What wildlife did you spot today?

[demented dale]

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!

Kirsty . thank you. where are you based that you can observe sea eagles? dale x

 

[demented dale]

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!

Kirsty . thank you. where are you based that you can observe sea eagles? dale x

 

[Kirsty]

Kirsty . thank you. where are you based that you can observe sea eagles? dale x

Hi Dale, you are likely to observe them anywhere on the west of Scotland from Argyll north, particularly on Sky and Mull. Unless of course you are looking for them! There are times when I don't see one for ages but just now they are a daily occurrence and because the weather is mostly very stormy so they can be predicted to be on the wing when it is calm.

 

[demented dale]

Hi Dale, you are likely to observe them anywhere on the west of Scotland from Argyll north, particularly on Sky and Mull. Unless of course you are looking for them! There are times when I don't see one for ages but just now they are a daily occurrence and because the weather is mostly very stormy so they can be predicted to be on the wing when it is calm.

yes. i tried to view them on sky without success. i live in Ireland and whilst they are here they are elusive. it is one of my ambitions to see them. they are the one British bird of prey ive not seen, along with the honey buzzard which is not really seen much anyway.. thanks for the info x.

 

[Foogs]

I was enjoying some funemployment, reading in my local park (N. London) and heard a bird call I didn't recognise. The Merlin app identified it as a Peregrine Falcon and to my amazement, there it was, perched on top of the clock tower in the park.
I scurried home to get the binoculars and took some blurry photos through it.
Made a change from the usual Cavapoos and French Bulldogs!

Oh, and a fact - they're the fastest animals on earth, clocked at 242mph and they have special baffles in their nostrils to stop their heads exploding from the air pressure.

 

[oldtimer]

Our fellow summer visitors enjoying the good life in our home in the South of France.

 

[Kirsty]

Sea eagle made a high approach from north east, the geese must have spotted it the moment it appeared over the fairly distant skyline. They skedaddled flying low in the opposite direction, far in advance of the eagle who wheeled over the empty bay and landed on the shore about 200m from me. It quickly gathered an entourage of crows hopping close to his tail. After about 20 minutes he took flight to an oak on the edge of the loch and I didn't see him leave. A little later there was a commotion and a sea eagle, maybe a larger individual, flew purposefully over the fields from the east and banked heavily a couple of times almost among the fleeing geese. I didn't see the outcome as the pursuit continued out of sight. I have never seen them take a goose on the wing, only on the water, but it must have been hopeful...

 

[bearbait]

Dragonflies zipping about the reeds at Llangorse Lake in the BBNP.

 

[Chris]

I think this wildlife has seen better days (I don’t think a Lemsip will cut it), but it was a cool find nonetheless.

 

[demented dale]

I think this wildlife has seen better days (I don’t think a Lemsip will cut it), but it was a cool find nonetheless.

Any idea what it was?

 

[Chris]

Any idea what it was?

Assuming a young or small deer from the skull, and the neck/size of it.

 

[oldtimer]

I watched two of the three swallow chicks which we have on our loggia take their first flight today. The third seems to lack the confidence to give it a go despite the encouragement of its parents and relatives. We have watched the whole process from the repairs to the old nest to hatching, feeding, growing into proper little swallows and now taking off into the world. Such a privilege.

 

[mikehill]

I had to Google “loggia”

 

[oldtimer]

Glad to have helped you to learn something you didn't know before. I used to get paid for doing that!

 

[Kadushu]

 

[Broch]

I've spent the whole week on a lonely rocky bay, in a converted croft, that you can only get to down a very steep winding track in a 4x4. I've been watching the tide come in, go out, come in .... and, of course the wildlife.

We have seen:
Stonechat
Curlew
Oystercatcher
Gannet
Cormorant
Heron
Little Egret
Rock pippit
Raven
Sparrow hawk
Buzzard
Teal
... and other, more common, birds
Wall brown
Red admiral
Green veined white
Peacock
Small tortoiseshell

Red deer
Red fox
Grey seal

Oh, and a fact, the Grey Seal is our largest terrestrial carnivore

 

[TeeDee]

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:

https://flic.kr/p/2qbH5hJ

https://flic.kr/p/2qbHdAT

These are crops from a shots at 600mm.

Just had the same in my own garden - avian skullduggery at its finest.

 

[oldtimer]

I watched two of the three swallow chicks which we have on our loggia take their first flight today. The third seems to lack the confidence to give it a go despite the encouragement of its parents and relatives. We have watched the whole process from the repairs to the old nest to hatching, feeding, growing into proper little swallows and now taking off into the world. Such a privilege.

They've now all left home leaving behind an infestation of bird mites. We're itching and scratching. Everything has a price in this world!

 

[forrestdweller]

a troop of howling monkeys were LITERALLY in the trees above my hut this morning -- and they are called "howlers" for a reason... (==they start their "concert" long before sunrise which makes sleeping somewhat impossible...)

 

[Kirsty]

For the last few weeks golden and sea eagles have made daily appearances, sometimes sitting close by on the shore for long periods. A couple of days ago one caught my eye, looking like a large rock on the nearby headland, I was about to turn away when it took off and flew across the bay. It ignored the panicking geese and I thought it was headed for the adjacent island though flying unusually low when it circled, extended it's legs, and fluttered - as best as a large bird can - and plucked something from the surface. It then headed back in my direction with a fish in its talons. Perhaps it struggled, but it dropped it, and at that moment a larger bird swooped into view and taking the fish flew to the shore where it landed with what I suspect is its offspring. I had to get back to work at this point but I guess one of them ate it - it might be a life lesson for junior on keeping a tight hold of dinner. I watched one tuck into a goose once while another stood hungrily by, having helped harry the unfortunate greylag to its death there was no sharing at that point.