Jan McNulty Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 Chipduckyduck! IMG_0617.MOV 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarriott Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 That's just typical of ducks - they don't play fair! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 It was a bit gloomy on the common today, but I did startle a couple of does from the bracken just in front of me. I'm always amazed at how sizeable animals can just become invisible.. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 Lots of ducks doing their ablutions on the canal this morning when I was passing. This little cutie pie was on the path up to the canal. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted February 5, 2021 Share Posted February 5, 2021 Found this bizarre critter on the beach at Felixstowe this morning and popped it back in the surf - we’d seen brittle stars on Winterwatch recently but never in real life before. Click brittle star video here 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 Cheeky Chappy this morning! And I could just see these moorhens saying "Watch out - here's that blummin' dog again"! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted February 9, 2021 Share Posted February 9, 2021 Jan, your robin has a flat-top haircut 😆 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I think I’ve exhausted my photo allowance and, having come across a couple of red squirrels this morning, l was wondering if the link to Facebook might work: https://www.facebook.com/100010002404409/posts/1417992148544185/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 The link doesn't work for me John. I suspect it is something to do with your privacy settings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Many thanks Jan - I’ll try photo sharing websites tomorrow and see what I can do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 Here are a couple of photos from yesterday’s walk and very pleased to see two red squirrels for the first in a new wood. Completely unexpected on a cold, grey morning at 850 feet and just a couple of small woods on the largely open fell side above High Ireby. No need for up and down signs for these two. On recent walks in sunnier weather, I’ve been accompanied by the skylarks singing away pretty much all of the time. Hopefully we’ll soon be able to return to concerts but these impromptu al fresco performances have been a delight. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 8, 2021 Share Posted March 8, 2021 Oh dear, skylarks. They're having problems in Richmond Park because they're ground-nesters, and the increased numbers of people out walking are putting them at risk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted March 10, 2021 Share Posted March 10, 2021 We had a great day for birds yesterday - woke up to a spotted woodpecker drumming in the garden, went out to snap it but found a treecreeper instead. In the afternoon we walked by the estuary and saw a herd of probably a hundred deer, a lovely female stonechat and a huge flock of knots, plus all the usual egrets, redshanks etc. Flurry of pics to follow below... Knots Landing... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Lovely 😊 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted March 13, 2021 Share Posted March 13, 2021 Your deer has bit of a “ You looking at me” expression! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 The avocets have returned, always a lovely sight. For the first picture, look at the sheldrake on the left then imagine the Benny Hill chase music... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted March 14, 2021 Share Posted March 14, 2021 18 hours ago, LinMM said: Your deer has bit of a “ You looking at me” expression! he might well have - I waited till his head went down then scurried bent double behind a hedge to get closer. my wife suddenly left far behind me, had much the same expression... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted March 31, 2021 Author Share Posted March 31, 2021 I had a surprise earlier today while waiting at traffic lights to cross a bridge over the river in a village near me. There was a group of about a dozen house martins having a high old time flying around over the water, and as I watched, they were joined by a swift. Quite early in the year for them all to appear, I don't think I've ever seen any in March before. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 1 hour ago, taxi4ballet said: I had a surprise earlier today while waiting at traffic lights to cross a bridge over the river in a village near me. There was a group of about a dozen house martins having a high old time flying around over the water, and as I watched, they were joined by a swift. Quite early in the year for them all to appear, I don't think I've ever seen any in March before. I have ... but it was in The Algarve! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zxDaveM Posted March 31, 2021 Share Posted March 31, 2021 2 hours ago, taxi4ballet said: I had a surprise earlier today while waiting at traffic lights to cross a bridge over the river in a village near me. There was a group of about a dozen house martins having a high old time flying around over the water, and as I watched, they were joined by a swift. Quite early in the year for them all to appear, I don't think I've ever seen any in March before. Probably brought up by the very warm prevailing winds over the last couple of days. They are in for a bit of a shock when those winds turn round and start coming down from the Arctic over the weekend!