[SA Chris]

What the fuck is that, a Walrus???

No, clue was where I said:

Whale carcass on beach near Arbroath.

[john horscroft]

Pedalling round the blue circuit at Whindlatter, and we put up two roe deer, nice but then came across two red squirrel which was way better!  Haven't seen any since I were a wee lad...........

[SA Chris]

We were cycling in Fetteresso near Stonehaven when a dog out with its owner flushed a deer out the woods. It came bounding down through woods and jumped across our path about half a meter in front of my g/f, who was goign at a fair speed at the time. Quite a fright.

[slackline]

Had an excellent day (despite shitty light/weather) at Donna Nook on Saturday.  We were in luck as the lady at the B&B we stayed at said there had been a "couple" of seals so far.  When we got there this "couple" seemed to have multiplied into several hundred or so (at least as far as we could see, probably more).






You can get really quite close, probably 40-50m before they get bothered and head back towards the sea, my wife wrapped up warm in front of the seals...



We managed to avoid doing this, but the small black dots in the last large pic above are some serious (semi-/pro) photographers who seemed more intent on getting a shot with their huge lenses and tripods than respecting the seals.  They'd walked towards a large group and stopped and crouched down and set their tripods up only when the seals turned round en masse and moved away from them!!  Considering most had very pro equipment and lenses with >400mm focal length (one was about 1m long and camouflaged!!) I thought it was pretty crap that they weren't more considerate of the seals.

I think I'll probably try heading back in a few weeks when there are more seals (literally thousands apparently), but it gets exceptionally busy and the car park by the beach only has about 40 spaces!!

[SA Chris]

Hopefully one of the "serious" photographers will discover a UXB when he shoves his tripod in the ground to disturb the wildlife. It's a really bad thing to do, especially with seals as if they panic and "stampede" then cubs can get crushed and killed by adults. Nice pics, be good to see some of sunnier day, looks well grim.

[Johnny Brown]

Haven't been to Donna Nook for six or seven years ago, when it was a 'secret' location, and I managed to guess its location. Lincolnshire wildlife trust purposefully did not publicise it, and visiting photographers were asked not to publish information whether in print or online. I guess it was inevitable that web 2.0 would make that impossible, there is stuff all over the web now, and visitor numbers have gone through the roof. Unfortunately this means a lot of 'dude' nature photographers who are less aware of appropriate behaviour - basically lying down and crawling if you want to go within 100yds, and backing off if they pay you any attention. I don't think they have great eyesight so you basically look like a seal. (not aimed at you slackers, the dicks with tripods.)

This was taken from behind the fence on a weekday, goes to show you can get decent shots without chasing them round the sandbanks.

[slackline]

Good knowledge there JB and a great shot (magpie will be along shortly to squeeze you).

I think we had to trek out to the sandbanks as its still quite early for the clubbing pupping to have begun.

[john horscroft]

Top shot JB 

[magpie]

Good knowledge there JB and a great shot (magpie will be along shortly to squeeze you).

Here I am!    That is a fantastic picture. 

[SA Chris]

Dozens of deer between Braemar and Glenshee at the moment. Some beautiful stags. All come down out of the hills to find low grazing, apparently due to sustained cold weather many are starving.

Also loads of raptors have come down to the coast, see at least one a day, and quite a few any time you go inland.

Also long cold spell will mean midge population will dip slightly this year. Still be millions of the fuckers though.

[slackline]

Dozens of deer between Braemar and Glenshee at the moment. Some beautiful stags. All come down out of the hills to find low grazing, apparently due to sustained cold weather many are starving.

Some recent shots from Glencoe of just this (not mine, would love the opportunity to get up there though)...

[SA Chris]

Nice. Temped to bust out a long lens and snowshoes this weekend and try and get some shots if it's sunny.

[Adam Lincoln]

Family of Seals at Angel Bay few weekends back. (In fact, they are always there!)  I didn't have my camera but my mate got these.

[magpie]

I love the Glencoe deer.  They let you go close enough to touch them, if you are brave, or stupid.

[underground]

I've spent the winter in a state of semi torpor, but just recently been seeing swarms of Sparrowhawk all over Dronfield (OK, 2 or 3 in the same number of weeks, but it's nice to see) - especially Monday's sighting with the bird flying alongside the car and into the tree I fortuitously chose to stop by

[Bubba]

I see an incredible number of Buzzard when I'm out in the wagon - I know they're the UKs commonest bird of prey but some mornings it's taking the piss, I'm amazed there's anything left for them to savage.

[AndyR]

Saw cougar prints in the snow where I was working last week - they have very big paws for a cat....

[SA Chris]

But not particularly big for a very big cat! Cool sighting.

Saw 3 deer in the fields behind the house yesterday evening taking the bairn for a walk.  Spring is here, be great when clocks change.

[Johnny Brown]

Adders were back out yesterday.

I see an incredible number of Buzzard when I'm out in the wagon

Love that bit of the M40 when you go past the Red Kite breeding station, always brightens the day.

[Stabbsy]

Not sure how common they are now, but saw a couple of red kites on the way to and from Almscliff (around Spofforth and Wetherby) on Sunday. Pretty sure I saw some in the same area last year as well.

[Johnny Brown]

Pretty common in that area, they were reintroduced from Harewood House about twelve years ago, and doing well.

[rich d]

Saw a red kite from caley on sunday. Good to see them doing well and spreading

[BB]

Love that bit of the M40 when you go past the Red Kite breeding station, always brightens the day.

There another one on the M4 just before Reading. They're really prolific in the surrounding area.

[SA Chris]

Seems like a timeous resurrection. Like frikkin Springwatch on here.

[Adam Lincoln]

Adders were back out yesterday.

I see an incredible number of Buzzard when I'm out in the wagon

Love that bit of the M40 when you go past the Red Kite breeding station, always brightens the day.

Where were the Adders Johnny? Would love to see one basking in the sun.