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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

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  1. Mike Richardson

    Mammal Highlights of 2014

    Similar to the 'top 10 birds' thread in the main forum, what are your main mammal highlights (and low lights) so far this year? In no particular order my highlights are 1). Finally catching up with Leisler's Bat a couple of weeks ago at a bat box check with the Derbyshire Bat Group. 2)...
  2. Mike Richardson

    Best mammals of 2013/Targets for 2014

    It's been a little quiet in the mammal section of Birdforum lately so I thought I'd start a new thread. The title says it all. I had a fantastic mammal year in 2013 and I was lucky enough to fit in more mammal watching trips than I normally manage in a given year. Highlights were as follows...
  3. Mike Richardson

    Buteo, SE Arizona, USA

    Hi all I saw this hawk in mid April in SE Arizona (not far from New Mexico border). I would appreciate any thoughts on the species. I have an idea what it is but understand such a bird would be rare in the area. Many thanks.
  4. Mike Richardson

    Sierra de la Culebra – In search of the elusive Lobo

    23 February, 2013 Very early Saturday morning four bleary-eyed Yorkshire men emerged from a nondescript travel hotel on the edge of Luton airport and slowly made their way towards the terminal building. Beers consumed the previous evening combined with only a couple of hours sleep meant the...
  5. Mike Richardson

    South African mammals, October 2012

    As discussed on another thread I've included a link to my mammal report from a trip to South Africa in October 2012. I was lucky enough to see most of my targets including Aardvark, Cape Porcupine and Black-footed Cat...
  6. Mike Richardson

    South Africa (May 2011) Kalahari

    In May 2011 I was lucky enough to visit South Africa for two and a half weeks. As usual I spent most of my energy seeking out mammals and reptiles but that’s not to say that we didn’t see some very impressive birds. The trip can be roughly divided into three parts: 1. The Kalahari where we...
  7. Mike Richardson

    South Africa in April/May?

    I have already decided that my next ‘big trip’ will be to South Africa, splitting my time between Cape Town, the Karoo and Kruger. My business dictates when I can take my holidays and it seems I may be able to fit my visit into April or May, 2011 (otherwise I will have to wait until...
  8. Mike Richardson

    Spanish 'civil protection' kill harmless snakes

    For a country with some very strict wildlife protection laws, the story below left a bitter taste in my mouth. http://mwilsonherps.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/civil-protection-agents-encourage-harmless-snake-killing-in-murcia-spain/
  9. Mike Richardson

    RFI: Lesser Horseshoe Bat sites

    I know it’s a long shot but does anyone know where I might see Lesser Horseshoe Bats (preferably leaving a well known and reliable roost site)? The nearer Yorkshire or Essex the better, so I guess that means the Gloucestershire area. Alternatively, can anyone recommend any guided walks where...
  10. Mike Richardson

    RFI: Mammals - Tuscany/Abruzzo NP

    Hi I’m in the very early stages of planning a week in Italy in October, 2010. Whilst I am a birder, my main interest is mammals and I’m particularly interested in seeing a Crested Porcupine. I understand these animals are relatively easy to see in parts of Tuscany. Is there any particular...
  11. Mike Richardson

    A good day for snakes

    Today we had part of our Yorkshire BF Meet at one of the regions premier Adder locations. The weather was warm but overcast, with occasional sunny spells. For the first time in my life I lost count of how many Adders we found. Males seemed to out number females about four to one and all the...
  12. Mike Richardson

    RFI Adders in the London area.

