Your day's wildlife

[VinSumRox]

No pics, but went out for a walk and saw a kingfisher, deer, fieldfares and a couple of herons.

 

[Gillstay]

They Hawthorn berries are finally running out as the winter thrushes eat them, but the amount of sloes left around here is quite amazing.

 

[rockyroller]

mouse in the car. this is what I saw after picking up my car from a body shop where it's been for 2 weeks

set up 1 trap & 2 cameras overnight EDIT: but no luck (which is good, in this case)

here's hoping there's no stowaway, cuz if there is, I'm bringing them to NY, hehe

 

[biggs682]

We have at least a pair of Robins using our bird table and the rest of the rear garden, over the last couple of weeks I thought we had but never caught them together on the trail camera or with the naked eye.

But yesterday one was feeding on a ground feeder and at the same time another one was observing the rear garden from it's normal perch on the bird table, I asked my Swmbo to confirm the sightings which she did .

Doubt I will get photo evidence of them but you never know.

 

[rockyroller]

checked the game camera at my Mother's house. haven't been in a cpl weeks. Christmas Eve morning mouse

 

[laurentian]

Saw the first treecreeper I had seen for a while on Boxing Day. Such small things give me great pleasure.

 

[rockyroller]

question for the bird feeders. since we have been having trouble w/ rodents I was thinking of taking down our hopper style seed feeder & putting up some type of suit feeder. is this a sound idea?

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

question for the bird feeders. since we have been having trouble w/ rodents I was thinking of taking down our hopper style seed feeder & putting up some type of suit feeder. is this a sound idea?

I suspect a lot depends on what species you have, in what environment and the time of year. In the UK what birds eat what varies a lot through the year eg at the moment Blue tits are eating sunflower hearts and peanuts whilst robins like fat balls, wood peckers peanuts only, etc.

Also remember that, depending on the environment, feeding birds can actually damage bird populations and diversity. Not all species will visit feeders and feeding benefits those species that do use feeders giving them a big advantage, increasing their populations allowing them to out-compete other species for other resources like nesting sites. some years back I ended-up refilling a large sunflower hearts feeder every day and had vast flock of Goldfinches empty it, I'd totally skewed the environment and their population and put everything out of balance.

Not saying one shouldn't feed birds (I feed them) but think carefully about how much, when, etc. And in many situations important to grow appropriate plant species to provide a balanced ecosystem (ie to support insects that are prey for eg birds, to provide shelter and protection, roosting/nesting sites, etc.).

 

[rockyroller]

loose dog!

 

[Poacher]

Took the 3 euros bus from Funchal to Pico do Arieiro this afternoon. Female Kestrel kept teasing me, posing or hovering nicely but moving as soon as I raised the camera. Knew she'd stop somewhere to preen, being female (cue justified outrage).

Next up was a Robin, first I've seen here.

Aabsurdly tame Red-legged Partridge.

But the star of the show was a Berthelot's Pipit, my reward for sitting patiently on an uncomfortable rock for 40 minutes or so. They're only found in Madeira and the Canary Islands.

Shan't bother posting pics of lizards, even though I was surprised to find them at this altitude.