wildlife

[Tristan_He]

Come friendly kites and soar over Slough?

[David Nicholson]

Ah, a Betjemanic twist.

[TC]

Maybe not wild life but who cares.  We came across these Clydesdales in a field next to Turnberry Golf Course (Trumpton as it is called locally ).  They were obviously being groomed into a pair for a ploughing competition.  It must be over 50 years since I last saw plough horses in action. Seeing these placid big beasts was quite emotional as it made me realise how much the countryside has changed-and not for the better.  I even found myself singing the old bothy ballad the Plooman Laddie from Maggies part of the world in the N.E.

http://www.doricdictionary.com/bothy-ballad-the-plooman-laddies/

[David Nicholson]

I well remember, when I was very small, a local ice cream man used a Clydesdale to draw his cart. Beautiful horses.

[Maritfri]

This is also a sign of spring, but fortunately not in my garden. Vipera berus, huggorm in Norway, is the only poisonous snake in Norway. This was enjoying the warmth of the sun, just woke up from the wintersleep.



We were really looking to photograph a Short eared owl, but was very pleased with this meeting.

Marit

[Maggi Young]

Soon the viper will be looking to eat the short-eared owls eggs, I suppose?

[Maritfri]

Yes, they do eat the birds egg, so that must be the reason that the snake are quite common but the Short eared owl are more rare?



This little charmer is more common, and he is photographed in the garden last summer
Strix aluco, tawny owl.

Marit

[Steve Garvie]

Nice image of this cute wee Tawny Owl Marit!

There are species of snakes which eat eggs but Vipers prey mainly on small mammals.

We usually have a few wintering Short-eared Owls near where I stay. A pair summered last year but there was no proof that they nested. Short-eared Owls are common breeding birds in the hills of nearby Perthshire.
This image was taken in Glendevon. The bird was picked out by a shaft of sunlight whilst the loch in the background was in shade creating a pleasing background.

[Yann]

what a look, you fixed it!

[brianw]

Something digging up some small tulips last night, again. The security lights came on in the middle of the night. Think it must be foxes looking for slugs etc. They like disturbing my woodchip mulches round the trees.
I cover some rhubarb each spring with a rain water tub to force it, but as soon the weather gets mild it gets hot and sticky underneath. Some mould I can live with but the stems get all slimy, presumably because of slugs, as when I knock them those still visible slide down and fall off. We wash it well of course before making crumbles. ;-)
Several butterflies around now; peacocks and brimstone mainly. Frog spawn too for the first time here.

[Tristan_He]

Beautiful adder - been a while since I've seen one, though the local farmer saw some last year. I need to go for more walks without the dog!

Never heard of them eating eggs, though they will certainly take nestlings.

[Maritfri]

Hei,

I love your owel pivture Steve! And yes Tristan, the adder it is realy beautiful creatur



This weekend we vere lucky to met an sea eagle, or to be more precise, there was more than 20 in the air in the same time.



Haliaeetus albicilla

Marit

[Maggi Young]

wow! Marit - I can count his wing feathers!

[Maritfri]

And I saw it right in the eye

wow! Marit - I can count his wing feathers!

[Steve Garvie]

And I saw it right in the eye

Nice image of this impressive eagle Marit!  Its Scots Gaelic name is "Iolaire suile na grein" - The eagle with the sunlit eye.