Mammals seen while birding (3 Viewers)

[jurek]

Hi,

I wonder if any of you saw interesting animals while birding. I often meet roe deer and wild pigs.

Recently I saw young Pine Marten which climbed dead tree and sat at the top, looking at me. And what?

Unusual and surprise stories will be appreciated.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Up here in LT, what have I bumped into this year? Foxes are more or less diurnal and there is one particular meadow where I can expect up to four or five per day, often Roe Deer in the same meadow. On my land, had a nice couple of Racoon Dogs wandering down to my new pools earlier in the year and have one MASSIVE beaver lodge in the flood forest, not that I've seen more than the splash of one of their tails and a rapidly disappearing shape in the water. Had a few Wild Boar piglets hurtling off at great speed, along with a rather narked Mrs Pig too! Been quite a while since I've seen an Elk - last in LT was late last autumn, though a few in Poland since (and plenty of tracks across my land). One Pine Martin some time ago and have a cute little mouse of some unknown species under my sunflower feeder every day!

Still dream about the wolves that inhabit the forests and fancy that a bear might one day come a'wandering through my feeding station ...but now we really are talking dreams!

 

[wintibird]

Had a beaver yesterday after a Marsh Sandpiper. Nice combination. In search for Middle-spotted Woodpecker this spring with our local club we saw 12 wild boar, quite impressing animals and very close.
Usually it's all less spectacular with Squirrels and deer beeing the most common sightings.

Greetings
André

 

[Gill Osborne]

Since moving up to Northumberland I see Roe on a daily basis - including a stunning buck two weeks ago who dashed across the road in front of me and looked bigger than my car from where I was sitting!!!!
Zillions of rabbits and lots of Stoats and Weasels which I see on average about twice a week.
Saw my first fox two weeks ago which was very bizarre as I used to see them on a regular basis when I lived in town - but they are a lot more wary up here.
Still witing for my first badgers though...despite knowing of at least five dead cert setts!!! :C

I'm definitely seeing more mammals nowadays - my Year List is up to 13 now with the Fox cub.

Nothing as exciting as a Pine Martin though ...but, having said that, there ARE otters around a nearby valley which I'm sure I'll meet up with sooner or later.

Gill

 

[MH68]

Like Gill I see Roe Deer regularly around my usual haunts.Also recently seen Red Squirrel, Fox, Stoat,Weasel,Otter,Bank Vole,Wood Mice,Common and Pygmy Shrews and today for the first time, a Water Shrew. I must admit when there are mammals such as these to be seen the birds take a back seat.

Mark

 

[LSB]

I have manged to see these mammals whilst out birding...
Bearded Seal
Common Porpoise
Bottle Nosed Dolphin
White Beaked Dolphin
Stoat
Weasel
Badger
Fox
Bats
Roe Deer
Red Deer
Red Squirrel
Grey Squirrel
Rats
Field vole
Field Mouse
Rabbit
Brown Hare
Otter
Grey Seal
Common Seal
small list compared to some peoples but I will never forget seeing my 1st Badger...Amazing animal....

 

[jurek]

Had a beaver yesterday after a Marsh Sandpiper.

I used to see beavers very often in Poland, now I only see cut trees.

One late afternoon I walked on the river bank. I saw that a young willow sapling is shaking. I thought it must be an angler moving through the bushes.

Then the willow fell and a beaver appeared to the shore, pulling the sapling behind. It pulled it to the water and swam away with mass of leaves and branches trailing behind.

 

[Brian Stone]

Number one is Otter. I often call in on a country park on the way home from work. Its one of the biggest bits of water around here and I've seen Little Gulls, Black Tern, Brent Goose, Common Scoter and other good local finds here. About a year ago I turned up there and was astonished to see a fully grown dog Otter swimming casually across the middle of the main lake. The dog-walkers and pedaloes didn't even notice it but it saw getting some jip from gulls which made it stop at times. I even tried a digiscoped shot but this is all I got:
http://thenaturalstone.blogspot.com/2004/08/otter-or-loch-ness-monster.html

The best bit was that another local birder appeared on the far side of the lake but I couldn't get in touch with him. I was willing him to see it and it was a huge relief when I finally saw that he'd seen it. The reaction was interesting to watch frmo a distance like that.

Number 2 is a Minke Whale watched over a period of about 5 hours off and on in early June this year. I'd been watching the seabirds between Ardnamurchan, Eigg and Skye when the great beast surfaced. It showed amazingly well even coming close to the shore we were on. Unbeatable!

 

[albatross02]

mammals during birdwatch

Last weekend I was birdwatching in forest Spreewald.
Look at the picture
http://www.birdforum.net/thedirectory/showproduct.php?product=770&sort=7&cat=500&page=1

They was only 5 m away.
Sometimes it is just the opposite. In Kaikoura ( New Zealand ) I was on a whale watching tour ( Spermwhales ). During this trip I saw e.g. Wandering Albatrosses.
During other whale tour in Tofino ( Vancouver island, Canada ), I saw Bold Eagle eating salmons.


