Mammal of the day

mh68 · #1 (**permalink**) 14-01-2008, 04:27 PM

Well, theres a bird of the day thread so I thought why not have a mammal one too

I managed to get down to a local reserve this morning, not having been since before Xmas.Despite leaving home in brilliant sunshine and clear skies, by the time I got to the reserve the light was awful.

I`d only been there maybe 10mins when I came across these 2 Roe Bucks (plus another out of the frame) grazing in one of the neighbouring fields. They were about 100yds away when I first spotted them, but gradually they made their way towards me, until they were within range to get these shots.

Now, previously I`d worked out where they enter the reserve through the hedge upon leaving the field,and positioned myself with this in mind, but today the crafty devils used another gap further away, so I wasnt as close as I could have been.

A little further into the reserve I bumped into the warden, who informed me i`d missed some really good views of an Otter by about an hour

Nice to know theyre around at the moment though. While chatting to him a Red Squirrel came across the treetops towards us, and although no chance of pics we both had a decent view,and he looked in fine condition.We watched him for maybe 5 minutes before he disappeared further along the path

.Nothing else of note was seen mammal-wise, but I managed close views of 2 different Sparrowhawks, one male, one female, hunting over the reedbeds.
Despite missing the Otter (again! - its becoming a habit

) I really enjoyed getting back down there, and the few decent pics I got were a nice bonus.
I dont expect this thread will be as busy as the bird of the day thread, but it would be nice to hear of everyones mammal sightings and see a few pics

Mark H

tigger · #2 (**permalink**) 14-01-2008, 10:32 PM

My little wood mouse, is my mammal of the day

You can also see CCTV footage of him here

Jane

mh68 · #3 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 09:15 AM

Nice one Jane. Enjoyed the video clip, I find small mammals fascinating to watch

Mark H

mh68 · #4 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 03:26 PM

...a rather poor shot of a Woodmouse which appeared on the garden path feeding on birdseed. It seemed to be using one of my hedgehog houses, so hopefully it`ll make an appearance again soon so I can get a better shot

Mark H

naturelover · #5 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 03:43 PM

Hi this is a yesterday picture but its my only mammel,big fat hoggy and what an apropriete name,sorry i know i have spelt that wrong please forgive me.

Kayleigh · #6 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 04:31 PM

My mammal of the day was last week actually. We saw a small deer in the hedgerow staring at us(me and hubby) He had just put the camera away to walk home when we saw it. The deer then ran off into some thicket.

tufftie · #7 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 05:18 PM

LOL - think this is going to have to go to the squirrels in my garden for making me laugh all the time!

....Charismatic grey ones none of these cutey cute red types!!! (little devil smilie needed)

tigger · #8 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 06:02 PM

I will dig out one of my squirrel videos for your Tufftie! They make me laugh too. Did you see the squirrel assault course video that is doing the rounds? (not one of mine!) very clever little critters!

tufftie · #9 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigger

I will dig out one of my squirrel videos for your Tufftie! They make me laugh too. Did you see the squirrel assault course video that is doing the rounds? (not one of mine!) very clever little critters!

That would be really good

i love your films

Not recently is that the one from Daylight Robbery 2? There was also a docu with one - narrated by David Attenborough...

tigger · #10 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 07:57 PM

The video was called Squirrel Obstacle course

Enjoy!

I will also dig out any squirrely footage I have.

Jane

naturelover · #11 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 08:09 PM

love it love it,cheeky little devil going for the chocolate bars,how ever did he manage that,and i love the obsticle race,they are so inteligent to work all that out.

tigger · #12 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 08:18 PM

Is there any way this thread can become a "sticky" so that we can add to it daily?

tufftie · #13 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 09:08 PM

That's the Daylight Robbery 2 video (Jessica Holm) - great one of you like squirrels! Look forward to your video!

Words · #14 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 10:48 PM

Nice idea for a thread, though variety is going to be a bit of a problem! Here's my contribution for today: a woodmouse making off with a sultana!

tigger · #15 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 10:58 PM

That's really weird. I put sultanas down for my wood mouse and he ignored them! Great picture.

