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Greys definitely are vermin, no need to apologise for that statement! A non native species which causes huge amount of damage to native woodlands, to say nothing of bringing near extinction to our far more attractive native Sciurus Vulgaris Rufus. Exterminate the brutes I say!Originally posted by Old Grumpy View PostComment
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OK, as we have drifted to mammals, great pleasure from standing on my terrace and, in the scrubby, grassy area below the house with some trees surrounding it, both last night and tonight at about 7pm, a very impressive wild boar sow rootling for something (maybe acorns) with her eight or nine small (and rather cute) offspring running around like mad and clearly enjoying themselves until a barking dog sent them scurrying for cover. With the cuckoo loudly calling as a backdrop, it cheered one up.Comment
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... this morning in the cherry tree opposite - three jays. I've never seen so many together - and a lovely change from the usual crows rooks and other magpies
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A Reed Bunting on Orford Ness and a couple of Kestrels.Comment
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Mrs A saw her first swallow today and her first house-martin last week. Anyone else seen them yet?Comment
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Yes, they have arrived here in Derbyshire.Originally posted by ardcarp View Post
A pair hunting over the meadows on Apr. 26th. On the same day I saw a dipper flying straight down the middle of the river Derwent, and heard a woodpecker in the distance.
Today, doing the same walk, a jay, heard the woodpecker again but no swallows. We have also heard a sky lark not too far from here.
Many jackdaws on both occasions, although one of their regular roosts was removed recently - a giant ash tree in stage 4.
Overhung the road so had to go.
No one explained to the jackdaws. I saw them later flying back and forwards looking for the tree. They have adopted a nearby sycamore but the early morning sun does not shine so directly on it, so a poor sub.
It's what we don't see or hear that is troubling - no cuckoos for years. Last two years significant drop in the number of bull, gold, green and chaff finches. No tree creepers, fewer long- tailed tits, goldcrests and wrens.
Our star visitors so far this year are a paid of mandarin ducks. A thrill. I spotted the mandarins later in the sycamore - checked, and this is typical behaviour. News to me. They even nest in a tree from time to time.
The chicks float down to the ground like thistledown and thence to nearby water....Comment
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A glorious blackbird wakes me around 0500 or a bit before. I'd guess he's the same one here for the last 3 or so years - previously with a Mrs Blackbird. They nested two years running but with no offspring. I haven't seen his mate at all. His song seems even stronger than in the past - gloriously varied.Comment
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Agree about cuckoos...none here for years either, but a daughter heard one on Dartmoor whilst running (It's what we don't see or hear that is troubling - no cuckoos for years.
) yesterday.* We have lots of goldfinches in the garden and we see long-tailed tits (not whilst running) nearby. Bullfinches usually turn up when fruit trees are budding, and we have a couple of wrens nesting in our woodshed...a real treat. Tree-creepers are a bit of a rarity though...I guess they're hard to spot even when present.
Lovely!!!A thrill. I spotted the mandarins later in the sycamore - checked, and this is typical behaviour. News to me. They even nest in a tree from time to time.
The chicks float down to the ground like thistledown and thence to nearby water....
* Cuckoos used to be abundant on the Isles of Scilly. We're planning a trip there soon, so will report back.Last edited by ardcarp; 02-05-23, 18:03.Comment
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Buzzards en famille at Layer Marney.Comment
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... first swifts of the year here in Hammersmith. Always a joyous day
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Usually 5 or 6 May here IIRC... yes joyous for me too.Originally posted by vinteuil View PostComment
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On St Mary’s for a week. Tresco yesterday and think I heard a cuckoo - delighted to see so many song thrushes and hear so many skylarks.Originally posted by ardcarp View PostAgree about cuckoos...none here for years either, but a daughter heard one on Dartmoor whilst running () yesterday.* We have lots of goldfinches in the garden and we see long-tailed tits (not whilst running) nearby. Bullfinches usually turn up when fruit trees are budding, and we have a couple of wrens nesting in our woodshed...a real treat. Tree-creepers are a bit of a rarity though...I guess they're hard to spot even when present.
Lovely!!!
* Cuckoos used to be abundant on the Isles of Scilly. We're planning a trip there soon, so will report back.Comment
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