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.

Eek - I am a bit about oil seed rape. Tis not natural, and it drugs the bees and spoils the honey.

Bats - hurrah - the bats are back (where do they go?) but they look bigger this year.

Heron on a nest on top of a tall tree by the river. And a nuthatch with a nest in the wall of the river where it goes under the canal.

Oilseed rape is the only thing that gives me hayfever. I often know there must be some out when we're driving before we reach it. And its the wrong sort of yellow. When I was young I saw a field of mustard - that was the right sort of mellow yellow. Just now on newsnight though there was a shot of almost fluorescent rape under heavy dark clouds...dramatic, but not right.

Agree totally Grimma It looks so unnatural and does not reflect light in the right way for me.

A field of lavender on the other hand......

And poppies.

Lavender fields are gorgeous... now that's one thing we don't get round here. It's the lowlanders compensation for not having heather moorland

I really want to go to Provence when the lavender fields are ready for harvest. It must be druggingly beautiful.

Agree - we drove over to Marsden for tea on Wednesday and the sun was on the moors, which were that goldeny pink way they go of an evening.

Lush. Makes the bleakness all worthwhile.

Saw my the curlew this morning, on the ground at the edge of the field where it rises up to meet the moors - it was making one heck of a lot of noise - the burbling noise interspersed with more frantic sounds, almost like a peewit . Hope it is OK.

Several dead hedgehogs

hedgehogs

we've got two baby robins scuffling around the bottom of the hedge this morning, piping and being fussed over by the parents. awwwwwww

Today's train journey through the rabbit fields has taken on a portentous tone. Instead on the usual scattering of brown grass-nibblers, there were two jet black Bunnies Of Doom à la Watership Down. Nobody else besides.

the sweetest thing in the world watching my dd with a robin feeding out of her hand.

oh helly how ADORABLE

I have a spot! it was only a fox ducking into somebodys garden on my way home from work last night but it was a really healthy looking one :) a lot of the ones round here can look quite scrawny but this one had a lovely bushy tail!

I'm jealous of everyone elses spots though

I'm going to take dd1 to feed the grey squirrels in the park for breakfast on the next nice morning we have, she loves it because its so quiet they come right up to you and eat out of your hand :)

I wish I lived in the country :(

I saw a shelduck this afternoon. Getting a bit bored of them if I'm honest...

Sorry for mawkish post. Back to the wildlife spotting.....:)

I think I've seen precisely one blackbird today (OK, probably some pigeons too). Could hear the song thrush but couldn't see it. Yesterday had a tree sparrow on the feeder stuck to my patio window, which was nice.

I had a green woodpecker fly across the road in front of me this morning. What a stunning bird. In flight, as well as the green wings and back, and red head, it has a bright yellow rump. It looks very exotic; first time I've seen one in flight at close quarters.

I love seeing green woodpeckers fly - they do that swoopy thing don't they and yes, they do look very exotic.

Forgot a spot today - a storm petrel. Was quite pleased with that one.

I've only seen boring blackbirds and sparrows today. I haven't been anywhere though to spot anything better.

I've only ever seen a green woodpecker once and it wasn't flying.

Storm Petrel's good... just looked them up, very distinctive. Much better than your two-a-penny shelducks (I don't usually give them a mention - like poor old mallards)

I've only seen boring blackbirds and sparrows today
At least I've got interesting sparrows

Joining back in after work... Theres something that is even more beautiful than a field of lavender, or heather.... A whole field of wedgewood blue linseed, dotted with scarlet poppies. SOOO pretty!

Get you and your two a penny shelducks being like mallards! I have only seen about five ever round here!

Actually it's funny isn't it, what different wildlife means to different people. If you live in quite a ducky place then I guess shelducks are dead boring. If you live by the sea and actual wildlfowl is a bit more scarce, then they're worth more of a mention than say a storm petrel which can be ten a penny after a spell of windy weather. Similarly red deer in the Highlands - meh. Whereas if I saw a red deer, or indeed any kind of deer, on the Penwith Moors I would wet myself with excitement! You know those deer signs you see on rural A roads, the "Be careful of large mammals running into your car" type signs and you don't actually believe them? I was driving on the A 30 at night over Dartmoor and narrowly avoided one. To say I was startled was an understatement. But grey seals and gannets? Loads of the buggers!

Yay, at last, stopped with DS to peek at the buzzard nest on the way home and saw a little pale coloured head bob up beside the adult in the nest. We've got a chick!

Ariel - a storm petrel, impressive! Where did you see that?