Lockdown and wildlife

[Parkins left foot]

Its been far more pleasant of late to open the back door & just get birdsong rather than road noise.

Had a sparrowhawk in the front garden 2 days ago (no more than 10 ft away) devouring a dove that it had caught & killed (vicious beak those things have)

Wanted a photo but was inside at the time & knew that if I went out it would fly off. Have leaded light windows at the front so needed to try & open the furthest window & put the camera on close up. Didn't work as it clearly has eyesight like, well a hawk I suppose.

Flew off taking it's prey with it.

The natural world is taking over again!

 

[PPB]

I've been putting mealworms out for the Robins. Every morning I see 3 waiting for me. Had to change the position of the dish because of Magpies, so now balance it in the crook of two branches of a tree. They come right up close to me now and are used to seeing me. Tomorrow I start holding the dish in my hand

 

[Parkins left foot]

I've been putting mealworms out for the Robins. Every morning I see 3 waiting for me. Had to change the position of the dish because of Magpies, so now balance it in the crook of two branches of a tree. They come right up close to me now and are used to seeing me. Tomorrow I start holding the dish in my hand

Stand still long enough & they will come down and feed - need to be absolutely certain that you are no threat.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Luckily, living in the wilds I have lots of wildlife to enjoy

Pair of woodpeckers
Ring necked doves
Great blue and coal tits
Pheasants!
A back yard stoat!
Red kite
Sparrowhawk, the bastard
Buzzards
And in the opposite field the rarer honey buzzard
Barn owls at night leave pellets in the back garden

Wrens, pigeons, sparrows, starlings its a regular morning cacophony

 

[Doctor Doog]

Its been far more pleasant of late to open the back door & just get birdsong rather than road noise.

Had a sparrowhawk in the front garden 2 days ago (no more than 10 ft away) devouring a dove that it had caught & killed (vicious beak those things have)

Wanted a photo but was inside at the time & knew that if I went out it would fly off. Have leaded light windows at the front so needed to try & open the furthest window & put the camera on close up. Didn't work as it clearly has eyesight like, well a hawk I suppose.

Flew off taking it's prey with it.

The natural world is taking over again!

Same happened here except I did manage to get a photo. I've been keeping my binoculars and camera on my desk while working from home, so that helped.



Latest activity is that a pair of woodpigeons have chosen our back fence as the ideal venue for a quick (and it is quick) shag.

 

[Johnny75]

Pair of bats in the garages over the back. They get really close to us standing outside. First time I've seen them fly properly, amazing speed and agility. Too bloody hard to photograph or video.

 

[sycophantia]

I love sitting outside in our garden in the twilight, watching the Bats fly

 

[Parkins left foot]

Same happened here except I did manage to get a photo. I've been keeping my binoculars and camera on my desk while working from home, so that helped.

View attachment 2784

Latest activity is that a pair of woodpigeons have chosen our back fence as the ideal venue for a quick (and it is quick) shag.

Brilliant shot - had the camera ready but needed a clear line of sight so had to open the window. First time I looked out thought that it was two pigeons having a shag so probably missed the opportunity to get the picture.

 

[PPB]

Same happened here except I did manage to get a photo. I've been keeping my binoculars and camera on my desk while working from home, so that helped.

View attachment 2784

Latest activity is that a pair of woodpigeons have chosen our back fence as the ideal venue for a quick (and it is quick) shag.

Great shot DD

 

[Keef]

Damn right natures taking over,saw this the other night while at work

 

[Doctor Doog]

Brilliant shot - had the camera ready but needed a clear line of sight so had to open the window. First time I looked out thought that it was two pigeons having a shag so probably missed the opportunity to get the picture.

This one stayed there for a good 10 minutes, I just had the window open far enough to poke the lens through.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

View attachment 2785

Damn right natures taking over,saw this the other night while at work

Lolz.Twat

 

[lemonjelly]

For the past week I have spent too much time watching a family of squirrels learning how to run around tree branches in the trees at the bottom of the garden. More than once I've seen one of the babies fall out the tree. Hardy little so and so's manage to get back up there though.

 

[PPB]

Anyone else noticed the dawn chorus seems louder lately, little buggers woke me up this morning. Got up, sat outside with a cup of tea listening to the different songs. Quite lovely

 

[PPB]

Another thing I've noticed, where have all the butterflies gone in UK. Only seem to see those Cabbage White ones in my garden.

 

[lemonjelly]

think it is more a case of less background noise, so you're more able to hear the dawn chorus ppb.
also, have seen a few butterflies out over the past couple of weeks.

 

[leedswolf]

Another thing I've noticed, where have all the butterflies gone in UK. Only seem to see those Cabbage White ones in my garden.

Probably due to land change use damaging their natural environment.

 

[Keef]

Another thing I've noticed, where have all the butterflies gone in UK. Only seem to see those Cabbage White ones in my garden.

Plant a buddlia,butterflies love them

 

[Parkins left foot]

Plant a buddlia,butterflies love them

Have a buddlia that I moved from the middle of the lawn to the back of the garden (was in a totally innapropriate place otherwise).

Looked as if it might die, which was always a risk, but has recovered & now doubled in size - & yes butterflies really congregate there.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Still happening - opened the back door at 10 pm last night to find a hedgehog trundling up the drive & haven't seen one of those for years.

Very bemused cat who went out to sniff it then pat it on the back with her paw before deciding that that wasn't a good idea. Sat there just watching it as it carried on up the drive.