Getting close to wildlife - literally

[tigerburnie]

Looks like the Smooth Newts in our pond have been breeding, we seem to have babies, not seen any tadpoles, just very small newts.

[PhilJ W]

9 hours ago, PhilJ W said:

I spotted the fox this morning sunning himself in a concealed part of the garden. He looks a bit sleepy but no more than you would expect from a nocturnal animal.

And the fox has brought his friend, there's now two of them.

[tigerburnie]

Just testing my new camera, if you click on the "having a paddle link it should open the movie clip.

Having a paddle by tigerburnie, on Flickr

Edited May 10, 2022 by tigerburnie

[sb67]

Had a great weekend staying at Sandwich Bay Bird Observatory, saw loads of wildlife including our first Cuckoo of the year and an Osprey flying over! 

 

 

Also got to feed a Robin too! 

 

[jbqfc]

after not having any hedgehogs use the nest box for the last couple of weeks  i had two last night i will stop looking in now just in case they are little one on the way 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by jbqfc
spelling

[Welly]

^^

I think the one wearing the flowers is Mrs Hedgehog.

[pH]

We had two male red-shafted northern flickers facing off in the back yard this afternoon:

 

 

No contact, just posturing.

 

This was the one that stayed when it was over:

 

 

'Red-shafted' refers to the colour of the feathers on the underside of the wings and tail. You can see that on the tail in the second picture.

 

[AndyID]

This quail was perched on the cable this evening calling for a mate. They are pretty much silent at other times.

 

[LimboBrit]

6 hours ago, pH said:

We had two male red-shafted northern flickers facing off in the back yard this afternoon:

 

 

No contact, just posturing.

 

This was the one that stayed when it was over:

 

 

'Red-shafted' refers to the colour of the feathers on the underside of the wings and tail. You can see that on the tail in the second picture.

 

"Beautiful plumage"

[boxbrownie]

7 hours ago, pH said:

We had two male red-shafted northern flickers facing off in the back yard this afternoon

That means something very different on a Saturday in Newcastle. 🥴

Edited May 16, 2022 by boxbrownie

[PhilJ W]

Spotted in my back garden about an hour ago, a vixen with three cubs. I watched them for a while until they realised I was there and they promptly disappeared.

PS it wasn't me that scared them off but a dog barking.

Edited May 17, 2022 by PhilJ W
PS

[03060]

Holidaying up in the Western Highlands at the moment and having already seen an Otter and various species of birds (including my first suspected Skua) I got to see my first White Tailed Sea Eagle today, albeit through the lens of my viewing scope.

Going by the bird calls there are plenty of Cuckoos up here and I'm also surprised at how many Goldfinches that I've seen, they seem to be everywhere I go ... or are they just following my van ?? 🤔

[PhilJ W]

There are three fox cubs using my back garden as a playground. One of them espying a starling sitting on the six foot brick wall surrounding tried to catch it. The cub easily jumped to the top of the wall but by then the starling had gone.

[boxbrownie]

Saw our first Swifts today, but we were near Restormel Castle so quite a way inland, loads of them this morning swooping around for the bugs, never see any at home I think because we are next to the sea and bugs flying high near the sea isn’t their natural thing to do, any way it was nice to watch.

[steve1]

This little blighter has nearly chewed the whole base away of the feeder.

 

steve

 

 

[jbqfc]

the pond in the front garden is starting to attract the wildlife a large red damselfly 

 

 

[PhilJ W]

The foxes have been taking advantage of my back garden recently. Not one but two litters of cubs, several weeks apart as one litter is almost fully grown and the other is barely weaned. No photographs I'm afraid as at the slightest noise or movement they disappear.

[AndyID]

A Rufous Hummingbird ready to protect his turf this evening. I think he has his feathers puffed-up to keep warm.

 

(Telephoto at max.)

 

 

 

[eastglosmog]

A Drinker Moth caterpillar by the roadside yesterday.

[tigerburnie]

I was up our local Glen at the weekend looking for Adders to film but didn't find any, but Cuckoos were around, at least 3 calling males, saw 3 Red Kites as well, lots of Lapwings around and saw our first baby one this year up there, though lower down near to our village the Lapwing chicks are at least 2 weeks ahead of them.

[jbqfc]

the Hedgehog in the garden in busy gathering nesting materials including pull leaves of my teasels 

 

[Phil Bullock]

On 22/05/2022 at 12:37, jbqfc said:

the pond in the front garden is starting to attract the wildlife a large red damselfly 

 

 

Damsels are beautiful! Was out in the River Lugg near Leominster yesterday …. Always a lot of Banded Demoiselles but this Beautiful Demoiselle seemed to think it is a dragonfly….

 

[eastglosmog]

Saw this Scarlet Tiger Moth in my front garden yesterday:

[boxbrownie]

On 22/05/2022 at 12:21, steve1 said:

This little blighter has nearly chewed the whole base away of the feeder.

 

steve

 

 

Squirrels have taken one of our feeders away completed, went out yesterday to look for it in the border and refill and hang and it has gone, gone totally….no where to be seen!

[PhilJ W]

I wonder if you could train a raptor to take anything grey and furry it sees hanging from a bird feeder.😜