WILD ? .."I was LIVID" !..(Wildlife Corner)

[Whyperion]

It looked a bit lonely , developers have cut down 5 tress compared to last year , and the council will probably clear the bushes out to deter rats without thinking of nesting birds , leaving the area clear for the maurding cats. Not seen many Blackbirds about , the order during the day on mums bin store rooves are : Starlings , Pidgeons , Magpies , Rooks , Seagulls in the afternoon if stormy weather , with a solitary wagtail bobbing about through everything , the sparrows have diminished in numbers as the large , dense trees have gone over the year. The roof has a blocked downpipe so it floods , when the sun comes out bath time all round.

[Stanley]

I was on the phone to Doc the other day and he said that the biggest Magpie he had ever seen was hopping about on his decking. I often wonder what became of the Eagle Owl up there....

[Bradders Bluesinger]

"Whatever happened to....." is a bit of a coincidence !
Last year ,on the previous OGFB platform , I mentioned having seen a completely white pheasant in our lane .....I think it was Stanley who commented on how easy (or otherwise ) it might be for it to get shot.
Yesterday , I'm convinced I saw the same bird , on the same bit of the lane !
From being a slim youngster , he has developed into a tall , plump adult .He's a fine specimen . His plumage is now white with a smattering of individual black feathers (looks a bit like an ermine coat) ,red collar and black head ..He's magnificent , long may he prosper ...eh !

[Stanley]

As long as some trigger-happy enthusiast doesn't get a bead on him!

[Moh]

We saw a white pheasant too in a field with other normal ones on the road between Moffatt & P)eebles last week. Yesterday as we were packing up to leave Moffatt we saw 2 lots of geese flying south, must have been over 100 in each skein.

[Stanley]

I know that road well Moh. Spent lots of time round there with the cattle wagon. I love to see the geese flying, we have a good population of Canada Geese all year round in Barlick. Love the way they honk at each other to keep in touch.

[Nolic]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-17282645 Looks like the geese cull on Windermere will go ahead. Nolic

[Moh]

They do make a mess there, the shops sell bread to feed the ducks obviously the geese eat it too, so they are encouraging them to the tourist area. It is difficult to walk round there because of all the goose poo on the pavement, you have to look where you are going all the time.

[Gloria]

The fox was in the field beyond ours this morning, probably after young lambs.

[Stanley]

Certainly looking for breakfast Glo!

[Moh]

Even the birds seem quiet in this misty weather. We used to have a fox come to our garden in our previous house, we also saw deer and a badger in the avenue - I miss the wild life and all the different birds we saw there.

[Whyperion]

Couple of geese and a swan grubbing around the canal reservoir embankments. The steep ( or are the just taller than the London terraces ) house rooves opposite have the crows taking hard work to walk up the slate/stone tiles to perch on the artifical trees kindly put up by householders to assit gettling these television signals. Actually around 2/3rds up the roof the crow thinks too much effort walking and resorts to a tired flutter instead.

[Moh]

A heron landed on one of our neighbour's roof this morning (her next door neightbour has a pond), two crows came to look at it and then began dive bombing it. It ducked a few times then eventually flew away.

[Whyperion]

Cannot recall if I put this on the old site , last year about August , Fire Station in Barnoldswick , clearly a superior tree to those planted on the new town green.

[catgate]

I heard a cuckoo this morning. I think it must be a learner. It must have set off from Africa too soon....or else hitched a ride on a plane.

[Moh]

I love to hear the cuckoo. What has the fire station pic. got to do with wild life?

[Nolic]

Moh, it may have something to do with the gathering of birds on the aerials as opposed to tree's in the area. Nolic

[Stanley]

The attraction may be that it's the highest point in the centre of the town. (That is until they erect the 60ft mast on the pavement opposite the library. Everyone seems to have forgotten that the permission was granted on appeal and I don't think the promoters of 4G will have overlooked this.)

[Moh]

Sorry - senior moment - I did not notice the birds!!

[Stanley]

We all have 'em Moh! Picked up a dead crow on the green yesterday. No obvious damage, well grown and a good weight. Wings tidily folded and it almost looked as though it had been stuffed. Must have been old age.....

[Wendyf]

Skylarks overhead this morning when I took the ponies down the field.

[Stanley]

The birds are very active, they are appreciating the clement weather we are having. Not long now till we are in April. Things are going well!
How are the frogs doing Moh?

[Moh]

They are very quiet - work done - pond is full of spawn.

[catgate]

Cuckoo active again this morning.
Yesterday, as I was going south out of the village, I saw a Red Kite hovering over a field just at the side of the road.

[Stanley]

Banks of white blossom in the hedges down Valley Gardens. The year is moving.