• Welcome, guest!

    This is a forum devoted to discussion of Wolverhampton Wanderers.
    Why not sign up and contribute? Registered members get a fully ad-free experience!

Lockdown and wildlife

Went out yesterday to the Nene Washes with my kids and in an hour before dusk saw Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Red Kite, Buzzard, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl and Short Eared Owl - all the owls amazing views, quite close. Must be tough being a mouse round there. Anyway, amazing really, and all free to visit.
 
Male hen harriers are gorgeous things, and barn owls are always amazing.
I’m of an age( and a particular hobby, involving binoculars, telescopes and notebooks) where red kites were only found in a couple of valleys in deepest mid wales, used to book cottages round there for holidays trying to see one, finally saw one going up to devils bridge from the steam train.
Lived in Machynlleth for a while, didn’t even have to get off the settee to see them going past my windows.
 
Have bats, of some kind, flying round here now - no idea where they havee come from
 
Wild parakeets.

I had no idea parakeets survived never mind thrived but there are loads of them about. You can hear them every day, normally hanging about on the telephone wires or spotted in the neighbours trees. Lucky enough to have three of them in the garden yesterday.

Foxes are a daily thing now and are probably a more common sighting than cats too. Will likely put food out for the parakeets and let the foxes just do their thing. Some of them are almost tame as I think some natives feed them, but you wonder if the desire to be close to wildlife means you encourage when you shouldn’t. Tricky one but an easy trap to fall into so will have to think about that one.

Anyway, the parakeets. Noisy things but great to see.

5FFB00F2-B7DD-4907-9930-B6E918753374.jpeg

FCC6D23D-C4DC-41C4-BC1F-E53F85AFCF60.jpg
 
The myth is the English population of those are descended from a pair Jimi Hendrix released in the 60s
 
just watched some bastard heron nick a fish out our pond the fecker!
he's now on a roof nearby being bombed by seagulls not liking his presence.
Fucking bastard herons. we moved in and the pond had fish in. then a heron appeared and we thought he'd emptied it, but he just terrified the inhabitants and they took to lying low. seems the fish bred and more appeared, but the fucker is trying to get em all out!
 
Was never one to truly appreciate wildlife the way you should but nowadays tryIng to make up for lost time. Saw a couple of deer in the woods yesterday, although generally it’s the noise from them running away that alerts you. Have come face to face with one in the past before it scampered off. Beautiful to see.

See foxes most evenings if out and about and ‘Samantha’ comes into the garden in the middle of most nights. After seeing the parakeets in the trees put a couple of feeders out a few days ago. Lots of yellow tits from the off, but the parakeets are getting interested now. Maybe it’s an age thing or maybe it’s just having been used to urban living, but it’s a real joy.

Not sure if this one is unusually big or it’s just seeing it close up that makes it appear so, but was lucky enough to have this beauty visit this morning:

C24C0E9D-A9A6-43AD-99C1-807CA89ED1C4.jpeg
 
Lot to learn about this wildlife mullarkey but mostly knowing what to encourage and what to not. The birds are getting used to the feeder now so put another out to encourage more. Many blue tits, woodpeckers and other small birds, but the parakeets are daily visitors now. Difficult to see them as pests when they are so beautiful to observe, but I guess the same applies to the foxes and squirrels too.

Seems like once and you pass the novelty stage and accept them as the norm attitudes quickly change, but for now can only enjoy their beauty. Looking at online maps seems they are rapidly moving across the country and found in every county now right up to the boarders. Not sure what the ramifications of that will be long term but to be honest it is difficult to worry about that and not get carried away just enjoying the moment.

61B17185-13BC-4297-A68B-847224A2A229.jpeg
 
I've pretty much given up on our bird feeder, all we got lately was pigeons, magpies and starlings.
Get the very occasional robin, blue tit and sometimes a sparrowhawk puts in an appearance. Used to get chaffinches, bull finches, green finches, all the tits.
 
I got a pigeon proof feeder once they started turning up at mine. Took a little while for the little birds to get used to it, but they did and the pigeons buggered off...
 
I really must get some shots from the garden up here soon.The parakeets cockatoos and galahs are spectacular. Plus we do get wallabies in the back yard from time to time. Not seen a red kangaroo yet but where I am is within their ranges so I am hopeful.
 
Sulphur crested cockatoos are squawky noisy bastards.
 
I didn't realise a galah was a thing, rather than just an Alf Stewart phrase from the late 80s
 
Me neither, was just going to ask if they were flaming
 
Paddingtonwolf said:
I really must get some shots from the garden up here soon.The parakeets cockatoos and galahs are spectacular. Plus we do get wallabies in the back yard from time to time. Not seen a red kangaroo yet but where I am is within their ranges so I am hopeful.
Click to expand...
In the context of lockdown, at my daughter's in NSW there are wallabies in the nearby rain forest, but rarely seen in the housing estate where she lives. During lockdown, due to low traffic and pedestrian footfall she often saw wallabies bouncing along the road outside of her house around about dawn.

A couple of tips regarding roos and wallabies, never approach them front on, but instead from the side. Never stroke them on the head, (their back is fine though) as that's seen as an invite to box. Definitely not a good option with a full grown Red.
 
First Osprey of spring arrived back in Rutland yesterday. No chiffchaffs in the local wood yet though.
 
Saw a couple of Siskin this morning while out with the mutt, first Ive seen locally for a while. Little Egrets seem to have disappeared though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top