Out taking my permitted exercise accompanied by Lapwings, Curlew, Oystercatchers, Skylarks and a Buzzard
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Out taking my permitted exercise accompanied by Lapwings, Curlew, Oystercatchers, Skylarks and a Buzzard
It’s cracking flags down here. Adders spotted basking on the Downs this morning.
First swallow outside the house.
Couple of swallows on Monday evening when I was out for my early evening walk. Two days earlier than last year.
Sand Martins by the Wharfe in Otley. Bluebells are starting and stitchwort.
Brimstone butterflies, one in my garden yesterday, one in the Outwoods today. Plenty of wood anemones in the Outwoods, and the first bluebells coming through.
I've waited over 20 years for the first sighting of a red kite over Monmouth. As I sat down on the patio for supper this evening one rose majestically from my garden! Huge birds and so distinctive from the crowds of buzzards that live around here. Well chuffed.
Down in Lathkill Dale this afternoon saw my first Orange Tip and first bluebell of 2020. Still waiting for first swallow and hearing my first Cuckoo.
They are very nice Wheeze. There are some from Harewood House that fly over east Leeds and they are just a pleasure to watch.
On today's bike ride other than the usual songbirds, a few curlew and lapwing, I also saw a nuthatch which flew out of the verge right in front of me. I've not seen one in the open before. Also a hare that lolloped up the road in front of me for about 50yds before disappearing into a field and finally, I stopped to pick up a large toad that was in the middle of the road, and I put it in the shady verge.
Nice. We had a similar toad experience on our family bike ride yesterday. Today's encounter was the first house martin of the year. And also a sparrow hawk, which came through the garden at waist height and deftly flew through a gap in the five bar gate. Masterful and menacing.
Should that be “ chough”Ed. :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheeze
How far are you from elan feeding station? 50 miles?
It’s a massive population now, the sky goes black at feeding time.
None to be seen an hour later.
I’ve wondered where they get to.
Haven't seen our resident Sparrowhawk for several weeks... Which is a shame... He/she usually seems to come round when the weather's nice.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
Eight curlews standing in a field next to the road part of our run today. They then took off and did their characteristic calls to give us the full experience.
Apart from the wildlife I see on my permitted exercise (and thank god I live in the country), I have been very much enjoying watching the Osprey nest at Clywedog Reservoir. Normally we visit it a lot, but this year they have installed a live camera feed to youtube. In your old neck of the woods Llani Boy.
Thanks for the heads up re the live feed MattPo. I've just had a look at it and it is fantastic. I was last up that way in February. Over the last few years spotting them has been made easier by the felling of mature trees.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattPo
My old stomping ground too, remember watching them on the reservoir when fishing, I must have a look at the camera feed. The ospreys migrate up through the valley here in the spring and usually stop on our reservoir for a day on the way North, possibly even the Clywedog ones, it's not very far.
We have a cottage up the road to Llanbrynmair - Llan and have been visiting the Dyfi ospreys for years, but it is a bit of a circus. Like seeing them from across the river from near Pennal. Found out about the Clywedog nest when I overheard a family talking about it whilst we were on a lakeside walk. Been going to see them a lot for the last 4 years. Lovely peaceful place. Glad they have got the live stream this year.
It is a lovely spot and relatively remote and unknown. As good as the live stream is I hope it doesn't attract too many people,and cars,which as you know, MattPo, is mainly single track road with passing places.Quote:
Originally Posted by MattPo
My toddle up over the top today and 3 peregrines were playing high overhead. Presuming a pair and an interloper in their territory.
On todays bike ride a close up of a pair of mating Curlew. Boy were his wings flapping! Also a stoat ran across the road in front of me.
On returning home a continuing semi-wildlife encounter is a group of 5 juvenile pea hens proudly strutting through the village. They have come from a garden 2 miles away and the owner does not want them back. They are becoming a nuisance so a couple of us have hatched a plan to entice them into a garden shed.If that doesn't work then a net will be thrown over them a they feed in a group. I have already found a new home for them, 7 miles away!
Any other ideas to catch them Moley if our plans don't work?
Feed them into the shed sounds good, otherwise I always chuck some grain on the ground and use a large fishing landing net on a long handle, though the peahens are a bit big it's enough to tangle them and jump on them quick. But they all learn quickly, miss once and they won't come near you carrying a net again!
Best got rid of, damn things can be a perishing nuisance about the place.
Thanks for that Molehill. Apologies for referring to you as Moley. I've no idea where that came from.
The shed trick did not work overnight. They are up on a neighbours roof ridge at the moment!
The Moley bit comes from everyone calls me Moley, so spot on!
If you do catch them, go for the legs first, that is where the power is and all big birds can do some damage. Get a hand round both legs and the rest is just flapping about, the an arm round the wings as quick as poss and job done. I've caught loads including a few swans with no problems. Get rid of the beggars, they won't be popular once the novelty of seeing them wears thin.
I recommend putting them in the oven for 2 hours at 160 degrees C.
On today's bike ride, apart from the usual suspects, two large Brown Hares and a Jay.
A pair of mating cabbage white butterflies on the lawn. I thought it was just one at first, so picked them up. They sat happily on my fingers until I put them down again.
Heard the cuckoo from the garden yesterday, a bit late but here at last.
heard woodpecker, saw stoat, kingfisher nd a couple of slugs
Slugs is clearly the winner here. ;)
Green tiger beetle for me. According to my book, very quick and voracious predators. Pretty looking things - here's a link to one looking about 300 times bigger than they really are: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildl...n-tiger-beetle
Pellets and plenty of them.
Salt works too.
Swans, geese, ducks and loads more but I don't know what species.
It was a RSPB reserve. Lots of old boys hiding in the bushes and grass with binoculars plus cameras.
Watching some healthy birds as they appear. 😉
A pair of swans nesting.
Beautiful.
A white egret never seen one before so well chuffed
Nice one. Apparently they're getting more common. I've still not seen any round here.
The last few days have brought a cuckoo to the valley. I think I saw it on a wire the day before we first heard it, but that might have been a coincidence.
Also, lots of alder beetles - little blue-black shiny beetles, on lots of alder trees along the Dane valley. And a blackcap - it's a few years since I've seen one of these.
Also, three red deer in the woods, again near Danebridge in the Dane Valley.
Whilst out on this afternoons bike ride a large stoat galloped across the road in front of me and quickly climbed the adjacent drystone wall and into the field. Enjoyed it as I have not seen one for a while.
Quite common in the Lune estuary and sometimes further upstream.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnK
Pigeon hit my bedroom window at the weekend at what seemed like top speed.... this made me jump out of my skin as i was on the computer about a metre from the window...
Went and checked it wasn't dead on the drive, but apart from a few feathers it seems to have survived... but it had made such a bang that the next door neighbour, outside by her car, came across to see what the noise was!
I was more bothered that having just had the window cleaner round, my pristine window now has a pigeon-shaped dust silhouette right across it!
I avoid cleaning windows for that reason. ;)
A slow worm on the path outside Portree. Thought it was dead and picked it up. It felt like metal.