I’m lucky enough to live in the countryside, we get foxes, deer and badgers all the time.
Tonight was special, it’s not happened in the 14 years we’ve been here, a baby badger came within inches of our door, his parents were watching in the hedge as I gave him a few scraps. He wandered off, proud as punch and then they all came back for a few treats.
Bloody love where I live.
Wildlife
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Barlow Boy
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- Location: Barlow, obviously.
Wildlife
When you retire, you switch bosses - from the one that hired you, to the one that married you.
Re: Wildlife
Misread the title and was just going to post a 'wildwife' item when I realised. 
Great experience that BB. We occasionally get foxes but that's about it.
Great experience that BB. We occasionally get foxes but that's about it.I once played against Don Revie.
Re: Wildlife
A few years ago I heard a rustling in my bin. Fearing a rat, I tentatively peeked in, only to see a medium sized fox like face peering back at me. I knew it wasn't a fox, but had never seen this animal before.
I wheeled the bin down my driveway and tipped it over. Nothing came out, so I walked around the front of it (about 10 yards away) and saw it sitting happily, looking back at me.
I went to the back again and gave the bin a few taps of my foot. Still no movement. Eventually I gave it a good whack and out jumped a medium cat size animal with long bushy tail. It had no fear of me as it ambled away. Turns out it was a Pine Marten. Very rare in our area. Brave little bugger.
Later found out that the Irish translation of our address is Meadow of the Cat. Irish for Pine Marten is Cat Crainn (Tree Cat), so looks like these little guys were plentiful many years ago. The local wildlife group were quite excited to hear they had returned.
I wheeled the bin down my driveway and tipped it over. Nothing came out, so I walked around the front of it (about 10 yards away) and saw it sitting happily, looking back at me.
I went to the back again and gave the bin a few taps of my foot. Still no movement. Eventually I gave it a good whack and out jumped a medium cat size animal with long bushy tail. It had no fear of me as it ambled away. Turns out it was a Pine Marten. Very rare in our area. Brave little bugger.
Later found out that the Irish translation of our address is Meadow of the Cat. Irish for Pine Marten is Cat Crainn (Tree Cat), so looks like these little guys were plentiful many years ago. The local wildlife group were quite excited to hear they had returned.
"An astonishing number of people despise Leeds United or what Leeds United stand for. But this club was never made for them." - Phil Hay
Re: Wildlife
By the way BB, not sure about where you live, but badgers tend to have a bad reputation here, due to old wives tales about them not letting go when they bite, unless they hear a bone snapping!
Rubbish of course. They are determined defenders of their set and family, but really a beautiful solitary creature. Enjoy them (from a distance ).
Rubbish of course. They are determined defenders of their set and family, but really a beautiful solitary creature. Enjoy them (from a distance
)."An astonishing number of people despise Leeds United or what Leeds United stand for. But this club was never made for them." - Phil Hay
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Deleted User 728
Re: Wildlife
I live on the top floor of a low block of flats - about sixty feet up, I guess.
I have a balcony.
Growing out of the concrete in either corner are two weeds which look like small trees .. mainly because that's what they are.
I've cut them both back and pulled out as much as I can of their roots, but they're stuck firm and they always grow back. At one point, one of them was four feet tall. I just give up with them now.
About five years ago I grew a few tomato plants, some peas and capsicums out there.
One morning I came out and found a slug trail, followed it and then found the actual slug on the side of a plant pot.
Sixty feet up.
That's the Chris Bonnington of the slug world right there.
Well, he was till I launched him from the balcony ..
I have a balcony.
Growing out of the concrete in either corner are two weeds which look like small trees .. mainly because that's what they are.
I've cut them both back and pulled out as much as I can of their roots, but they're stuck firm and they always grow back. At one point, one of them was four feet tall. I just give up with them now.
About five years ago I grew a few tomato plants, some peas and capsicums out there.
One morning I came out and found a slug trail, followed it and then found the actual slug on the side of a plant pot.
Sixty feet up.
That's the Chris Bonnington of the slug world right there.
Well, he was till I launched him from the balcony ..
Re: Wildlife
Er, are you sure its not Japanese knotweed.rigger wrote:I live on the top floor of a low block of flats - about sixty feet up, I guess.
I have a balcony.
Growing out of the concrete in either corner are two weeds which look like small trees .. mainly because that's what they are.