Best regards
Dieter

 

[jurek]

Nice! I found beaver dam and cuts few 100m from Berlin border in Spandauer Forst area, but saw them only in Poland.

I once went behind a rather noisy group of birders. I heard faint splashing in the water ditch near the road. I looked and saw a beaver hiding underwater, absolutely still except of some bubbles from the nose. It was 2-3m from me.

Otters I saw only a couple of times. Their tracks are everywhere but they are apparently more mobile.

 

[Edward]

Saw a new mammal for me tonight, Humpback Whale, at least three feeding just off shore here in SW Iceland, also plenty of Minke Whales (dozen or so) and masses of White-beaked Dolphins. A suprb evening of whalewatching from land, whilst birds included Puffin (superabundant), Great Skua, Arctic Skua (both abundant) and my first Sooty Shearwater of the year.

I can usually bank on Killer Whale in W Iceland if I'm showing visitors Brünnich's Guillemots in May, also Common Seals and Grey Seals are easy to find whilst birding on the coast. Arctic Fox I see occasionally but haven't seen one yet in 2005.

E

 

[albatross02]

Beaver

Hallo Jurek,

this beaver and 2 other I found, when I drove with my bike through Cottbus in direction of fishlakes Peitzer Teiche.
The way is on river Spree. Is not easy to remark this is in the town.

Hallo Edward,

Iceland must be a nice place for animals, if it would be so cool and rainy there.
Different whales, walrus, biggest bird colony in the world ( 2 million birds ).


Best regards
Dieter

 

[the bird]

a pod of dolphins/porpoises jumping around out of the water while at Ullapool in Scotland - brilliant

 

[peligirl]

I live close to the gulf coast in Texas, on two occasions this year I have come right upon bobcats near the boardwalk within 50 ft or so. This was right behind the sign in station at Anuach Wildlife Refuge in Winnie, Texas. The couple was actually playing with each other and gave us nary a thought, it was wonderfull. They were so close you could see the tufts of hair that are on the ears and even their light spots on their coats. I thought ..gee...they could at any moment run at us and cause damage by our trying to get out of the way, after all they are wildcats.
Midge Downs
Houston, Texas

 

[CornishExile]

These days the choice is a bit limited; Otters are fairly regular (actually found myself chasing one away from my hen houses a few evenings ago), and Mountain Hares are easy enough on mainland Shetland. Grey and Common Seals are both easy enough, but of the cetaceans only Harbour Porpoise is at all regular. Though I have seen Killer and Minke Whales up here in past years when on birding holidays.

In mainland UK all the usual suspects, plus two memorable exceptions - Wild Boar one evening in a wood in Kent whilst out scouting for Nightjars for a guided walk I was due to give a few nights later; and a Wildcat carrying a rabbit in it's mouth in Scotland back in my bad old twitching days while I was up north for Harlequin Duck. Frankly the cat was a damn sight more inspiring than the ducks!

ce

 

[Edward]

Hallo Edward,

Iceland must be a nice place for animals, if it would be so cool and rainy there.
Different whales, walrus, biggest bird colony in the world ( 2 million birds ).
Best regards
Dieter

Hi Dieter,

Iceland is very poor for land mammals (only two native species, Arctic Fox and Homo sapiens, plus a few introduced ones) but is an excellent place for whalewatching. There are no Walruses here (only very rare visitor) and Polar Bears arrive once every ten years or so.

E

 

[Katy Penland]

When doing a bird survey in a local national forest, I had to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting a cottontail (small rabbit) being chased by a bobcat. They both dashed out of the ditch on the downhill side of the road and went crashing uphill on the other side.

Best month at home, though, was June, when we had 7 mammal species in the yard throughout the month: Abert's and Rock Squirrels, Cliff Chipmunk, Coyote, Gray Fox, Cottontail, and -- lifer for me -- a Black Bear, who dumped over our garbage bin and then tried to dig under the chain-link fence gate to get in the interior yard (presumably to the small bird pond). Pretty exciting for us all, and occurring just as we were turning the lights out for the night.

 

[albatross02]

Iceland

Hallo Edward,

I heard Iceland is a top spot for whale watching. I bould a nature guide.
But there is also written about seabirds. Is it easy the watch big seabird colonies on the rocks at the coast or is access difficult or denied ?
How is about birds away from the coast ?
Lot of areas are very rainy. But there also sunny areas ?
Buy the way, last week we had 16 centigrads on some days.

Best regards
Dieter

 

[john young]

While watching sand martins at broomhill bridge nr nethybride, an otter suddenly appeared trying to grab sand martin chicks! a group of us from loch garten (vol wardens) watched this for approx 10 mins.
unforgettable

 

[avan]

This year during vacation we encounter 2 family: red fox (4 cubs) and wolf (6 cubs). we are lucky enought to film and photography them.
Alain