Your day's wildlife

[nickyboy]

I love to help the birds but some are being a bit naughty

First pic is one of the hanging baskets. If you look underneath...a small pile of soil. What could have done this?

Closer inspection reveals a clue

A golf ball sized hole going deep into the soil.

Actually I already knew what was going on. If I water the baskets late evening sometimes a small bird will shoot out. They're digging holes and roosting in the basket. Nice and warm and safe from predators. I can't make out what species but I'd guess blue tits or similar. They aren't eating the plants which are growing as happily as ever

 

[Ripple]

Common buzzard.

 

[nickyboy]

***Hanging Basket Update***

Walked past one of the baskets at dusk last night and a Blue Tit shot out and nearly took my head off. So it was obviously roosting there as they don't nest in places like that

But then the plot thickens....watering the baskets this morning at 9am and a Wren shot out of the golf ball sized hole. at 9am there is no way it was roosting so is it making a burrow-type nest (Wrens don't usually do this)? is it finding grubs in the hole? Or is it living up to its Latin name of Troglodytes Troglodytes (literally "cave dweller)?

 

[rockyroller]

They aren't eating the plants which are growing as happily as ever

harmonic symbiosis

 

[rockyroller]

Walked past one of the baskets at dusk last night and a Blue Tit shot out and nearly took my head off. So it was obviously roosting there as they don't nest in places like thatBut then the plot thickens....watering the baskets this morning at 9am and a Wren shot out of the golf ball sized hole. at 9am there is no way it was roosting so is it making a burrow-type nest (Wrens don't usually do this)? is it finding grubs in the hole? Or is it living up to its Latin name of Troglodytes Troglodytes (literally "cave dweller)?

you must be right! Troglodyte bird

 

[annedonnelly]

They aren't eating the plants which are growing as happily as ever

Unfortunately the Starlings are nicking bits of my plants to sweeten their nest. I've learned from experience to keep the lavender & rosemary out of their way, but it seems that comfrey is equally attractive.

 

[roubaixtuesday]

A stoat* ran right across in front of us on the evening ride last night with something in its mouth, probably a rodent. Beautiful animal.

*Identified by the black tip on its tail.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

you must be right! Troglodyte bird

you must be right! Troglodyte bird

Though it's also known as le roitelet, le troglodyte is also in general use in French.

 

[rockyroller]

general use in French.

interesting. I tried learning French when I was infatuated w/ a colleague about 10 yrs ago. made a general fool of myself, glad that's behind me

 

[Proto]

Do deer sh*t in the woods?

Update: I'm now thinking badger!

Most mornings I take the dog for a walk in the woods behind our house, and we usually see a deer or two. If the dog sees them it’s a struggle to stop her chasing them, red mist comes doan and she’s off.

I digress. Plenty of evidence of the deer* toilet block on the trails. It seems they dig a small hole, then poo in it. Amazing. Photos don’t clearly show the depth of the hole they dig, but it’s a proper toilet. Used more than once, the second photo shows very fresh poor on top of some older ’deposits’.

* I’m assuming it’s deer. Plenty of foxes about, badgers too, not to mention the rabbits that are destroying my garden. 😡

 

[rockyroller]

Plenty of evidence of the deer* toilet bloc on the trails. It seems they dig a small hole, then poo in it.

do deer do that? I've only ever seen little piles of small round pellets

 

[Proto]

do deer do that? I've only ever seen little piles of small round pellets

Update, you might be right.

Well, I'll admit to a fair amount of assumption as I've never seen them actually going about their business, so to speak. Deffo not dog, nobody apart from me and my dog ever go there, and it's the wrong size, smell and colour. Doesn't really smell, nothing like dog, and not like the fox poo my dog likes to roll in, so I'm left with deer, and there are plenty of them around. Pellets all over my garden from rabbits.

Edit: this article suggests it's badger poo. Certainly the right shape and colour, and it's in a hole!. Roe deer poo is quite different, apparently. And there are badgers about, I've even seen one casually strolling down the lane mid afternoon, not a care in the world. Hmmmm!

https://www.discoverwildlife.com/how-to/identify-wildlife/how-to-identify-animal-droppings/

 

[rockyroller]

this article suggests it's badger

wow, good to know huh?

I'm wondering who/what peed on my right rear car tire last night or early this morning

 

[newfhouse]

A mouse in the garden yesterday. Is it a field mouse?

 

[rockyroller]

A mouse in the garden yesterday. Is it a field mouse?

great pic! interesting angle. don't know much about mice. here's one my cats found in the house