Nature quiz.

Lovely, I've never managed to take a photo of one.

The only time I used to regularly see them in Appleby was at the gym. The steppers faced the river and you often saw a flash of blue or if you were really lucky one would perch. Always made my day.

Great photos, Yorkie.
Only seen one a handful of times. On the Swale in N Yorks and on the Derwent near Isel. This bit of the Derwent is a good spot to see the Osprey around the Setmurty, Isel area away from the busier Dodd Wood bit.
When will this weather end? Such a shame not to be walking up in Cumbria but been able to get to know my local patch so much better.
Some photos of a Red Kite, Sparrowhawk, Hare and Small Copper.
Finally managed to get a Jay on camera with i's shimmering, metallic blue feathers.
The hare came out well as I managed to almost walk on top of it!
So many Muntjac deer around us and they are so brazen. Not as beautiful or as shy as the Roe Deer I see in the Cumbrian woods and valleys but such a cocky character.
Highlight recently has been seeing a great display of Lapwing. Wheeling and careering in the sky for a good half an hour. Impossible to capture on film at my level of ability but managed to get one at rest when the cartwheeling eventually stopped.
A bird I used to see and hear a lot as a kid - a fantastic call they have - but not too common around our way anymore.

Great pictures I enjoy going out with my camera and getting pics, it’s amazing what a great variety there is all around us. Got good shots of the likes of Blackcaps, Tree Creepers, Nuthatches etc.
Would love to share but how do you post photos on here.

I use https://postimages.org/ pacirv

It's a bit fiddly to begin with but once you get the hang of it it's pretty straightforward.

Have a go and if you get stuck there's a few of us on here who can help.

Kingfisher seen on the River Eden this morning not far off the car park in Rickerby Park.

There's a pair of Kingfishers on Caldew not too far off Bousteads as you head towards Viaduct.

Heard a cuckoo for the first time in a long time, I some woodland near Haweswater. When I was a kid , we would hear them quite often even in some woods in the village.

Real treat tonight seeing a fox in the fields. Can't think the last time I've seen one in the country. Usually see them early morning about the town or hear them in the middle of the night.

It’s a sign NCF.

Seeing Olga in the wild = Promotion next Season...

.... or looking at the size of that tail, maybe a warning of a brush with relegation.

when I saw this bird in silhouette I thought it was a red kite but when I saw the colouring and the shape of the wing, I'm pretty sure it's a buzzard.

Has anyone seen a buzzard with a tail like that, is it a juvenile or has it been in a bit of a ruck?

Going into Tier 3 tomorrow so combined work and pleasure yesterday and got a few hours out on the Norfolk Marshes. A fantastic afternoon out and almost as breezy as being on the fells.
Had to get my bird book out to identify most of the waders. Photos include a stunning murmuration, which initially I thought were Starlings but am informed they are probably Knotts. The Egret, the whitest bird I’ve ever seen, is getting quite common in East Anglia now and the bird in the field is a Redshank. Peacocks on a roof as well was somewhat unexpected!
Highlight of the day was seeing a Marsh Harrier. Have read they are now rarer than Golden Eagles.
Never, ever seen one before and to get a photo as well was just great.

A few more of the Marsh Harrier. Tried to crop them and go closer but they've lost a bit of clarity but hopefully you can see what a beautiful bird it is.

Looks fantastic. I've never seen a marsh harrier, great photos. We had an egret spend time on the farm where I grew up many years ago. It would have been a hugely rare thing at that time. My dad swore me to secrecy cos he didn't want busloads of twitchers descending on us

Yes, Bumble, the Egret was a bird I never saw as a kid unless it was on the telly on Survival sitting on the back of a Rhino!
The thing that struck me about the Marsh Harrier was firstly it's size - not far off a Buzzard, but also how low and slow it flies above the ground. It was so languid and easy.
The pictures don't quite pick up the contrast between the brown body and white underside of the wings and the black wingtips. It's a very striking looking bird.
I read that there are around 500 pairs in the country now so hopefully it has a future here.

As a lad I spent many an evening down the Eden and used to see loads of Redshank and saw Greenshank which I believe are not as common these day along with Lapwing and Curlew

Happy memories

Your lucky the Marsh Harrier is a stunner

Lovely day down here in the flatlands for a local walk. Almost stood on a Woodcock which sacred the willies out of me as it flew off and too quick for the camera. Managed to catch a glimpse of the tiny Goldcrest - not a bird I see very often at all but so beautiful and dainty.
Also came across a very odd sight. A pair of blue tits locked together in deadly combat. They looked like they would kill each other. A 3rd bird came over almost as if to try and break it up. Not an easy watch and never seen Blue Tits do that before. Anyone else ever seen Blue Tits do this?

NCF, Blue tits seem to get very macho in the run up to their breeding season. I watched one yesterday trying to shoo half a dozen long tailed tits off my bird feeder just for the sake of it.

https://youtu.be/uMHsMPs5gC8

Pugnacious little buggers they will be fighting over nest sites Ncf

Great pics btw

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Walk out yesterday as the light was fading and was treated to seeing a fox in the distant, Muntjac deer, hares and a Greater Spotted Woodpecker. Lots of owls about too but too dark to really see them.

You've been spoiled with a walk like that I have hardly left the house this week, it's been rain, rain, and more rain. It's looking more like snow today, I am hoping to get out and about later.

Same here really most of the time. Been in Bedfordshire for 15 or so years and can't remember a wetter period. Rivers have burst their banks, houses flooded and roads closed. Fields are sodden.
The one good day we've had in a week was yesterday so thought I'd get out. I find sometimes after really bad weather there can be lots of wildlife about as well. i walked at dawn and dusk and it was fantastic.
Unfortunately a lot of the local area is farmed to within an inch of its life so not ideal for animals but there are some areas with woods, copses, spinneys and hedgerows where there's usually a lot about.
Saw a lot of Redwing too but couldn't get any photos.
The highlight from the day were the hares and don't normally see too many this time of year.
I'd been watching the woodpecker for half an hour or so and I turned around to walk away and a hare was just 100 yards or so away. I think I had been so still for a while that it hadn't even realised I was there. I very slowly raised the camera and managed to get a couple of pics before it suddenly clocked me and sped off.
Really made my day.

Hi NCF. Not really wildlife but in case you or others hadn't spotted it. Terry Abraham (Scawfell and Blencathra) has another programme on. Helvellyn BBC 4 2100hrs Tuesday 26th January. I'm looking forward to that

Yes, I saw that, Walt. Thanks for the reminder. The other ones he's done have been great. I follow him on Twitter and he puts some lovely images up.