Nature watch.

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,419]

On 10/01/2024 at 10:25, BurwellCanary said:

Had this visitor in my back garden yesterday

- I think its a sparrowhawk

 

Yep, yellow legs and eyes good pointers for a sparrowhawk.

Lovely.

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,189]

4 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Being discussed on R5 now. Are you OK? 

All good thanks

Other than the poor bloke who fell in a crack last week, nobody has been hurt

The question now is to ensure that the residents get the support they need 

[The Raptor 1,211]

Today at the zoo I noticed that... 

Wolverines have a really odd running style.

Rockhopper penguins don't seem to actually hop much. Just stand about.

Otters make a horrible screeching noise.

The postman butterfly was nowhere to be found. Probably only appears every other day.

[The Raptor 1,211]

I also spotted the Norwich Board about to bury their heads in the sand and pretend everything at the club is great...

[FenwayFrank 2,459]

 

I've watched this so many times

 

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,419]

3 hours ago, FenwayFrank said:

 

I've watched this so many times

 

Brilllliant.

[sonyc 5,528]

4 hours ago, FenwayFrank said:

 

I've watched this so many times

 

I saw that too FF. Amazing to watch.

Another bird tweet amused me too (music themed)

 

Edited January 17 by sonyc

[TheGunnShow 5,940]

Not my photograph but one taken by an Icelandic pilot called Thrainn Hafsteinsson, recently flying over the Faroes in winter. This is clearly from the far north-east of the islands and the capital, Torshavn, is under the cloud to the left.

The "C" settlement near the "front" is the second-largest settlement, namely Klaksvik.

[KiwiScot 1,450]

I've had a grey squirrel hanging around the garden of late. Had a check around but no evidence it is nesting in the house.

[sonyc 5,528]

On 04/02/2024 at 10:02, KiwiScot said:

I've had a grey squirrel hanging around the garden of late. Had a check around but no evidence it is nesting in the house.

Yes they've been back since late November and think between now and June you'll see a lot more. They then seem to disappear for 4 months. I realised it's the same for birds in the main. Food becomes so widely available in summer and early autumn that they don't need to come so close to houses. 

I read too that squirrels hide thousands of nuts in autumn so they can keep going back to their hordes. Not sure if that can be true because they would need amazing memories... but perhaps they have!

I've been putting up suet balls and coconut halves and it's keeping the whole nature community fed around our area. There is a family of 4 squirrels who live in the quarry who climb up the trees, the same robin, the usual blue t I t s and great t I t s, a gang (?) of Jackdaws (gang seems about the right term 🙂) and the best one is the Nuthatch. He is often about in the small wood nearby but again comes around in late Winter and Spring.

Poorer photo quality from the other day as it was from my mobile and I used the x2.5 lens to get a close up. 

Edited February 7 by sonyc

[FenwayFrank 2,459]

If anyone puts up suet balls where I live they'll be a rat hanging off it the next morning! 😃

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

2 hours ago, sonyc said:

Yes they've been back since late November and think between now and June you'll see a lot more. They then seem to disappear for 4 months. I realised it's the same for birds in the main. Food becomes so widely available in summer and early autumn that they don't need to come so close to houses. 

I read too that squirrels hide thousands of nuts in autumn so they can keep going back to their hordes. Not sure if that can be true because they would need amazing memories... but perhaps they have!

I've been putting up suet balls and coconut halves and it's keeping the whole nature community fed around our area. There is a family of 4 squirrels who live in the quarry who climb up the trees, the same robin, the usual blue t I t s and great t I t s, a gang (?) of Jackdaws (gang seems about the right term 🙂) and the best one is the Nuthatch. He is often about in the small wood nearby but again comes around in late Winter and Spring.

Poorer photo quality from the other day as it was from my mobile and I used the x2.5 lens to get a close up. 

I read somewhere recently that they do indeed forget where they hide their food. 

[sonyc 5,528]

4 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

I read somewhere recently that they do indeed forget where they hide their food. 

