[slackline]

  I think I saw a Tiger-snake slithering away into the under-growth whilst climbing at Mount Frankland (Western Australia).  I was in no hurry whatsoever to check its ID!

[SA Chris]

That's not a life used up, it's just a near miss! We were walking on the Transkei Coast once and a friend of mine nearly stepped on a puffadder, and did an impressive backwards leap off one foot. It's amazing what adrenalin can do for you!

I was walking up a boulder strewn hill once (a koppie for those in the know) and nearly stepped on one and managed to cover about 50m back down the hill before I became conscious of what I was doing. It's wierd how that primeval flight instinct when seeing a snake must still be hotwired into the human brain.

[DaveC]

That's not a life used up, it's just a near miss!

I know, I know. T'is nice to know the reflexes are still in reasonable order at 49 though. Many years ago I actually walked on the tail of an Eastern Brown Snake up at the local cragging area. THAT was a life used up as they are notoriously aggressive and one of the most venomous snakes on the planet (#4 or 5 IIRC.)
The snake-catcher who came tonight described dealing with a Tiger Snake as being like handling a 45 year-old ex-boxer who has taken one too many punches compared with the Eastern Brown being a 25 year-old martial arts master.

[SA Chris]

Sounds like comparing a puffadder to a brown mamba. I'd take a puffaddrer bite any day, at least you aren't dead in a couple of hours when bitten if untreated. Parallell evolution - it's a funny old thing!

[DaveC]

Of course the disturbing bit here is that this was in my front garden, less than 10 metres from my front door. I expect to encounter these things when out in the bush but I'd rather not have to contend with them when mowing the lawn or doing a bit of pruning!

[andy_e]

Yeah yeah yeah, well I once saw a slow-worm slither across a path!

[lagerstarfish]

managed to cover about 50m back down the hill before I became conscious of what I was doing. It's wierd how that primeval flight instinct when seeing a snake must still be hotwired into the human brain.

I performed a similar feat after breaking a handhold and landing in 2ft of water over a coral reef in between a couple of sea snakes (attracted by the blood from fish I'd cut up) - I sprinted across the reef, seemingly on top of the water in a Roadrunner style (or like juvenile ducks do sometimes). The blood pissing from my hand turned out to be due to a large shard of coral/shell sticking out of my flesh. Exciting end to a day's fishing.

[SA Chris]

I take it that wasn't in the local reservoir?

[lagerstarfish]

nope, Thailand

couple of miles from the nearest people

good fishing spot

[Durbs]

I was told by locals, that although sea-snakes are highly venomous, they can't open their mouths wide enough to easily bite a human. Kids in Indonesia play with them like sliknky springs...

[El Mocho]

When climbing in Aus (or maybe SA can't remember) doing a trad route and grabbed a pocket, pocket made hissing sound, fired myself away from wall like a jack in the box. Didn't even think about where the last runner was. Belayer was a bit surprised.

[andy_e]

A snake fell down the crag next to the route I was climbing in El Chorro, about 5 metres to my left, fell about 30 metres and slithered away. Could have landed on me or my belayer!

[SA Chris]

When climbing in Aus (or maybe SA can't remember) doing a trad route and grabbed a pocket, pocket made hissing sound, fired myself away from wall like a jack in the box. Didn't even think about where the last runner was. Belayer was a bit surprised.

Never had that, but had a gecko wriggling at my fingertips when grabbing a flake hold. I didn't let go though, and when I took my hand out its tail came with it.

[Carnage]

Yeah- I've had the gecko thing happen to me before. I grabbed a horizontal break and felt something squishy right at the back, which was making a weird hissing sound. Had little look and there in the back was gecko. I almost squashed the bat in the below pic too:



I've been in the Grampians for the last week and saw the usual Kangaroos, emu's, lizards, a small snake and, for the first time an Echidna, which was very cool.

[jern]

Had my first real brown snake (not a dirt snake) encounter the other day in the Grampians. Almost became a very close encounter when some south african twunt lobbed a stick at it 'to scare it away'  -he overshot and sent Mr Brown straight back at us.  Luckily, I had two children with me to use as shields.

Ten minutes later I nearly stood on an Echidna. Saw another Echidna two days later at Arapiles - very good place to spot them in my experience.

[slackline]

Webcam on Peregrine Falcons nest on St George's (University of Sheffield)

Hopefully they'll breed again this year.

[Dolly]

I see the webcam link warns that there might be disturbing images.
Do they mean, y'know _{peregrine sex ?}

[slackline]

That and pigeons being ripped to shreds whilst still alive if the ground underneath was anything to go by last year.

[blacky]

How do you know they were still alive?

[slackline]

I've not seen any yet, but it would be an obliging bird if it died instantly on being caught.

Even if they're dead I'd imagine there will be some sensitive souls who aren't au fait with seeing nature red in tooth and claw.

The bones on the ground last year were definitely dead.

[Yoof]

Had a real birdy day in Cardiff's parks, saw a Heron, two Cormorants, two mallards drakes sort of diving and screeching synchronously (anyone who knows about duck behavior care to shed some light? I'm just guessing it's some part of courtship). Tick of the day had to be two Goosanders (according to the RSPB website they should have been further upstream than they were). 

[Johnny Brown]

Always nice to see Goosanders. Mallard drakes seem to totally lose it this time of year due to hormones and will rape anything that resembles a female. Youtube is full of footage of Mallard gang rapes posted by horrified citizens, including one several best termed 'mallard homosexual necrophilia'. Not that I go looking for that kind of thing. Honest.

Edit: ah sod it, its all educational. Here you go:

[Will Hunt]

 
I love the deadpan.
"After 75 minutes, I had seen enough"

[andy_e]

Always nice to see Goosanders.

I agree, saw one at Shaftoe a month or two back but it flew off before we could get a good luck at it.

[SamT]

Full on 'Monarch of the Glen' stag staring out of the trees at me under froggatt (by the wiggly bit heading up before the armco bend at the top) at night a couple of weeks back.  Saw two eyes gleaming back out from the headlights and thought - 'they seem unusually wide apart'  then saw it as I went past.  Massive. 

Glad it wasn't stood in the middle of the road mind.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21688447