[Oldmanmatt]

In Wales were you?

Nah, that's Cornwall that is.
Global warming...

[tlr]

Well Cornwall is a slightly closer guess than Wales.....

[fatneck]

Not that recent as it was back in November, but I'd completely forgotten that I'd found my first ever Slow Worm on the approach to Raven Stones (or somewhere) and just stumbled upon a photo of it whilst deleting stuff from my phone!



Beautiful little thing, made my day!!

[Gritlad]

Could anyone please tell me what i saw today.... I thought after abit of internet research it could be a merlin but i dont know... I saw it near grindleford in the peak district if that helps.
It was in a gritstone quarry that is in a wood ( not a very dense wood ) and it was nesting at ground level in a wide crack. when i walked close ( accidentally ) it flew out and out of sight leaving its nest of mostly leaves and maybe a few sticks with 3 white eggs laying there.
Any ideas? 

[andy popp]

Not that recent as it was back in November, but I'd completely forgotten that I'd found my first ever Slow Worm on the approach to Raven Stones (or somewhere) and just stumbled upon a photo of it whilst deleting stuff from my phone!



Beautiful little thing, made my day!!

I was talking about Slow Worms with someone only recently. I used to see them in our garden quite regularly growing up in the 70s. Haven' seen one in years and was wondering if there was an explanation.

[andy popp]

BTW, have seen birds of prey regularly at Pex recently, for the first time ever in nearly 25+ years of visits. Other locals have noticed the same and think there is probably a pair of kestrels but there is something a fair bit bigger - buzzard maybe? Sorry, I'm a complete numpty at this wildlife stuff

[Johnny Brown]

I saw it near grindleford in the peak district if that helps.
It was in a gritstone quarry that is in a wood ( not a very dense wood ) and it was nesting at ground level in a wide crack. when i walked close ( accidentally ) it flew out and out of sight leaving its nest of mostly leaves and maybe a few sticks with 3 white eggs laying there.

Probably a Kestrel (look very similar to Merlin), or possibly a tawny owl though that would look a bit different. There are Merlin around here but they nest up on the moors in very secluded spots.

[Gritlad]

cheers for the replies. The thing thats putting me off the kestral is that it didnt seem to have a pointy tail when it flew away, more of a sort of broad curve. Now swaying towards a Tawny Owl but it did seem bigger than that...

[Johnny Brown]

A Kestrel's tail is only pointy when closed. Its quite likely to spread its wide when flying away. I doubt you'd notice an Owl's tail as much.

[Gritlad]

hhmm possibly then. Do Kestrels nest in woodland? going off what the RSPB says about the bird not nesting in dense woodland

[Johnny Brown]

Mebbe an owl then. Though they often attack when you get too near the nest! Did the eggs look like ping pong palls?

Other locals have noticed the same and think there is probably a pair of kestrels but there is something a fair bit bigger - buzzard maybe?

Andy, Buzzards have really spread the last ten years or so. Much bigger, broad wings, mewing call. I reckon if they were in Pex the scallies would have spotted them and stoned them though. Kestrels not much bigger than a thrush/ smaller than a crow, you see them hovering by roads. More likely to nest in a busy quarry.

[Gritlad]

it flew out pretty fast which scared me sh**less, hhmmm yeah i think so.... maybe slightly more oval but really I was abit too scared to hang around in case it came back 

[Johnny Brown]

PM me the location and I might check it out. They tend to be most aggressive once the eggs have hatched...

[Andy B]

...Now swaying towards a Tawny Owl but it did seem bigger than that...

Tawny Owls are a fair bit bigger than Merlins.

I'd go for a Kestrel, I reckon.

[cofe]

Dippers and Grey Wagtails down Chee Dale today. Lovely stuff.

[andy popp]

Other locals have noticed the same and think there is probably a pair of kestrels but there is something a fair bit bigger - buzzard maybe?

Andy, Buzzards have really spread the last ten years or so. Much bigger, broad wings, mewing call. I reckon if they were in Pex the scallies would have spotted them and stoned them though. Kestrels not much bigger than a thrush/ smaller than a crow, you see them hovering by roads. More likely to nest in a busy quarry.

Well the one bird is much bigger that a crow, taller and beefier; noisy too (its in the little wood on top). To be honest, I think the scalliness of Pex of massively overdone.

[Johnny Brown]

Ah, that sounds much more like a Buzzard, 'in the little wood on top' is the exact habitat you'd expect.

[andy popp]

Thanks Adam. Just really nice to see things like this at a crag like Pex.

[tregiffian]

Revisiting Sammy`s Slab at Hella Point on Monday Sammy himself turned up to watch but dived disgustedly when the leader used his knees on the crux.

[SA Chris]

I was talking about Slow Worms with someone only recently. I used to see them in our garden quite regularly growing up in the 70s. Haven' seen one in years and was wondering if there was an explanation.

I can remember one of my dad's friends used to find them in his garden and give them to us when we were kids. I've not lived down south since then though, and assumed they were more common down there.

[dave]

Was out at stanage after dark tonight and heard a bird with an odd sci-fi style wobbling call - hard to describe but very distinct. Any fucking ideas etc?

[Johnny Brown]

Sounds like a 'drumming' snipe. Bit like a goat? Actually comes from the tail feathers. Clip on here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/08/birds.snipe

[cofe]

There's a male mandarin duck in Endcliffe park at the moment. It looks ridiculous.

[dave]

Sounds like a 'drumming' snipe. Bit like a goat? Actually comes from the tail feathers. Clip on here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jun/08/birds.snipe

yeah thats it. its was going apeshit. I thought I was in the BBC radiophonic workshop.

[underground]

There's a male mandarin duck in Endcliffe park at the moment. It looks ridiculous.

thought I saw one in cheedale about 3 week back too