Spotted 10(!) alpine salamanders in my mtb commute home. The late afternoon brought thunderstorms. When I left work there were two very light showers, so nature was dripping and rivers a bit high.
After I had spotted one, soon I saw a second and third... and a fourth. Then after a stretch without seeing any, there was another segment where the cute creatures seemed busy and I saw another six.
Rode calmly so am quite sure I didn't cause any harm.
Was well worth to go out in such weather

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Mon May 23, 2022 3:49 pm Spot the Curlews.

Beautiful... I think I saw a load last year at the top of Wessenden Head. Nice pics...

Spotted on this morning's ride, created by caterpillars. Maybe ermine moth, or hawthorn webber moth, or porphyry knothorn moth, or something like that...

This morning on my way home from my BAM at around 5.30, first there was a Red Kite just hovering around for ages so close I felt I could nearly touch it. Then a huge hare, followed by a buzzard, both also really close.
Then I first heard the sound of curlew, always magical, then one flew up and past me right in front of me.

No slugs though.

Thanks Verena for posting up here as it reminded me of this Q... During the Cotswolds trip, whilst going through the southern end of it I saw a bird. They're always too fast to get any detail of em but this one was definitely khaki colour body. Yellow head. Size of large robin or maybe double the size of a standard sized robin.

Anyone know what I saw? Naturally it was gone before I got close but I'm certain I got the colour code and sizing right... anyone?

Yellow hammer?
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... lowhammer/

We had a re-visit from a parakeet on the peanut feeder today. He was hanging around back in January but we hadn’t seen him since then. We thought the winter had done for him, so we were very pleased to see him again.

Not so much a sighting but a very nice thankyou/pay back - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61903943

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 7:26 pm Yellow hammer?
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildl ... lowhammer/

Quite possibly Phil. Though it was too fast to be certain, but what I saw had a distinct khaki colour coar it seemed. It gives me a bit of lead at least. I assume it was a 'bunting' of some sort (unless I've got my families mixed up - probably have!).

Thanks

Went bird watching with voodoo-dad today, he’s been doing it for years now, so was good going out with someone who could identify the birds very quickly

-Green finch
-Gold finch
-Yellow hammer
-Moorhen
-Buzzard
-Swift

And last also spotted
-House Martin
-Pied Flycatcher (

Stopped on a climb heading to the Peak District and used the app Gian mentioned. Did it's listening and told me me it's almost certain it was a Eurasian Wren.

Good catch that Simon going out with your dad...

I just watched a rat and a squirrel having a fight.

Who won ?

jay91 wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:54 pmWho won ?

I'm gonna go with the rat. Once we had one in a mates house and there was the teo of us with bats trying to fight it on the other side of the living room. Frightening stuff (for us, he/she obviously had everything in it's stride).

sounds like a good plot for a TV show

Unfortunately I don't see anywhere near as many swallows, swifts and martins these days as I used to
Great weather-forecasters they are too; flying high it'll be fine weather, flying low it's gonna rain

Aren't grey squirrels rats with fluffy tails?

Who won ?

Not sure. Seemed to be a number of small skirmishes rather than an all out assault ... at one point I was expecting a second squirrel to appear giving it 'leave it Frank, he's not worth it' etc.

Unfortunately I don't see anywhere near as many swallows, swifts and martins these days as I used to

Number of Swallows in residence here is certainly far lower over the last 2-3 years than it ever was Peter.

Number of swallows and swift’s seems much lower this year here in Shropshire, will get a better idea from the local swift monitoring which takes place every year and has records going back a decade or so.

I was in Pyrenees foothills recently and numbers there looked same as ever (good), farming practices are very traditional out there.

Returning from camping in Argyle and Bute on Friday we took the scenic route which happened to take us along the Kite Trail. Two Kites spotted directly in front of us within the first five minutes and another four over the next twenty minutes. Fantastic.

A couple of years ago, I spotted a Pine Marten in the yard - I was right chuffed but shortly afterwards, forest operations began again and that was the last I saw of them UNTIL JUST NOW. Chuffed once more

Note, not the actual one.

Bearbonesnorm wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:03 pm A couple of years ago, I spotted a Pine Marten in the yard - I was right chuffed but shortly afterwards, forest operations began again and that was the last I saw of them UNTIL JUST NOW. Chuffed once more

They have been reintroduced here over the last three years Stu, 35 of them and they are doing reasonably well. Some have paired up and kits have been born, apparently a first for England
I was lucky enough to see two of them one evening, duly reported to the rangers and confirmed (they have trackers).
Sadly, the biggest losses have been while crossing roads and several have perished under the wheels of motor vehicles

That’s a good spot. It always takes me a moment or two to realise pine martins aren’t birds if people talk about them

Spotted a common chiffchaff today, couldn’t identify it from its looks but the BirdNET app (see iPhone thread) identified two possibilities and one matched the looks

Nice spot stu!!

Iv just been on mull, saw
2 male hen harriers
1 sea Eagle
Short eared owl
A big sea otter
Dolphins

Not a bad tally for two days

Mike, Where's that. I'd love to see a see eagle.

We're up near gleneagles at the moment (not for golf) . Loads of swuftyswallows and dippers on the river. Never seen so many dippers.

Saw a red squirrel yesterday, ran out right in front of the dog. She was as excited as me.

A few midges but fortunately not seen too many.

Viewed from the back window, two roe stags chasing each other after a fight, both blooded around the mouth, one with a leg hanging off.