Outdoorsy Shite - April Top Trumps

[GrimmaTheNome]

Rules as before - nature 'spots' fauna and flora, points for rarity (absolute or relative to where seen), seasonality, eloquence of description. Please declare if you're in forrin parts or a mermaid.

Did I cover everything?

Ah yes, the cranes are some consolation but I miss the sea. The red squirrels and wild boar also help but ...

When we were house hunting Dp only had one ' unegotiable' on his list - he had to be able to hear the sea. We can (if its rough,) and its a lovely thing to have as a view, but I really wouldn't miss it- cold and wet and dangerous.

I saw a great big bird of prey yesterday, hovering over the motorway somewhere between Nottingham and Sheffield. It seemed predominantly whitish, with black triangularish terminal portions of its underwing. That's all the description I can give. Googling, the best match is a hen harrier, but these seem to be quite rare so I wondered what else it might have been.

And staying in a near-London location I have had good close contact with an urban fox, happy as larry and fat as a king in a back garden. In my more rural location I only get distant glimpses of foxes.

I'm going to add butterbur - loads of it at weekend in the Manifold valley. I'd not seen it before but there was a bit about it in a visitor centre. Wild rhubarb apparently and poisonous with it.

AIBUQ take a look - it could have been that red kite you were after !

No exciting spots here through the rain. First rhubarb (from the garden)crumble of the season though

Hmm, yes, it could have been a red kite I suppose; in which case I completely filtered out of my memory the brown colouring on the centre of its underbody and am the kind of eyewitness that would wreck a court case with my poor visual memory.

But I was driving and could only see it for a second. Though perhaps a more committed outdoor shite-ist would have stared and let go of the steering wheel to point and flap excitedly.

But that site also shows that some common buzzards are very very pale coloured all over their underside except for the black wing tips -- and that does seem very like my bird.

Common doesn't sound good. I can hear the spot-points tumbling away from me. Still, it is a first for me I think.

We've got rhubarb peeping up too. So sign of crumble so far, though.

I had butterburr last month. It is weird stuff! Better than Himalayan Balsam anyhow.

Today - the entirely unnatural environment of Chill Factor. Saw a heron flying over the M61 - I love herons in flight.

Me too. It's their spindly little legs that fascinate me.

Not much here beyond a flimsy spider in the bathroom.

Are we still playing. I saw some Arctic terns. They make a funny noise :)

Oh, never seen (or heard) an Arctic tern.

I think most of us must be stuck indoors for one reason or another. I've got hopes for the weekend though - all being well the plan is to walk over to Hillborough Island (its in the Dee off the Wirral).

Meanwhile, there was a photo in a recent New Scientist that I think everyone will enjoy - its the second one down in this link at the moment (april 10th) - think it may change as time passes but anyway, its of a seal and Lundy Island.

Oh isn't it gorgeous! Seals are about my favourite animals :)

Arctic terns make a noise much like a common tern - kind of a scratchy noise beginning with k.

I really want to dive with seals. Apparently you can do it by the Farne Islands.

Nothing much to report today. An orange tip butterfly and a curiously bold rabbit by the side of the road.

Northey - I have dived with seals. Off the Isle of Man. A seal swam up to me and barked in my face. As it barked bubbles of air came out and rose up. Some got caught on its whiskers. Gorgeous. Made me realise that they are in fact quite closely related to dogs.

Are you sure the rabbit wasn't stunned?

AIBUqatada thought of you as have had 2 buzzards flying about here all day. They are very pale underneath with dark wingtips, so you could be right. They are massive and very noisy. Common as anything here but I'd never seen one before I moved to Wales so not that common.....

Haven't seen an orange tip for a few years but they lay their eggs on ladies smock - just coming out hereabouts so i'm hopeful.

Also watched some gannets diving at the weekend. They were amazing, vertical dives into the sea, not far off the beach, taking no notice of the yelling horde of kids I was with.

First my solemn bunny had myxomatosis. Now this one is stunned. Sometimes I think you don't want me to enjoy rabbity nature.

I've always thought seals had quite doggy faces. I am deeply envious of your dive with them.

four different rainbows today - one ended right in front of us halfway up a tree

Seals are called Seehunde in German and Dutch. Sea-dogs. I love that.

Northey - it scared the living daylights out of me!

Mycat - was there any gold?

A cock and a hen pheasant standing on a wall.

A tit I need to look up.

A thrush singing its heart out in a tree by the canal.

And it seems to be the season of the low flying blackbird. Bloody things will insist on swooping low across the road causing me to break and swerve.

And ducks sitting about on any old bit of grass - front gardens, fork in the road etc, causing much straining at the leash by stupid spaniel.

Cocks and tits?

Whatever next?

no nemo just a tree