What have you seen

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  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,746
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    Went for a walk towards our village yesterday afternoon and got about 50 metres from our place and a large dark coloured bird flew just over the top of me anyway got the bins with me and surprised to see it was a Cormorant we seemed to be getting more of them about especially on the Lot river and we are about 15km away so not far for them to fly. got to our local point of interest a small Lavoir and large Sompe which used to be the village water source many years ago and saw 2 Moorhens on the one rectangular pond and again we have not had Moorhens around here before that was the nearest I got to water birds for World Wetland day and weather was sunny and clear blue skies.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Club Member Posts: 6,524
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    They may walk amongst us here and maybe for over eighty years. I’ll keep an eye out and report in this thread if I see one!😉 Over the last fortnight I was very close to seeing these lovely creatures. On two occasions the hiking group in front, by 20 mins, had wonderful encounters and took great photos. These creatures seem to live alongside the farmers and the rest of the population in Costa Rica no problem. Puma apparently live in both wilderness and rural areas across the whole of the Americas from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,746
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    The Common Cranes are on Migration back to their breeding grounds some left it quite late to get further south and now they are on the way back have seen a few going over but we are not in the best area to see them go over in their hundreds. The good weather of last week we have seen quite a few Red Kites going north as well.

    Still got a male Black Redstart here he shelters just under our roof line overnight, not seen any more bird migrations yet.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,746
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    Well Spring is on its way quite a few butterflies about and the lizards are out when it is warmer also got a very small whip snake about 10 inches long how it survived the winter is amazing. A friend said she thought she had heard a Golden Oriole singing a bit early I think.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Club Member Posts: 6,524
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    edited February 19 #4926

    A few signs of Spring being around the corner here have been showing for a few weeks now. Snowdrops abound and other bulbs are pushing their leaves above ground. Three male blackbirds are starting their jostlings for territories in our neighbourhood. The forecast is for warmer but wet weather from tomorrow so things might speed up a tad. Another relatively frostless winter with no real snow to talk about. What is happening to our World and what does this trend mean for wildlife?

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Trusted Posts: 23,427
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    In my Cornish garden the daffodils are a bit late this year. They’ve been in full bloom in the roadside verges for a few weeks now. I see a few primroses poking their heads out too.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,843
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    We've had more snow and frost this year Micky than the last few years and also more violent storms than normal.

    In the middle of Liverpool yesterday I saw a Ringed Necked Parakeet. About 8 years ago I saw the first of these introduced birds in the UK at the clubs Abbey Wood site so they are continuing their march northwards.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Club Member Posts: 6,524
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    edited February 20 #4929

    Yes, there have been areas of the UK that have seen snowfalls but looking at the country as a whole the trend is certainly one of less frosts, snow and warmer temperatures these days. I too have seen Rose-Ringed Parakeets in the UK, even in areas some would suggest as the far North of England. They are non natives of course but the questions about how species are now ‘migrating’ to once cooler climes is of interest. Should we be assisting those in danger to find more suitable habitats as the changes we see take hold. Dilemmas for sure abound!

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,164
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    strangely we have suffered many more hard frosts but little snow. We’ve also suffered a prolonged period of Easterly and ENE winds.

    On our journey to and from Hampshire there seems to be many more Kestrels about this year.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,843
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    We noticed the change in climate about 15 years ago when we stopped seeing Bramblings locally in Winter with a sighting nowadays being a very rare occasion. We used to get them for some years on the feeders but eventually sightings disappeared and it may well have happened sooner but took us a while to realise.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,746
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    Same here re Bramblings have not seen them here for 3 years now and not seen many Siskins either.

    Quite a few birds are starting to sing so Spring not far away.

    The Cranes are migrating in large numbers now and good weather helping although not seen any here yet.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Club Member Posts: 6,524
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    edited February 21 #4933

    Haven’t seen a brambling for many a year, Siskins and fewer Snow Buntings around too. What is of concern is such birds can fly and will move to areas which are more suitable to them. Salt water fish too can move relatively easily as waters warm. We are now seeing a change in North Sea species with far more tuna and warmer water fish being observed and the cooler water species moving away to the north. Nature seems to be able to change to circumstances but how about those that cannot move so easily if at all? The likes of reptiles, amphibians and some insects may be trapped and lost due to their inability to ‘migrate’. Should we help them? European terrapin, European tree frogs, sand lizards are amongst some species we could help by translocating them into uk habitats which are now, due to warming, able to provide sanctuary for them. Some of these species were once natives when the climate was warmer. Maybe we should help the likes. Should we?