Today's Wildlife Encounter

[daz h]

First swallow! (Doesn't mean it's summer...)

I know the first grouse always puts a smile on margarines face

[Grouse]

Tawny Owl by Bottoms res Longdendale.

[tinyman]

Been through the Black Grouse Reinstatement project area above Cotterdale today on an OTH recce.

Came back and told my wife of my amazement at the litter trays that they've got scattered everywhere, "Just like cat litter trays, and the most amazing thing is that the grouse actually seem to be using them - most of them had a fair bit of grouse crap in them! How do you think they get the grouse to use them?"

She fixed me with her best withering look and told me that they're grit trays so that the grouse get plenty of minerals so their eggs have thick shells.

Good job my face is already red from the lovely sun today

[Fnstein]

Wild Boar + young at 4:30 this morning. Heading home from holiday in Italy.

[stevefoster]

A field of deer near Wetherby, four Red Kites over Otley, one had a mouse in it's talons, and a pair of Lapwings over Denholme

[IanDarkpeak]

A field of deer near Wetherby, four Red Kites over Otley, one had a mouse in it's talons, and a pair of Lapwings over Denholme

Had a light run easy run earlier along wooded valley with moors above and a reservoir below. Quite a popular area with twitchers there has been a perigrine here in recent years.
Saw a owl(tawny I think) brown and quite big and below me. In the same wood there was a woodpecker rattling the woodwork.
Lapwings beyond counting, The odd curlew but I think I saw a Snipe. straight beak brown speckly back a bit small for a Woodcock?

Aslo a bit of dog fight between a kestrel and a pair of lapwings, it's a bit early for protecting a nest isn't it?

[Derby Tup]

Had a light run easy run earlier along wooded valley with moors above and a reservoir below. Quite a popular area with twitchers there has been a perigrine here in recent years.
Saw a owl(tawny I think) brown and quite big and below me. In the same wood there was a woodpecker rattling the woodwork.
Lapwings beyond counting, The odd curlew but I think I saw a Snipe. straight beak brown speckly back a bit small for a Woodcock?

Aslo a bit of dog fight between a kestrel and a pair of lapwings, it's a bit early for protecting a nest isn't it?

Snipe has a very streaky back Ian and a long straight bill Smaller than Woodcock

[IanDarkpeak]

Snipe has a very streaky back Ian and a long straight bill Smaller than Woodcock

I was pretty certain it was a snipe, I have seen a few but this one was flying up from the moor. Also A woodcock has a more 'angular' head if you know what I mean.

[simgreen78]

Very large hare crossing my path at speed and heading for Jacob's Ladder early this morning on a trog up the Porter Valley, just at the bottom of Porter Clough. Dozens and dozens of pheasants.

[molehill]

A glorious weekend walking the Ceredigion coastal path. I'm not a fan of seals, as I enjoy eating fish and feel I have far more right to eat them than than the seals do, me being further up the food chain than they are . We've seen loads before, but this view was exceptional. The sea was like glass and clearer than I have ever seen it (for Welsh coast), we looked directly down from 150ft cliff onto 2 seals swimming and playing underwater, a great insight.
Today, a pod of Dolphins in Aberystwyth bay. Both different sightings from our usual wildlife.
Returned home to find the sloworms back in compost heap, another under the corrugated we put down and also 3 under their slate stone (unfortunately one was squashed and dead) by my car.
Spring is here, till the snow returns.