Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Stef F]

Despite the Wharfe being high, two dippers, Mrs goosander, two heron and a flock of long tailed tits spotted this evening. On Wednesday it was a raging torrent and no sign of any dippers, but I did spot a mandarin duck paddling away close to the shore.

Earlier in the week I saw my first stoat also by the Wharfe. It was almost upon us when it realised we were there, did a double take, then shot off in the direction it came from stopping for a better look from the safety of a tree root. A nice treat

[Alf]

I bumped into this bunch of characters when I was out on my bike today. Guinea fowl ?

[Hes]

Ha ha...I like that! I think you're right Alf, guinea fowl. Hope you had a nice ride.

I bumped into this bunch of characters when I was out on my bike today. Guinea fowl ?

[Stef F]

Lovely badgers on BBC badger watch:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/uk/webcams/

[molehill]

Last week during some walks on Pembrokeshire coastal path (St Davids area), saw usual peregrins and choughs etc. but highlights were a Merlin sitting on a fence post, let us approach quite close. A bay with some seals and their pups, suckling, and then an adult seal had caught a bloody great (looked big from the top of the cliff :w00t Conger eel. We watched as it actually skinned the whole eel using it's teeth and flippers, and then ate it all - without chips :thunbdown:. Fascinating to see how it managed this feat.

[wharfeego]

Out with my camera (nowt fresh there!) I was looking for wildlife subjects in a woodland high up on Settle tops when I "squeaked-up" this cat which was hunting amongst the limestone rocks. It was a long way from any dwellings so I will class it as "wildlife" in this case. Like cats or not, it was a beautiful animal...

[molehill]

Went fishing today, Kingfisher, pair Peregrines and an otter a couple of times, very close to us - nice, very big one too.

[Derby Tup]

Went fishing today, Kingfisher, pair Peregrines and an otter a couple of times, very close to us - nice, very big one too.

Sounds a cracking day Moley. Any fish?!

[Hes]

Been seeing tawny and little owls quite a bit lately but mainly the wildlife has been some absolutely huge spiders in my house (which I don't have the heart to turf out into the cold), silverfish in my bathroom and a big wasp on my curtains. I am not sure if this is a comment on the cleanliness of my abode.

[Derby Tup]

A lovely mixed flock (perhaps 200 birds in total) of lapwing and golden plover up near Draughton Moor this afternoon. The golden plover looked amazing in their winter plumage in the sunshine