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Recent wildlife sightings (Read 648542 times)

moose

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#2350 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 07:23:16 am
Red kite in dronfield. Never seen one even in the peak before. This one was circling over the fields near my house.

Supposedly they used to be very common in towns all over the UK, and birds from the Harewood breeding site are occasionally seen in urban Leeds.  Hopefully your sighting is evidence of the range increasing - I wonder if it originated from Harewood or the breeding site in the East Midlands (somewhere near Northampton I think). 

Last week was driving near Pool / Otley and there were at least a dozen kites all circling and diving into a field by the road, and I saw more kites inbound as I drove away.  Presumably there must have been a fairly hefty animal carcass there to attract so many.  Incidentally, anyone else think the magnificence of kites is a bit at odd with them being scavengers - they look like they should be swooping down and carrying away sheep, deer, and terrified villagers! 

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#2351 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 08:40:00 am
Moves to Leeds last year and regularly saw kites quite far into headingley. Was walking to Morrisons the other day and one swooped down very close seemingly to check me out. It circled twice about 10 metres above me and then flew off. It had amazing ghostly eyes. Loved it

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#2352 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 08:47:27 am
When I was a kid, mid-Wales was the only place we ever saw them and it was an exciting event to see one.

Now, they are about as rare as pigeons around Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire. Usually see around 10 on my commute.

I don't know how far their range had spread but I've seen loads as far South as Beaconsfield and as far West as Reading. I see them quite regularly around Wirksworth but not in the same numbers as further South.

Bonjoy

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#2353 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 09:46:30 am
Red kite in dronfield. Never seen one even in the peak before. This one was circling over the fields near my house.
Nice! I've seen one in the Peak once, just north of Monyash, three or so years back.

Will Hunt

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#2354 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 09:52:26 am
They're coming. You didn't used to see them around Yorkshire and now they're like vermin. At Harewood near Almscliff you can see up to 20 wheeling around.

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#2355 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 11:26:02 am
Why 'vermin' ? Vermin means "wild animals that are believed to be harmful to crops, farm animals, or game, or which carry disease". Pretty sure they were persecuted to extinction in england because they were misrepresented as vermin and blamed (incorrectly) for taking livestock. Successfully breeding doesn't sound like vermin.

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#2356 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 12:31:41 pm
No diss, just trying to convey a sense of their numbers through imagery.

Scouse D

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#2357 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 12:44:02 pm
 No worries Will, I'm just hot and grumpy with a soft spot for red kites

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#2358 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 04:52:51 pm
Red Kites are one of our few success stories. After virtually wiping them out they are doing so well. A few pairs are being sent back to Spain where they are in decline.

nic mullin

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#2359 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 17, 2022, 10:06:41 pm
I think red kites are very vulnerable to poisoning because they’re scavengers. I assume that they’re seldom seen in the peak due to the number of aggressively managed grouse moors.

I probably see more red kites than kestrels and buzzards whenever I drive north of Leeds, but have probably seen less than 5 in more than 20 years in the peak.

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#2360 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 18, 2022, 09:11:21 am
I probably see more red kites than kestrels and buzzards whenever I drive north of Leeds, but have probably seen less than 5 in more than 20 years in the peak.

I think that's because the Harewood estate lead the charge on the reintroduction programme. According to my grandfather Kites were colloquially called sh*te hawk, as they would eat anything including the excrement thrown onto the streets from bedpans.

nic mullin

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#2361 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 18, 2022, 10:54:23 am

I think that's because the Harewood estate lead the charge on the reintroduction programme. According to my grandfather Kites were colloquially called sh*te hawk, as they would eat anything including the excrement thrown onto the streets from bedpans.

Didn’t know that, makes sense - I often see loads coming off the A1M near Weatherby and heading into Leeds through Otley, so right near Harewood. I guess they also do well along motorways and major roads cleaning up roadkill, so I’m more likely to see them driving than out in the peak away from main roads.

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#2362 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 19, 2022, 01:07:26 pm
There are reports of red kites in the Peak and over Sheffield most days now. I don’t think any have bred locally yet, but hopefully won’t be too long.

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#2363 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 19, 2022, 01:25:21 pm
I've seen red kites near Eyam, while out road biking the last two years. 

