Two encounters with wild boar today, both times sows with a couple of piglets on tow, the second also had a rather large Daddy boar with them. They're big!
Tons of chiff chaff around at the moment. I only know since I've recently learnt to identify the call and suddenly they're everywhere
Saw a roe deer (which isn't particularly on it's own) in the middle of Mossley. At 9am in the morning with everyone busy rushing around. Didn't seem that bothered, was on a little cobbled footpath. Just shows that deer are everywhere, just usually much better at hiding.
The Collins Bird Guide app is pricey but well worth it - you get the best book in a very usable format plus calls for most.
Suggest Bullfinches and Goldcrest next if you don't know them - they used to be prized sightings but now I hear them every day.
Not sure I’ve ever seen a goldcrest though.
Just saw my first swifts of the year. Lovely. The sound of them especially makes me think of summer. Also recently saw loads of sand martins over the boating pond in Stamford Park in Stalybridge. Had never noticed them there before. Wonder if they are there all summer long.Interestingly about a week ago saw two ring-necked parakeets flying over the centre of Stalybridge. I know there is a decent population in South Manchester, but they must be spreading out this direction too. Hard to know how to feel about them. I kind of like them since they are colourful, charismatic and noisy, but I do appreciate they are an invasive species which is not usually a good thing.
Tons of chiff chaff around at the moment. I only know since I've recently learnt to identify the call and suddenly they're everywhere. Mainly Yorkshire Sculpture Park and Endcliffe/Bingham parks in Sheffield.
Quote from: JamieG on May 26, 2022, 06:23:29 pmJust saw my first swifts of the year. Lovely. The sound of them especially makes me think of summer. Also recently saw loads of sand martins over the boating pond in Stamford Park in Stalybridge. Had never noticed them there before. Wonder if they are there all summer long.Interestingly about a week ago saw two ring-necked parakeets flying over the centre of Stalybridge. I know there is a decent population in South Manchester, but they must be spreading out this direction too. Hard to know how to feel about them. I kind of like them since they are colourful, charismatic and noisy, but I do appreciate they are an invasive species which is not usually a good thing.https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/ring-necked-parakeets-in-london-and-uk.htmlhttps://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/policy-insight/species/invasive-non-native-species/ring-necked-parakeets/Gist seems to be that a wary eye is being kept because they could potentially crowd out native species from various niches, but they've been here for a while and don't seem to be having a major negative impact so far at least.Might as well enjoy them, since they're here! The ones in Kensington Gardens have trained the tourists to feed them at a specific tree; if you go there and hold out birdseed in your hands, they'll fly down and perch all over you.