May Top Trumps....wildlife geeks step this way and get your spots in here!

[ArielThePiraticalMermaid]

I'll start - I'm hoping that someone will do better than an infernal wood pigeon and obnoxious noisy herring gull. Before the morning is up, hopefully.

And remember, cast ne'er a clout til May be out.

also at left behind fishing lines and hooks.

Lucky you losty for copulating hedgehogs. I reckon you get a bonus for that. Wildlife spots doing the wild thing. Top Trumps spot points x2 or squared?

We hand reared a batch of hedgepiglets when I was a child. The reality of flea infested snail cruncher dog botherers vs Mrs Tiggywinkle was a difficult realisation for a small child.

I'm back at work (sob) foul weather, hailstones and wetness of the unpleasant variety. But swallows swooping across the road. Many. Beautiful :)

It's beautiful here

Slubber, I feel exactly the same way about teenagers that you do about hedgepiglets!

Goldfinches outside my window every day, eating sunflower hearts.

Anyone able to answer my slug pellet question?

This is a concerning story. Again and again this happens. Why aren't golden eagles breeding in the southern uplands for example?

Gamekeepers are an anachronism.

Very jealous of the dolphin and newt spots.

My most exciting spot has been a magpie and a grey squirrel have a barney in a tree. Went on for ages, squirrel running at magpie, magpie flying to other part of tree, then sneaking up when the squirrel's back was turned and pecking at it.

And heard an owl, on Sunday, during the day, when it was warm and sunny,

Ariel, that is so sad (and true about gamekeepers). I heard that the law was being changed so that the land owner would the one held responsible for these horrible crimes. Have you heard anything about this?

We have the same problem here in Derbyshire with birds of prey. Years ago I saw a game keeper's carnage pole in Scotland. It was horrific. Even barn owls.

Yes I had heard that, but I'm not sure whether it was something the last government was pursuing or the current one. Can't see it being something the Tories would go for somehow :(.

Bastards should be strung up. It makes me so furious.

I heard it from Chris Packham in the autumn so I have hope.

Agree BSBSU (we need an icon)

Do you think Cwis would be our mascot?

He's probably too diplomatic to SUB

to SUB?

String Up Bastards

Ah!

I can see the Bowland Fells from my window but I've never seen a Hen Harrier.

Lots of the usual birdlife along the canal this beautiful evening - swallows, ducklings, cootlings, pair of swans plus some suprisingly small lambs for the time of year. Ox Eye daisies joining the flora.

barbarian according to bbc gardening advice page, ferrous phosphate is compatible with Organic systems as its safe for animals & doesn't contaminate the soil.

barbarian according to bbc gardening advice page, ferrous phosphate is compatible with Organic systems as its safe for animals & doesn't contaminate the soil.

You met Chris Packham, Barbarian?

Thank you Violetwellies- I looked but found conflicting advice. Very fat hedgehog outside right now eating poached egg. Really hoping for piglets. Have hung a doormat into pond to make a ramp.

CP does very good talks all round the country- wild life, photography, politics and poodles. He stayed behind hours to chat afterwards. Even my toocoolforhumaninteraction teen dd was impressed.

Poached egg? Do you mean it had stolen an egg from a nest or that you'd lovingly cooked it for him? (my dog only ever gets microwaved scrambled)

Very excited to hear of all the hedgehogs around and the prospect for hedgepiglets! Somewhere up the thread I bemoaned the fact that our only hedgehog for years got run over and last week I heard from someone in the know that they are pretty much extinct in this area.

So very :) about Losty's pair, maybe they are still doing ok in some bits of west wales?