spuggies and jackdaws and hedgehogs and frogs

[Ullman]

Enjoyed the splash of colour brought to the fields near Skirlaugh by a flock of yellowhammers yesterday.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

57 minutes ago, Ullman said:

Enjoyed the splash of colour brought to the fields near Skirlaugh by a flock of yellowhammers yesterday.

I'm very envious, Ullman - a lovely species that can cheer up even the dullest day. 

When Mrs WWD and I were seriously courting, we sometimes stayed at her family's clifftop chalet at Skipsea and there were often yellowhammers in the clifftop, scrubby vegetation, along with big numbers of linnets.

Needless to say, the chalet was claimed by the avaricious North Sea many decades ago!

[GUBRATS]

First brood of ducklings at the ' clay hole ' Hindley green today

[Padge]

We have a tree in our front garden which a pair pigeons set up nest in last year. The pigeons were back inspecting it this year, back and forth checking it out. So were the magpies, they have basically nicked it piece by piece.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Heard the 'booming bittern' on a walk down the river to Fairburn Ings. Mrs S fascinated by the guano covering the trees being used by the nesting cormorants.

Then when back home wondered why the songbirds were getting all excited and a chaffinch was hiding behind the feeders but not feeding before noticing the male and female sparrowhawks patrolling the sky - the male came zooming along the hedge at the bottom of the garden at one point.

[Futtocks]

Move along, nothing to see here...

[voteronniegibbs]

.

Edited August 6, 2023 by voteronniegibbs

[M j M]

Seagulls at Heysham today.

 

[GUBRATS]

On 11/04/2021 at 21:50, GUBRATS said:

First brood of ducklings at the ' clay hole ' Hindley green today

Unfortunately only 2 of 15 have survived , we've had loads of seagulls recently taking them , a couple of other broods about , last night one came over and dived down onto a brood , mother duck shot up into the air forcing the hunter away 

[Ullman]

On 23/04/2021 at 22:33, M j M said:

Seagulls at Heysham today.

 

Look like black backed gulls in the first two photos and a herring gull in the third.

[Ullman]

Stopped off at Spurn for a sandwich and a coffee while out on my bike today. Was pleased to see a little egret in the marshes next to the cafe.

[Old Frightful]

2 hours ago, Ullman said:

Stopped off at Spurn for a sandwich and a coffee while out on my bike today. Was pleased to see a little egret in the marshes next to the cafe.

Why...did it pay for your refreshments?

[Ullman]

28 minutes ago, Old Frightful said:

Why...did it pay for your refreshments?

A bird buying me lunch in Kilnsea.

Living the dream.

[ivans82]

A small beck runs through  quite a busy part of Workington , and in the space of about 200 yards there is a mother Mallard with 4 chicks ,a pair of Moorhens with 7 chicks , and a Swan who has been on it"s nest for nearly a month .

[voteronniegibbs]

.

Edited August 6, 2023 by voteronniegibbs

[Futtocks]

2 hours ago, voteronniegibbs said:

There's still no sight of the House Martins returning.

A couple have been spotted in the (beautiful) South.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On 27/04/2021 at 13:36, voteronniegibbs said:

There's still no sight of the House Martins returning. They're usually with us by now in south notts. The earliest we can remember them is about the 13th-14th April. 

They are on the way, VRG.  About thirty seen at one spot in Hampshire about four hours ago.  The last two or three days have seen the first reports of swifts in Hampshire this year, too.  Just odd singles or pairs, but I think that is pretty early.  I think of them as being early May arrivals, really, along with nightjars out on the heathland of the New Forest.

[Shadow]

On 09/04/2021 at 22:02, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Mrs WWD and I got an excellent view of two peregrine falcons in the New Forest this afternoon, when we went there to walk the dog.  It was a good reminder that not all members of this species are to be found hanging around churches and cathedrals!

Where in the forest were they? I might go out and see if I can spot them myself.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

9 minutes ago, Shadow said:

Where in the forest were they? I might go out and see if I can spot them myself.

Apologies in advance to you all apart from Shadow; this is by definition a very New Forest and area oriented post!

We had parked in Turf Hill car park, which is on the road from Downton and Redlynch that joins Roger Penny Way, but before it does so.  we were on one of the numkerous paths a few hundred yards from there.  However, I have to say, we haven't seen them since, and are at Turf Hill on most, if not all, days.  It is currently a good spot for seeing stonechats (and if you get lucky, a Dartford warbler) and hearing larks and cuckoos.

