We walked around Lyn Padarn last weekend! The quarries are spectacular!...and the Union Crag interesting too....assuming there aren't two Lyn Padarn's!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin
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We walked around Lyn Padarn last weekend! The quarries are spectacular!...and the Union Crag interesting too....assuming there aren't two Lyn Padarn's!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Penguin
Pine Marten's are the answer to the Grey Squirrel problem...apparently/hopefully!? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by anthonykay
I believe that'd be a Mountain Hare or Blue Hare rather than an Arctic Hare. Lovely to see mind.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
We really hope so, but even given our so far successful reintroduction of the martens here in mid Wales it will be many years until they are at densities to make a significant difference - if they do. But our martens are breeding and spreading their territory, our few remaining reds are very illusive but just about hanging on.Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
There's some evidence of buzzards taking reds, think on the isle of Wight they had some concerns as the buzzard population began to increase. If one sees a buzzard with a grey it's hard to know whether it was prey of scavenged road kill?
Given the location I saw it and the direction it flew in from, I'd be suprised if it was roadkill.
On another topic, the farmer I'm walling for thinks the decline in lapwings is due to redkites predating the young from the nest. Can't win in this nature game.
if you want to see more send me a message and I'll take you for a short run and you'll see loads. I've seen up to 50 a week in spring in certain areasQuote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
Surely white hares in the Dark Peak must either go extinct or else evolve to stop turning white in Winter? Or have too many of the raptors up there been killed to allow Natural Selection to take its course?
[QUOTE=MattPo;637780 Can't win in this nature game.[/QUOTE]
Very, very true.
On my run today there was a crow (I think) doing that thing where they turn upside-down (by doing a barrel roll) for a bit to lose height. It was just in front of me and the dog for quite a while as we ran along a ridge line where there must have been an updraft. Nice to see - although I've no idea why they do it.
Sounds like a raven Noel. I think they do it because they can. It must be ace fun. Proper ‘Top Gun’ stuff. Incidentally if you go to where daz h passed away ravens are often there. Listen out for them ‘cronking’
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Raven-.../dp/0061136050
I’ve not read it but it sounds interesting
Yes, I thought raven initially. It's sometimes hard to get perspective to identify the larger size. Normally it's the tail shape and larger bill that gives it away, but I couldn't get a good enough view while running.Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Maybe it's a show of aerial prowess - I hear they're starting to pair off ready for mating about now.
I've heard stories about Corvids flying high with a stick in their beak, deliberately dropping the stick and then swooping down to catch it mid-air. Presumably just for fun!Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Poor thing was having a bad day, I startled one as well in the same area. Probably the same one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Walking round our local nature reserve at lunchtime; we looked across the river Wharfe to see two foxes in flagrante delicto (sp) in the middle of a field of winter wheat. Stuck together for ten minutes until they seperated and ran off into the woods. Bold as brass, have they no shame.
What else is there to do in this weather?Quote:
Originally Posted by MattPo
It's what, a few months later, leads to this...
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3867/...e865cb62_n.jpg
Motherly Love by Andy Holden, on Flickr
Ravens, foxes and hares - brilliant
On my Thursday bike ride I saw a vole (Field?) and a Stoat! Nearly squished the vole. On a down note we may have scared our Voles off with excessive de-gardening!?...though we seem to have gained a squirrel, and we had Long-tail Tits on the feeder which is always a nice treat!
Thursday bike ride TFG? The Lancaster & South Lakes CTC usually squeeze 60 or so miles in every Thursday, starting from around Lancaster and sometimes heading through your territory.Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
Cycling into work this morning I heard a Song Thrush singing. That's 4 weeks earlier than last year.
Which reminds me. I was out running with Mrs Noel on Sunday and she said "this is where I sometimes see a goldcrest in this holly bush". So I looked left and there was a goldcrest - amazing!
I wonder if it's tweeting had subconsciously reminded her.
On a nav course over the weekend and explaining to these city folk how beautiful they were at this time of year. I told them we were on abit of moor that you regularly see Hares but the weather was aweful, gales and driving rain, Its a pity I said, they will be hunkered down hidden in a dip and they won't move unless you are literally on top of them, so walking and pacing on a bearing we went when there was a squeal from behind me. some how I had stepped over one but my client then stepped on it! :)
he was made up and couldn't stop talking about it for the rest of the course. hare was un harmed and shot off at a great rate of knots..
Geoff, we were in Devon at the weekend and I heard several singing mistle thrush
A nice polecat yesterday.
Red kite circling as I pegged the washing out. I just admired the size and control of the it😊
Earlier this week I got off the train the stop before Birmingham New Street, and took a slightly longer walk to the office, through the delightful inner-city area of Adderley Park.
Not expecting to see much in the way of wildlife, I was absolutely astounded to see a huge black bird circling in the wind, above the huge recycling plant you can see on the train into Birmingham from London/Mkeynes/Cov... No doubt attracted by the smell and the massive amounts of litter on offer...
When I got nearer, I even got my phone out to take a picture, so my mum (an avid bird-watcher) could identify it, as it was bigger than anything i'd ever seen in this country, i'd estimate over 5ft wingspan.
All this in full view of the security guard in his gate-house.
Around this time I noticed it was a 'dummy' inflatable bird on a line, no doubt to scare the local pigeon population away from the plant.
I made a quick exit and deleted the photo from my phone.
The kite, or your washing Trev?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
That has made me laugh so much. Brilliant hahahahahahahahahaQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Short-eared owl - I think. I startled it up from the heather while I was running off the back of Shutlingsloe in today's light snow.
Sounds likely Noel
Three dippers on yesterday’s dog walk - one on the Worth and a pair on the beck
Great tit very vocal everywhere, mistle thrush and a nuthatch too earlier in the week. Definitely a feel of spring in the air
5 more mountain Hares over the weekend.
Very noisy in our garden the last few days with bird song
Did you see the Country file on why Mountain Hares are a problem for driven grouse moors in Scotland. Another incidence of me shouting at the TV. What a load of bollox from the Gamekeeper.
Yes I posted quite a few links to the slaughter on my fb pageQuote:
Originally Posted by MattPo
Whilst doing the New Chew on Sunday saw a Dipper in Crowden Little Brook (approaching control 'P'!) and I'm pretty sure there were Golden Plover calling up on the moor.
I've seen golden plover and lapwings this week. still waiting for the curlew though. Andy won't be happy though until his swallows/swifts and house martins are back :DQuote:
Originally Posted by GeoffB
Curlew definitely heard (but not seen) in this corner of Yorkshire this p.m. Counted 20+ Oyster catchers in a field in Winterburn on Friday!Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Yeap. Been hearing and seeing lapwings for the last couple of weeks in the north Pennines. They don't seem to have set up territories yet. Also heard an Oystercatcher in the heart of Spennymoor industrial park this evening, as I returned to the car - really incongruous.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jonesy
A Little egret in the field at the back of our 'ouse. It follows the Highland cattle around the field, feeding on invertebrates disturbed by the cows' hooves.
Great shot wharfee. I saw two little egret between Steeton and Keighley last weekend. One was on the Wharfe over by Otley last winter too