Wildlife spotting

[ZoyzaSorris]

Nice on the pine ladybird - don't think Ive ever seen one

[BlodwynPig]

Nice on the pine ladybird - don't think Ive ever seen one

They've seen you. They know your routine. They know which drawer you keep your socks. They watch..THEY WAIT.

[Buelligan]

That swan "song" is incredible, would have loved to have witnessed all that. I'm imaging it as Escher would have drawn it.

Got home early and there was a Wren singing its bollocks off. I think I've only heard the warning call before now. I could only see the silhouette in the tree but it seemed to be head down, arse up for the singing business. When it flew off it looked to have been followed by another Wren so it could be on a promise by now.

We didn't get any frog eggs so had to go and nick some. With permission from the landowner but we nicked them off the frogs so it still counts. The poles are developing nicely and might be on the loose early next week. The kids want to give them names.

Your mention of wren bollocks brought to mind the famous wren balls - did you know these lovely little fellows gang up together when the cold comes, to share body heat?  My brother and I have always dreamt of witnessing a wren ball, imagine the soft beaky swarmyness of it all as they twirl about the room!

https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/ask-an-expert/previous/hibernation.aspx

[phes]

Got home early and there was a Wren singing its bollocks off. I think I've only heard the warning call before now.

Is that because you're not familiar with the Wren song and you had to see it singing to know you'd heard it? Unless you know a wren's habits they do tend to be harder to spot than most other garden birds because of size, speed and population, but once you commit the song to memory you will hear them absolutely everywhere because there's one on every block and they're so loud. It's a similar song to the chaffinch but easy to tell apart once you know them

learning the songs is a dead easy way to improve your chances of spotting birds. I've never got started on calls and alarms though, there's just so many

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

I haven't put the camera out for a while now but I don't need pics to know that we had a visit from Mr Badger last night, who evidently took it upon himself to engage in a little nocturnal landscaping. The furry monochrome tosspot. (Not really ❤️🦡).

[Buelligan]

Could be a wild boar.  Heheh.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

I wish but, alas, it's not very likely. The last attempt to reintroduce wild boar to Wolverhampton a few years back were pretty unsuccessful. Something about it being "an entirely unsuitable urban shithole" from what I recall.

[Buelligan]

We get those holes, just like that, all over the place from the old boars here, so don't despair.  Couple of days ago, I was up on the mountain, following a game track - came across some footprints in dried mud - bugger me, not sure what they were but they were clearly cat, not dog, shaped.  Size wise, though, you wouldn't get much change out of 7cms.  Makes you think.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

Well this cuddly little scamp made an appearance a couple of weeks ago and did a bit of unsolicited excavating, so my money's on him or one of his playmates. Anyway, I'd sooner have the occasional scraped lawn, knowing there are badgers and foxes thriving nearby, than have a pristine lawn and no nocturnal visitors.

[Buelligan]

Ah, that's so cool.  I love the old badgers, me.  I think they're pretty intelligent and just beautiful creatures.  Lucky you.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

Yes, I'm sure people living in the countryside see a lot more wildlife but I'm happy with what we've got here. I think it was about this time last year that buzzards starting reappearing in the skies, so that's something else to look forward to.

[Buelligan]

Just been up in the beauty again.  Tell you, all green and blue.  Incredible.  Sky - completely blue.  Saw some flax Linum usitatissimum and checked the frogs, still resting in their black branches (thinking maybe they sleep there in the day).  Best thing though - possibly my favourite butterfly, the Green Hairstreak Callophrys rubi.  Just an incredible little fellow, like dull tarnished copper open (which it only does in flight), but the back of the wings, fuck me, a hummingbird has nothing on them, the most iridescent marvelous shades of green you'll ever witness.  I love green btw.  Bloody lovely.

[confettiinmyhair]

I saw a grass snake in some local woodland  near where I live last week. Surprised how quickly it moved.

[Ferris]

A crow landed on a roof bit outside the bedroom with a full slice of pizza.

Beat that.

[Dex Sawash]

Warming up and the 'gators are starting to move around

[phes]

A crow landed on a roof bit outside the bedroom with a full slice of pizza.

Beat that.

On my way to work I walk along a road that is a lookout over Sheffield City centre and it's where all the kids hang out in their cars getting wrecked, playing music and eating takeaways. Every morning the carrion Crows are there in groups trying to open the plastic bags and pizza boxes full of leftover takeaway. I often stop and tear them open and they stand and watch. They're definitely the best/worst fed crows in the city!

