There was a heron near Loch Awe this afternoon, only reason i saw it there the traffic lights were taking forever. With the hailstones whacking off the screen i did feel sorry for it.
What animals (wildlife) have you seen today?
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It is not unusual to see a heron at the local pond about a mile from my house, which I reach through a path through the woods (the deer park, as it were). It is an artifical lake and there's a high earthen dam that's great for sitting and watching things. In mid-winder, sitting there will also be a good test of your clothing, too. Once, sitting and watching the local birdlife, which included two herons, I watched one heron go into a stalking mode and then make a quick lunge into the water near the edge, and come up with a fish in its beak. The other heron naturally came over and tried to steal it but failed. The whole scene made my day.
An unexpected trait of these wading birds is that they perch in trees. They also have a very cartoonish appearance when flying. They fly rather slowly and sedately and you almost expect to see them carrying a little bundle in their beaks but so far I haven't.
An unexpected trait of these wading birds is that they perch in trees. They also have a very cartoonish appearance when flying. They fly rather slowly and sedately and you almost expect to see them carrying a little bundle in their beaks but so far I haven't.
Last weekend we went out to visit a staging area of the common crane. It's about an hour from my home, and always worth a visit during the migration time! Currently there are about 70 000 birds in the area, and it's an awesome experience to watch them in the evening when they come from their feeding areas to the few sleeping places!
We have a fox that lives on the reservoirs at the back of my house in Grimsargh near Preston, I haven't seen it for some weeks but at 0715 hours this morning saw it walking down the walkway in between two of the reservoirs. My dog saw it fractionally after I did at which point the fox made a short exit and disappeared into the undergrowth.
On Sunday 27th October whilst salmon fishing at Paythorne on the River Ribble I saw movement in my peripheral vision and at first thought it was a salmon entering the pool making its way upstream, however as I watched I saw a large brown furry head and long sleek body moving effortlessly up river and realised it was an otter.
I have seen otters on about 7 rivers in the north of England and on the inner and outer Hebrides and probably sight about 3 or so separate ones each year, but this is the first one I have seen on the Ribble and Hodder system in 35 years of fishing both rivers.
I have found spoors and particularly spraint on both rivers and have heard them at night but this was the first one I had seen and watched it as it made its way upstream where at one point it disappeared under some tree roots and next thing slid down the banking on its belly back into the river.
I was below the skyline dressed in mute colours and stood in the water and as far as I'm aware didn't see me and I watched it for about 5 minutes until it disappeared from view, it was a large creature and took it to be a dog otter and would estimate it being 3ft long excluding it tail.
I didn't catch a salmon although two had been caught earlier and did see some porpoising upstream, but having seen an otter certainly made up for the lack of sport.
JohnClayton
On Sunday 27th October whilst salmon fishing at Paythorne on the River Ribble I saw movement in my peripheral vision and at first thought it was a salmon entering the pool making its way upstream, however as I watched I saw a large brown furry head and long sleek body moving effortlessly up river and realised it was an otter.
I have seen otters on about 7 rivers in the north of England and on the inner and outer Hebrides and probably sight about 3 or so separate ones each year, but this is the first one I have seen on the Ribble and Hodder system in 35 years of fishing both rivers.
I have found spoors and particularly spraint on both rivers and have heard them at night but this was the first one I had seen and watched it as it made its way upstream where at one point it disappeared under some tree roots and next thing slid down the banking on its belly back into the river.
I was below the skyline dressed in mute colours and stood in the water and as far as I'm aware didn't see me and I watched it for about 5 minutes until it disappeared from view, it was a large creature and took it to be a dog otter and would estimate it being 3ft long excluding it tail.
I didn't catch a salmon although two had been caught earlier and did see some porpoising upstream, but having seen an otter certainly made up for the lack of sport.
JohnClayton
I watched a grey squirrel perched on top of a branch for a few minutes. It was cleaning itself. Such interesting creatures to watch as they dart back up a tree because you stepped on a stick and caused it to snap.
Indeed they are. However invasive grey squirrels are, they're always nice to see as you turn a corner and notice once perched motionless on a branch.Shame it wasn't a red THOaken, sadly becoming less and less common these days.
Oh yes, still clever little things, but I just love reds, I think it's because I saw one when I was about 7 and just love them now
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Bloody reds have cleared the entire woods across from us of Hazel nuts
Still its good to know these ones are safe from the Greys.
Still its good to know these ones are safe from the Greys.
No problems with grey squirrels over here. I have never seen one. We have red squirrels, but more and more of them are not red but dark brown, almost black. No idea why.
A red (dark) one lives in the trees around the house. I don't see it every day, but on a regular basis. I always enjoy it a lot to watch it! One of the most interesting observations was when it collected some kind of natural string and coiled it all up in it's mouth to climb up the tree with all that stuff!
A red (dark) one lives in the trees around the house. I don't see it every day, but on a regular basis. I always enjoy it a lot to watch it! One of the most interesting observations was when it collected some kind of natural string and coiled it all up in it's mouth to climb up the tree with all that stuff!
I'm always on the lookout for tits. However, I frequently see hawks perched on utility poles and power lines along the highways, but I couldn't identify which model they might be. Since I have see a hawk several times in one place a few miles from where I sit, I wonder if I'm actually seeing the same one. Either way, hawks are easy to spot because of their size and upright posture. Same with owls but I have only seen them deep in the woods.
And speaking of squirrels, my wife mentioned yesterday evening that she had noticed a squirrel running across the road, the way they do, that was entirely black, or so she said.
And speaking of squirrels, my wife mentioned yesterday evening that she had noticed a squirrel running across the road, the way they do, that was entirely black, or so she said.
