spuggies and jackdaws and hedgehogs and frogs

[voteronniegibbs]

Took a rare opportunity to take middle son to Bempton Cliffs today. What a magnificent, stunning place.

I really urge anyone with even the vaguest interest in wildlife to pay a visit if you can - puffins, gannets, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, you name it - you can almost reach out and touch them. You need to go at this time of year, mind.

Also went into Bridlington for an hour or so - even that place looked ok in the sunshine today. Went on the pirate ship cruise too, so we did. Yaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr!

happy day

Brid has a very nice south beach

[Ullman]

Took a rare opportunity to take middle son to Bempton Cliffs today. What a magnificent, stunning place.

I really urge anyone with even the vaguest interest in wildlife to pay a visit if you can - puffins, gannets, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, you name it - you can almost reach out and touch them. You need to go at this time of year, mind.

Also went into Bridlington for an hour or so - even that place looked ok in the sunshine today. Went on the pirate ship cruise too, so we did. Yaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr!

happy day

You're right. The cliffs at Bempton are a stunning spectacle. If you're around there again Dane's Dyke and Flamborough are well worth a visit too.

I like Brid mesen. My favourite bit is the Old Town around the Priory though. It's very different to the part of town that caters for day-trippers and holiday makers.

[Red Willow]

We appear to have a pair of Blackbirds just sitting on eggs at the moment. They have picked the big Willow tree in the garden. I assume this is the 2nd brood

[Ullman]

Just seen a tawny owl sitting on the grass verge on the Caistor road just outside Barton-on-Humber

It didn't know I was there until I was about four feet away. It was a an amazing sight that close up.

[goldcard]

Had 3 red kites over the house yesterday morning, hardly above rooftop.

Their calls woke me and now ring bearing partner from afterglow slumbers.

For such a bird it's a pityful voice.

Still so awesome to watch, though.

[Leeds Wire]

Something very unusual happened this morning... I was driving up the busy main road between Leeds and Otley (top of Pool Bank near the airport for those that know it) and I slammed on my brakes to avoid a bird that was stood in the middle of the road. As I drove past, giving it a very wide berth, I realised it was a an owl - either a very young tawny or a little owl. It just stood there, staring across the road.

My heart then sank thinking it was soon to be a goner, but as the cars behind me took evasive action the owl just shot up and flew off. Remarkable.

Incidentally I was on my way to Upper Wharfedale to do a walk - loads of birdlife on the Wharfe, like housemartins, oystercatchers, dippers and pied wagtails. The Yorkshire Dales in the sunshine really are a magnificent sight.

[voteronniegibbs]

.

Edited August 7, 2023 by voteronniegibbs

[terrywebbisgod]

Just seen a sparrowhawk fly into the roses at the bottom of the garden trying to get it's prey, then it realised it couldn't get out, never seen that before.

[goldcard]

Just walked along GU canal to come back from Tesco, lovely.

Moorhens, coots, ducks, and duck with more ducklings in tow, dragonflies, various thrushes.

Downside was the swan family on the bank sunning themselves, a parent each side of the cygnets.

Got attacked edging past.....

[ckn]

The pair of song thrushes are back as regular visitors to our garden after a few months away.

[Ullman]

Was pleasantly surprised to see a badger trundling across Welton Dale on Saturday morning. I didn't think they came out in daylight.

[Millman]

Was pleasantly surprised to see a badger trundling across Welton Dale on Saturday morning. I didn't think they came out in daylight.

Saw one at dusk on Saturday. Big ###### it was. Never seen one in full daylight but would love to.

[goldcard]

Saw one at dusk on Saturday. Big ###### it was. Never seen one in full daylight but would love to.

I saw one in my headlights.

They can't half wreck a car.......

[Millman]

I saw one in my headlights.

They can't half wreck a car.......

Yes, so I am told. My mate hit one whilst driving his Fiesta and made a right mess.

The badger baiters really ought to stop throwing them in the road off the back of their landrovers too. Am I really expected to believe that they run out at 1/4 mile intervals and find their way under cars all on the same night?