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted April 1, 2021 Author Share Posted April 1, 2021 If they have any sense they'll turn round and go back again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 1, 2021 Share Posted April 1, 2021 Having seen the weather forecast, I agree! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Following the easing of lockdown, I’ve enjoyed visiting familiar places for the first time this year having spent lockdown walking from home. On a walk from Buttermere earlier in the week I saw a couple of squirrels and I think a wheatear. Squirrel in Burtness Wood. Not sure who’s more curious. Is this a wheatear? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 6 minutes ago, JohnS said: Following the easing of lockdown, I’ve enjoyed visiting familiar places for the first time this year having spent lockdown walking from home. On a walk from Buttermere earlier in the week I saw a couple of squirrels and I think a wheatear. Squirrel in Burtness Wood. Not sure who’s more curious. Is this a wheatear? I'm not sure if it's a wheatear but a chum spotted one on Rimrose Valley Country Park in urban Liverpool yesterday! It's his photograph. Photograph copyright and courtesy of Lee O'Brien This is the park we are trying to save from destruction by Highways England. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Many thanks Jan. I think male wheatears have grey uppers and females have brown uppers but I’m very unsure about the bird in my photo: I’ve never knowingly seen a wheatear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 A Roe deer on the walk to The Watches and Skiddaw this morning. I’ve seen a couple of pairs much closer to home when setting off early in the car but much better on the fells for taking a photo. Over lockdown the squirrel feeders have vanished from Dodd Wood. I’d invariably see squirrels around the feeders but no sign of new feeders so far. And the Dodd Wood Osprey project isn’t able to function with telescopes/staff at the observation platforms because of COVID. I hear a couple of ospreys arrived at the end of March although it’s not clear if they are a pair. It’s been a fabulous Easter in the Lake District and, with lockdown easing, chance to visit a number of special places with some Easter flowers. Here’s the replacement bridge across Buttermere Dubs which everyone walking around Buttermere or climbing the fells on the south side of Buttermere has to use. The bridge has been built up and hopefully would survive the flooding events that badly damaged the earlier bridge leading to its demolition. Buttermere from the bridge. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangorballetboy Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 Lovely walk on the Common this afternoon - Egyptian goslings (unfortunately down to 6 from 9), grey heron, robins, tits (great and blue), squirrels, green woodpecker and a Royal Ballet dancer! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 2 hours ago, bangorballetboy said: ...and a Royal Ballet dancer! it's about this time of year you find them gathering old newspaper reviews to line their nests 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 I photographed this cutie pie on Good Friday: 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxi4ballet Posted April 13, 2021 Author Share Posted April 13, 2021 I never realised just how enormous herons are until I saw one standing on my shed roof the other day. I knew they were big, but crikey! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted April 16, 2021 Share Posted April 16, 2021 I had a very early and frosty walk today looking for a barn owl - which turned up but led me a merry dance, so I only got one photo. I did see lots of linnets, very noisy and active oystercatchers and a yellowhammer. The lark below filled a whole frosty meadow with its song, perched proudly on a molehill... 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted April 25, 2021 Share Posted April 25, 2021 First cuckoos heard yesterday in Nether Wasdale when spending the day rhodo bashing at a friend’s wood. Just checking I see it was the same day as last year although a different location. Saw four red deer on a recent walk high above Thirlmere off the beaten track near Ullscarf. I managed to get a little closer but could only catch the straggler pair bounding away. Always good to see traditional Lake District Herdwick sheep at lambing time. Another fabulous spring. Last year we were very much in lockdown with limited exercise. So it’s good this year to be able to enjoy the fells. But we really need some rain - forest fires at Whinlatter on Friday although nothing on the scale of the Mountains of Mourne. We were very impressed with our one visit and it’s desperately sad to see the devastation. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus Posted April 30, 2021 Share Posted April 30, 2021 I've been very lucky to see Dartford warblers on two occasions over the last week - never having seen one before at all. Quite a striking little bird. Also came across a nest of adders in the dunes at Minsmere beach - all in different colour combinations... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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