Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Derby Tup]

I set myself a fun litle challenge: 50 bird species this week. I need a final count up but there and there abouts. Highlights have been four little owl, three shellduck, roding woodcock and a wheatear

[IanDarkpeak]

I set myself a fun litle challenge: 50 bird species this week. I need a final count up but there and there abouts. Highlights have been four little owl, three shellduck, roding woodcock and a wheatear

Spring is here...
lovely country road run this morning...
swifts, Curlews, Gold finch and a cuckoo in the wood, lambs frolicking and some new ducklings(Early!!)
The smell of wild garlic and carpets of wood sorrel..fantastic..

Oh did I mention it was snowing...

[William Clough]

Not a wildlife encounter but a natural phenomena.We were on a club run when in the Eastern sky there appeared rays of sunlight as one person put it rather like a child's drawing. Apparently they are called anticrepuscular rays. Very beautiful, not something I've seen before. It's worth looking up at the library or via Google.

[creaky]

Hedgehog in back garden...totally fenced so don't know how it got there. Dog tried to eat it so quickly put it over the fence into the field edge. Bet its regretting waking up with the recent weather.
BTW first one ive seen in years

[MattPo]

Not a wildlife encounter but a natural phenomena.We were on a club run when in the Eastern sky there appeared rays of sunlight as one person put it rather like a child's drawing. Apparently they are called anticrepuscular rays. Very beautiful, not something I've seen before. It's worth looking up at the library or via Google.

My mate Len told me they were called Crepuscular crenalations, amazing when you see them. Eat your heart out JMW Turner.

[William Clough]

My mate Len told me they were called Crepuscular crenalations, amazing when you see them. Eat your heart out JMW Turner.

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/atoptics/anti1.htm
This a really good website MattPo. It seems to be crepuscular rays if they are with the sun and anti if they are opposite the sun. It's incredible how it's possible to see and experience new things. One of the joys of being on the fells.

[Derby Tup]

Seen on this morning's Bolton Abbey walk: dipper, blackcap, pied and grey wagtail, redstart, common sandpiper, sand martin, oystercatcher, goosander, mandarin and best of all my first three swift of the year

[anthonykay]

Seen on this morning's Bolton Abbey walk: dipper, blackcap, pied and grey wagtail, redstart, common sandpiper, sand martin, oystercatcher, goosander, mandarin and best of all my first three swift of the year

All those birds were probably refugees from upper Ribblesdale, where there were apparently hundreds of humans trogging around their fells today. Much safer for the birds over in Wharfedale.

[wharfeego]

On the way home from the Wray Caton Moor race I spotted a female Hen Harrier pursued by a crow whilst driving the road from Bentham to Slaidburn over the Tatham Fells.

Unfortunately the bird was flying over a keepered grouse moor, Burn Moor (apt name for a grouse moor), and I wonder if it will survive the hand of man at this time of the year when the grouse chicks will be hatching.

Hen Harriers and other raptors are struggling to survive in areas managed for grouse and game shooting.

If you want to see Hen Harriers in our uplands then we need to stop the illegal persecution of our natural heritage.

Please sign the petition to Ban Driven Grouse Shooting…

http://markavery.info/grouse-shootin...ouse-shooting/

And if you enjoy a good read then get yourself a copy of 'Inglorious' by Mark Avery; the book will open your mind as to what is secretly going on in our upland environments..

http://markavery.info/books/inglorio...ished-30-july/

Please share the links amongst your family and friends.

Also…

Last chance to sign this petition to make toxic lead ammunition a thing of the past…

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/111533

[MattPo]

A Red Kite was shot just north of Harrogate recently and had to be put down.