JamieG

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#2364 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 19, 2022, 02:13:43 pm
A couple years ago I one near the start of the snake pass out of Glossop. Seen them down near Frodsham/Helsby area too over the M56. Think they are fairly widespread now, if only locally common.

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#2365 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 19, 2022, 02:37:31 pm
Here in East Yorkshire there quite a few around that have migrated East from Harewood. From looking at the Yorkshire Kite website they are managing to breed round here.
We have a pair that seem to favour the large tree in the field at the back of us, they then circle the village often only just above the houses. Unfortunately they have a lot of competition from the Rooks getting mobbed till they move away.

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#2366 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 27, 2022, 10:59:22 am
Not sure this is quite the right place , but was at moat butress last night and was treated to a very very low fly by from two Apache Gunship Helicopters.   Litterally just above the butress.  Reckon if you were on the path that runs over the top of the crag, you'd have been in danger of being chopped by the blades..  probably an exageration, but thats how it felt,  it was nuts.

Came over the top of the crag, and then banked hard right and dissapeared around the corner.

Anyone else see them about, wondering if they went all the way up the river, past Raven Tor and Cheedale?

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#2367 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 27, 2022, 02:23:20 pm
We were on Lamergeyer buttress and saw (and heard them) too. Put John right off his redpoint go - or at least, that was his excuse  ;)

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#2368 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 27, 2022, 03:02:48 pm
Ha... thought we recognised your voice drifting across the water. It was me and Mark H on Moat. 

Wood FT

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#2369 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
July 27, 2022, 08:51:08 pm
Not sure this is quite the right place , but was at moat butress last night and was treated to a very very low fly by from two Apache Gunship Helicopters.   Litterally just above the butress.  Reckon if you were on the path that runs over the top of the crag, you'd have been in danger of being chopped by the blades..  probably an exageration, but thats how it felt,  it was nuts.

Came over the top of the crag, and then banked hard right and dissapeared around the corner.

Anyone else see them about, wondering if they went all the way up the river, past Raven Tor and Cheedale?

They’ve done that down Cheedale before too a few years ago. Must be training run like the low flying Ogwen drills.

Flying tanks, I’ll never not be impressed by an Apache.

JamieG

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#2370 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
January 11, 2023, 03:12:23 pm
Just saw a little egret in the Chew Valley, between Mossley and Greenfield. I knew they were expanding northwards and have seen them by the coast on the Wirral but definitely did not expect to see one on the edge of the Peak!

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#2371 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
January 13, 2023, 10:11:25 am
Nice!

The Wirral, and Parkgate / Burton Mere in particular almost guarantee all egret species these days and Spoonbills were a regular feature in 2022.

Parkgate is such a good spot for Marsh Harriers, rarer though regular Hen Harriers, Short Eared Owls, Barnies and Merlin. Very lucky to have it half an hour away!

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#2372 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
January 13, 2023, 10:13:59 am
Just saw a little egret in the Chew Valley, between Mossley and Greenfield. I knew they were expanding northwards and have seen them by the coast on the Wirral but definitely did not expect to see one on the edge of the Peak!

Nice! See them quite regularly on the Aire near Skipton, not sure if I keep seeing the same ones or if there’s a few, looks like RSPB need to update their map! https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/little-egret/

JamieG

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#2373 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
January 13, 2023, 12:53:12 pm
Nice!

The Wirral, and Parkgate / Burton Mere in particular almost guarantee all egret species these days and Spoonbills were a regular feature in 2022.

Parkgate is such a good spot for Marsh Harriers, rarer though regular Hen Harriers, Short Eared Owls, Barnies and Merlin. Very lucky to have it half an hour away!

Burton Mere is lovely. Only been once, but did see Hobbies for the first time in the UK which was a special bonus. Definitely have to get back again.

JamieG

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#2374 Re: Recent wildlife sightings
January 13, 2023, 12:54:23 pm
Just saw a little egret in the Chew Valley, between Mossley and Greenfield. I knew they were expanding northwards and have seen them by the coast on the Wirral but definitely did not expect to see one on the edge of the Peak!

Nice! See them quite regularly on the Aire near Skipton, not sure if I keep seeing the same ones or if there’s a few, looks like RSPB need to update their map! https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/little-egret/

That's interesting. Definitely expanding their range then. Which is nice to see but probably doesn't say good things about the climate . . . unless they are just absent due to persecution in the past.

 

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