[andy popp]

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.

That reminds me that we saw an otter in a local river a couple of weeks ago (first time I've seen one in the wild) and another Great Blue Heron yesterday - they are something else.

[erm, sam]

Tim, that Owl photo is really good. The translucence of the feathers and details where they overlap is amazing.

[andy_e]

+1. Strong contender for the list of my favourite birds.

[andy popp]

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.

That reminds me that we saw an otter in a local river a couple of weeks ago (first time I've seen one in the wild) and another Great Blue Heron yesterday - they are something else.

Also, have seen ruby throated hummingbirds in the garden twice over the last couple of weeks.

[SA Chris]

+1. Strong contender for the list of my favourite birds.

Do you like owls? I know a cracking owl sanctuary.

[Durbs]

Not particularly exciting wildlife, but I'm quite pleased with the photos:

DSC07918 by Paul Durbin, on Flickr

[SA Chris]

Great shot.

Deer outside window in new office. Saw loads last night on bike in the nearby woods.

[fatneck]

Terrible photo but watched an fascinating battle between a spider and a bumble bee the other day. The web proved to fragile for the weight of the bee in the end and he flew off but it was a great spectacle!!

[SA Chris]

Watched an amazing battle between a wasp and a spider once. The wasp was trying to steal from the spider's food larder kept on coming back, but getting repelled, eventually the web broke and the larder fell on the ground, and neither of them got it, but i think ants scored!

[gardinrm]

We saw a lovely little otter when bouldering up at Sheigra on Friday. It came to have a little look and then ducked under the water when we noticed it was there.

[SA Chris]

Great. Amazing creatures.

[fatneck]

Had the privilege of watching all 7 of "my" Cygnets having flying lessons on the park lake this morning. It's the first time I can remember a full brood reaching maturity without one or more of them being shot or knifed or meeting some other awful urban death...

[nai]

Not a great photo unfortunately, the light died just at the wrong moment, but having enjoyed some lengthy sightings of different Kingfishers in South Africa I became determined to get more than the usual glimpse of one back home and today had the pleasure of watching this one sit, hover, catch (at the second attempt) a fish then thwack the hell out of it before swallowing it.  Absolutely brilliant, just the usual glimpse of that electric blue is exciting but to see it for so long was amazing.

Kingfisher by Ian_Thomas, on Flickr

[tlr]

Fantastic.

Where was that? I haven’t got a decent shot of a kingfisher in the UK.

[SamT]

Best place I've ever sat and watched them is over the mill pond at the back of the Rubicon parking (cragx).

Once Saw a family of 4 sat on the same branch (I shit you not) which was amazing.  This was about 7/8 years ago, but when I've been subsequent times, I've not seen any.  I think the harsh winter around then may have put paid to them.

[nai]

Fantastic.

Where was that? I haven’t got a decent shot of a kingfisher in the UK.

It was at Old Moor, the sightings blog was listing them all week so went on Saturday, walked into the Bittern hide and there it was right in front of us.
Apparently there were four fishing simultaneously on Sunday though.  Keen to go back over one day this week and camp out in the hide all day.  Slightly better shot of it just sitting:

P1090967_1 by Ian_Thomas, on Flickr

[SA Chris]

If you are ever up this way, Donmouth (no different Don) Nature Reserve is a great place for them. As well as otters, and usually a few seals.

[nai]

Not often happening past but considering whether to subject the kids to a tour of the North and islands in the April holidays.  Would be mostly hoping to see the lights but there'd also be several species I'd be trying to see which includes otters.

[SA Chris]

Which islands? Hebrides or Orkneys? I have a keen resident twitcher mate at work who has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of what you can see where. Otters are becoming really abundant now, i know of at least 6 locations where they are seen regularly locally.

[fatneck]

Non climbing highlights from last week's Font trip were two straggler swallows, a load of Woodpeckers in the forest and best of all, brilliant views of a male Hen Harrier hunting over fields outside Tousson!

[Nutty]

Non climbing highlights from last week's Font trip were two straggler swallows, a load of Woodpeckers in the forest and best of all, brilliant views of a male Hen Harrier hunting over fields outside Tousson!

Jealous of the good Hen Harrier views! The males are such beautiful raptors.

I've seen loads of Goldcrests recently, a couple in one of the leafier streets near us and then several very close-up in a hedge at the weekend.

[fatneck]

Yes! There have been loads of Goldcrests around this year...

[nic mullin]

The rut was in full swing on Big Moor a couple of weekends ago - lots of bellowing and veg on the antlers, but no fights that I saw, guess that starts to happen later as stags get desparate.

A few keepers here (didn't embed because changing size in preview kept the pics the same size, just made them more or less pixellated):

https://flic.kr/p/FT9kLD
https://flic.kr/p/ZPGnug
https://flic.kr/p/ZPGnJz
https://flic.kr/p/ZLZBu5
https://flic.kr/p/ZLZCao
https://flic.kr/p/ZLZCXf
https://flic.kr/p/ZLZDBG

Most of those are from near the path that runs from Curbar gap towards White Edge.

[fatneck]

Boss pictures Nic!

Makes me wonder if the noises that were freaking me out during a night run along that path the other week were the deer rather than cows as we'd assumed!?

[fatneck]

Also, loads of long-tailed tits around?