Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Ze Monsta]

Can anyone identify this for me please? Nothing rare, I suspect, since I saw quite a few on the canal on Thurs. but I'm not very knowledgeable in this area and can't find it in my book.
Attachment 6809Attachment 6810

No expert myself, but they're Moorhens.

[Splatcher]

Yes they're moorhens. I'd get a new book if I were you!

[Latege]

Yes they're moorhens. I'd get a new book if I were you!

Thanks. They are in the book, pages just stuck together!

[Tahr]

I dont think so from what i found online they looked like Sika Deer, but im no expert.

Dan

If they had a noticeable tail and white flashes on the lower back legs then they be Sika deer but they normal let out a high pitch whistle as an alarm call and are very switched on not easy to get close to.

No noticeable tail, no white flashes in a group of three this time of year (Mature doe with last year’s kids) ran off and then barked at you from a distance all sound like typical roe deer behaviour, more likely to get close to roe than Sika too.

Not an expert but have a fair bit of experience with them.

ATB

Tahr

[that_fjell_guy]

Three Roe Deer yesterday, plus a great mixed flock of birds. All sorts, some I couldn't quite ID. Wren, Blue Tit, Gold Finches, possibly a Green Finch, possibly Reed Buntings and/or Twite(?).

[Splatcher]

Just had a sparrowhawk barrelling through the garden. It went for a woodpecker on the nut feeder, but didn't catch it.

[that_fjell_guy]

Just had a sparrowhawk barrelling through the garden. It went for a woodpecker on the nut feeder, but didn't catch it.

Where we lived in Carlisle there was at least one Sparrowhawk that lived very close by. It was seen in the garden a couple of times trying its luck. Its a great thing to see!! I remember being in a hide at a pond near Wigtown, Dumfriesshire and I saw something chase a gull right round the pond and take it just above the hide. No idea to this day what the raptor it was, but it was spectacular. As it happened the gull managed to get free and landed in a somewhat stunned state behind the hide.

[dantodman]

Saw the same 3 deer this morning and im still thinking they are of the Sika variety. Kicked myself for not taking my camera but was lucky to venture out after this weekends Hobble escapade.

Dan

ps Upon asking a dog walker if he had seen the deer run past he said 'the 3 deer I see them all the time' will be taking the camera with me from now on so photos will follow

[dylan]

on the pond at the moment we have 30 or so gulls,
we have never had so many in the 6 years i have lived here.
any ideas why?
we used to have moorhens,little grebe and coot but since a mink appeared last year they have all gone,
hopefully they will return one day.

[shaunaneto]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/vide...invasion-video