Recent wildlife sightings (Read 658388 times)

Falling Down · March 31, 2009, 08:11:34 am

Quote from: lagerstarfish on March 30, 2009, 10:51:31 pm

I'm 80% sure I saw a woodcock buzzing over the plantation carpark as I got back to the LagerBus this evening. Right silhouette and rate of wing beats. Definitely not a curlew, but might have been a lone (and quiet) oystercatcher seen from an odd angle?

I've seen woodcock at the Stanage End car park in the past... one was making the strange thrumming sound in the gloom and was quite spooky.

Scouse D · March 31, 2009, 08:54:40 am

Peregrine at Stanage End on Sunday whilst we were trying Lowrider.

Andy B · March 31, 2009, 03:52:03 pm

Is that an echo?

idiot

DaveC · April 06, 2009, 09:29:46 am

Me and the mrs went for a wander around the local wildlife research & rescue station on Sunday and suddenly came across these two:

There is a flock - is that really an appropriate collective noun for a bird that's six feet tall? - of around 20 lives in this park.
Anyway, the female decided to come and check us out although I was glad the male kept his distance as he was a big bastard.

slackline · April 06, 2009, 10:36:17 am

Hare today gone soon after...

Saw five different mountain hare's on the walk-in to Standing Stones yesterday!

magpie · April 06, 2009, 11:36:15 am

Look at it jumping!

I've only seen a hare once, I nearly died of shock, I didn't realise they got so big.

I have seen no wildlife worth mentioning recently, although I did get to have a wee stroke at a bee yesterday, which was nice.

SA Chris · April 06, 2009, 11:59:45 am

Dave C, are those emus? They look quite big.

I was fascinated by how similar emus are to ostriches, right down to movement and "mannerisms". Have they evolved in parallel, or are /were they in any way related?

slackline · April 06, 2009, 12:05:52 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on April 06, 2009, 11:59:45 am

Dave C, are those emus? They look quite big.

Emu's are indeed quite big

I couldn't see Rod though

Quote from: SA Chris on April 06, 2009, 11:59:45 am

I was fascinated by how similar emus are to ostriches, right down to movement and "mannerisms". Have they evolved in parallel, or are /were they in any way related?

No idea, but convergent evolution is a common feature where animals occupy the same ecological/environmental niche and natural selection results in very similar physical and behavourial adaptations.

Johnny Brown · April 06, 2009, 12:06:07 pm

Saw Rheas in Patagonia which are very similar to Emus, again seperated by a sizable ocean.

SA Chris · April 06, 2009, 12:14:54 pm

Any Chris Rheas?

The one in your pic looks the same size as the ones I saw. The second pic of Dave's makes it look a lot bigger.

The principles of convergent / parallel evolution are really interesting, when you think of what possibilites directions the 3 could have evolved in, but are still so similar.

Johnny Brown · April 06, 2009, 12:21:51 pm

With the similar environment in Patagonia it was interesting to see unrelated birds filling the same ecological niches we have over here; there was a species of Ibis, local name Bandurria I think, which behaved exactly like our Curlews right down to circling flights with a melodious call.

Chris Rhea was invited but said his wife was a vegetarian. I said she could have fish; he said she didn't eat that either. Oh forget it.

DaveC · April 06, 2009, 12:31:27 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on April 06, 2009, 11:59:45 am

Dave C, are those emus? They look quite big.

I was fascinated by how similar emus are to ostriches, right down to movement and "mannerisms". Have they evolved in parallel, or are /were they in any way related?

That female emu in the second picture is about my height (5'8") while the male was considerably taller and looked more massive.

Ostriches, Emus and Rheas are all part of a family of birds called Ratites (due to a common characteristic of the sternum.) They are of 'Gondwanan' origin and what we have left now are just a few species out of many so yes, they are related. There's a good little entry on ratites in Wikipedia.

duncan · April 06, 2009, 12:39:19 pm

Not forgetting Cassowarys:

Which, like Emus and Ostriches, can be rather stroppy at times...

Back on-topic....saw a pod of Dolphins at Swanage last week, cruising along checking out Boulder Ruckle. 5 or 6 of them including a little light-grey baby one which would have been a dead cert. for PMEFM if I had had a camera. Beyond cute.

slackline · April 06, 2009, 12:41:17 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on April 06, 2009, 12:14:54 pm

The principles of convergent / parallel evolution are really interesting, when you think of what possibilites directions the 3 could have evolved in, but are still so similar.

although I found Sympatric evolution where there is no physical isolation, but often behavioural changes that result in reproductive isolation and subsequent divergent a bit more interesting.

SA Chris · April 06, 2009, 03:38:47 pm

I need to stop reading this thread now, I have learned too much intersting stuff today and now my brain hurts a bit. Looking at hot rockchix is a lot easier on the brain.

slackline · April 06, 2009, 03:47:33 pm

Quote from: SA Chris on April 06, 2009, 03:38:47 pm

I need to stop reading this thread now, I have learned too much intersting stuff today and now my brain hurts a bit. Looking at hot rockchix is a lot easier on the brain.

You could always

(John Maynard-Smith was an excellent theoretical biologist/geneticist who along with William Hamilton has had a profound effect on evolutionary theory).

dave · April 06, 2009, 03:48:46 pm

to bring this down more to the lowest common denominator, I saw dozens and dozens of frogs (or toads, whatever) at longshaw this weekend all trying to fuck each other.

SA Chris · April 06, 2009, 03:52:28 pm

Wikid. I'm syked lol.

slackline · April 06, 2009, 03:57:25 pm

Quote from: dave on April 06, 2009, 03:48:46 pm

to bring this down more to the lowest common denominator, I saw dozens and dozens of frogs (or toads, whatever) at longshaw this weekend all trying to fuck each other.

That's not low, reproduction (with variation) provides the base upon which evolution by natural selection works

Dr T · April 06, 2009, 06:47:21 pm

Quote from: dave on April 06, 2009, 03:48:46 pm

to bring this down more to the lowest common denominator, I saw dozens and dozens of frogs (or toads, whatever) at longshaw this weekend all trying to fuck each other.

loads around Ladybower last week too.....

andy popp · April 06, 2009, 07:13:46 pm

Could hear but, frustratingly, not see some form of woodpecker while out in Cheshire this morning.

Johnny Brown · April 06, 2009, 07:50:42 pm

I hear Woodpeckers pretty much every day, its very rare I see them though, the Greens especially.

'Twas nice to see a Red Kite drifting down the Chevin updrafts at Caley on saturday.

AndiT · April 06, 2009, 08:09:23 pm

I saw some deer at Wolf Crag (Staffs). I saw a Mark Sharratt at Baldstones too.

Bonjoy · April 06, 2009, 08:14:00 pm

Sharrat's are ten a penny in Staffs aren't they? I see at least one every time I enter the county.

SA Chris · April 13, 2009, 10:34:25 am

Saw a couple of big birds of prey out Gairloch way over weekend - going to take a stab at one being an osprey (black wings and head, white chest), no idea of other, and almost hit two deer crossing road 5 miles from home. Have never been out that way before - scenery is stunning, and the amount of and quality of climbing is amazing. So many undeveloped boulders.