What have you seen
Comments
-
Nothing quite so exotic here Nth but we have had the Green Woodpecker about 6 feet from the caravan and the site we are on has a lot of trees so plenty to see in bird species and at night just before dusk we are getting huge numbers of Starlings not sure where they are going down for the night.
0 -
I have been in communication with Head Gardener at Abbotsbury and he says that it is a Cauliflower Fungus ( Sparassis crispa), which grows and feeds on conifers and is edible when young !!
0 -
We have a host of about 20 sparrows that live in our hedge. They entertain us with their squabbles over food, and their games in the bird bath.
Most days, a kestral comes along to try and pick one off. He zooms from one side of the hedge to the other, or sits and waits patiently on top, with head cocked to one side. he hasn't succeeded yet!
0 -
Perhaps these will answer your question, WN.
https://www.wildfooduk.com/mushroom-guide/cauliflower-fungus/
https://www.fungiforays.co.uk/cauliflower-fungus
Timbo, we did not notice the prototype bouncing bomb, unfortunately.
0 -
We had a walk around Shapwick Fen Nature Reserve this afternoon. Watched large Buzzard on a free top, airing it's wings, as if togethers soaking wet, or perhaps infected by insects. At one of the bird hides we watched a GSW taking a peanut from a feeder, inserting it a post and then feeding on it there. From the Canada Hide we saw about 30 Little Egrets sunning themselves on the tree stumps sticking out of the water, along with a couple of Cormorants. We followed a flock of Long Tailed Tits up one of the Drove roads and spotted a pair of Reed Bunting.
2 -
Another interesting day at a couple of nature reserves. At Westhay, although not able to go round the reserve itself as we had Flyte with us and dogs are no longer allowed in, saw a Great White Egret, Shoveller Ducks, a Marsh Harrier and glimpsed, I think, a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Then at Ham Walks both Little Egrets and another Marsh Harrier along with more Long Tailed Tits, and as we left there was a field of cows accompanied by about 10 Cattle Egrets.
2 -
Cat and Mouse on the garden hedge again this morning. The Kestral waited patiently for the sparrows, but they ran rings around him again.
A Blue Tit blundered by and very nearly became lunch, but with swerves and U turns worthy of a Tory MP, made it to safety just in time.
2 -
It's a different world down there on those peaty black levels isn't it? We rarely get over there for proper walks as we always seem to be trying short cuts through to avoid the M5! Hoping to see a bit of the Sweet Track in the future.
TimboC, hope the birds escape, we have a Sparrowhawk like a stealth bomber even sits in full view of our windows.
0 -
As I was coming back from the campsite rubbish area this morning had 5 Black Kites flying over and on the way back home had 16 Red Kites flying over, had quite a few warblers on site and as I did not have my bird book with me will check later to see what they were must have been about 8 of them also 1 pair of Green Woodpeckers busy on the grass areas of the site.
Glad you had some good sightings on the Levels Nth.
1 -
We drove parallel to the line of the Sweet Track yesterday, but didn't realise that there is a replica of it at the visitors centre until we got back to the van. Oh well, another time!
Visited Carcott Reserve today, again only limited access with the dog, unfortunately. Did see 3 Marsh Harriers, numerous Buzzards and a couple of Kestrals. One of each were being harassed by crows. Again both Great White and Little Egrets were about as well as a few Gadwell, and a flock of Lapwings. When they went up there was a solitary long legged wader flying with them. They were not close to the bird hide so it was hard to identify the wader but someone thought that it was a Ruff, a first for me if it was. I have emailed Ham Walls RSPB to see if they have had a report of one and can confirm it, or otherwise be able say which wader it was.
0 -
Had word back from RSPB re my sighting, and it seems that there have been a number of sightings of a Ruff at Catcott reserve, so it looks as if the wader I saw was one.
Today's fungi, seen on the path to the elsan point on the CL. Not been able to identify it yet, but waiting for word back from an expert.
2 -
Neighbours returned from their short trip into Welsh World today so relieved yours truly of pigeon feeding duties. Still he came round to ask how they behaved and then to discuss the world (all except Tranmere v Crewe -- no bad language permitted) but he had already noticed a pair of male Sparrowhawks sitting on the roof of a tallish building just a few yards from the 'cote' ! But no chance of them getting a sneaky snack because, while rules are not yet in force, there has been too much Avian Flu information diseminated in press, t.v. etc for any silliness to occur!!
Also R.S.P.B. has been contacting members of all grades via Royal mail as well as E--Mail looking for urgent funds to help with the anti--virus campaign.
2 -
Finally managed to identify the birds I saw in the bushes next to our caravan last week thankfully I have plenty of bird books to look at and they were Bonelli's Warblers and what pretty little birds and did hear them calling to each other.
Jay's are busy here with the acorns on our largest Oak Tree, have noticed that a lot of acorns dropped on the ground have black holes in them and the Jay's ignore them.
2 -
No luck so far with the eagle spotting!
But some very good birding, nevertheless.
1st winter thrushes of the autumn for me, flocks of redwings and fieldfares flying in at Holkham. Good views of snow buntings on the beach, at Cley. Plus all the usual suspects.
And toads. Lots of toads, on the sides of the footpath to the beach, at Titchwell. Never seen anything like it before, in fact I’d always thought they were nocturnal.
Still plenty of dragonflies around, too. Good weather certainly helps. 🙂1 -
Had word back from Pat at First Nature who identified it as Hare's-foot Inkcap, so your suggestion was very close, trellis.
0 -
Nice stroll around Sculthorpe this afternoon. First birds seen was Nuthatches and Siskin, quickly followed by Bullfinch and multiple Marsh tits.
breakfast in the van this morning and 2 flocks of Redwings flew over, guessing their were between 200/300 in each flock.
Lots of rarities come in on the Easterly winds so let the search begin
3 -
We had a chorus of Owls last night, both Tawny and Barn, around 10:00. This morning, as well as stacks of Pheasants and Partidge, I saw 8 Red Kites circling above the maize fields, and then a flock of Fieldfares. Then on our walk we saw a group of 8 Red Kites and Buzzards together, and numerous individuals of each variety too, a Sparrowhawk chasing a smaller unidentified bird, and 3 Kestrals, one being harassed by a Buzzard!
1 -
Back to Sculthorpe today, just to shelter from the wind really. Highlight was a Barn Owl taking shelter in a Kestrel's nest box in a large oak tree.
The CL we are on at the moment is great for dark sky's. Stood outside looking in wonder, even saw the Milky Way with the naked eye
2 -
Yesterday it was a Hare and later a Ferret on the Maize fields near the site, with Red Kites overhead, also a few White Pheasants and a flock of Fieldfares. Today it was a Green Woodpecker near Lower Swell and a Kingfisher on the R.Eye at Lower Slaughter.
1 -
-
A first for me today, a group of six snow buntings on our coastal path. I wonder if they had just made land fall as they were busy feeding on grass seeds and totally uninterested in us watching them from about 3 metres away. Fabulous, but once again without my camera!
4 -
We had 2 Cirl Buntings outside our lounge window yesterday not sure whether we would see Snow Buntings down here a good spot mickysf. If we get any Redwings and Fieldfares this winter there will be no Pyracantha berries as the Blackbirds and Thrushes have eaten nearly all of them.
2 -
Went back today, got ‘em! Just a little more wary!
Still not the best photos, must try harder!
3 -
Just seen these, I think they are Purple Sandpipers but not sure. Help anyone?
3
