
Originally Posted by plodding bear
Saw a Lapwing, a Curlew, several Rabbits, and a Roe Deer whilst on club run tonight in Harewood. Great night for it
Many thanx for the audio link, Wharfy, I'll keep my ears...er... peeled? Now I know what to listen out for!
Wheatear, Lapwing, Curlew, saw quite a few chicks/young birds.
Took a slight diversion to check a known black spot for snares. Found 5 in 50m including a recently dead fox in a Stink pit.
Not alot you can do though as these are on private land but there has been a few incident recently of runners getting caught in them. Has this happened any where else??
Ha Haaa! Seen me first ring ouzel this morning whilst out with the dogs, right where spaniel guy said they usually show up. Heard a cuckoo in there, too.
Saw a swift on sunday. I have a swift box but can never keep the pesky starlings out of it, they even roost in it in winter.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Next winter try cleaning out any material from the box then block the hole. Re-open the hole at this time of the year just when the Swifts are returning...Starlings will have already started their nests by then...the Swifts might take up residence with a bit of luck.Quote:
Originally Posted by Masham Man
Aww aww and aww...those three photos would make a really lovely picture for my wall in a set just as they are. Please very nicely?Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
Stef
you can 'ave 'em with pleasure.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stef F
Was running a bit too close to comfort to some of these last night:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._the_grass.jpg
Also saw a bird of prey, wings about a foot long, browny colour, but can't identify it unfortunately. Jumped out of a tree and glided after a couple of flaps.
Red Kite over Eldwick - 1st for me in this location!
Gorgeous pictures Wharfeego!
Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
Aww thank you :thumbup::love:Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
Swifts are back in Addingham now in good numbers and I heard several chiff chaff and willow warbler on this morning's walk to the paper shop
LFF - is that one of the Chillingham wild cattle? I went to see them a couple of years ago, when we were staying in Alnwick for a couple of nights. Impressive beasties!
...or is it some other breed of oldy worldy cattle?
A Buzzard at very close quarters :w00t:
It attacked me this morning when I was climbing Castley Knotts on the Sedbergh Hills race route. First I heard was a swoosh above me and then as I climbed the hill it swooped closer and closer. I thought it was fun to start with till at the middle of the climb I glanced to my left and it was descending rapidly, undercarriage down and locked heading for my head. I dived to the ground and after it had passed managed a PB for the rest of the climb when it finally gave up.
The joys of fell running :rolleyes:
Thanks for the nice comments WC. It's been in the back of my mind for a while...trouble is wi' me, ideas like that tend to stay locked up for too long.Quote:
Originally Posted by William Clough
Hellish exciting problem to deal with! I can just imagine you sprinting off, lookin' behind you as you panic into a PB!Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
Walking in the Doethie valley yesterday, watched a pair of Cuckoos working along the valley together. Hopping from post to post, looking in the grass etc. - presumably searching for nests? Other little birds (too far to identify species) were really giving them some stick and chasing the pair away. I haven't seen a pair of cuckoos together for many years. Also heard (but couldn't see) a cricket warbler, are these potential "victims" for the Cuckoos, like the Reed warblers?
There is a herd of Longhorn cattle in a field where I regularly go. Big Bill the Bull is as placid as a pussy cat and doesn't mind people at all.Quote:
Originally Posted by L.F.F.
A young dipper learning to dip in the Wharfe. Just brilliant!!
My RSPB book says dunnock, meadow pipit and reed warbler are most common 'hosts' for cuckoo Moley, although over a hundred species have been notedQuote:
Originally Posted by molehill
I take it that you mean Grasshopper Warbler? http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...ler/index.aspxQuote:
Originally Posted by molehill
That would be them, I was on the right track! Have heard them in several places in Wales over the summer months (can't mistake the call), but never really clapped eyes on one up close.Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
Sad to see so few cuckoos these days, becoming something of a rarity in such a short time.
Swifts have arrived Friday.
"Groppers" are very hard to spot...they skulk about in dense undergrowth.
Sad that Cuckoos are declining. Even sadder that the human race is increasing!
Attachment 4675 Never managed to put a picture on here before, see if this one works - mating sloworms from our garden (2 years ago I think).
Good effort, it's been a long time since I saw some of these.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
My wildlife encounter for the weekend was the entire family (and I mean all of them) of the girlfriend for her grand dads 90th birthday. Despite being 90 he sure knows how to put the whisky away!!! :w00t:
Yes, to be honest they didn't hardly move when I was going past. They're in this local country park pretty much year round. Lovely creatures, but intimidating looking.Quote:
Originally Posted by XRunner