In previous years, Fritham Plain has been a great place to both hear and see cuckoos; on one visit, Mrs WWD and I counted five.  Just be aware that The Royal Oak owners appear to be waiting for full opening of pubs being possible before they do so!

Literally just down the road from Fritham is Eyeworth Pond, which is, of course, the old mill pond of a long demolished gunpowder mill.  Small birds in the car park there can always be tempted by birdfood or even just bits of bread, so you get really close views of nuthatches and at least five types of titmouse - blue, great, longtailed, coal and willow (or the last could be marsh, they look so alike!)  On the pond itself, there are often pairs of mandarin ducks in view, though at this time of year, look up in the trees for them; it's where they nest!  A kingfisher or two very occasionally flash by.

Back with peregrines, our two 'local' cathedral pairs - Winnie and Chester at Winchester, and the ones at Salisbury whose names I forget - have both hatched eggs now, with four at Salisbury and three at Winchester, where one egg is still unhatched and may not do so.  So the adults will soon be busy coming and going all the time and should be easily spotted in the two cathedral closes, Shadow.  Winnie and Chester have a good reputation for being very able and conscientious parents, most notably last year when they had five chicks and got them all to fledge, rather than give up on the last-born, which apparently can happen with a brood of this unusually large size.

[Shadow]

9 minutes ago, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Apologies in advance to you all apart from Shadow; this is by definition a very New Forest and area oriented post!

We had parked in Turf Hill car park, which is on the road from Downton and Redlynch that joins Roger Penny Way, but before it does so.  we were on one of the numkerous paths a few hundred yards from there.  However, I have to say, we haven't seen them since, and are at Turf Hill on most, if not all, days.  It is currently a good spot for seeing stonechats (and if you get lucky, a Dartford warbler) and hearing larks and cuckoos.

In previous years, Fritham Plain has been a great place to both hear and see cuckoos; on one visit, Mrs WWD and I counted five.  Just be aware that The Royal Oak owners appear to be waiting for full opening of pubs being possible before they do so!

Literally just down the road from Fritham is Eyeworth Pond, which is, of course, the old mill pond of a long demolished gunpowder mill.  Small birds in the car park there can always be tempted by birdfood or even just bits of bread, so you get really close views of nuthatches and at least five types of titmouse - blue, great, longtailed, coal and willow (or the last could be marsh, they look so alike!)  On the pond itself, there are often pairs of mandarin ducks in view, though at this time of year, look up in the trees for them; it's where they nest!  A kingfisher or two very occasionally flash by.

Back with peregrines, our two 'local' cathedral pairs - Winnie and Chester at Winchester, and the ones at Salisbury whose names I forget - have both hatched eggs now, with four at Salisbury and three at Winchester, where one egg is still unhatched and may not do so.  So the adults will soon be busy coming and going all the time and should be easily spotted in the two cathedral closes, Shadow.  Winnie and Chester have a good reputation for being very able and conscientious parents, most notably last year when they had five chicks and got them all to fledge, rather than give up on the last-born, which apparently can happen with a brood of this unusually large size.

I'm often out around Fritham and have seen the kingfishers at Eyeworth pond. The Royal Oak put a long post on the local Facebook pages explaining why they wouldn't be opening until all restrictions were lifted. 

I have seen plenty of Buzzards around Fritham and Nomansland and spotted a Red Kite coming out of Romsey last week, I've also been fortunate enough to see Owls in the trees when I've been running round Fritham after dark, my guess would be Tawny Owls as they are the most common but my identification skills aren't that great.

I do remind myself how lucky I am to live where I do on a regular basis.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Great walk around the 'Kingdom of Elmet' yesterday. As well as a plethora of songbirds saw 3 hares 2 of which were boxing before they hared away across the fields, a couple of deer crossing the path less than 15 yards from us and a couple of red kite cruising the sky. Unfortunately we didn't take a camera!

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Hopefully they'll catch the culprit(s) but I doubt they'll receive anywhere near sufficient punishment

 

[my missus]

has anyone seen any frog spawn yet? one of the grandkids has asked me to get some i have been to all the usual spots but found nothing, is it still to cold?

[Futtocks]

10 hours ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

Hopefully they'll catch the culprit(s) but I doubt they'll receive anywhere near sufficient punishment

 

Prometheus' punishment seems reasonable.

[Leeds Wire]

First swallows of the year at Wheldrake Cricket Club, just south of York, yesterday