[Leeds Wire]

A beautiful male sparrowhawk swooped past me today and landed on the roof of the house at the bottom of our garden. He stood there for about 5 minutes, bold as brass.

Unfortunately, my camera is about 10 years old and utter bobbins.

Still, it was a pleasure to watch. This is the best I could do with my hopeless camera, despite only being about 30 metres away:

[ckn]

A beautiful male sparrowhawk swooped past me today and landed on the roof of the house at the bottom of our garden. He stood there for about 5 minutes, bold as brass.

Unfortunately, my camera is about 10 years old and utter bobbins.

Still, it was a pleasure to watch. This is the best I could do with my hopeless camera, despite only being about 30 metres away:

We've had a kestrel sitting on our garden fence lately, every time I go to get some sort of camera it disappears

I can usually tell when it's near because all other noise outside from the little birds stops. Even shuts the magpies up

I should really keep the camera ready on my desk rather than putting it securely away in its padded bag...

[Leeds Wire]

Where have all the birds gone? Seriously, all the varieties of #### and finches seem to have just disappeared.

All that is left are a couple of fat wood pigeons, a pair of blackbirds eating our manky old apples, one occasional robin and a fleeting visit from a solitary jay.

What's going on?

Edit T. I. T. S. is not a swear word!

Edited January 19, 2012 by Leeds Wire

[Ullman]

Where have all the birds gone? Seriously, all the varieties of #### and finches seem to have just disappeared.

All that is left are a couple of fat wood pigeons, a pair of blackbirds eating our manky old apples, one occasional robin and a fleeting visit from a solitary jay.

What's going on?

Edit T. I. T. S. is not a swear word!

Is that in your garden? I've seen loads of blue t i t s and great t i t s and some fair sized flocks of goldfinches out in the country.

A week or two back I saw a huge flock of fieldfares at Wrangmandale Wold and one of the biggest flocks of lapwings I've ever seen.

[Trojan]

Where have all the birds gone? Seriously, all the varieties of #### and finches seem to have just disappeared.

All that is left are a couple of fat wood pigeons, a pair of blackbirds eating our manky old apples, one occasional robin and a fleeting visit from a solitary jay.

What's going on?

Edit T. I. T. S. is not a swear word!

It's the mild winter keeping them in the country according to this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/22/birds-gardens-rspb-winter

I know that on New Years Day, the bird table at my daughters near Stonehenge was swarming with chaffinches, bluetits, coaltits and starlings.

[Leeds Wire]

Is that in your garden? I've seen loads of blue t i t s and great t i t s and some fair sized flocks of goldfinches out in the country.

A week or two back I saw a huge flock of fieldfares at Wrangmandale Wold and one of the biggest flocks of lapwings I've ever seen.

Yes, sorry, I meant in my garden.

I wonder if the spread of red kites is scaring them away. The kites are now regularly hovering only about 20 metres above all the gardens around here - I know they don't usually go for live prey but the garden birds probably don't know that!

edit - thanks Trojan, that would explain it

Edited January 23, 2012 by Leeds Wire

[Red Willow]

My garden has had all the usual vistors, long tailed ####, gold finches, and a solo woodpecker

We feed them all year wonder if that makes a difference.

[Trojan]

Yes, sorry, I meant in my garden.

I wonder if the spread of red kites is scaring them away. The kites are now regularly hovering only about 20 metres above all the gardens around here - I know they don't usually go for live prey but the garden birds probably don't know that!

edit - thanks Trojan, that would explain it

I've sen red kites over Eccup Resevoir

[Wolford6]

I wonder if the spread of red kites is scaring them away ... I know they don't usually go for live prey but the garden birds probably don't know that!

Oh yes they do. Ignore all that guff the RSPB says about them taking rabbits and so forth. Their easiest meal is a knackered racing pigeon that's just flown 100 miles on its way home.

[Leeds Wire]

I was, ahem, working hard in my study at home this aft, looked out of the window and saw this handsome jay in the cherry tree, waiting for the rain to stop. Again, rubbish camera, but another nice moment.

[Ullman]

A bloomin' great buzzard flew over Ermine Street as I was cycling along yesterday.

They seem to be becoming more common in this part of the world.