[lagerstarfish]

Our garden has been full of cardinals and there's all kinds of birdsong I don't recognise. Really starting to wish I wasn't such an ignoramus about these things.

a mate of mine in Canada uses (and likes a lot) the ibird app to identify birds - worth a look?

[tlr]

An obliging Little Owl this evening near Foolow.

IMG_0572 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[SA Chris]

Fantastic Tim.

Spotted a few deer when out running in Durris forest. May have been same deer a few times, I don't run fast.

Also first midge bites of the summer. Bastards.

[andy_e]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08vgfq5/springwatch-2017-springwatch-episode-9

10.30ish onwards. A few UKB regulars on there!

[Will Hunt]

We were on the way home from Kilnsey when a common heron flew low over the road.
Footwork Finley cries: Oh wow, look! A stork!


After explaining that it was not a stork, his next two guys were a pelican and a puffin.

 

[SA Chris]

Assume by common heron you mean Grey Heron.

[tlr]

A couple from Redmires at the weekend:

A curlew with Sheffield in the background, and a female grey wagtail with a beakful of insects feeding young.

IMGL4376 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

IMGL4533 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[sheavi]

Ring-necked Parakeets in Nether Edge over the last 2-3 weeks.

[nic mullin]

Lovely pics as always Tim. That wagtail had a good haul by the looks.

Went out for a stroll a couple of weeks back and saw a Curlew above Burbage South, circled around a few times, shouting its name:

Curlew above Burbage South by nic mullin, on Flickr

Also bumped into a small herd of 4 red deer stags up there (presumably part of the wild herd from Big Moor - can't see any ear tags), one of whom was kind enough to stop in front of a clear bit of background in a big patch of cotton grass:

Red deer stag above Burbage South by nic mullin, on Flickr

At the end of the same day, walking up through the woods to the NT carpark at Longshaw (lots of goldfinches & siskins at the feeders by the visitor centre at the moment) heard a racket from (mostly) blackbirds and went to investigate, turned out they were mobbing this rather harassed looking tawny owl:

Tawny owl, Longshaw by nic mullin, on Flickr

Bit blurry, but I was pretty made up to get a recognisable shot at all, very dim in the woods.

[andy_e]

Burbage South, circled around a few times, shouting its name:

We've all done that after topping out to be fair. Great photos!

[tlr]

Nice pictures Nic. It's been ages since I saw a tawny, let alone photographed one.

[SamT]

Love the Grey Wagtail that is flitting around the Rising Sun Sunfest beer festival feeding its noisy young. Th nest is a hanging basket just above the wood fired pizza oven.  Hope they're not getting too hot.

 

[tlr]

Continuing Nic's owl theme I went looking for them the last few evenings and got lucky, although the little owl and barn owls were taken in near darkness unfortunately, ISO 6400 and about 40th of a second.

Short Eared Owl

TR-5216 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

Little Owl

TR-5188 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

Barn Owls

TR-5142 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[cheque]

I saw a treecreeper at Rhubabrb Buttress last night.

[SA Chris]

Loads of fish when snorkelling, but saw an amazingly cute sandpiper chick on beach in Lanzarote. Ball of cottonwool on pipecleaner legs. Shame it was nearly dark - pictures are crap.

[fatneck]

90% certain I saw a Wood Warbler on the way down to Porth Ysgo yesterday. Also, I don't think I've ever seen so many Choughs at the same time - boss birds

[andy popp]

We were sat in the back yard as dusk fell last night when a family of four deer trotted into the garden. The two adults looked barely mature, very likely the young we saw with their parents this time last year. Now they were back with their own offspring. Three of them moved off into next door's yard but the largest one stopped and examined us. He kept taking a few steps closer, dipping his head, stepping back and then coming back closer again. He seemed fascinated by us. This went on for about 10 minutes, all in silence and as the dusk deepened. All the while fireflies were wreathing up from the grass around the deer. It felt magical.

Then this morning a downy woodpecker was on the tree a few feet outside the living room window.

[Will Hunt]

I trust you completed your American assimilation by swinging up yo' granpappy's trusty Colt Single Action and blowin' 'em to hell? YEEHAW!

[andy popp]

I prefer an AK47. OT but I've twice recently seen people open-carrying hand guns.

[SA Chris]

How many point antlers you got hanging on the wall now pappy?

I once saw an entrance to someone's gate in Utah made entirely from antlers. Must have been at least 50. Stay classy.

[dave]

Saw some dolphins (or possibly porpoises) out between Rhue and Isle Martin today, and had a large Seal watching us bouldering at Reiff this avo.

[SA Chris]

Nice. Seen otters round there too Dave, just down to the north of Rhue Lighthouse on Loch Broom side, and friend saw one catching fish off Bouldering Cliff.

[dave]

Just seen loads more just now, based on dorsal fin shape I'm gonna go with porpoises. Also seen some seals in the water with the porpoises too.

Will be checking out the Rhue lighthouse, will keep my mince pies open for otters.

[tlr]

More fantastic views of the Short Eared Owls on Big Moor the other night in fantastic light.

IMGL5699 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[lagerstarfish]

I was 75% sure that I was watching a pair of ravens flying past me when one turned and did some proper raven talk to clear up any doubts