Today's Wildlife Encounter

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

...These days we know that it was just working out whether any of us were edible.

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Well they are carrion feeders - perhaps they can sense what lies underground in such places?

Dippers have a third, transparent eyelid called a 'nictitating membrane' that they can close, enabling them to see underwater

Spied on the River Wharfe at Burnsall.

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Originally Posted by noel

Wonderful. I hear otters are becoming more common - apparently they even have them on the canal in Bingley!

But I've still never seen one in the wild.

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I had seen river otters ( well 2 sightings) in worcestershire but I have spent many hours trying to spot a sea otter on Orkney and the outer Hebrides without success.
Then, this year on Mull and Ardnamurchan, we saw loads. Sat and watched a pair playing amongst the seaweed - so special.
Everything comes to he who waits.

A beautiful Mistle Thrush, feathers fluffed up against the cold, showing off the black spots on a buff breast at their best.

About a dozen lapwings (a deceit/desert??)in a frost meadow in upper Teesdale.

A pair of buzzards flying around me while I was out running today. They were making a lot of their "mewing" noises, presumably discussing the fact that I would be like old leather to eat, so they soon flew off to find a younger, more tender specimen.

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

A pair of buzzards flying around me while I was out running today. They were making a lot of their "mewing" noises, presumably discussing the fact that I would be like old leather to eat, so they soon flew off to find a younger, more tender specimen.

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Fear not Anthony.

They were probably doing a bit of courting as they are early nesters, late March/early April. Now if they were Red Kites it would be a different matter as they wouldn't care how scrawny and leathery their meal was!

Running down in to Wharfedale from the Round Hill moors today there were about 20 red kites and a couple of buzzards flying around. Must have been good feeding.
Out on a 3 1/2hr run in surprisingly warm weather, after the freeze. Also saw a Kestrel, a Heron, Curlew, lots of fieldfare and a big hare. Muddy underfoot and very few people.

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Originally Posted by Llani Boy

Fear not Anthony.

They were probably doing a bit of courting as they are early nesters, late March/early April. Now if they were Red Kites it would be a different matter as they wouldn't care how scrawny and leathery their meal was!

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The red kite that flew over during my bike ride today didn't seem very interested in me. Obviously I am still giving the impression of being alive.

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Originally Posted by anthonykay

The red kite that flew over during my bike ride today didn't seem very interested in me. Obviously I am still giving the impression of being alive.

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Perhaps it reads the Forum to check on the state of your health?