John's Mammals 2015 (1 Viewer)

[Farnboro John]

No significant mammals on Saturday on a long day out to Arnside Knott for butties and then the M6 rarities on the way back. Sunday another bat survey, this time close to home near Seale, but nothing but Daubenton's Bats and Soprano Pips.

Normally we get 2 or 3 Red Foxes coming for the nightly chicken, but one night recently saw four waiting outside when I peered out of the door. One loped off at once, so perhaps it was just a gatecrasher. I will do a photo-update on them soon. We've only seen one cub with Mrs F and that was a few weeks ago, so either they just don't follow her over our way or its been a poor breeding year. I suspect the former because she was feeding them milk in quantity for the full period they should have had milk before weaning. It would be nice to know for sure though.

John

 

[MarkHows]

It is harvest time round here and the cat brought in a present, safely returned to the wild.

Mark

 

[Coronatus]

That's another mammal not yet on my tick list.

 

[crazyfingers]

Ironically, the cat brought this in today and I captured it and put it out.

 

[MarkHows]

Despite the terrible weather on Tuesday I had a cracking day out finishing off with these guys

Mark

 

[Farnboro John]

Those are great Mark, must be close to being your best Edible Dormouse shots? Were they up the usual track?

John

 

[MarkHows]

Those are great Mark, must be close to being your best Edible Dormouse shots? Were they up the usual track?

John

From the car park, had to be dodging the showers.

Hope you have better weather when you go

Mark

 

[snlw]

Black Squirrel

While on a lesson today I came across this very recent (it wasn't there c1.5 hours earlier) road killed Black Squirrel just outside Dunstable (Bedfordshire) on Beech Road, LU6 3 (TL03120 19557). Is this a one off or does anyone one if they are spreading from the better know haunts in Herts?

 

[MarkHows]

Simon,

I cannot say about Beds but they are increasing their range in this area and are now present in most of Cambridgeshire,

Mark

 

[Timbirder3]

I've seen a few around Studham, which is only a couple of miles south of Dunstable.
Tim

 

[kitefarrago]

I've just returned from a trip to Brazil (a bit of Atlantic rain forest, but with the Pantanal the main destination).

We saw the `usual' mammals: Jaguar, Black Howler and Capuchin Monkeys, South American Coati, Collared and White-lipped Peccary, Tapir, Giant Anteater, Crab-eating Fox, Yellow Armadillo. We were also lucky with excellent sighitngs of Southern Tamandua.

What might be of particular interest is that there is now a lodge where there are habituated ocelots. This apparently started with them seeking out fish-cleaning stations, and fishermen subsequently throwing them unwanted bits. I didn't take a flashling on this trip, and sightings are at dusk or in the dark, so my pictures aren't that good. (The same lodge also gave us the best sightings of Toco Tucans (used to being given leftover fruit after breakfast) and Hyacinth Macaws (breeding just outside the reception building and very used to people).

I haven't yet processed my photos, but here are a few quickly prepared ones.

Andrea

 

[prhodes]

Mind-blowing stuff Andrea. Sorry to go straight for the obvious, but that massive Jaguar has got to be perhaps the most impresive creature on planet earth. I think If I'd seen that I wouldn't be a functioning human being for about a week later. Fantastic photographs.

Back to workaday impoverished mammals of these islands. On my second work trip attempt, I saw a large bat flying around the crown of the trees around The Lough in Cork city the other day, occasionally dropping like Noctules do. Struggled to get much on my cheapo bat box, but on balance my first Leisler's since apparently there are no Noctules or Serrotine in Ireland. It was flying before the Pipistrelles at the same time as some of the Swallows, but still didn't manage to get picture. Tickable - not sure but, at least something to work on for future trips and anyone with any knowledge appreciated?

Phil

 

[pppppvvvv]

Repetitively circling above the crown of a tree is a feature of Leisler's Bat, if that's what it was doing. plus the absence of other similar species in Ireland makes it a relatively safe bet.

 

[prhodes]

Repetitively circling above the crown of a tree is a feature of Leisler's Bat, if that's what it was doing. plus the absence of other similar species in Ireland makes it a relatively safe bet.

Thanks Peter, that is exactly what it was doing. Good stuff.

Thanks again, Phil

 

[snlw]

A Black Fox is being seen somewhere in West Yorkshire

http://robertefuller.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/a-black-fox.html

 

[MarkHows]

A recent trip out with the Wiltshire Bat Group produced 10 species and in excess of 400 bats. Bechstein's, Barbastelle and Brant's the rare species of real note. Others were serotine, whiskered, brown long eared, Daubenton's, Natterer's, and both Greater and Lesser horseshoe.


Mark

 

[MarkHows]

Some recent sightings a very brief trip to Minsmere for rabbit, grey squirrel, water vole and red deer and a brief stoat sighting, I have had two other stoat sightings one at work and one at Dungeness.

Wild boar, badger and Fox in the Forest of Dean as well.

But no Beavers in Devon.

Mark

 

[JCL]

My aunt's got a leucistic Grey Squirrel in her Edinburgh garden at present. (Not taking twitchers though, so don't even toy with the idea...)

 

[Jos Stratford]

Wreckers of the Night

On my land I have a big grain feeder, holds 50 kg of foodstuff, weighs a ton and is virtually impossible to move when full. or at least it is for me ...but over recent days, the thing has been trashed on several occasions - over 100 kg of grain vanished, roof broken, front feeding platform broken.

Maybe a Moose, maybe a Wild Boar, even a wild imagination of a wandering Brown Bear. After giving me the slip on several occasions - not appearing when I left a camera, finally the culprits slipped up and revealed themselves on film...

Click here - Wreckers of the Night - for the video, the full damage comes towards the end

 

[MarkHows]

Click here - Wreckers of the Night - for the video, the full damage comes towards the end

Excellent, guess you are going to need a new feeder!

Mark