I had to look dylan! 😃

https://www.livescience.com/64104-how-do-squirrels-find-buried-nuts.html

Seems they might be quite clever.

 

On a tangential point, it is nice to discuss this issue - rather than read umpteen pages about illegal criminal asylum seekers (which everyone agrees is outrageous with common acknowledgement that the asylum system works terribly...and yet people still falling out about it and making it a war between left and right.  Likewise, everyone is horrified by Israel's actions in Gaza and yet once again there are arguments about apologists for one or the other). Maybe it is impossible to have a left and right view on squirrels! Grey and red maybe.

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

@sonycThat is absolutely fascinating. 

The most important thing about squirrels is that they keep the more stupid of my two dogs very fit. 

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,419]

I didn't realise until I read/heard recently that red squirrels were hunted in huge numbers due to being perceived as pests. Especially in Scotland and by gamekeepers.

 

[sonyc 5,528]

7 hours ago, dylanisabaddog said:

@sonycThat is absolutely fascinating. 

The most important thing about squirrels is that they keep the more stupid of my two dogs very fit. 

Ours is the same, but despite how quick she is... they'll always have the benefit of a tree.

Yet, if she has a ball on her walk she has an absolute single focus - no going to the toilet or anything (until the ball is taken away). I guess the ball is a substitute for her herding drive. If I walk along holding the ball she shields me and walks backwards, never looking what's behind her. Incredible dogs are border collies. 

It's very snowy today and squirrels are still about - here are a couple of local views, one with Florence waiting in the wood.

[Yellow Fever 3,793]

Anybody got any of the parakeets in Norwich yet?

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

@sonyc border collies are indeed quite extraordinary dogs. But if you just want to laugh at one search for TeamCaspar on Facebook. The Collie in the videos was chained up next to a farm when the current owner walked past and offered to take him. Caspar is adorable but..... 

https://www.facebook.com/share/4AE4yZCapiUYoo4z/

Edited February 8 by dylanisabaddog

[Herman 9,780]

5 Buzzards forming a circle yesterday. Marvelous. 👍

[How I Wrote Elastic Man 1,189]

Things are looking up for the Norfolk Hawker

🙂

[sonyc 5,528]

I know we may be experiencing a false indicator in the improving weather to make us think Spring is about to arrive (called a Fool's Spring in Finland) but there's a Song Thrush every morning on the dog walk up the long hill that belts out it's song. You can hear it for maybe 100 yards. Often a really varied song. It never fails to lift any mood.

This appeared on my X feed this evening and reminded me (great filming).

 

[dylanisabaddog 4,931]

@sonycI can't remember the last time I saw or heard a song thrush

[horsefly 4,303]

Blackcap in the garden this morning. A fairly rare visitor, but the masses of berries on the long stretch of ivy extended along the fence is proving a real pull for many birds.

[Nik Vawn 129]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001vbt0/broadcasts/upcoming
 

worth a listen if concerned about our rivers

[The Raptor 1,211]

Not going to get a discussion in their merits.  After a couple of incidents I've had they're worthless scum to me.

I've not seen a single gull in Denmark. What a great place! 

[horsefly 4,303]

3 hours ago, The Raptor said:

Not going to get a discussion in their merits.  After a couple of incidents I've had they're worthless scum to me.

I've not seen a single gull in Denmark. What a great place! 

Of course, no surprise that a Raptor would have a dim view of gulls 😀

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,419]

Had good views of the long-billed Dowitcher (American vagrant blown off course) at Carlton Marshes SWT yesterday. Wouldn't have known if someone hadn't pointed it out!

Also pintail ducks, 1000+ black tailed godwits amongst many others.

Thoroughly recommended, It's a great place to visit, lovely coffee and cake afterwards.

[Herman 9,780]

The wrens, woodpeckers and robins are going for it this morning. And the robins have now paired up with only the odd punch up. 

[sonyc 5,528]

 

 

[Herman 9,780]

There was a lovely Lapwing around this morning. Mad little thing.