Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Travs]

On last nights RATRun we were running up a grassy field with a convex slope and into the wind when we could see just lots of pairs of ears ahead. As we got closer the heads and necks of a 20 strong herd of deer appeared. We got to within 25yds of them at which point they got up as one and fled into Hay Wood.

Ten minutes later, on running up the two fields at the back of the Grouse, we were treated to a magnificent flying display by a Barn Owl. It was quartering the fields around 10/12 feet above the ground. It seemed oblivious to our presence as it passed in front and behind us a number of times as close as 30 yards away.

I think it must be a regular event as there were half a dozen twitchers armed with binoculars in a nearby gateway.

Isn't wildlife BRILLIANT!

I was running on Raasay a few years ago..... in front of me an entire family of Deer ran across the skyline, including a huge Stag with massive antlers.

I was down near the south coast of the island, they were running across a little ridgeline, sillhouetted against the sky, with the Red Cuillin of Skye behind.

Would have been a once-in-a-lifetime photo.... alas i couldn't wrestle my phone out of my rucksack in time, and by the time i had, they had disappeared, never to be seen again.

[Llani Boy]

Last week a friend of mine told me about a free app called Merlin Bird ID. Perhaps some on here have already got it but if not its worth looking at.

I was up on Axe Edge moors on Monday and in woodland yesterday and I was amazed how many birds it identified by their songs. The larger birds Curlwew, Lapwing etc I can identify by sight and sound but smaller birds that flit around on the ground or are hidden in undergrowth are more difficult.

This app identifies them instantly from their song, although most were unseen!

[MattPo]

I’ve had the Merlin app for a bit. It’s great.

[noel]

I've got Merlin. It's great, and most of the time it's right. I've found it very handy for learning birdsongs, as it highlights the birds alongside you hearing the songs.

It made me realise how common goldcrests are, despite very infrequently seeing them.