was running on the tops from buckden to whernside(where leg 2 of fra relay went)
,loads of frogs/toads having a right old go.
how on earth did they get so high and survive all year.
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was running on the tops from buckden to whernside(where leg 2 of fra relay went)
,loads of frogs/toads having a right old go.
how on earth did they get so high and survive all year.
Yeah they are, there was someone complaining about them in the Daily Mail the other day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Margarine
Had the strangest wildlife experience on a recent dog walk, a swimming owl!
Walking along the river Ure I came across a Tawny owl in the middle of the river, luckily on very slow moving bit. All I could see was its head above the suface then noticed its wings fully extended helping to keep it a float. It then to my amazement used its wings to paddle its way across the river, it took 3 goes at getting to the opposite bank. It then managed to scramble onto a rock, one very tired and wet owl. The next morning I walked the same bit of river, it had gone and hopefully ok.
Attachment 5896
Swan resting on its nest in the middle of the local (disused/clogged) canal. A rather bedraggled place to bring up its young, but its been around for years so I suppose its accustomed to it. Hope to see the new young ones soon.
Attachment 5898Attachment 5899
Swan resting on its nest in the nearby (disused/clogged) canal. A rather bedraggled place to bring up its young but its been around for years so I supposed is accustomed to its surroundings. Looking forward to seeing the new young shortly.
great pic as usual wharfee.
watched heron at pond,next thing had a massive toad in his beak.
Loads of yellowhammers about up here in Dumfriesshire!
Attachment 5903Quote:
Originally Posted by dylan
A Heron I got close to on the Thames
....and a small doe Roe deer having a wee stroll across the road, this morning.
About 5000 frogs on Ilkley moor this afternoon, mostly in and around the tarn. Looks like a good year for them
one ran across the strines road in front of me this morning, never seen one there before. Looking out the window from home at sunset this evening there was loads of bats, I've seen the occasional bat but never so many?Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
I saw a frog on a track just outside of Glossop (nr Mossy Lea Farm)...was on a night run and my torch beam shone on it, I ran past, then doubled back to check what I'd seen. never seen any there before...and it was a way off (in comparison to it's size) the nearest waterQuote:
Originally Posted by Rob Furness
Several chiffchaffs herard this weekend plus one spotted down by the Wharfe this evening. We also saw a pair of oystercatchers getting it on in a field :thumbup:
Heard and saw my first Willow Warblers of the spring this morning
Nice one DT. My fave birdsong. I'll be listenin' out for 'em today.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Here's one from last summer...
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5226/5...8a5d3d14_b.jpg
a hare and a green woodpecker on the featherstone to calderbridge section of the railway.
A male Blackcap this afternoon to add to my spring Warbler count
just a regular moggy cat for me today...stuck indoors marking student papers.
Out for a little trail run today enjoying the Blackthorn in bloom and quite a few butterflies (Tortoiseshells + Peacocks) sunning themselves on a sheltered path.
When a Male's Had Enough!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7051/7...6f2d5389_b.jpg
ps...I didn't take this pic
Heard my first cuckoo of the year this morning.
I saw a pair of swallows yesterday flying over the river Ure at Wensley, never seen them so early, and a Ring Ouzel on shunner fell today
A swan sitting on no less than nine eggs in the middle of a disused section of the Bury-Bolton-Manchester canal - actually, I suppose it was standing on the edge of the nest, otherwise I wouldn't have seen the eggs.
A barn owl hunting over the fields below our office window in broad daylight this morning. Wonder if it has young to feed.
The sand martins are back in the dale :thumbup:
I saw a red kite flying among the rooks in a field near the Drovers' Inn at Dallowgill. That's the first time I've seen them this close to Masham. I normally see them near Pool or close to Harewood.
At least 3 white hares up on Strines and Derwent edge today, along with 3 hawk like birds (at a distance and my lenses were acting up) and 3 large grey and white geese. Oh, and absolutely no people except for on the road :-)
I heard a woodpecker tap tap tapping inside a hollow split mature silver birch in the woods below the War memorial at Pecket Well(!). I waited for it to show itself and was about to give up when a squirrel jumped into the top of the tree. The tap tap tapping stopped and out flew a green woodpecker.
A deer in Cleatops wood - well two in fact but only managed to get a picture of one....
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/2275/p4040005.jpg
A scraggy fox early this morning skipping through a hedge.
Sparrowhawk leading the way through Crayke Hall as I drove behind it today!
Compressed account for this week....2 Hen Harriers, 1 Peregrine, 16 Buzzards, several Heron and 2 dead badgers.
oh no,
my house backs onto a pond
yesterday saw a mink.
we had it last year and it decimated the frogs,toads,moorhens and grebe that we had.
owner has set a trap,any advice on how to catch?
Attachment 5976
Deer in the garden again. It's pretty well moved in - at what stage does it stop being 'wildlife'?
Several golden plover seen and heard between Beamsley Beacon and Round Hill this morning. My first of the spring. Plus a bonus redshank
Never!Quote:
Originally Posted by Eleanor
Looks as though he's still got his velvet covering the new antlers; I'm surprised that the velvet hasn't been shed by now?
I found this on a website...
During its development, the growing antler is covered in a grey furry membrane known as velvet. This carries the blood vessels and nerves for the developing antler; the antler is bone growing on the outside of the body from the pedicles unlike horns, which are hollow and not cast each year. Should the velvet become damaged during the antlers’ growth, deformities can occur. The antlers are usually fully developed between March and April (earlier in older animals), when the increasing length of daylight causes a rise in testosterone levels. This causes the blood supply to the antler to be cut off. The velvet dries out, shrinks and is removed by the buck fraying its new antlers against saplings. During the period that the velvet is being removed, the buck is said to be ‘in tatters’ with dried velvet hanging in strips from the now hard antler. Whilst removing the velvet, damage is caused to young trees as the buck frays. It is whilst the buck is fraying saplings that the antlers become stained and coloured with tannin and sap from the bark, which changes the colour from white bone to a deep burnished brown. In areas with few trees like Salisbury Plain, antler colour is much paler due to lack of bark staining. It is the older bucks who clean their antlers first in readiness for spring.
Taken from this website... http://www.countrysportsandcountryli...g/Roe_Deer.htm
Not sure about that. If he starts popping in for a cuppa you might want to rethink things.Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
2 red deer hinds below Silver Hill on our way back to Patterdale from Place Fell last night. Then 2 more crossing the road between Patterdale and Bridgend.
Get yourself a dog Otter, it will hunt down and kill any Mink in its territory, go Otter go.:thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by dylan
If you go to the Game Conservantcy web site there might be advice there on trapping Mink.
ATB
Tahr