Your wildlife encounters....

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Keep going.....
Montagu's would be lifer for me.

We were stunningly lucky - but sadly no pictures because it was one of those situations where you knew if you changed what you were doing, it would break the 'spell' and they would leave. I have no idea how long we cycled with the parent bird only 20m or so in front of us and not that much higher than us either but it was magical. the young was being taught to catch other birds (I assume this is what was going on) and was repeatedly trying to catch the parent bird, only aborting the 'attack' at the last moment. At the time we had no idea what the birds were, other than birds of prey, it was only as we left the nature reserve that we were cycling through that we came across a notice board (in Danish) and immediately recognised the harrier in the pictures. Luckily the name in Danish is the same as English!

 

[Poacher]

Finally caught up with the Glossy Ibis at Lowdham this morning, but can't count it as a cycling sighting as my wife insisted on driving there.
A couple of embarrassingly fuzzy photos - think I must have the wrong setting on the camera, as it looked pin-sharp through the scope.

As for cycling sightings, unfortunately no photos, but I've seen a Common Crane in a harvested maize field near Stoke Bardolph and a Cedar Waxwing at two or three different locations in Nottingham - at one point I was leading a small convoy of twitchers' cars around potential sites, before finally catching up with "Cedric" in a much larger flock of Bohemian Waxwings at Haydn Road.

 

[Jon George]

A flying carpet of stoats ... seriously, that was my first thought as a family of them darted out from a bush to scamper over the road. And earlier this year, I had a herd of about twelve deer bolt out of a copse, into the lane and leap the hedgerow opposite, causing me to brake damn hard. And I, too, have had a barn owl 'escort' me down a country lane.

 

[nappadang]

Came across a very young hedgehog while out today. Very small and out during day light means trouble. Even if it has no illnesses, it's size would certainly doom it to a premature death during hibernation.
Fortunately, my wife (and me on a lesser extent) rescue wild hogs. Our latest addition (I've named him Trek) Is now in our spare bedroom with food and water.
We're not out the woods with Trek, he's really dehydrated and probably under nourished. My wife is feeding him a glucose solution every couple of hours. Next 48 hours are critical. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

 

[nappadang]

Well done, they need all the help they can get.

They do indeed, at the current rate of decline, hogs will be extinct in Britain in less than 15 years

 

[nappadang]

Just incase anyone is interested, here's an update on the hedgehog I found today......
Weight: 227g less than half what it should be to successfully hibernate.
Severely dehydrated and weak. It would have probably perished tonight if not found and there's still a good chance it will not see tomorrow. That said, we have managed to get some fluid (glucose / salt/water solution) and some lactose free milk and rusk food in to him. Lap of the gods type stuff tonight.

 

[Easytigers]

Just incase anyone is interested, here's an update on the hedgehog I found today......
Weight: 227g less than half what it should be to successfully hibernate.
Severely dehydrated and weak. It would have probably perished tonight if not found and there's still a good chance it will not see tomorrow. That said, we have managed to get some fluid (glucose / salt/water solution) and some lactose free milk and rusk food in to him. Lap of the gods type stuff tonight.

How did it get on? Hope it's happy news!

 

[Poacher]

At the risk of being a bit harsh, I'm not seeing the glossy aspect.

With that quality of focus, you won't be seeing very much of anything! Checked the camera, and sure enough, I'd left it on a setting for everyday pics instead of digiscoping. Dammit! For a professional-quality pic of the same bird, see here. Still not particularly glossy, though, as it's a young'un, and won't have the eponymous glossy wings until it reaches adulthood next Spring.

 

[Poacher]

Just incase anyone is interested, here's an update on the hedgehog I found today......
Weight: 227g less than half what it should be to successfully hibernate.
Severely dehydrated and weak. It would have probably perished tonight if not found and there's still a good chance it will not see tomorrow. That said, we have managed to get some fluid (glucose / salt/water solution) and some lactose free milk and rusk food in to him. Lap of the gods type stuff tonight.

Fingers crossed here for the young hog (makes typing difficult, though). Sounds like little Trek was fortunate to be found by the best possible rescuers.

 

[nappadang]

Fingers crossed here for the young hog (makes typing difficult, though). Sounds like little Trek was fortunate to be found by the best possible rescuers.

Nice of you to say so, thanks.
He survived the night and has eaten /taken water on board of his own volition. This is a tiny first step but positive all the same.
His stools suggest infection so we'll start him om a course of (bloody expensive) antibiotics tonight, if his condition doesn't deteriorate.

 

[nappadang]

Trek,update. .. ......

He's still with us and eating us out of house and home. He's been wormed and finished a course of antibiotics. It's looking good, he's gained 50% of his original body weight (346g now) if we can get him to 550g ish, we'll look at a supervised hibernation.
Thanks for the kind words

 

[booze and cake]

Trek,update. .. ......

He's still with us and eating us out of house and home. He's been wormed and finished a course of antibiotics. It's looking good, he's gained 50% of his original body weight (346g now) if we can get him to 550g ish, we'll look at a supervised hibernation.
Thanks for the kind words

Just caught up on this thread, great news, well done Mr & Mrs Nappadang

I must confess when I read "His stools suggest infection........" you folks clearly know what you're doing

 

[nappadang]

Just caught up on this thread, great news, well done Mr & Mrs Nappadang

I must confess when I read "His stools suggest infection........" you folks clearly know what you're doing

Stools is how these things are discussed with the vet and in polite conversation. I'd normally use far more colourful language but I feared I'd upset the delicate and decent folk who use this forum .
Yes, anyway, Trek is fine, it's the other two that are more of a worry currently.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Rang over a squirrel today on my bike... back wheel survived as did the squirrel (a grey).

 

[srw]

Cycling through Bloomsbury this evening on my way home from work a very sleek adult fox trotted out of Tavistock Square Gardens, crossed the road through the rush-hour traffic and disappeared towards the Senate House.