Nice one :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
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Nice one :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
put up a woodcock on the hills this evening on my first run with the new Petzl Nao. Never seen them up there before. Woodcocks, not Petzls.
I've just made friends with a Tibetan border goat.
Pair of Goosanders on the Peak Forest canal this morning.
Anyone know of any Starling murmurations in the Peak yet?
nearly stepped on a hare over at sconce this morning.great to see in our area as they seem to be on the decline
Saw the bearded Tits at Leighton Moss the other day. tried for the Hawfinches at Sizergh but I think its a bit early. Also saw an Otter!! :)
Small one at west Nab on Sunday, only around a hundred. Explaining it to my five year old daughter was fun.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
Geoff I work in Furness Vale and often sit by the river at lunchtime watching what I though were Red breasted Merganisers. I've just Googled Goosanders and they look quite hard to tell apart especially the females.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
WC, merganiser (as we called them when we were kids) are mainly birds of the sea or large stillwaters so not a bird for Peakland. Goosander are common on the Derwent and nearby waters
loads of them out our way, its bloody scary stepping on them or a grouse in the dark...Seen a few in the last week that have just started to turn white.Quote:
Originally Posted by dylan
I saw a small flock of these last week while on holiday near Oban, Scotland. The males were doing their courtship displays, which was nice to see - although not quite up to grebe standard.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Lots of folk walking around with hi powered binoculars and Monoculars etc, up the road, Apparently a rough legged buzzard was spotted yesterday???
Tweeters out there(of the bird watching kind) that wants to confirm this.
Cheers for that DT.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Red kite this morning between Macclesfield Forest and Shutlingsloe. I've not seen them round here before.
I'm really jealous Noel! A friend of a friend saw one there a couple of years ago. I've only ever seen them in mid Wales before. It's quite easy to get some raptors mixed up, but there is no mistaking a Red Kite.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Yes, I initially thought "buzzard" as it was soaring about, but then the I noticed the black wing tips and distinctive forked tail. I was quite pleased, so I told the next walkers I saw "I've just seen a red kite down there". I felt a bit like one of my kids when they blurt out something that's important to them, but completely irrelevant to the person they're telling it to, like "I've got a toy tractor at home that's red and blue!". Thankfully, the walkers didn't say "that's nice dear".Quote:
Originally Posted by William Clough
Peakland kite - nice work noelly
unknown Raptor...
small and stocky(smaller than a Kestrel)...a bit like a budgie on steroids..First thought was a Hobby but they are swift like and dash around I seem to remember
It was hunting close to the ground, not hovering at all. On looking at my bird book I'm convinced it was a Merlin??? is this possible on the flanks of Bleaklow
It sounds like it from this merlin vs kestrel ID video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbGO8cbig_c . Short and stocky and dashing around sounds about right. They're wider distributed in the winter, so the RSPB says, as Icelandic ones come here.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Nice spot. I don't think I've ever seen one. Or if I have I thought it was something else.
I don't want to hijack the Merlin/ Hobby/Kestral thread of which I'm following with interest but I was quite suprised to see a pair of Dippers following the River Kinder upstream near Kinder Gates. I didn't realise they went that high and was more used to seeing them at a lower level.
I've seen & heard Merlin on BleaklowQuote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
after checking the clip its was definitely a Merlin...spotted between James Thorne and Lower Shelf stonesQuote:
Originally Posted by noel
I've seen dippers up there as well on more than one occasion.Quote:
Originally Posted by William Clough
I found some frog spawn on a path when I was out running today. No eggs in it just the jelly ? Did the poor frog miscarry or did it just accidentally follow through ?
Nice one, Ian. We saw a Merlin on Saturday morning towards the top of Grindsbrook, near the big fork in the river. Hobby is a summer visitor, I think, so probably all gone south now.Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
merlin vs kestrel I know where there are 2 of each of these all the time what would be the best way to release these back into the wild or could it be done would they survive as they don't look right chained up 24/7 for fun
I don't think it could. Aren't captive birds normally imprinted (ie, raise from chick by hand)? So they think a human is their mum and they have no fear of humans.Quote:
Originally Posted by vespa
Any falconers on here who can correct my half-informed opinions?
A Prickle of Porcupines on Fountains Fell
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7570/...c245679a_c.jpgA Prickle of Porcupines on the Upland Dales by Andy Holden, on Flickr
https://www.justgiving.com/AndyWharfeeHolden
You may find that is in fact a mystery substance known as Star Jelly. Look it up, strange stuff!Quote:
Originally Posted by Alf
possible ring ouzel sighted on Longdendale Trail, not too far down from Reaps layby heading east on Saturday early afternoon. can't think what else it could have been, if it was then that's the first I've ever seen
I'm no falconer; but I've got to agree with you Noel. Impulsive, uninformed release of captive animals can have all sorts of consequences.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
I would not advocate the breeding of animals purely for the fur trade, but look what happened when uninformed "activists" broke into mink farms and released the inmates .... the impact of these vicious little criturs on our indigenous wild life was quite abhorrent.
I think they can lay all year round, hasn't the spawn got some form of antifreeze in it so can survive in frozen ponds, That's how they survive in the far north of Scotland when the season is shorter. we saw some last week on Bleaklow, it wasn't star jellyQuote:
Originally Posted by Alf
I've seen this before but didn't know what it was.Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
If it was smallish it could have been a dipper, I've mistaken them until I've got a bit closer, similar habitat rocky cloughs/streamsQuote:
Originally Posted by cyclops
no, definitely not a dipper, I know those ones :)Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Quite a possibility - some Ring Ouzels have lingered on much longer than usual this year.Quote:
Originally Posted by cyclops
Can I say global warming before anyone else does. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
The Eye Has It
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7552/...aee0bfc0_c.jpg
The Eye Has It by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Juvenile Sparrowhawk hunting birds in the back yard at home
Hi Noel, I used to have a pet Kestrel when I was a lad living in Barnsley. I got on really well with it. Unfortunately soon after a school football match (during which my PE teacher insisted on being Bobby Charlton) my step brother Jud strangled the bird and chucked him in a bin.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
I hope this is of help to you.
What a touching and tragic story WC. You must have found real solace in that friendship that probably provided a thought provoking counterpoint to the grainy backdrop of a typical 1960s coal mining town. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by William Clough
I spotted a greater spotted newt whilst out trying to spot some spots on a spotted tree, located close to a quite little secluded spot, not far from spotted lane, near Spot Town, Cumbria.
#VoteShlongForFOTY
Quite :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Shlong
Spotted a mountain hare yesterday on Bleaklow & another today on Kinder, both resplendent in full winter coat. For me, a city dweller, this is a rare treat & was the antidote for two not particularly successful recces.