Wildlife Thread

[Carnation]

Wow, look at those kangaroos, are they eating something off the highway?

[Lolalee1]

They usually eat the grasses on the side of the road.A lot of areas are in drought so you see quite a few on the roads now.x

[fishman65]

Be careful what you wish for when you start feeding robins from your hand. I keep getting followed around the garden by Mr and Mrs Robin, guilt tripping me until I produce the suet pellets.

[Darksky]

That’s lovely though. You are making me miss Phil . Remember how I said he used to stand by the door and call me until I came out and fed him. Then even came into the porch to help himself. This pretender to the throne is a scatty thing and can’t stand the sight of me.
Is there no way you can photograph these robins…..get the camera ready for when they alight?

[fishman65]

That’s lovely though. You are making me miss Phil . Remember how I said he used to stand by the door and call me until I came out and fed him. Then even came into the porch to help himself. This pretender to the throne is a scatty thing and can’t stand the sight of me.
Is there no way you can photograph these robins…..get the camera ready for when they alight?

Come here Yes it is lovely and I shouldn't complain about them, it does make me smile.

I'm so sorry about Phil. Male pheasants are very territorial so he's probably set up his harem elsewhere. You must have some robins there? Sit quietly near to where you feed your birds, before you put any food out. Hold your hand out with whatever you feed them, and wait. It's a pair that keep coming because one is lacking tail feathers.

[Darksky]

I shall endeavour to strike up a friendship with my robins then. I have had them before waiting for me on the fence but they have never come closer despite trying. You know me, my patience is scant at the best of times.

But if you can do it…….

[Fishmanpa]

The last two years, we had a family of Robins living in our backyard in a fence post. This year however, they have chosen a different place to nest. It was very cool seeing them raise their babies literally feet from out=r back deck. It was funny too as Mama Robin would get very defensive when we let Tasha out in the yard. She would divebomb her even though Tasha showed no interest or threat.



Robins.jpg

FMP

[Carnation]

Great photo FMP. Robins are definitely feisty birds. They always the first in the soil after I've weeded.

[WiredIncorrectly]

The foxes have gone from the area :(

Next to my house I have a wooded area and a small field. At the end of the field is a large old wall, and a big drop. The wall has been collapsing so they've had to remove all the trees. The foxes used to live in that area. But now the trees are gone they can't.

The whole field area is a mess. There's JCB's and other big machinery. They're moving the wall back I think and rebuilding it.

So much wildlife affected. But I understand they have no choice because if that wall collapses the trees would fall on the houses.

I was walking by it the other day. One of the workers shouted at me "You are not meant to be walking there. Move!". I shouted "Leave me alone" and he didn't say anything else. I find these types of workers are very disrespectful.

We've also got a badger issue. Dead badgers keep turning up next to the road. There's badgers dens everywhere in the woods and one of their den holes is right next to the road. If you walk up the hill where their den is, over the other side is amazing. Loads of dens everywhere. I'll try get some photos. Sadly there's also a few dead badgers that people throw over there.

It really hurts when I see a dead badger. Even the dog gets sad. He sees them and he whines and genuinely looks sad.

[fishman65]

Digging will bring them round Darksky, but yes patience is needed but once they get over that hurdle they get closer.

That's a lovely picture FMP. Its fascinating how different bird species have young that develop at different rates. A nest off the ground typically has young that are helpless until they fledge fully. Yet a ground nesting species, the young are up and running immediately after hatching. The latter will use camouflage and become motionless the instant danger is detected.

Wired, I'm afraid that scenario is occurring more and more. Around our town, a 1000 houses have gone up in the last 7 years or so. The UK is already the most treeless nation in Europe. Wild spaces become squeezed more and more as the population grows.