What's your most recent " Wildlife Moment"? - Page 3

Dutchess · #51 (**permalink**) 21-04-2008, 01:00 AM

Our resident seagulls and crows freaking out because a local woman occasionally chooses to walk up our road with a *large* bird of prey on her arm!

(Have yet to eyeball her myself, but I am told this is what causes the racket.)

D.

Kayleigh · #52 (**permalink**) 21-04-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchess

Our resident seagulls and crows freaking out because a local woman occasionally chooses to walk up our road with a *large* bird of prey on her arm!

(Have yet to eyeball her myself, but I am told this is what causes the racket.)

D.

You have got to get a pic of that.

And post in on here.

Poirot · #53 (**permalink**) 21-04-2008, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trampas45

whilst walking home, last night, i saw what i thought was a plastic carrier bag comming towards me in the air. as it was dark i did not get a good view until it passed near some street lights. it was a barn owl. i grinned from ear to ear all the way home.

We saw a barn owl swoop right in front of the car, my sister and mum mistaking it for a snowy owl was funny

ChristinaMarieUK · #54 (**permalink**) 23-04-2008, 09:13 AM

Over the last few days a male blackbird has been introducing his adolescent chick to my back yard. A couple of days ago I saw him gather some food from my feeding station then fly up the wall to the chick and feed it.

Yesterday it was nice and sunny so I decided to get on my mountain bike and cycle from the house I was working at up to the East Lancs road via a farmland path. As I was cycling beside Windle Brook, a large bird flew up suddenly. It was a heron.

Diane1715 · #55 (**permalink**) 23-04-2008, 09:35 AM

I was hoovering a rug this morning and saw something that looked like a ballbearing, light silver in colour but pliable when I poked it. I prodded it with the end of the hoover and it burst, it looked as if a dark red/purple worm was living inside it. On closer inspection it was a tick, the purple worm was congealed blood from one of my two dogs!!!!!!!

Gross!!!
Time to get the tick drops and get Andrew to do the fingertip inspection of their coats - I cant bring myself to do it

Di

christina · #56 (**permalink**) 23-04-2008, 10:21 AM

On Thursday (17 April) we arrived home after 5 glorious weeks in Scotland. Yesterday I was pottering around the garden again but concentrated on a few pots just outside the garden gate. I found, amongst some weeds, some wonderfully soft downy feathers and wondered to myself where they had come from, I continued to potter and weed but felt I was being watched! I looked up and to my delight I saw Mrs Mallard who has made a nest in one of our pillars. She just watched me (obviously she's been watching me since Thursday, walking past her, pottering around her). I am soooo excited that she will be having chicks sometime soon. We are trying to avoid that part of the garden as we don't want her to abandon her nest but its difficult as she's nesting very close to the house and front door....will post some pics when we are able to take them.

coasty · #57 (**permalink**) 24-04-2008, 12:28 PM

Had to take my Wife to hospital in Bradford yesterday and came back past Harewood estate . Watched two red kites circling and hunting over a field at the roadside we parked and watched them for a few minutes what truly majestic creatures.

dampflippers · #58 (**permalink**) 24-04-2008, 03:29 PM

I saw my very first ever marsh tit today.

enaj · #59 (**permalink**) 28-04-2008, 03:31 PM

I had to stop my car to a pretty abrupt halt this morning in a country lane to allow a mallard and her four ducklings to cross the road in front of me all following on behind each other in a line, they were sooooo sweet! wish they would stay away from the roads though.

maggot at toad hall · #60 (**permalink**) 28-04-2008, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diane1715

I was hoovering a rug this morning and saw something that looked like a ballbearing, light silver in colour but pliable when I poked it. I prodded it with the end of the hoover and it burst, it looked as if a dark red/purple worm was living inside it. On closer inspection it was a tick, the purple worm was congealed blood from one of my two dogs!!!!!!!

Gross!!!
Time to get the tick drops and get Andrew to do the fingertip inspection of their coats - I cant bring myself to do it

Di

Ticks are not on my favourite list either. I use 'Advantix' spot on treatment on my two Springer Spaniels and it works a treat.

