Today's Wildlife Encounter

[Alf]

sheep
horns caught in wire fence (that 6" square stuff)
thrashing about wildly
calmed right down as I approached
worried about losing a finger if it suddenly started flailing about again...
managed to prise the most curly horn loose
after a few more jumps it freed the other one
happy ending :thumbup:

Well done Daz. Part time Shepherd goes with the fellrunner territory

[Alf]

I have a Bee's nest in one of the ridge tiles on my roof. Not really worried by it but should I call someone or just let nature take its course and fill up the hole when they are finished ?

[wharfeego]

...should I call someone or just let nature take its course and fill up the hole when they are finished ?

Bumble Bees? If so then there's no need to take any action.

[Alf]

Bumble Bees? If so then there's no need to take any action.

I think they must have knocked off for the day as there's no sign of them at the moment? They are on the largish size and not that many but I didn't instantly recognise them as Bumble bees. There are half a dozen normally buzzing round the entrance to the tile with one or two leaving and arriving at a time ?

[Latege]

Several red kites, but as I now live in Aylesbury I suppose that's the new norm - they're still impressive though.

[cyclops]

Midges. Lots.

[Alf]

Bumble Bees? If so then there's no need to take any action.

I found a dead one under the nest and a quick search of the internet shows its a Tree Bumble Bee Bombus hypnorum. A recent newcomer to the UK (2001) that has spread northwards from the SE of England. Those half a dozen bees swarming round the nest are apparently protecting it and have "buzzed" Mrs Alf on a couple of occasions when she was gardening.

[wharfeego]

I found a dead one under the nest and a quick search of the internet shows its a Tree Bumble Bee Bombus hypnorum. A recent newcomer to the UK (2001) that has spread northwards from the SE of England. Those half a dozen bees swarming round the nest are apparently protecting it and have "buzzed" Mrs Alf on a couple of occasions when she was gardening.

You should be proud of what you've got there Alf

[Stolly]

What's this little beauty then seen fannying about in a scrape on the side of Buckden Pike today? Its coat was a light sandy colour but both it and its buddy nearby had polecat markings on their faces. Ferrets gone wild, ferret polecat crosses or just light coloured polecats?



And what about this monster crayfish in the beck in Kettlewell. To get the scale each claw was probably an inch and a half long

[William Clough]

A Ring Ouzel on William Clough. I have seen quite a few up there.