I was going to post a separate thread of the grey vandals. We've had the worst damage ever this year. Hundreds of oaks badly damaged, some right down to the ground, and some beech ruined as well. I'll be cutting a lot of trees down this winter.
What wildlife did you spot today?
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We are fortunate in having a pair of swallows nesting on the loggia of our place in the South of France. They arrived at about the same time as we did so we have watched them refurbishing their ancestral home. We had a gap of a few years following a predation by a hawk so it's good to see them back.
They go about their business quite happily despite our presence. As I write this, the hen is a metre away sitting on what I hope is a clutch of eggs.
It's such a privilege to be sharing space in amity with a wild creature.
They go about their business quite happily despite our presence. As I write this, the hen is a metre away sitting on what I hope is a clutch of eggs.
It's such a privilege to be sharing space in amity with a wild creature.
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They’ve done similar to some fifteen year old hornbeam and aspen on my property. Fenn traps, cage traps, BMI body grip 110’s and the 12 gauge are currently doing their bloody handed work. Today’s wildlife was a peregrine being mobbed by crows. At first the peregrine had it all its own way until the crow called in reinforcements. Lots of noise but no one was hurt.
I saw a hare today. there are no rabbits here in the part of county Sligo that I live in. x
Today my wife noticed something moving in a different manner around our tiny pond. When we checked with binoculars (c. 15 yards) we could see it was a snake. On looking through some reference pictures seems it was a barred grass snake, around 3 feet in length and quite silvery in colour with dark flecks. It drank from our birdbath water and slid off into the bushes. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera to hand so no pics.
We also had our first hen pheasant in the garden for this year too
We also had our first hen pheasant in the garden for this year too
not spectacular in itself, but yesterday i went across our moat (=the small river separating the farm where i live from civilization) and saw a swarm of small fish migrating upriver -- when i returned an our later they were still migrating ... never seen anything like it before
Heard a commotion in the garden this morning, and grabbed the camera. Managed to catch a young sparrowhawk taking a young blackbird on the far side of the garden:
These are crops from a shots at 600mm.
These are crops from a shots at 600mm.
Three ravens in a roadside tree at 6am, something has fallen by the wayside overnight. A solitary sea eagle came very close checking out the greylag geese - always worth looking up when they all take flight. Nothing doing this time but have watched them kill and eat geese in the bay a couple of times. At present a family group of three are making regular appearances. Above the house the resident baby buzzard has been hunting for voles in the paradise we have created for the wee blighters, the voles enjoy nothing more than to chisel through the stems of the young trees, even beneath the guards. Buzzards must be the most noisy of babies and this one vocalises constantly. Also common seals hauled out on a tidal island, not exactly 'basking' since there are constant squalls, so autumnal so soon this year. The portable hide I ordered is scheduled to arrive today so will get it set up when less windy in a spot where we can spy on the red deer that down to the fields in great number. Having counted 63 the other night when coming late off the hill I decided the following evening that I would hide in the lee of a ruin and watch them more closely. I expected them to come cautiously but the majority descended trotting and cantering, stopping at the stock fence, making cat-like leaps, and then settling quickly to graze. Aye - writing it down does make me feel very grateful!
Our resident swallow family are doing well. Three chicks popping heads up for food. One adult flew into the apartment and tried to fly out through the glass sliding door, temporarily stunning himself and needed to be rescued. Despite being so small I felt immense power in his little body as I picked him up and launched him back into safe airspace. Still get a sense of wonder at living at such close quarters to wild creatures.
A bloomin' great big hornet which flew at my head in the night. I had a head torch on and I heard what sounded like a chinook approach me, only to turn and see a big yellow stinging thing.
If anyone heard the scream of a small child in the woods last night, it was me.
If anyone heard the scream of a small child in the woods last night, it was me.
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