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Recent wildlife sightings (Read 648494 times)

SamT

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#2325 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 18, 2022, 06:17:14 pm
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.

Swifts high over us in Sharrow,  Martins in Stoney and Swallows in the Lakes.

Lovely close up of a Greater Spotted Woodpecker on a fencepost about 3 feet infront of our car on a farm track.

Good times.  :2thumbsup:


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#2326 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 18, 2022, 08:13:21 pm
Saw several Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) in Ordesa valley the other day. Did not know what I saw were until I looked it up, and apparently they are no longer rare in the Pyrenees.

SA Chris

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#2327 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 19, 2022, 08:23:53 am
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!

Where???

Johnny Brown

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#2328 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 19, 2022, 11:21:16 am
Had a Red Kite over the house last week which I'm pretty sure is the first.

Quote
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

This is a good rabbit hole. Suggest Bullfinches and Goldcrest next if you don't know them - they used to be prized sightings but now I hear them every day. I try to do a couple of new species very spring, currently working on Blackcap vs Garden Warbler. 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.

JamieG

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#2329 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 19, 2022, 11:35:36 am
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.

Seen the kingfisher in the park a couple times recently again. Always nice. Such a ridiculous colour for a British bird.

SA Chris

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#2330 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 19, 2022, 12:58:34 pm
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.

Allegedly they got a lot bolder during lockdown, and now are habitually a bit braver, which is great for seeing them, but not for ones getting whacked on roads, and has apparently increased tick numbers.

SamT

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#2331 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 11:50:06 am
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.

Ha! - I have it, but hadn't clocked the call button..  :wall: (I don't use it that much tbh).   Excellent!  :clap2:

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#2332 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 01:04:06 pm
Suggest Bullfinches and Goldcrest next if you don't know them - they used to be prized sightings but now I hear them every day.

I see Bullfinches on our feeder every day. Not sure I’ve ever seen a goldcrest though.

I saw a pair of stonechats at Burbage South last night. Never (knowingly) seen them before.

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#2333 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 01:17:25 pm
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.

This really is very good and highly recommended.

SA Chris

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#2334 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 01:40:25 pm
Not sure I’ve ever seen a goldcrest though.


Think Travis Bickle and you are there.

Stonechats are great little birds.

Seen remnants of a sparrow in the garden last week, local Sparrowhawk must be back, saw her sitting outside the window  a couple of years back, happily feeding by the bird feeder (not on the fatballs..)

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#2335 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 03:46:35 pm
I third the Collins Bird App and learning songs! It's been an absolute joy wandering around knowing (mostly) what birds are around without having to get the bins out - highly recommended!

I've got three nesting pairs of GS Woodpeckers in the park all with very noisy chicks although currently suffering anxiety about missing parents at one site having seen the remains of an adult male that had fallen victim to the local Sprawk and not seeing an adult in attendance for three consecutive days - nail biting stuff...

Outside of my local area, saw loads of Wheatears and Meadow Pippits a lizard at Jacksons Ridge / Dovestones the other week.

Would love to see a boar!!! Always spot evidence of their digging in Font and came across loads of fresh digging in the FoD last year but never seen one in the flesh.

SA Chris

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#2336 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 04:05:09 pm
Skylarks out in force here at the moment. Hard to spot, look higher, no even higher.....

SA Chris

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#2337 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 20, 2022, 04:09:28 pm
Forgot when we were rafting on the Findhorn, spotted a couple of beautiful salmon, one cruising just below surface with fins above (had some white spots on it, some sort of parasite or fungus?) and one going at full pelt along next to a gravel bank just where we were getting out. Must have each been about 3 ft or so long, not sure what that would be in pounds...

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#2338 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 26, 2022, 06:23:29 pm
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.

SamT

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#2339 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 26, 2022, 10:55:04 pm
Lovely white barn owl quatering and fluttering about below the plantation as we walked off yesterday. Such a treat.

SA Chris

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#2340 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 27, 2022, 08:19:25 am
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/scotland-now/stunning-pics-show-pod-orcas-27040976

not spotted by me, but would love to get up to the Broch and see them.

Also been a Humpback sighting from Portnockie, might be the same one that hung about the Forvie rivermouth for a few weeks a couple of years ago.

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#2341 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 27, 2022, 02:58:33 pm
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.

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/ring-necked-parakeets-in-london-and-uk.html
https://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.

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#2342 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 30, 2022, 01:55:45 pm
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.


Willow warbler is another straightforward one, and useful to differentiate them from Chiffchaffs. I really struggle to remember bird calls.

The free Merlin app is useful as well, with pictures and calls. You can download packs for anywhere in the world, and it gives you likely birds for your locations as well as identifying birds from pictures you point it at.

JamieG

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#2343 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 30, 2022, 02:30:10 pm
 :icon_beerchug:
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.

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/ring-necked-parakeets-in-london-and-uk.html
https://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.

Good knowledge.

https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NHMSYS0000530792

This map suggests they are in pretty much every major UK city except maybe Inverness, Aberdeen and Dundee. But even there is looks like a matter of time. Looks like they are here to stay.

tlr

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#2344 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 31, 2022, 02:35:41 pm
Demanding chicks have forced one of the local long-eared owls out hunting in daylight, they are usually night time hunters only.

IMGL0887 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

JamieG

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#2345 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
May 31, 2022, 03:08:29 pm
Wow. Cracking photo. Only seen long-eared owls a couple times. Very pretty birds.

SamT

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#2346 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
June 01, 2022, 08:38:46 am
Yeah - Just WOW.

 :jaw:

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#2347 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 16, 2022, 08:45:10 am
I just saw a mink, running around on the beach and swimming jetty, of all places.

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#2348 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 16, 2022, 10:20:22 pm
Went to North Norfolk today to see the Bee Eaters- wow what a great bird, saw 5 in total.

Then popped to the coast plenty of Waders, Marsh Harriers. Several Spoon Bills & excellent extended views of a Bittern and juv Cuckoo.

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#2349 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 16, 2022, 11:10:22 pm
Red kite in dronfield. Never seen one even in the peak before. This one was circling over the fields near my house.

 

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