Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 528304 times)

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Offline BrianP

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1590 on: December 20, 2019, 10:04:36 pm »
It is a Fieldfare, common this time of year, often seen in groups.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1591 on: December 28, 2019, 05:42:44 pm »
There has been a lot of local concern over the seal caught up in a rope in Angel Bay, since Friday........sparking fears it could die, has managed to free itself.

Rescuers had been called in to help the mammal who was stuck in the rope , which was attached to a buoy off Angel Bay near Llandudno, but in the end were not needed.                      ref DP


Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1592 on: January 08, 2020, 11:58:39 am »
VISITORS to the Great Orme have been reminded to keep their distance from seals on the Great Orme.

The RSPCA has had to issue the warning after an injured seal was spotted on the beach at Pigeon's Cove on Saturday, January 4.
https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18145179.rspca-issues-warning-injured-seal-seen-llandudnos-great-orme/

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1593 on: January 09, 2020, 03:04:29 pm »
We enjoyed a nice walk in Ganllwyd yesterday and walked up to the Cefn Coch goldmine before returning back through the woodland where three Highland cattle were roaming freely.
They were lovely creatures but the Black hairy beast at one time kept coming towards me so I did a quick retreat and took some more  photos from a safer distance

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1594 on: January 16, 2020, 11:41:58 am »
After a sort out of breakfast cereals, past their best before dates, we put them in a blender, and put out the resulting fine powder for the birds ( I did read recently that some biscuits and cereals can cause choking) we were surprised by the reaction, all the usual population seemed to turn up en masse, and in the middle a pair of long tailed tits, not seen one for many years.                 stock photos

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1595 on: January 16, 2020, 12:02:20 pm »
Lovely photos Steve, you were lucky to see those very attractive birds in your garden       Now that you have mentioned it we haven't seen any of those birds here for a number of years.
We'll have to try your tip and see what happens         $good$

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1596 on: January 24, 2020, 01:45:04 pm »
We had a visit from a few the other day - landing on our feeder.  Just managed to get the camera and take a few shots, but this is the best!  Note little fellow is holding the sunflower seed in it's "hand"!!!

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1597 on: January 24, 2020, 01:48:10 pm »
Took this one yesterday.  Note the millipede it's caught - don't know if it ate the creature, it would be like us trying to eat a six-foot-long sausage!!!

Offline SteveH

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Re: Wildlife
« Reply #1598 on: January 26, 2020, 11:19:39 am »
Wales a haven for wildlife - but for how long?

From slugs to spiders and bees to bottlenose dolphins - Wales is proving a haven for many species.

Its varied landscape and mild climate make Wales among Europe's "best wildlife-watching secrets", according to the Wildlife Trust.

Those secrets include a spider only found in Welsh caves, a fly unique to a north Wales river and a flesh-eating slug first found in a Cardiff garden.

However one in six species of wildlife, plants and fungi remain endangered.

Here we look at creatures who only call the green, green grass of Wales home, along with the country's major success stories and the efforts to save those in danger of disappearing altogether.   cont  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51109146

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1599 on: January 30, 2020, 11:55:47 am »
GREY seal pups who were in serious ill health after washing up along the shore have been released back into the wild.

This followed a period of rehabilitation at the Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay.

The release took place from the beach in Penrhyn Bay this month.

More plus video of release.... https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/18196050.rescued-seal-pups-released-back-waters-penrhyn-bay/

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1600 on: January 31, 2020, 10:39:35 am »
I've only just read this article on the mystery of about 330 dead Starlings in Anglesey and it makes awful reading
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-say-mystery-mass-bird-17403053

I watched a countryside programme the other day, and the Anglesey mystery came up, a knowledgeable gentleman, explained "he had seen this happen before, during the time when Starlings were flying  in murmurations, (which they were ) they were attacked by a raptor, causing panic, and in trying to evade, a large number struck the ground, those who hit a hard surface, unfortunately died."

Taking his explanation at face value, I believe this makes sense.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1601 on: February 04, 2020, 10:01:28 am »
Gannet found on Anglesey beach hatched before fall of Berlin Wall
Litter-pickers organised by the Friends of Anglesey Coast Path do a great job keeping the island's beaches free of litter, and inevitably each winter they find a few dead seabirds washed up on the shoreline.

A Gannet found at Traeth Cymyran recently bore a leg-ring that was fitted while it was a chick on a nest in Shetland in 1989.

In that time, it will have travelled tens of thousands of miles, since Gannets spend each winter in the seas off West Africa.

The bird found on Anglesey was some way off being a record-breaker, however.

The oldest Gannet ringed in Britain was over 37-years-old when it was found dead on Orkney in 1998, and one from Wales’ only colony – on Grassholm in Pembrokeshire – was over 36-years-old when found in Devon the same year.     ref DP

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1602 on: February 04, 2020, 12:45:51 pm »
When we were returning from a day trip to Bardsey Island in 2017 we saw an incredible sight of Gannets diving down into the water after the Sand Eels

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1603 on: February 14, 2020, 05:45:27 pm »
I've only just read this article on the mystery of about 330 dead Starlings in Anglesey and it makes awful reading
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/police-say-mystery-mass-bird-17403053

I watched a countryside programme the other day, and the Anglesey mystery came up, a knowledgeable gentleman, explained "he had seen this happen before, during the time when Starlings were flying  in murmurations, (which they were ) they were attacked by a raptor, causing panic, and in trying to evade, a large number struck the ground, those who hit a hard surface, unfortunately died."

Taking his explanation at face value, I believe this makes sense.

Looks like gentleman was right..........

Toxicology results are back on 300 starlings that died on Anglesey - this is what they show
DEFRA says it has carried out tests for numerous potential causes
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/toxicology-results-back-300-starlings-17751516



Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1604 on: February 27, 2020, 05:33:41 pm »
Starling murmurations create stunning displays above Conwy reserve
An estimated 60,000 starlings have migrated together at the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve this winter, creating spectacular aerial displays that can be seen for miles around.

Photo A starling murmuration above the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve. Picture: Jonni Price.

Visitors to the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve in Conwy, North Wales, may have witnessed the dazzling scenes of starling murmurations over the past several months.

The starling murmurations are a natural phenomena that sees large numbers of the bird flock together and move through the sky in a spectacular display of synchronised aerial acrobatics.

Starling migration from the UK and Europe reaches its peak between October and February, with up to 60,000 birds having gathered at the Conwy reserve this year.

The birds come to the reserve during the winter months to roost around the lagoons, arriving just before dusk and leaving at dawn to feed in local areas during the day.

The exact reasons for the murmurations, however, are unknown.

Photo  The starlings roost in the lagoons of the RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve. Picture Jonni Price.

Tim Wallis, Warden for RSPB Conwy Nature Reserve, said: "There are various theories as to why the murmurations occur, it's likely that these aerial displays act as a visual signal to other birds to join them.

"It's in the interests of the birds to group together for safety in numbers, so the more birds there are, the harder it is for a predator to pick out an invidual."

Research shows starling populations have declined by 66% since the mid-1970s, with the species being of high-conservation concern.

A reason for the declining numbers is unknown, though conservation efforts hope to ensure these displays will remain to be see in our skies for years to come.