Ticks latch on using a clockwise motion to get a good attachment, so to remove ticks easily, hold the tick with tweezers and twist anti-clockwise. They come away easily and without leaving any mouth parts behind, which can cause infection.

deer boy · #61 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 07:47 PM

I was out yesterday filming deer when i came across a sleeping Fox,I was within 2 meters of it.To be so close & yet not disturb the Fox was awesome.Then a bit later on i saw a vixen & cub but she spotted me & gave out the biggest bark i've ever heard

Oookster · #62 (**permalink**) 05-05-2008, 04:36 PM

Nice

went to lake Vymyry (Or something like that) and got my first wood warbler

wonderful place lots to see there spent a aghe watching the dippers and peregrines

Oookster

RockHopper · #63 (**permalink**) 06-05-2008, 06:20 PM

Do you mean Vyrnwy in North Wales ? Lovely place, its only 1 hour away from us. Havent been yet this year, not had the time unfortunately.

Is this restricted to the UK ? Just got back from holiday in Cuba. We hired a bird guide who took us around the Cayo islands.

I saw a Cuban Tody, (what a little gem of a bird) and a juvenile American Black Hawk. Both almost within touching distance.

A truly magnificent day

Bub-les · #64 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 12:08 AM

I'm so glad I started this thread I enjoy reading about all the wonderful moments. Keep them coming.
My latest one was 2 days ago. I was driving along a very narrow country road and rounded a bend and saw

for once I had my camera!
Sorry the photo is so bad! I took it through a rather dirty windscreen as I didn't want to frighten them.
Barbara

deer boy · #65 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 01:00 AM

That's lovely lucky u (what do u want prettyer than that)

JennyS · #66 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 09:34 AM

Had a surprise when walking along a beach/estuary here a couple of days ago - saw a White Stork flying overhead, being mobbed by a couple of crows. Oh for a photo.....!

witham · #67 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 09:50 AM

Last night hearing such a commotion and straight away thinking blinking Magpies, Crows etc, next thing a Sparrowhawk appeared with a fledgling in its talons, landed in the garden started to pluck the poor little thing then saw me and flew off over the hedge, I went up the garden to shut the chickens up and it or another one took off from out of one of the Hawthorn trees with another, don't think it was the same one as it had flown off in another direction

Goatboy · #68 (**permalink**) 17-05-2008, 12:36 PM

Spent the day at RSPB Conwy yesterday. Amongst many others saw Curlew, Reed Warbler, Dunlin, LRP, Wheatear and Red Breasted Merganser.

Best of all was some great views of three Lapwing chicks that were pottering around the mother. Sometimes the simplest things give the greatest pleasure

JAYS · #69 (**permalink**) 18-05-2008, 01:17 AM

Well, this wildlfe moment was actually a couple of months ago but maybe still worth the telling. I enjoyed watching it unfold. The story is already in print on the local country park web site so after a very short precis I'll add the web address.

So the precis: great crested grebe catches a fish that is too big to swallow, harassed by black headed gulls which eventually get the fish, which is also too big for them to swallow, and they keep dropping it. Eventually a coot grabs the fish, is chased by the gulls, but gets a fish dinner.

Photos and fuller story at:
REDDISH VALE COUNTRY PARK

Hope you like it

Bub-les · #70 (**permalink**) 18-05-2008, 09:39 AM

That was a wonderful experience for you. Amazing photos set off an excellent narrative. Well done and thank you for sharing it.
Barbara

al woodcock · #71 (**permalink**) 18-05-2008, 08:59 PM

Finally finding an Adder having been searching all last summer with no luck!
Managed to get really close up photos of her as she was slowing down at the end of the day.

NicolaB · #72 (**permalink**) 18-05-2008, 10:29 PM

I saw my first Little Owl today on Skomer, and have finally seen all of the British Owls in the wild now!!

I got these pics..not the best in the world as my camera is a bit stunted in the zoom lens dept, but they are pics of a wild British Little Owl nonetheless!

deer boy · #73 (**permalink**) 19-05-2008, 12:29 AM

There great shots, i would love to see a little owl i've seen tawny & barn but no other wild owls

ChrisJB · #74 (**permalink**) 19-05-2008, 08:54 PM

I got a great view of an osprey catching a perch at Leighton Moss yesterday. And literally seconds after, a male marsh harrier tangling with a buzzard overhead.

Regards, Chris

Ukwildlifeo · #75 (**permalink**) 19-05-2008, 09:45 PM

yesterday after seeing a local damselfly pond swarming with the things, I was just walking out when I heard weird squeaking coming from a tree. Two familys of dog walkers walked past oblivous, and I was looking up at the tree. I then realised the sounds was in front on opposite side of the ditch about 3m away. I looked down and saw 2 shaped bounce in out the long grass in front of me and disappear back into it. I first thought rat and then said to my gf "Stoat!?" she said yes as she saw them, I jumped the stream to see one looking back at me. My first Stoats in my local haunt