    Does anyone know of any Adder populations, either in Greater London or the surrounding area? (Preferably sites that can be accessed easily via public transport) The information is for a herpetologist friend who is visiting from overseas. I had a contact arranged to show him Adders in Essex but...
  13. Mike Richardson

    Wild Wildcat in Highland Wildlife Park

    The Highland Wildlife Park has a surprise visitor (Jan 29). Also worth checking out the camera trap photo on the blog.
  14. Mike Richardson

    RFI: Mountain Hare and Black Guillemot (Ardnamurchan & Mull)

    I’m spending a week on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula in the first week of October, and I hope to spend at least one day on Mull. Firstly I was wondering the best place to see Mountain Hare on Mull. I imagine they occur over most of the island? Any particularly reliable sites? Secondly, I have...
  15. Mike Richardson

    SW USA Road Trip (California, Arizona & Texas).

    In February 2009 my girlfriend and I marked two milestone birthdays with a three week American road trip covering four thousand miles and five states. Although wildlife watching was not the primary aim of the holiday, we did spend the majority our time in search of animals. We managed to see...
  16. Mike Richardson

    Field Herping Thread

    As there has been a little activity on this part of the forum lately I thought I would start a fieldherping thread where those of us that enjoy seeing reptiles in the wild can share recent sightings, tips and photos. Hopefully there will be a few contributors from around the world. Today I...
  17. Mike Richardson

    Mystery bird, El Paso, Tesas

    These photos were taken in El Paso in late February by my girlfriend. I did not see the bird. Although the photo is poor, I think the bird looks like some type of blackbird/cowbird. Can anyone identify it to species level? Thank you in anticipation. EDIT: Just realised my typo in the...
  18. Mike Richardson

    Texan Sparrows- help please!

    Please can I have some help with these 3 sparrows - all seen this year in February. I think I know what a couple are but would like to see what others think. El Paso (West Texas) Fort Davis (West Texas) Thank you in anticipation.
  19. Mike Richardson

    ID Help: Wader & Meadowlark - Arizona

    Both these photographs were taken in Arizona in February. The waders were seen in Phoenix and are possibly Semipalmated Sandpiper (sorry for poor photo quality). The Meadowlark was in SE Arizona, very close to New Mexico. I thought Eastern Meadowlark because of mostly white malar and pale...
  20. Mike Richardson

    Id Help: Gull and Sparrow- California

    Please can I have some help with these birds seen in the San Francisco area in February, 2009. The gull looks good for Herring but it seemed much smaller than the nearby Herring Gulls. At the time I thought the sparrow was a California coast Song Sparrow although I now have my doubts...
  21. Mike Richardson

    Scottish Wildcat DVD

    As a Christmas present I received a DVD called Last of the Scottish Wildcats by Coffee Films (www.coffeefilms.com/scottishwildcats) While not the best quality DVD in terms of film and sound quality, I would not hesitate to recommend this documentary to anyone with the slightest interest in the...
  22. Mike Richardson

    Possible Sharp-shinned Hawk, Florida, USA

    I was looking through some old holiday photos and I came across this bird seen at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Florida) in late winter, several years ago. At the time I identified the bird as a probable Sharp-shinned Hawk based on the rounded head, square tail and very narrow white tail...
  23. Mike Richardson

    RFI Yellow-billed Magpie / Mammals- San Franciso

    I will be staying in the San Francisco for several days in February, followed by a couple of days in Monterey Bay. I would be grateful to know any local sites where I have a good chance of seeing Yellow-billed Magpie. Also I would appreciate any information on a nearby area I could drive at...
  24. Mike Richardson

    Possible Wildcat, Ardnamurchan (Scotland)

    Late last week I was driving along the Ardnamurchan Peninsula (Scotland) between Glenborrodale and Kilchoan, spotlighting the rush fields for Wildcat. As usual, good numbers of Red Deer were in the area and I became familiar with their bright orange eyes and subsequent behaviour when briefly...
  25. Mike Richardson

    RFI Bottle-nosed Dolphins, Scotland

    I am visiting Scotland next week and if possible would like to see some Bottle-nosed Dolphins. While doing a little research I seem to be coming across contrasting information on the best place and time to see these animals in the Moray Firth. Does anyone know if dolphins can still be seen in...
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