It looked like a pale grey male. I only caught its underbelly as it took flight, but it was a pale grey almost white undercarriage with striking black tips to the wings. Very distinct.Originally Posted by wharfeego
It looked like a pale grey male. I only caught its underbelly as it took flight, but it was a pale grey almost white undercarriage with striking black tips to the wings. Very distinct.
Three toads - alive - and four dead in a stream that empties into the sea. Also a little spawn was present. I'm not sure if the tadpoles will survive if theres a downpour that swells the stream so i might rescue the spawn on my next visit.
Last edited by luverlyjuberly; 13-04-2016 at 03:46 PM.
My first Swallow of the summer!! 08.00 this morning, flying in and out of the bike shed!!
over the last two days I've run two navigation courses, one for the staff of RSPB and the other for a real twitcher...
It's been an eye opener. I've found out lots of new stuff whilst teaching. today I can say I saw a willow warbler for the first time..
we also saw the usual lap wings. curlews, plovers, Mountain Hare(lots), meadow pipets and skylarks( do love skylarks), Buzzard and a peregrine.
I've also been told of a Black Grouse colony they are trying to start and other secret stuff...
Great news. I hope this goes ahead.I've also been told of a Black Grouse colony they are trying to start and other secret stuff...
On a very sad note I read today that it is suspected that the last golden eagle in the lakes has died. One of my first memories as a child being out on the fells was seeing a golden eagle high above haweswater. We fell runners often get to see parts of the mountains others do not visit. I am greatly saddened that I will not be able to take my kids into the lakeland fells to see one of these majestic birds. My next run out in the lakes I know I will spare a thought for the loss of the top predator which was so suited to the harsh environment of the high fells.
Our first swallows today too. On the down side the peregrine nest's been robbed again. The RSPB aren't exactly going out of their way to help unfortunately.
Sad news re the Riggindale eagle (sounds like the name of Breezie's first push bike). Local swallow and house martin today
Poacher turned game-keeper
You can blame ill'egal' persecution for that.
I attended an RSPB talk a couple of evenings ago where the speaker, Howard Jones - https://twitter.com/thehowardjones - talked about the reasons why Golden Eagles aren't present in the UK outside of Scotland; simply because of persecution.
Given a chance Golden Eagles would spread into the uplands of Northern England and Wales but as they disperse from their Scottish breeding areas they come into conflict with gamekeepers.
It's quite simple really - if gamekeepers stop killing Golden Eagles we will see them in our English uplands within a year or two.
This site is worth looking at if you're interested in the subject - https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com
While I don't condone illegal persecution of birds, I can understand that a gamekeeper has a conflict of interests as his/her livelihood is directly related to keeping lots of birds alive and in one area.
What would a system look like that made it in gamekeepers' interests to allow eagles (and eg, hen harriers)? Maybe this should be a separate thread.
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