Words · #16 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 11:24 PM

I'd wondered whether they were taking them. Mainly I leave a handful to tempt the local foxes (yes, I've seen the thread on the pros and cons of that!), and the pigeons sweep up anything left in the morning. The wood mouse staple is peanuts in the bird feeder (picture from a little while ago).

tigger · #17 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 11:30 PM

Amazing picture! I'm starting to think that my wood mouse has made a nest in one of our bird nestboxes. Trouble is I hadn't actually put the box up yet... it's still on the floor in the lobby! I've trained the camera onto it tonight to see if I can see anything.

Jane

Words · #18 (**permalink**) 15-01-2008, 11:46 PM

It's very bold when it's mind is set on getting the peanuts. I'm usually a couple of feet away, no more, firing shots with my macro lens/flash. Ground shots are several orders more tricky as they won't keep still!

tufftie · #19 (**permalink**) 16-01-2008, 07:13 AM

They're funny things

there were some yellow necked mice living in a small nest under some corrugated iron (put out for slow worms and lizards), one was quite bold but the others scattered if i peeked under. They do seem to like peanuts and sunflower seeds. They disappeared in early autumn and were replaced by a couple of slow worms for while - curled up in the old grass nest. The nest is inside a little hollow. They went the autumn before too and came back in the spring and i'm hoping they will be back again this year...a peedie bit earlier, before i move - then i can take some photos (correction try and take some photos!

)

jennyb · #20 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 09:15 AM

I was getting dressed this morning and happened to look out of the window as 2 foxes ran across the lawn! Guess what - no camera handy

I know there are foxes around here but we don't see them very often and I have never seen 2 together before.

I continued getting dressed and noticed 2 red kites flying overhead.

All this by 8 in the morning! Maybe today is going to be a good day.

Jenny

mh68 · #21 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennyb

I was getting dressed this morning and happened to look out of the window as 2 foxes ran across the lawn! Guess what - no camera handy

I know there are foxes around here but we don't see them very often and I have never seen 2 together before.

I continued getting dressed and noticed 2 red kites flying overhead.

All this by 8 in the morning! Maybe today is going to be a good day.

Jenny

Shame you didnt get any pics Jenny, but what an excellent way to start the day

Mark H

jennyb · #22 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennyb

Maybe today is going to be a good day.
Jenny

Yep, after the 2 foxes this morning, there were 4 deer in the field out front this evening - 3 roe (Mum and 2 youngsters from last year) and a muntjac. Too dark for photographs.

Only one squirrel attacking my bird feeders today - I think they don't like this weather either!

Not a bad day considering I did not go anywhere

Jenny

tufftie · #23 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 07:38 PM

Had 2 funny ones..the first was last night was woken up by a big crash and rather uncertainly i peeked through the curtain to see some white stripes looking around. It was Trinity, the naughtiest badger that visits, who tried to pretend he hadn't knocked the recycling box over and then started to try and climb up the trellis to one of the squirrel feeders which still had peanuts in it.

Then earlier on today Hobbit, the boss squirrel, was caught in the act half in and half out of my bedroom window. Turned out i'd forgotten to put nuts in her box and she was letting me know what she thought! She does sometimes come in but mercifully only this house i'm in at the moment. Trying to stop her from doing it as moving very soon now. Luckily a neighbough feeds them too - so they wont suddenly be without a food supply.

Harold Smith · #24 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 08:32 PM

Here is my contribution.

It is a House Mouse which lives under a load of old bricks and paving stones. Next to them is a bird feeder table and the mouse takes adantage of the available food next to its front door. I have observed this for about four or five years so I am pretty sure that the mouse in the photograph is probably second or third generation or more.

Harold.

Ps. The photograph was taken last September.

tufftie · #25 (**permalink**) 17-01-2008, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Words

It's very bold when it's mind is set on getting the peanuts. I'm usually a couple of feet away, no more, firing shots with my macro lens/flash. Ground shots are several orders more tricky as they won't keep still!

Do you get any yellow necked mice your way? Just wondered i'm in east sussex and we get quite a few round here.