LinMM Posted September 30, 2020 Share Posted September 30, 2020 Wish we had a laughing icon your post made me laugh Quintus ....though maybe crying would be more appropriate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 As it’s red squirrel awareness week ending today, I thought I should share a couple of photos from this afternoon: 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Little darlings! Thank you for sharing this. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 4, 2020 Share Posted October 4, 2020 Always a pleasure Fiz. I spent 15 minutes watching the one red. Must have been preening for 10 minutes and then decided it was time for a snack. Probably thought I could have done with a wash and brush up. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 Lovely photos John, thank you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 It’s always good to see the squirrels at the feeders but there’s something very special when seeing a red in the wild. I was very fortunate this afternoon in Jonny Wood, Borrowdale: 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted October 5, 2020 Share Posted October 5, 2020 That top photo is absolutely gorgeous, John. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 14, 2020 Share Posted October 14, 2020 Sparrowhawk - yesterday’s visitor. Seemed content to sit on the fence for some time. Needless to say the smaller birds disappeared. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted October 14, 2020 Author Share Posted October 14, 2020 That sparrowhawk photo is quite something. We get them round here, but they are usually going at 100 miles an hour so blink and you miss it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted October 15, 2020 Share Posted October 15, 2020 Many thanks taxi4ballet. Not as intimidating when seen in profile (and on one leg) - at least to me if not for the song birds. Caught a fascinating description on Radio 4 of a kingfisher successfully evading a sparrowhawk. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 A Buttermere walk yesterday and enjoyed a private performance from two red squirrels, mainly a 10 minute solo but also an energetic PDD, and a surprise PD3. Burtness Wood, Buttermere Very entertained for 10 minutes There was a second squirrel but I couldn’t photo both at the same time. But with the squirrel on the left of the tree on the right and on the ground there’s a nuthatch and great tit. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 5, 2020 Share Posted November 5, 2020 I wish we had red squirrels round here. I expect this female kestrel from Covehithe the other day wishes so too.. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) Saturday afternoon’s walk after a morning on the fells. Managed just one photo of a squirrel in Dodd Wood. Not much success with other wildlife photos but hoped this photo of St Bega’s church by Bassenthwaite Lake might be of interest. One mile from any road, the churchyard is a haven to wildlife, an idyllic place. Texel sheep add to the pastoral: Herdwicks or Swaledales would provide better local heritage but sadly their numbers are falling. Edited November 8, 2020 by JohnS Removed photo - I thought I’d already cut a 3rd photo. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Here's a perky skylark from yesterday's walk at Dunwich. There was a lot of excited twitcher action by the marshes - one group was watching a greater yellowlegs, and another an eastern yellow wagtail, both of which are apparently quite rare sights. I was hoping the yellowlegs would be more Malvolio-like than it proved, but the wagtail was a pretty little thing. I got grainy pics of both, which will go into my business case for getting a longer lens... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 Fabulous photo Quintus ... and good luck with your business case. Perhaps a Christmas submission? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted November 9, 2020 Author Share Posted November 9, 2020 I am in awe of your photographic talents on this thread - truly marvellous 😊 We had a black squirrel in our garden this morning, no picture though, sorry. My husband was going out of the back gate and it suddenly appeared out of the bushes and ran off at high speed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 9, 2020 Share Posted November 9, 2020 We had a (black and white) wagtail sitting on the bus shelter a few weeks back. Not quite the same thing, but the best I could manage 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 My eldest son just got me RSPB membership as an early Xmas present; found this little chap at Minsmere this morning :) 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I'v been trying to get a decent pic of a long-tailed tit for ages, but they are very mobile little blighters. Finally got this one today; I do think they have very cute faces! 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 That’s a great photo of a dear little bird, Quintus! Thank you for sharing it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 Very cute, indeed. They seem to have rounder faces than most tits, it seems to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 23, 2020 Share Posted November 23, 2020 Cold and windy walking around Buttermere this morning but managed to see a couple of squirrels. The two chased each other around the tree for ages and I was pleased to find I’d got a photo with both of them. A bit of sunshine would have been welcome for warmth and the photos but very good to be out. I didn’t see anyone walking round the lake until back in Buttermere. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 We were wandering round Dunwich heath a few days ago and saw a rather parrot-like silhouette atop a fir tree. It turned out to be a crossbill, a bird I've never seen before. Bizarre looking beast, like a chaffinch that's flown face first into a window 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Wow!!! How luck you are to have spotted that Quintus! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 I love the description Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oncnp Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 59 minutes ago, alison said: I love the description Ultimate adaptation. Without it they'd starve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted December 1, 2020 Share Posted December 1, 2020 First real frost this Autumn/Winter but not on the Buttermere fellside. Couldn’t resist a photo of this Herdwick ram, all set to make his mark. The ewes didn’t seem very interested. Nor a more familiar siting in Burtness Wood. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted December 3, 2020 Share Posted December 3, 2020 That's one hench ram John, he thinks he's a lion! I'd been for a river walk a couple of days ago (saw a seal but not much else) and on the way back stopped on a whim at a common I'd often passed. Suddenly two beautiful fallow deer popped out of the scrub and bounced across my path. Managed to grab the shot below, though had the deer been more courteous it would have paused and let me increase my ISO speed. Shortly after, a small dog in a red coat appeared, which explained their flight. Never did see that dog's owner! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 I saw a nice nuthatch and my first bearded tits on my last visit to Minsmere, but this chap on the adjacent cafe table was getting a bit impatient with my camera shenanigans. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted December 25, 2020 Share Posted December 25, 2020 Christmas cheer in Dodd Wood and all good wishes to Ballet Forum members. Here’s hoping for a COVID safe 2021 and a return to more familiar ways. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glowlight Posted December 26, 2020 Share Posted December 26, 2020 I was thrilled to capture this shot on Christmas morning, with just by I-phone camera. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted January 3, 2021 Share Posted January 3, 2021 New year - still the same joy in seeing a squirrel. Dodd Wood after a fabulous walk in the snow, including Skiddaw. Needed micro spikes for the lower frozen paths but fresh snow above 2,000 feet, not yet compacted, and no real need for spikes. Very pleased to have kept them on as Dodd was very icy. It seemed slightly uncomfortable being able to walk with ease on the ice with everyone else, very gingerly making their way as best they could. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 On our last trip to Minsmere before the lockdown (can't travel that far now), we saw nothing much of interest - but then returned to find about thirty redwings in the garden. I've just ordered a pop-up hide so that I can lurk in the garden and get close to some of our regulars. I've just repurposed the Xmas tree with fat-ball decorations and it's getting its first visitors.. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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