[SamT]

SamT, I'm pretty jealous you went to Eigg even without the dolphins. What did you get up to?

Sat around on the beach having a picnic with the kids and some highland moo cows for an hour and half and got the ferry back again.  Unfortunately - no climbing - though the An Sgurr (however the hell you pronounce that!) looked fantastic, its smooth walls beckoning in the sunlight.  Not really up to "The Nose" though!!

[slackline]

Out walking yesterday in around Alport the pissing rain and came across a pair of Canadian Geese that were protecting their youngster from soaking wet walkers (not many others out unsurprisngly!)


Gosling by slack---line, on Flickr


Protection by slack---line, on Flickr


Quite surprised as I didn't realise they'd been introduced to the UK and thought they were only seen here whilst migrating.

[Gritlad]

nice photos slackers.
Saw a Ring Ouzel, something brown and medium size fly into the moor (grouse i assume) and also 2 or 3 Curlows too 

[ianv]

Riding in the alps at the moment, in the last few days I have seen: two eagles in their nest,  some chamois, a lynx cub (or something similar) and a wolf. Psyched about seeing a wolf in the wild

[peewee]

Nothing special but got a good snap of one of the rats with bushy tails earlier.


Furry thing.. by p.wilks.t21, on Flickr


IMG_3288.jpg by p.wilks.t21, on Flickr

[fatneck]

Just walking round Stanley Park which is literally a stones throw from Goodison Park and there's a pair of Great Crested Grebe with two youngsters! Most surprised given the urban nature of the surroundings!

[Fultonius]

Saw some Red Kites while bouldering up Glen Lednock the other day. Nearly ticked a 7B too, so keen to get back to finish it off and maybe get some Red Kite photos. Very majestic!

[SA Chris]

. Very majestic!

What your climbing or the kites? How is walk in now?

[Fultonius]

You've seen me climb, right? 

Walk in is alright. I'm sure it seems long if you're used to parking up at the damn, but it's only 20 minutes anyway.

[Muenchener]

Psyched about seeing a wolf in the wild

Not sure if I have or not, although probably not. Last spring there were reports of a wolf sighting in the Bavarian Alps. No known permamently resident wolves there, must have strayed in from further south. Anyway, I was in the area walking through a fairly remote bit of forest, when *something* broke cover in front of me and ran away. My first reaction - "oh look, a rather large, somewhat greyish fox" - was probably 100% correct, but there is some doubt at the back of my mind.

In the same area a few weeks ago, a rather more definite sighting. Roe deer mother and kid on the track in front of me. Somehow they don't notice me until I'm about twenty metres away. Roe deer have a tactic: mum runs off into the undergrowth making lots of noise; kid cowers on the floor. Predator is presumably supposed to chase mum, hopefully without success, and be distracted from kid camouflaged on the forest floor. Which, however, works less well when kid is cowering the middle of a path. Venison for dinner. I made myself scarce as quickly as possible in the hope that mum would come back soon.

[fatneck]

Nearly forgot about this and it's not the best photo but spotted what I think is probably a red eared terrapin in the local park lake the other day..


Untitled by Fattneck, on Flickr

It's actually not that uncommon and I've certainly seen them bigger than that before. Are they common elsewhere or is it just a scouse mutant ninja thing?

[Johnny Brown]

I don't think they can breed in UK waters, so yeah they tend to be a relic of post mutant ninja dumpings. Pretty long lived though, there was a big one at WMD but I've not seen it for years.

[lagerstarfish]

It was nice to see a couple of water voles on the Derbyshire Wye last weekend

not seen one for ages

[DaveC]

One of the regulars along the creek behind us is a Black-Shouldered Kite and I finally caught him a couple of times resting on an old conifer a couple of doors away from us.





He's actually only about 8 feet from our local magpie's nest so not surprisingly, he got set upon by both of the adults once nesting season came around (started this week.) Haven't seen him/her since.

[SA Chris]

Hundreds of seabirds off the coast near us on Wedesday. Often see sandeel schools surfacing at this time of the year and a few dozen birds going for them, but this was about 50 sq m of sea and loads of birds going mad for them. Looked like an upwelling of water, hopefully might mean a warm spell.

[Yoof]

Mayhaps a bit late to be recent but the other week I was slowly walking towards a seal to take photos and just got to the appropriate distance when a sea otter hopped out of the water and began to eat a fish right next to the seal! The seal was so surprised it jumped. Have a gander.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/82111568@N02/7671755182/#in/photostream/

Then yesterday I was up in Northumbria going to Kyloe-in when a hare lolloped down the track to about 20m from me, stopped, looked at my bright blue t-shirt, and then proceeded to come within 4m of me! :D

Nature loves me, and I it.

[fatneck]

Sea otter's a great spot! Nice one Yooth!

I was fishing with the wife on Wednesday evening when a Sparrowhawk flew round the tree I was sat next to and landed on my pole! It took a rather shocked look at me (I must have looked fairly shocked myself!) and flew off. Pretty much overshadowed the fishing!

[dave]

Saw a deer in borrowdale yesterday, and then two red squirrels eating nuts by buttermere this morning.

[AndyR]

Mayhaps a bit late to be recent but the other week I was slowly walking towards a seal to take photos and just got to the appropriate distance when a sea otter hopped out of the water and began to eat a fish right next to the seal! The seal was so surprised it jumped. Have a gander.
 http://www.flickr.com/photos/82111568@N02/7671755182/#in/photostream/

I didn't think sea otters lived in the UK? They're a Pacific species aren't they? You do find normal river otters feeding along the shoreline, though I think they have to keep going back to freshwater to clean their fur. Good photo though.

[SA Chris]

I've seen otters and otter holes nowhere near fresh water; reiff, north uist, and entrance to loch broom. I think you are right that sea otters are a pacific species but I don't think they need fresh water. These are tiny compared to the ones in Vancouver aquarium.

[Bubba]

Saw a load of Coypu in a canal running alongside the Rhone last week.  Quite cute in a way but if you have a rat phobia then I suspect you'd shit yourself if you saw some.

[Nibile]

Two big deers at the boulders yesterday. Seemed not too scared when they first saw me, but as I moved they jumped away.

[fatboySlimfast]

Little owl hunting at dusk on the moor above wardlow

[Yoof]

I didn't think sea otters lived in the UK? They're a Pacific species aren't they?

Ooops, my bad. Thanks for the knowledge 

Good photo though.

Thank you 

[AndyR]

I've seen otters and otter holes nowhere near fresh water; reiff, north uist, and entrance to loch broom. I think you are right that sea otters are a pacific species but I don't think they need fresh water. These are tiny compared to the ones in Vancouver aquarium.

Yep - we get both types along the west coast here - saw several pacific sea otters up the mid-BC coast this week whilst out sea fishing (along with humpback whales and some very big salmon) - they very rarely go on land. The regular type (lutra lutra) are often on shore (and like to eat their catch on moored boats - otter shit is no fun...), but I believe have to periodically go to fresh water to groom and remove salt from their fur.