Pictures of Wildlife.

I very clearly remember (without any photo evidence at all) how my unit was forced to set up formally on the tarmac facing the hangar - and you know, waiting, restless, getting bored - suddenly spotted the starlings nestling under the hangar roof - and found their image on the unit patch on my shoulder!

 

Yesterday I managed to work out why the grass outside my old ambulance shed has been littered with pop rivets, stainless bolts, flat washers, wood screws, and the odd fascia fixing, its been going on for the last few days,over 20 bits one day, I pick them up, and the next day more of them, yesterday, I noticed the bin rack had a few wet leaves in a couple of bins,so I sat in the caravan with a view of the shed and waited, in went a ROBIN, came out with a pop rivet, dumped that, and then started on the BA bolts, picked them all up,see what tomorrow brings.
Today, not so many outside just those in the pictures, but many more leaves in the bin rack, I took a camera so as to set the scene, you only have my word its a robin, but it is a robin. I have now made a hiding place in the shed to get a good picture of the thief, but am hoping not to disturb it too much so it carry's on with its task, why it had to try emptying a few bins I have no idea as there are empty ones along the row.
lofty

In the shed picture the Robin is on top of the right hand door, honest

 

I don't think it's that unusual Lofty, it's just getting rid of the 'rubbish' in the bins, so it can build a more comfy nest. We had a similar thing happen in a hangar a few years ago. Robins again, built several nests in the 'AGS' rack bins. Of course they never came to anything as the disturbance was just too great for them.
Nick

 

The pets I had in the UK were 2 cats and hundreds of tropical fish.
When I moved to Australia that changed dramatically.
We moved into a new house, large garden and 3 big gum trees, we went to bed that night exhausted, we were woken in the early hours by a frightening noise, we shot out of bed but could not find the cause, we thought there was a donkey in the garden, we found out next day, the neighbours told us it was Koalas, they make a noise like a braying donkey, we don't know whether they were mating or fighting, we would have to get use to them, our 3 gum trees were on a Koala "run".
We sat on the patio having breakfast, and a Magpie arrived we gave it some bread, it flew off to a gum tree about 100yards away high on a hill, it had a perfect view of our patio, it was a frequent visitor.
When we went to the shops we bought some cheap mincemeat, to feed the birds, the Magpie would stuff his mouth before flying off, then a Kookaburra turned up it pick up one small piece of meat and flew off, 10 minutes later it was back for another small piece.
The next arrivals were 2 Butcher birds, they had a good feed and flew off, 4 days later they turned up with 4 babies, they ushered the babies onto our door step, they lined up and fluttered their wings and opened their mouths, we hand fed them and the parents waited for their turn.
The next arrivals were 2 Spangled Drongoes, they stayed in the air we had to throw the meat up to them.
Our two cats sat on the windows sills, spell bound, they were too well fed and lazy to do any thing else.

 

We decided to try our luck feeding the Rainbow Lorikeets, a geezer near us sold honey, we took 2 containers, he filled them quite cheaply, we diluted the honey with hot water and filled 2 large plastic cans which we kept in the fridge.
We bought a large enamel dish, put the honey and bread in and put the dish on the bird table, 4 Rainbows turned up, and at the end of the day 2 Possums arrived and had a feed.
The next day about 20 Rainbows arrived, 4 days later our Gum tree was covered with birds, there must have been well over 100, we were kept busy topping up the dish, we used a whole loaf and about 1,2 gallon of honey, I had to pop down the shop to get some bread for us.
We had a very rainy day we fed the birds, then ourselves,we were having tea when we noticed 2 Lorikeets sitting on the sleeper at the edge of the patio, they were getting very wet, the next morning they were still there, we had breakfast and watch the birds, one then put its head on the shoulder of the other, another half hour one bird slowly moved away from the other, its sat there for about 10 minutes before flying away, we went onto the patio and found that the bird was dead, we buried it in the garden.
We found it very touching that the bird stayed with its mate, I think we have a lot to learn about wild life.
We carried on feeding the Lorikeets, we bought stale bread and rolls from our baker, and plenty more honey.
We bought mincemeat for the other birds, we were kept very busy, we thought we were neglecting our 2 cats and Boxer dog, but rest assured they never went short of food or affection.
Due to circumstances we had to move, on that morning we found a Koala on our backdoor step my Wife said he has come to say goodbye.
We handed over the feeding to the incoming people, they were pleased because they had young children.

 

Not the back garden - Rutland: Double left cllick to full screen

Osprey Webcam



Loch of the Lowes webcam - Scottish Wildlife Trust#

New Forest - Live Wildlife & Nestcams with young

 

Whilst up on Lewis last summer this rabbit was sat on a hillside - I was positive it thought I could not see it as it did not run off until the last minute...


... and a vicious man-eating sheep...


A red squirrel kitten on Brownsea Island...


I'll have to start digging through the collection as we get quite a few critters in the garden - definitely have some good shots of the parakeets...

The camera is a basic Fuji point-and-click...

 

Not my backyard, and I'm not sure why she didn't get video. The cat was scared off and the deer moved to the bush so the cat could eat it. I would have at least taken a few steaks before throwing it in the bush

Vancouver Island woman watches cougar in yard with deer carcass

 

Not my backyard, and I'm not sure why she didn't get video. The cat was scared off and the deer moved to the bush so the cat could eat it. I would have at least taken a few steaks before throwing it in the bush

http://new.canada.com/Vancouver+Island+woman+watches+cougar+yard+with+deer+carcass/6609103/story.html#ixzz1ulx6WfiF

Link not working?

 

Trent University is an hour east of us in Peterborough, Ontario.

My daughter had a soccer tournament there last weekend and this beautiful Osprey was visible from the stands for most of the two days as he watched the river for his next meal.

 

Link fixed now

Vancouver Island woman watches cougar in yard with deer carcass

 

A couple of test we did when we first got our little Gopro



Birds and Squirrels - YouTube



Garden Birds (GoPro) - YouTube

 

Herewith an update on my nuts and bolts bins, (see post 162).
I have been very diligent in my efforts not to disturb the nesting bird, it is now sitting on five eggs, and is now used to me poking about in the shed, mind you I always say hello to it and whistle a bit to it, I was sure it was a robin, but I cant see it to well on the nest, perhaps some here can tell from the eggs, will try to get pictures when hatched.

lofty

 

Thanks Owen, wish I could take pictures like that, eggs look the same color, I was sure it is a robin but when it sitting it looks tiny, we will see. sad to read the nest was raided in previous picture, perhaps I will have to move into my shed a mount a 24 hour guard.

regards lofty

 

Lofty, call on the SOGs for your 24 hour guard!
I am sure they will happy to do it as long as you make the Sunday morning bacon sarnies a daily thing.

 

This is not really the place to point out that SOGS made the big time recenty, see picture. Not sure the members are prepared to do guard duty now,

lofty (SOGMIESTER)

 

Africam | A Live 24x7 Interactive African Wildlife Safari




Zulucam - Live video of the worlds largest African elephants

 

I wouldn't know a ring knecked Parakeet if it sat on my shoulder but when I was working in Richmond a while ago there were hundreds of colourful and noisy buggers in some areas. I was told there was a large population of Parakeets, possibly as a result of a large release or escape from a zoo somewhere nearby.