Wildlife

[NickMorgan]

That'a an amazing spider. I would love to go there to see the local wildlife.

[sprint95m]

Walking along the coast north of Keiss a small flock of birds with fast wingbeats caught my eye. They landed on the sea
and this allowed a clear view of them. It was a species a duck I am not familiar with, namely Smew.
http://www.arthurgrosset.com/europebirds/smew.html

There was also a couple of them fishing just off Freswick Beach.
Quite a few other ducks too, Eiders, Mallards and possibly Scoters.

[trackerjack]

Last night as I went out for a drink with an old friend I spotted a large frog in the road and on the way home there were now 4 frogs. My neighbour has a pond and these little critters were up for a bit of mating and a male frog upon seeing me immediately put his arms above his head as if I were about to hit him!
How do I know the sex of frogs you ask
Well its a long story but suffice to say that wildlife has always been an interest to me and males have strong thick arms and a black pad on their front legs, plus they have blue throats and the females have dainty front legs and yellow and red throats.
It sure shows us spring is here even if the weather may still bite us frogs will not mind as their blood is like antifreeze and being in ice does not kill them.

[trackerjack]

Walking on the South downs near Duncton this family set of common lizards amazingly allowed us to take a picture.
Bright coloured one is dad and the smallest is a this years juvenile.
I really did not know that they were paternal.
Never too old to learn eh.

[Ian Howard]

Walking on the South downs near Duncton this family set of common lizards amazingly allowed us to take a picture.
Bright coloured one is dad and the smallest is a this years juvenile.
I really did not know that they were paternal.
Never too old to learn eh.

I reckon you very luck to see those - neve mind being able to take a pic! I have been a 'Birder' since I was 10 - still always on the look out for things when out and about!

Cheers

Ian

[Reg]

Oops, I had forgotten about this excellent thread!

About a month ago, we had a stroll along part of the Basingstoke canal..



After a couple of hours of strolling we sat on a bench, and after five mins I spotted these about six feet away! I have to confess, that I at first glance I thought that a dog owner had not picked up Fido's doo-doo!



It was the first time I had ever seen an Adder in the wild, let alone a family of them. An incredibly awsome sight indeed and one I shall remember for a long time.

After about half an hour at marvelling at these beauties, we turned around to walk away and we spotted this gorgeous thing behind us..



The late, great Mr Steve Irwin would of had a field day with this lot! Still buzzing about it now a month later..

[trackerjack]

Those are amazing pictures Reg and so pleased to find someone that appreciates Vipers.
There are quite a few in the Queen Elizabeth country park too.

[trackerjack]

Walking on the South downs near Duncton this family set of common lizards amazingly allowed us to take a picture.
Bright coloured one is dad and the smallest is a this years juvenile.
I really did not know that they were paternal.
Never too old to learn eh.

I reckon you very luck to see those - neve mind being able to take a pic! I have been a 'Birder' since I was 10 - still always on the look out for things when out and about!

Cheers

Ian

Oh yes we are lucky and looking for wildlife when walking is probably Diane and I greatest pleasure apart from eating out
Oh and we also saw huge flocks of goldfinches moving from tree to tree like mini parrots.

[sprint95m]

Great photos Jon and Reg. I like the inclusion of surroundings to give a sense of location.

Did anyone watch the BBC documentary on the British sea bird colonies?
I was surprised to learn of the decline of kittiwakes in Orkney because they seem to be doing okay here.
A couple of weeks ago at Clyth Ness one evening we must have seen over 1000 headed north (we were fishing for mackerel
and had to wait for breaks in the flocks to be able to cast!). There appeared as many juveniles as adults.
Judging by them spewing out of the mouths of saithe we caught there is no shortage of sandeels.
I am under the impression that over 50% of British kittiwakes breed on the East Caithness coast.
Kittiwakes (along with puffins, guillemots, black guillemots and razorbills amongst others) are true Arctic species who have
managed to spread south to Britain. What happens here is of little consequence compared to how they cope in the Arctic.
I would imagine that kittiwakes are the most numerous gull in the Northern Hemisphere?


It won't be long until we start hearing (Pink footed) geese flying over at night heading for their wintering grounds.
The turnstones are already back (they don't leave until well into June and breed on the far north coast of Greenland no less).

[sprint95m]

Time of change.


Last weekend the Saturday I saw three flocks of lapwings flying in formation, so I guess these were arriving from Scandinavia.
The following day there were loads just south of Wick where a large number usually winter.
They mix freely with golden plovers and to a lesser extent redshank and curlew. All these breed here but are more common as
winter visitors.
Saw a dead barn owl (struck by a car?) on a verge. These are very rare this far north.

Today I saw two flocks of geese flying at high altitude (possibly pink foots from Iceland heading to the NE before wintering in the Netherlands).
Lots of skylarks singing. These I guess come from Scandinavia because the local breeders departed a few weeks ago. Many many starlings too.
Still a handful of swallows in the town (none in the country now) but most have gone.

Usually at this time of year there are flocks and flocks of linnets but these have had a poor year and are notable for their absence.
By contrast there are numerous house sparrows.


Early evenings and first light are now deafening because of all the robins .

[trackerjack]

Ah they know that the summer is ending ........sigh.
Saw huge flocks of Swallows and Martins at Lasham airfield on Sat and these are gathering to fly south the lucky little sods .
Also saw at least 20 slow worms despite the colder weather on Sun.

Maybe it was some of your geese Ian but a large flock heading south although some seem to stay for the winter here in southern UK.

[zombeh]

A couple of weeks ago, just before the cold and wet appeared...



hadn't seen many bees at all in the summer suddenly they were everywhere

[trackerjack]

Went for 6 mile walk round Langstone harbour from Emsworth.
First great view was watching a cormorant hunting under gin clear water beneath our feet, the last swallows flew overhead as we found some voles under a piece of wood and then after living here for dozens of years we saw the seals for the first time. Two were sunning themselves and one was leaping out of the water like a salmon.
We saw plenty of other creatures too, what a great day.

[longboarder]

102_0809 (640x480).jpg (278.18 KiB) Viewed 2662 times

any twitchers here? these two have been in my garden for the past few days, no idea what or where.

[DoloWIGHTY]

102_0809 (640x480).jpg

any twitchers here? these two have been in my garden for the past few days, no idea what or where.

Jays.

Look lovely but nasty personalities, among their habbits: they pull baby birds out of nests and attack just about anything else for no real reason.