What have you seen

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  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2942

    On our recent trip to Devon we saw thousands of hatchling fish in Slapton Ley, this little Perch hadn't survived but it was interesting to see. The wild flowers were stunning too. 

    .

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2943

    Had a view of a Dingy Skipper butterfly today. Feeding on some Birds foot trefoil.

  • Amesford
    Amesford Club Member Posts: 685 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2944

    Just got back from walking the dog and wading up the centre of the local stream was a little egret never saw one before I presume it was attracted to the area because of the Upton Warren nature reserve, Worcestershire which lies in a salt marsh and even has breeding pairs Avocets 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2945

    Out on a walk today and noticed these Cinnabar Moths caterpillars on some Ragwort. There were about 12 on this one flower.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2946

    Whilst having a last drink outside we had a young wren fly right by us normally we do not see many in the garden and then back at the house saw on the side wall something moving up the wall only to find it was a tree frog so that is a first for us did not know we had them here thought they were further south it certainly can climb and jump well a pale green in colour and dark eyes.

    Good photo WN have got rid of ragwort here as we have horses all around us.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2947

    I like tree frogs. They make me smile.laughing

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited July 2020 #2949

    Thanks WN had a look tonight with friends staying with us and had 2 behind the one water butt.

  • Phil n Tracy
    Phil n Tracy Forum Participant Posts: 34
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    edited August 2020 #2950

    A red squirrel has just ran past our caravan! Hope it hasn't been blown out of its tree...... From a windy Anglesey (Cae Mawr) 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2951

    Angelsey has done a great job in eradicating the Grey Squirrel from the island. Always glad to see a Ginger Nut.

    We've been left some love parcels right in the middle of both front and back lawns these last couple of days. Still haven't seen the Hedgehog that leaves them though. Good to see that the cat scarer doesn't bother it.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited August 2020 #2952

    A  birding pal was visiting us today and commented on the 3 beautiful stock doves picking up the bits under our garden feeders.

    😱  I thought they were town pigeons moving in from Burnley! I’ve been ‘discouraging “ them for weeks.

    Never stop learning...🙂

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2953

    Just think Pliers. A new Lifetime bird without even leaving home. Not many around who can boast of that ( unless of course you are brand new to birdingsmile)

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2954

    Got a good view of a buzzard's nest on a local woodland walk this week, it's a wood that has youngish trees packed in together and the hefty nest was swaying in the breeze. It's an area of our village that the buzzards seem to like. Between local hills and farmland.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited August 2020 #2955

    You’re right, Wherenext. But would be nice if something a bit more exotic turned up though!

    🦜🦩

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2956

    Global warming? Olives on our £2 Lidl sale olive tree. 🌿

    Today a toad heading for the same area, he's either in the adjoining pond or heading for the shady damp of various plant pots and stones.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited August 2020 #2957

    When out with Rosa this afternoon (much cooler today) one of our local Red Kites was being mobbed by seven Ringneck Parakeetssurprised

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2958

    They seem to be spreading through the UK, we had them at Cirencester  late last year and not keen on them prefer Red Kites as you can see by my Avatar.

    Much cooler here day here today and there a lot more birds about even had 3 magpies trying to get at some soggy old bread but the crows were not keen on them to close. Around at friends yesterday for lunch and saw a nuthatch having a drink from an old dog bowl 1st time I have seen that although we do have them here usually on the bird feeders.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2959

    The swallows are on the move had about 60 on the wires here yesterday and have seen a lot of movement south in the last few days very early I think also all the swifts have gone as well.

    Our local birds are busy with feeder and the two bird baths I find that the redstarts do not like sharing them with other birds.

     

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2960

    Out walking close to our present site and  heard Buzzards calling and then spotted 7 altogether, circling and wheeling. They were there for a few minutes and then disappear in the blink of an eye.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2961

    The warm sun has certainly brought out the butterflies today, mainly Large Tortoiseshells on the Ragwort flowers, but also Red Admirals, Large and Green Veined Whites, and an odd Painted Lady. There were numerous Little Egrets on the shore, along with Lapwings and Curlews, and in one of the fields behind the embankment an Emu!! Not often one sees of those that's not in a zoo.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited August 2020 #2962

    Very pleased to spot another Jersey Tiger Moth in our garden (first one spotted last year.) This one looks a bit worn at the edges but it's in a similar place to the one we saw last year, we've let a lot of nettles etc grow so hope this has helped. One thing about moths, they don't fly off as you approach with a camera! smile

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited September 2020 #2963

    More like what have I not seen.

    With the exception of a juvenile blackbird and a wood pigeon, all other birds have stopped coming to our garden. The feeders have lasted over two weeks and are still half full. They used to last about 2/3 days until about 2 weeks ago.
    There were often up to 20 sparrows constant stream of blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits up to 7 blackbirds, several robins, greenfinch, goldfinch, now nothing. Even the sparrow hawk gives us a miss.

    Not usually home much this time of year, so not sure if this is normal.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2020 #2964

    We have a lull too but they're starting to return, plenty of free range food available here so there's a good choice around.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited September 2020 #2965

    For the last 8 or 9 weeks weeks I have regularity cut two large orange in half and placed on the lawn near our main patio off the rear of the house. Usually added a nother couple every week. We have been rewarded with up to 8 red admirals feeding and others resting nearby. Usually see them at the bottom of the garden on the Buddleia at the bottom of the garden but not as visible from the patio. 

     

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited September 2020 #2966

    EMUs you should see "the Wild" Walabys on Dunstable downssurprised 

    We have a couple of resident lLttle Egrett on our chalk river at the bottom of the valley

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited September 2020 #2967

    There were Bennetts Wallabys running wild near " The Roaches " in Derbyshire until about 2003.  Not actually escapes but released at the start of WW2 when Private Zoological Collections were banned.

    A fair few drivers telling the tale of what they had seen late at night round there came close to being breath-tested by disbelieving bobbies or at least those with a wicked sense of humour !!

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2020 #2968

    Paid a visit to a Durham Wildlife Trust reserve at Low Barns, near Witton-le-Wear, today. They are former gravel works and there was a circular walk plotted out. Very enjoyable. Watching over 300 Lapwings take to the air from a scrape when a Sparrowhawk flew over was memorable. Fortunately all escaped being lunch.

    Later on we saw a female Hobby being mobbed by House Martins, brave little souls.

    Free of charge if you are in the area and not bad for a pushchair or wheelchair with only one or two indifferent areas.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2020 #2969

    On a walk from site alongside the River Wear we had the full compliment of birds to be seen including a Kingfisher, Dipper, Grey Wagtail, Red Breasted Merganser and Heron. A nice accompaniment.

    There is a fine stand of conifer trees on the edge of the site and we have watched our very own mini murmuration of Starlings every night. They gather on the telephone wires then take off and fly around gathering new friends as they go, twittering away, until they gradually all settle down into the trees. Only about 100 of them but enjoyable all the same.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited September 2020 #2970

    A lot of small groups of swallows and house martins going south 4 lots on Saturday and 3 lots yesterday and again today.

    WN we had a peregrine falcon being mobbed by swallows last week what a sight.

    We have had a lot more starlings about this year on our plot a few years ago we never had any at all.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited September 2020 #2971

    Clear skies? A really good view of "red" Mars in the east tonight. smile