I've cut them both back and pulled out as much as I can of their roots, but they're stuck firm and they always grow back. At one point, one of them was four feet tall. I just give up with them now.
About five years ago I grew a few tomato plants, some peas and capsicums out there.
One morning I came out and found a slug trail, followed it and then found the actual slug on the side of a plant pot.
Sixty feet up.
That's the Chris Bonnington of the slug world right there.
Well, he was till I launched him from the balcony ..
I once played against Don Revie.
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Another Northern Soul
- LUFCTALK Moderator
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- Joined: 01 Nov 2015, 09:55
Re: Wildlife
Besides Elland Road of course, I have two homes really - my own in LS11 and sharing most nights at my girlfriend's in LS10 and next to lots of greenery (Middleton Woods).
Plenty of foxes and hedgehogs as well as jays, an owl or two and even a woodpecker. What really pleases me is when the weather is good, the back garden is secluded and usually very peaceful and I've often seen a fox, two of them once, just sunbathing on the grass. Blackbirds and pigeons have started doing the same recently, but not at the same time.
I love badgers, probably because I had TB when I was a kid
, but I'm not sure I've ever seen one in real life.
Plenty of foxes and hedgehogs as well as jays, an owl or two and even a woodpecker. What really pleases me is when the weather is good, the back garden is secluded and usually very peaceful and I've often seen a fox, two of them once, just sunbathing on the grass. Blackbirds and pigeons have started doing the same recently, but not at the same time.
I love badgers, probably because I had TB when I was a kid
, but I'm not sure I've ever seen one in real life.-
Selby White
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Re: Wildlife
Funny you mention woodpeckers ANS, actually saw earlier today at the Cemetery (was there watering plants).
We get an abundance of birds in our garden so quite fortunate with location.
We get an abundance of birds in our garden so quite fortunate with location.
Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.
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Another Northern Soul
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- Joined: 01 Nov 2015, 09:55
Re: Wildlife
Yeah. Plenty of ducks in the local pond and tiny lake and they supposedly used to visit here a lot but I think they've probably learned some harsh lessons over the years, too many cats and possibly foxes after them. Forgot to mention we had two wrens nexting in holly tree next to the downstairs patio window, lovely singers! Red kites increasingly common too.Selby White wrote:Funny you mention woodpeckers ANS, actually saw earlier today at the Cemetery (was there watering plants).
We get an abundance of birds in our garden so quite fortunate with location.
Do any of you get parrots? Quite common now at a friend's neighbourhood in Upminster but also up here there were two on the loose in LS26.
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Deleted User 728
Re: Wildlife
Jays are beautiful, but all too rare.
I remember seeing one on Southampton Common as I rode to work at the uni early one morning.
I actually stopped and got off my bike to take a closer look and maybe sneak a photo but he was up and away before I got anywhere near him.
Southampton Common is a massive park area just north of the city centre and is really lovely, with three lakes, a nature reserve kind of kids' activity place, a jungle gym and a water park thing, again for children to splash about in. There's loads of walkways cut through the vegetation by generations of locals and one in particular leads to the campus but on either side it's bordered by stinging nettles and brambly bushes.
At certain times of the year at certain times of the morning when there's been dew overnight and the sun is shining just right, it's like a magical realm of bejewelled spiders' webs. Every which way you look, there's a glittery string of natural loveliness. Again, I've tried photographing it but it's one of those sights that can only really be appreciated by your own eyes .. or thousands of pounds worth of camera equipment and not just a cheapo Chinese phone
I remember seeing one on Southampton Common as I rode to work at the uni early one morning.
I actually stopped and got off my bike to take a closer look and maybe sneak a photo but he was up and away before I got anywhere near him.
Southampton Common is a massive park area just north of the city centre and is really lovely, with three lakes, a nature reserve kind of kids' activity place, a jungle gym and a water park thing, again for children to splash about in. There's loads of walkways cut through the vegetation by generations of locals and one in particular leads to the campus but on either side it's bordered by stinging nettles and brambly bushes.
At certain times of the year at certain times of the morning when there's been dew overnight and the sun is shining just right, it's like a magical realm of bejewelled spiders' webs. Every which way you look, there's a glittery string of natural loveliness. Again, I've tried photographing it but it's one of those sights that can only really be appreciated by your own eyes .. or thousands of pounds worth of camera equipment and not just a cheapo Chinese phone