[andy popp]

I just saw a red squirrel - maybe nothing amazing I suppose, but I don't think I've ever seen one before.

[Will Hunt]

Over the Christmas period we've seen: a kingfisher on the canal, a huge owl sat on top of a telegraph pole outside our house, and a pheasant in the back garden (in suburban Bingley. WTF?)

[andy popp]

Over the Christmas period we've seen: a kingfisher on the canal, a huge owl sat on top of a telegraph pole outside our house, and a pheasant in the back garden (in suburban Bingley. WTF?)

You're living in a Harry Potter movie?

[Will Hunt]

On nights when we have the window open we'll sometimes hear a male tawny owl. With the roads being quiet and being around the house more in the day I've also now heard a female and a male calling every now and again during the day. A look on the BTO website shows that they might be incubating a clutch of eggs and these may have or may be about to hatch. Exciting times for the little owls 

[fatneck]

Exciting times for the little owls

I'm confused - do you mean Tawny Owls? 

Lots of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in my local park at the moment and an increasing resident population of Parakeets.

[Johnny Brown]

Lots of Willow Warblers and Blackcaps in my local park at the moment and an increasing resident population of Parakeets.

Same here! Parakeets seem to only have become resident last few years.

[Wood FT]

It’s not particularly exciting but I saw a Dipper yesterday, down the Porter Valley. I was surprised how much it cheered me up.

[Johnny Brown]

Nice one. The herons have been particularly confiding recently too. Plus I got to explain why the little toads are on the big toads’ backs!

[SA Chris]

It’s not particularly exciting but I saw a Dipper yesterday, down the Porter Valley. I was surprised how much it cheered me up.

We've spotted grey wagtail in the local burn on the daily family walks too, plus a grey heron and seen the local roe deer a couple of times. The seem to be crossing the dual carriageway a lot more than in busier times.

[gme]

Three separate sightings of otters in the river next to my house. I have seen them further up the river and see there tracks occasionally but not seen them locally. Usually have the dog with me which won’t help so might go down on my own late evening an see if I can spot them.

[SA Chris]

Brilliant. I've seen evidence of them in 2 different places on the coast, but never actually seen them nearby. Thinking of getting a trail camera, but overwhelmed by choice.

I've seen them in Loch Broom, Aberdeen Harbour and Loch Loriston, a local fishing lake.

[fatneck]

Lucky buggers - only ever seen one otter at that was a great distance at Leighton Moss last winter

[lurcher]

Deer on Stanage..   Walked up from home yesterday and there was a lone doe strolling along the long causeway!.

It must have the hopped the fence as saw it heading up towards high neb.   Can't recall ever seeing any deer that far away from the usual white edge area.

[gme]

Lucky buggers - only ever seen one otter at that was a great distance at Leighton Moss last winter

They are not that hard to go and see in Scotland to be honest, in the sea lochs anyway, not as easy in the rivers.

The most amazing encounter i have had with one was right in front of Floors castle on the tweed. We were walking along the main river path in a group, with loads of other tourists about, when my dog went into a patch of gorse and started going crackers. Seconds later an otter ran out down the bank and into the river then just swam up and down looking at us all seemingly unbothered. For a generally elusive creature to be sat a few meters from a path used by 100s every day in the middle of the day seemed pretty unusual but it looked total fine.

We were with some London friends who were totally amazed, i told them it was a badger.

[Johnny Brown]

Deer on Stanage..   Walked up from home yesterday and there was a lone doe strolling along the long causeway!.

Not all good news... I got a tick at Wyming brook last week, my wife got one at Curbar last year. Get used to checking...

[Will Hunt]

We were with some London friends who were totally amazed, i told them it was a badger.

I was driving on the bypass between Skipton and Keighley with a London friend. A heron flew over the road in front of us.

"Fucking hell, a stork!"

"That's not a stork."

"What is it then? A pelican? A puffin?"

[andy popp]

I like this idea that every single person from London is a complete wildlife buffoon.

[SA Chris]

Yep, great image of every person in London as Shoreditch hipster stepping out in the country, going "bloody hell that horse is fat" when looking at a cow.

[webbo]

Just watching 4 hares in the field next door boxing.

[fatneck]

Boss!!!

[Duma]

Just watching 4 hares in the field next door boxing.

Ah jealous! Only been lucky enough to see this once.

If anyone really wants the otter tick (after it's all over), Mull is amazing, plus you get eagles too, and a munro.

[SA Chris]

You can get lots of the other ticks too, lot of deer, a friend contracted Lyme's there.

[webbo]

Just watching 4 hares in the field next door boxing.

Ah jealous! Only been lucky enough to see this once.

If anyone really wants the otter tick (after it's all over), Mull is amazing, plus you get eagles too, and a munro.

There seems to be at least 10 hares at anyone time in the field, which has shoots beginning to show. I can remember when just seeing a hare was an event.

[SA Chris]

Meanwhile in South Africa..

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/durbans-got-talons-eagles-terrorise-house-pets-q80bxq8j2?shareToken=09723b6de2cf24761a833f0992303e36

[gme]

Just watching 4 hares in the field next door boxing.

Ah jealous! Only been lucky enough to see this once.

If anyone really wants the otter tick (after it's all over), Mull is amazing, plus you get eagles too, and a munro.

There seems to be at least 10 hares at anyone time in the field, which has shoots beginning to show. I can remember when just seeing a hare was an event.

This is the same up here. Literally tripping over them if you walk across a field.
Farmers shoot them as well every year, but still 100s. They will disappear soon once the crops grow high enough to hide them.