[Attila]

A crow landed on a roof bit outside the bedroom with a full slice of pizza.

Beat that.

That, I cannot, but this big fella has been coming to the Party Palace every morning for the past week. He scoops up a beakful of kibble, washes it in the water bowl, then scoops it back up again.



It's been mad hedgehog sex parties the past week or so, between the same pair; they absolutely trash the place when they're doing their thing -- mostly the girl-pig trying to eat or get a drink, and her boy-pig pal chasing her around, sniffing her bits, and riding her like the world's spikiest rodeo clown. They were at it for over an hour a couple nights ago.

Here's the boy-pig looking just like Bishop Brennan getting kicked up the arse.



And Foxy's been back this week, too.

[Spoon of Ploff]

woke up Sunday morning to find a pheasant wandering around the back garden. it eventually hoped onto the fence and into the fields beyond.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Did you know that pheasants have one of the smaller brains to bodies ratio of birds? I'm not saying this to justify killing and eating them. I'm saying it to justify raping them.

[Buelligan]

That, I cannot, but this big fella has been coming to the Party Palace every morning for the past week. He scoops up a beakful of kibble, washes it in the water bowl, then scoops it back up again.

Don't get me wrong, love, love, love, those hogs and foxy but wow.  What a beauty!  I dream of sharing time with one such as this. 

BTW, you can see how he looks like he's made from burnt wood, like a charcoal bird?  Imagine, seeing him, shouting up there, in that black tree.  That's a eyeful for a lifetime.

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

I'm delighted with the squirrel table I bought a couple of weeks ago but I'm looking for a way to stop the squirrel food being nicked by various robins, tits, blackbirds and occasional pigeon. Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Put sign up 'Only for squirrels'

[Voltan (Man of Steel)]

Worth a try I suppose. I'd imagine birds would probably take more notice of symbols than text. Thanks.

[Attila]

Don't get me wrong, love, love, love, those hogs and foxy but wow.  What a beauty!  I dream of sharing time with one such as this. 

BTW, you can see how he looks like he's made from burnt wood, like a charcoal bird?  Imagine, seeing him, shouting up there, in that black tree.  That's a eyeful for a lifetime.

You're in luck, as over the past few days, I have a lot of photos of this fine chap!

[bgmnts]

Crows are the absolute shit.

[Buelligan]

Oh dear lord, they are indeed, look at this -

You're in luck, as over the past few days, I have a lot of photos of this fine chap!

and tell me he wouldn't be able to trounce you at cards (or anything else).  Smart as paint and twice as shiny.  I would love one to come and share my life, you are so lucky Attila, thank you very much for sharing that.

[Ferris]

Crows are the absolute shit.

They're cunts, and they get into the bins. The ones on our street must have 3 foot wingspans, and they had a barney with the neighbourhood seagulls this morning which was quite a to-do! They're also so bastard noisy that Ferris Jr insists that any bird says "CAWWW!!", even little tweety birds in books[nb]I put my foot through 50 First Animals! and send a raven the bill.[/nb].

It's a disgrace.

[Ferris]

That said, Attila's one looks very well-groomed and is taking a respectable amount of kibble so I would begrudgingly allow it back (but keep a close eye on it).

[Attila]

That said, Attila's one looks very well-groomed and is taking a respectable amount of kibble so I would begrudgingly allow it back (but keep a close eye on it).

No worries, I'm used to dealing with bolshie crows, and the bastards of the bird feeders, blue jays, from years in the US.

This big crow has only been visiting the past week or so -- prior to that, the early morning bird was a magpie. He's not been around since the crow (and his pal -- there's a second one sometimes) has made an appearance. Am keeping an eye out to see if any of the corvid drop-ins start leaving us shiny presents.

Meanwhile, Mr Attila had to get a wire brush to clear up the amazing amounts of hedgehog droppings from the pavement. It's like it bonds with the concrete at the molecular level.

[Attila]

That said, Attila's one looks very well-groomed and is taking a respectable amount of kibble so I would begrudgingly allow it back (but keep a close eye on it).

Those photos where he's dipping into the water bowl? It's part of a sequence where he's washing/soaking said kibble. There's other blurry photos of him with a beakful, then you can see he's chucked them all in the water, then scoops them back up again when they're soggy.