Good work Geoff!Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
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Good work Geoff!Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
First cuckoo last night, eventually. Bottom of William Clough as we were descending from Sandy Heys (Kinder). First one last year was 11th May.
Oh yes, here's a link to the aforementioned Tawny Owls (if it works).
I heard my first cuckoo of the year a few of weeks ago near Shittern Clough/ bottom of Lightside. They seem to return to this spot every year despite the clay shooting that goes on every Sunday.Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
Heard my fourth yesterday, all on/around Loughrigg. Such a wonderful sound.
I had only my second sighting of a cuckoo on Thursday in Knoydart, got o very poor picture with a phone camera and then an eagle on the way home this morning.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
FIVE! fox cubs.
My god they were cute!
I am known for my interest in wildlife but equally I will put my hand in the air and say I'm not a bird spotter or good at identifying small birds, I can do the usual lap wings and plovers, oyster catchers and skylarks, wood peckers, ring ouzel and some birds of prey, these are things I should know as an ML.
but today whilst driving along the Strines road on one of the bends, wooded but with a rocky stream some thing caught my eye and I do have a keen eye in the hills for spotting things, why? because it was different...very different. initially my head said Robin because I saw a flash of bright red but straight away discounted this as I was looking at its bottom and it was slightly longer also .the bird was dark with a hint of white edgeing on its wings and then it was off, I never really saw it's beak unfortuanately but its head was dark (Black).
Now I've poured over my two bird books and can only come up with one bird and it says it's pretty rare or at least scarce.
I reckon it was a Black Redstart...any thing else come to mind.?
rare, but not unknown. Could also have been the usual redstart: they're pretty similar.
Pair of golden plover on Broad Law this morning, then a cracking view of an osprey this afternoon as I was coming down from White Coomb. The osprey was heading up the Tail Burn above the Grey Mare's Tail, so a fishing trip on Loch Skeen I guess. Hope it went for the trout and left the vendace unscathed!
Saw a heron yesterday at a country park on the eastern outskirts of Coventry. Although the place does double up as a heronry, so I guess that's cheating..!
Best thing I've seen when running was in Phuket, Southern Thailand, last year. Was running on a steep road up through the rainforest, and just missed treading on a 6-foot snake... luckily it appeared to have just eaten, and didn't take offence to me... on investigation I think it was a relatively harmless Indonesian Rat-snake... but in an area where King Cobras, Reticulated Pythons, Kraits, amongst others, are often seen, it was a bit unnerving...
Also 4-5ft monitor lizards in Bangkok on a morning run, although they are famously resident in a Bangkok park and seen every day in their tens, but still 'wild'...
Think more likely a redstart Ian. Black redstart are like robins but as near as damn it a stealth dark grey all overQuote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Black redstart at RSPB web
And redstart
Cute indeed. These two were part of a litter I found on Settle tops recently. I've since found out that they were victims to a man with a spade and a terrier a week ago. Such is the life of foxes in the Yorkshire Dales.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Mole
'Man' used in a very loose sense wharfee?Quote:
Originally Posted by wharfeego
well of the two id say it was the black red start, the white on the wings was more striking..of course we'll never know but either way it's a bird I've not seen before so still happy :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
I hit a Chaffinch with the car on the way back from the european trial race, just remembered. It hit with a closing speed of about 55mph and made a right thud, i had to pull over and check it hadn't gone through the radiator.
What I thought was a curlew, but possibly a whimbrel, as the beak looked too short.
Unfotunately our one remaining duck and a few chickens had a wildlife encounter yesterday tea time, unlucky for them it was with one of them cute cuddly foxes that a lot of people seem to love.
:-( bl**dy foxes hate the scratty things, generally not the noble creature the townies think they are, we had one around us 'extracting' kids rabbits through the meshes on their hutches, until it was dealt with..
Definitely not a curlew a whimbrel, which looks to be way off course.
Cuckoo calling as I was running up to Caw this morning. And a newt (and lots of tadpoles) in Stickle Tarn, Dunnerdale.
Also female mandarin duck and some remaining chicks on the canal in Bollington through the week. Apparently, she started with 7, but is down to 4 now.
Spotted a newt in the cess tank at work the other week, he was having a great time swimming around :-)
A jay taking pine cones off the conifer in our wood.
Not spotted one in the immediate locality before - although I am spotting them more & more when out on the bicycle, particularly in the Arnside & Silverdale AONB.
spotted one here in Darwen last week too...can't recall seeing one before either! really vivid blue on the wingsQuote:
Originally Posted by wheezing donkey
I spotted my first jay last summer, I had to google it as I had no idea what it was
Haha, me too! "blue winged bird north west England" and it found it? :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
Brood of late ducklings and a snipes beak (sparrowhawk kill).
Three decent size young goosander on the river today with their mum
Sat by the canal on my lunch break watching a family of 2 adults and 2 fledglings Kestrels. Beautiful.
sqwarking owl on my roof last night, made a proper racket for what seemed ages. stuck my head through the curtains but didn't see it. then had magpies on the roof dancing merrily from about 4.30am!!!
I got attacked by a female Hen Harrier on Ilkley moor last week, spotted her again a few days ago. Had to walk backwards facing her to stop her attacking the back of my head again.
Were you not on the stone slabs?
Now its dry there is a runners trod along side some of the slabs, so I do sometimes use the slabs route in part, but not actually run on them.
Hen Harrier is not that far away from slabs, probably 200m North, seems to prefer attacking humans in the evening as I've never been bothered in the day
Yup. My question was really near the "line(s) of the slabs" which obviously see most human traffic on the moor.
I don't have a problem with runners running on Ilkley Moor where ever they wish. I've known the moor for well over 50 years.
What I do not support are those who resent the slabs which are an undoubted benefit to those who think that splashing through bog with their families in fine summer clothes etc is not a pleasant Sunday afternoon pastime.
I'm not a slab detractor, so can't be drawn into an argument against them
Male Bullfinch at Whinfell Center Parcs (near Penrith). The last time I saw a Bullfinch was in 1976! So I was pretty pleased.
We are really lucky and often have a pair in our garden. The male has beautiful colouring.Quote:
Originally Posted by luverlyjuberly
Where are you located William Clough?
The High Peak, Derbyshire in the shadow of Kinder Scout.Quote:
Originally Posted by luverlyjuberly
Great Crested Grebe sat on its nest on the fishing lake at Strines (New Mills) yesterday then a Greater Spotted Woodie on the nut-feeder in the garden this morning.
Both of these were great, obviously.