Your day's wildlife

[nickyboy]

A couple of raptor lazily flying around RAF Alconbury, being mobbed by crows.
Not red kite, I didn't think they were buzzards, they looked a bit lean, larger wingspan, and knowing there are a good few marsh harriers not so many mikes away as the crow flies...i did wonder if they were harriers but not near enough to get a good look at any detail.
Buzzards more likely but their general build kinda said maybe not.

The real giveaway for harriers is that when they are gliding, they hold their wings in a "V" shape. Buzzards hold their wings "flat". Of course if they're a long way up or they're flapping away, it's hard to discern this

Here's a good pic showing it

 

[gbb]

There is, or used to be, although I'd see no reason for them to have deserted perfect habitat...a group of Marsh Harriers on the Fens near Whittlesea. I once watched 6 of them during the summer, two of them frequenting a particular spot, I assume their nest....about 1/4 mile away through my scope. On the same day we saw a pair quartering nearby fields, quite lazy wingbeat, not in any rush at all, we watched them for 1/2 hour. Same location another day, we arrived early to see a tawny owl sat on a nearby post....only the 2nd one I've seen in maybe 30 years.

 

[nickyboy]

Long ride in the Peak District yesterday so I decided to make note of any birds I saw on the high ground, away from the villages. The villages had the usual species; blackbirds, robins, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, house sparrows, mistle thrushes etc etc. But when you got over 1000ft up it was pretty barren

Heard a Red Grouse on Snake Pass (they're there all year round). Saw quite a few Black Headed Gulls and a couple of Herring Gulls. Quite a few corvids (Raven, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie). A flock of Starlings on Cat and Fiddle near the top. And that's about it. Tough eking out an existence on the tops in winter

 

[MikeG]

200+ fieldfares on some overhead wires by an abandoned apple orchard was a highlight of a walk with the pooch yesterday, and this morning I went to the part of the local wood where there are always jays, and there were some jays. It's hard to tell how many, but more than 2.

 

[potsy]

Waiting for me to fill up the feeder...

 

[Illaveago]

My day started off well on my cycle ride today. A large flock of mixed black birds were milling around, I think the majority of them were Jackdaws as I could hear them calling. I continued my ride and saw a pair of Partridges in a large open field. On my return journey I had a close up view of a Kestrel hunting in a field close to the edge of the road. And later this afternoon in Lacock I saw a very large flock of FieldFares flying North East.

 

[Paulus]

A Bandicoot trying to get into the apartment near Albany, Western Australia .

 

[philk56]

Some shots from a trip last week to Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth WA. The animal for which the island is famous (a quokka), osprey nest and a colony of New Zealand Fur Seals chilling in the sea.

 

[biggs682]

A quick film shot on my phone yesterday in Poole bay


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u75AWcZJJ-U&feature=share

 

[MikeG]

First time I ever fell off a bike was on Rottnest. We used to stay in an old prison.

 

[MikeG]

Can anyone tell me what this chap normally lives on? He is inside my porch, alive and active, and I worry that it will starve to death over the winter. I know that caterpillars are generally species-specific in terms of feeding, so I can't just chuck it into the nearest patch of nettles. Sorry about the poor photos.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Can anyone tell me what this chap normally lives on? He is inside my porch, alive and active, and I worry that it will starve to death over the winter. I know that caterpillars are generally species-specific in terms of feeding, so I can't just chuck it into the nearest patch of nettles. Sorry about the poor photos.

View attachment 439808

View attachment 439809

Close up pics needed. I have some good books by Richard Lewington which will help ID this chap. Then you can leave it to hibernate near it’s food plant.

Or shallow fry and add soy sauce.

 

[MikeG]

I'll see if I can get a better photo.

 

[MikeG]

 

[biggs682]

Cycling back through one of the underpass's on my regular commute that has a small stream running alongside the other day , i caught a flash of really bright colour take off and get lost in a nearby bush same again today but this time i carried on flying and it was deffo a Kingfisher so well pleased it's only the fourth time i have seen one .

Such a bright colour and soo quick