Today's Wildlife Encounter

[IanDarkpeak]

Short eared owl on the ridge line up to Snailsden trig

[Grouse]

I was surprised to see a cormorant at Angle Tarn (Ullswater) last year.

[Mr1470]

Disturbed a buzzard in the woods above the sawmill last night, it flew off from no more than 5ft away....what a sight!

A couple of weeks ago, we watched an otter shuffling down the shore into Loch Carron.

[dominion]

Deer, although it was in a deer park in the New Forest, so not highly unexpected.

[Stolly]

Ant attack!!!!

On my ass too, having sat down (on an ant hill) to take in a fabulous view. A brilliant outing all the same

[Stef F]

[QUOTE=dominion;425530]Deer, although it was in a deer park in the New Forest, so not highly unexpected.

[/QUOTE

Did you see the white deer?

[zephr]

Just had a HUGE fly in the house. It was the shape of a bumblebee, flew at the same kind of speed and intensity as a bluebottle, was black and had a dusky orange/yellow head.
Im at a loss as to the type of fly it was. Anyone got any ideas out there?

[Rob Furness]

Seen a few strange things recently. A black rabbit on Ilkley moor, and a family of chipmunks by the side of the road near otley being the two strangest.

Also saw deer today in the woods near Simon's seat (not so strange)

[zephr]

A more exciting one than the fly this morning.
Out on Black hill, right next to the Swordfish wreck we stumbled upon a Short eared owl. He was about 5ft from me on the ground, and from the way he stared at me through big evil orange eyes I think we were both about as scared as each other.
Also saw kestrels, grouse, a lizard, buzzards, a whinchat and some woman with a laptop complaining she couldn't get signal in order to put her out of office on.
(not all in the same place, I must hasten to add)

[Hes]

I googled 'large black fly with orange head' images and found this:
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...pale-head.html
If you then google Tachina Grossa in the image sections you get lots of photos that fit your description. (I'm killing time before my yoga session and my mum's a zoologist so I've inherited a geeky enjoyment in identifying things )
does that help?

Just had a HUGE fly in the house. It was the shape of a bumblebee, flew at the same kind of speed and intensity as a bluebottle, was black and had a dusky orange/yellow head.
Im at a loss as to the type of fly it was. Anyone got any ideas out there?