Today's Wildlife Encounter

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wharfeego

First Swallow of the year...last Monday...30th March...near Helwith Bridge... p'raps it was training for the 3 peaks?:D

Chiffchaff singing at Barley today.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/bird...haff/index.asp

---

From last year wharfee :)

*correction* LAPWINGS?? in the fields near Redmires Reservoir. Love that sound.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by simgreen78

Avocets in the fields near Redmires Reservoir. Love that sound.

---

Avocets or curlew?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Derby Tup

Avocets or curlew?

---

I'm rather embarrassed to admit that when I went to check having read your question, what I thought was an Avocet was in fact a completely different bird! Very frustrating, as I have been claiming for years that we had a pair of nesting Avocets in the field behind my childhood home...:o

I'm heading over to the RSPB site for an ID.

I'm no Bill Oddie. (Which can probably only help my running prospects...:))

Right. My brief stint in the Young Ornothologists Club twenty five years ago obviously made no lasting impression...:o

Lapwings. Probably. Do they have that distinctive, almost synthetic-sounding call?

Let the abuse commence... ;)

Pee - wit When I got a dog er well when my wife got one and I got landed with it and had to train it a bit I used the lapwings cal because it was one I could remember. Only trouble is i I can't do it very loudly.

Starts high then goes down and back up again. Sort of.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Grouse

Only trouble is i I can't do it very loudly.

---

You should have used the evocative sound of an alarmed grouse.

Quote:

---

Red grouse are particularly vocal when flushed from the hillside, announcing their presence with a 'go-back, back, back' call and a fast, direct flight on alternate whirring and gliding wings.

---

Quote:

---

The male persuades females to mate with a display which involves calling, puffing out feathers, erecting its tail, and moving with a stiff walk.

---

In other words, just like a fell runner!.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by simgreen78

Right. My brief stint in the Young Ornothologists Club twenty five years ago obviously made no lasting impression...:o

Lapwings. Probably. Do they have that distinctive, almost synthetic-sounding call?

Let the abuse commence... ;)

---

If it was a pair of Lapwings they were probably doing some quite impressive acrobatic displays at this time of year (i.e. showing off).

I have only rarely heard the 'go-back' call, it's usually more like "ggrrraaarrrgghhh".

(Which of course means wotcher mate 'ow's it goin? - I speak it fluently)