[Will Hunt]

God I'm shit at this. I will try and remember more next time.

[andy_e]

I suggest a fully-annotated field sketch.

[SA Chris]

Or one of these new fangled photo things.

Don't worry Will I'm shit too. Even the Birds UK app on my phone isn't helping.

[fatneck]

Even the Birds UK app on my phone isn't helping

I've got the RSPB one. It's a fiver, but definitely the best fiver I've spent recently. It includes the calls/songs of most UK birds and has helped me identify birds I couldn't see properly/that all look the same to me (e.g. warblers) several times...

[SamT]

Saw a birdy having a scrap with a magpie today from the top of Chevin Buttress. Dark browny red wings, turning black towards the wingtips. White underbelly. Looked in my bird book and thought it might either be a kite or kestrel. I thought I'd become reasonably good at spotting the Red Kites though now they're common as muck in Yorkshire and that's not what it looked like. Any ideas for sure what it would be?

White underbelly - Red back - black wing tips... Similar size to a magpie .. in yorkshire.

It was a Kestrel.

[Paul B]

That kestrel in the magpie picture is clearly nesting somewhere near my balcony as it was happily sat on the other side of the railing with a dead rodent yesterday.

[Johnny Brown]

They'll be done nesting now, though it's not unlikely that it did nest nearby. They have regular favourite spots for plucking, eating and roosting though, usually marked by a streak of white and the odd pellet.

[slackline]

Could be one of the ones that nests up on the University buildings, as thats just up the road.

The graveyard around St George's church/lecture theater was littered with rodent bones/carcasses when the youngsters were fledging a few months back (re-post of a pic)...


Peregrine Falcon by slack---line, on Flickr

[andy_e]

Wrong species!

[slackline]

  Theres a reason I took up statistics rather than sticking with zoology!

[fatneck]

This is brilliant!

[SA Chris]

I've seen a heron hanging around with ducks in the pond a park and catching fish that try to eat the bread gets thrown to the ducks. Very smart.

[Johnny Brown]

We had a great view of a Hobby heading south by the Winking Man on Saturday. Not seen one so close for years.

[Paul B]

They'll be done nesting now, though it's not unlikely that it did nest nearby. They have regular favourite spots for plucking, eating and roosting though, usually marked by a streak of white and the odd pellet.

Regardless, we've named it Kes.

[SamT]

Got to share this one - it'll take some beating!!!  (Totally nicked off a friends facebook story, but some of you may know Jules B and Molly G).

7ft Boa Constrictor - nr Ox Stones Trig, Burbage Moor  (yep!).

Quote from Jules...
 

Molly found the brute and we thought it was dead at first as we threw a stone at it and it never moved (which is probably fortunate in hindsight). They teach this method of checking for signs of life on all the first aid courses now. Came back later and it had moved a bit so we thought some walker had spotted it and dragged it further into the undergrowth by its tail to get it out the way. After a short while decided unlikely anyone would pull a dead snake around for fun and then noticed it was moving a bit. Rang the RSPCA who took a bit of convincing that it wasn't the sort of snake that ought to be in the heather near Ox Stones trig. They kept asking "is it green/brownish with a collar? Grass snakes can be variable in colour you see..." "No, it's seven foot long, about five inches across and built like Mike Tyson; we don't think it's a grass snake". Sat around with it for couple of hours whilst RSPCA lady arrived with van full of kittens (Molly wanted to do a swap with her!). She originally produced a plastic box the size of a cake tin. I did mention that I didn't think it would fit in there! RSPCA lady rather surprised when we presented our unfriendly boa constrictor. She was very good/brave given amount of spitting and hissing and baring teeth it was doing. Snake put up a right fight wrapping itself around her arm and trying to head back into its hole (with her presumably). Eventually got it in a bag. Very unusual afternoon considering we only went out for a run!

[fatneck]

Highly unusual but brilliant story! 

[lagerstarfish]

saw quite a few White Storks during our holiday around la Baie de Somme the other week

I'd not seen one for years; they're impressive animals

[lagerstarfish]

when did the monster snake event take place?

[SamT]

This weekend I think

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[SA Chris]

Amazing story. Wonder if someone decided it was too much work to keep and let it go.




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[andy_e]

Abandoning animals is horrendous. Poor thing.

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[tomtom]

Why dump it there though?

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[andy_e]

No CCTV to identify the culprit perhaps?

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[lagerstarfish]

Why dump it there though?

I blame the Druids

poor bugger has probably been there since the solstace; surviving by feeding on the tattered remains of the brains of lost crusties looking for a free party

[SA Chris]

Why dump it there though?

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Easssssssssy accessssssssss?

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