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British Wildlife
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 5:53 am
by bootneck
whilst driving around this pleasant land, you tend to see an abundance of wildlife, Foxes, Blackbirds, (male and female) Thrushes, Magpies and various other birds, some Birds of prey. What i have noticed within the Fox community, is how scrawney they have become, i`ve seen more meat on a butchers pencil. Are there so many, that food for them is scarce? I know they have turned their hand to scavenging, eating various dead animals from the side of the road, as do the Magpies, crows/ravens. I know when i used to colloect Gas pipes from the Gas yard on Deadmans Lane in Derby, there used to be loads living between the pipes, the pipes being sat on sand mounds, so as not to roll away, i digress. Has anyone else noticed the abundance of wildlife this year? and if so, are they in roughly the same state as the wildlife that i have seen.
I also noticed this morning, a nice Black and White Cat,(no, not postman pats either) that some nice person had run over

one less to worry about.
Another thing that i have noticed also, is that Pigeons seem to be more Dumber than they used to be. They mince around in the road, and decide that you have to slow down and drive round them.......wrong!, if they`re too dumb to move, they`re on the menu for the next fox that happens by. Your comments please

Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 11:11 am
by Gary_amsterdam
can't speak for britain, but here in amsterdam all we have are pigeons

Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 11:35 am
by chrisfow
Although I thought it not possible, pheasents have become even more stupid than they used to be, refusing to take to the sky even if a car is going at them at 40mph.
Foxes round here, when seen, look medium built. Maybe in the towns it is a lot different, but out here in the sticks they are few and far between.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 3:54 pm
by Wholley
In my neck of the woods,
Possums,Mourning doves,Secrets,Blue Jays,Chipmunks,Black Bears and the odd Panther or two,last of which got into it with my dogs.Panthers 0.Dogs 1.The fight was something to behold.
Wholley.

Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 3:59 pm
by Andy O'Pray
Save Canadian wildlife. THROW A PARTY!!!
Gary, isn't that young lady in your avatar ever satisfied?
Aye - Andy.

British Wildlife
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 5:30 pm
by df2inaus
In about 6 square km of scrubland just behind my mother's house near Toronto:
Mammals: Rabbits, Raccoons, Foxes, Coyotes, Beaver, Snakes, Deer, Eastern Grey Squirrels (grey & black), Red Squirrels, Skunk, Groundhog.
Birds: Cardinal, Robin, Blue Jay, Hawk, Sparrow, Finches, Dove, Owl.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 5:38 pm
by Hyperlithe
While driving through the Lincolnshire countryside on my way to Waddington airshow:
2 barn owls,
numerous small mammals
1 very large black creature, bigger than an alsatian, but looked like a cat.
It disappeared into the hedgerow in quite a hurry, but i'll never forget it.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 6:18 pm
by Mince
Yeah I've noticed foxes are very scrawny (and usually limping) these days. They look like orange bags of bones.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 6:33 pm
by got1
My local river has lots of "wild life". They can be seen injecting, boozing and throwing themselves of the bridge to cool off. You also get "two legged rats" as well.
The other wild life includes kingfishers, herons, the usual ducks and the odd Roe Deer.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 7:28 pm
by Guest
Lots of increase in population of birdlife locally, I am a member of the RSPB and wood pigeons and collared doves are in the top ten of most UK Garden birds in 2004, these have never appeared so high up the chart on previous counts.
I have noticed more badger setts around in the last few years and the foxes that I see on rare occasions, seem about as lean as they have always been. I know the deer population in the 6 forests of Suffolk have has grown significantly (especially muntjac) in the last few years too, the Forestry Commission are trying to organise a cull to keep the numbers down as they are very destructive to saplings.
Otters are positively thriving all over the UK again and thanks to Philip Wayre at his Earsham Otter Trust for rejuvenating the species back to our rivers.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 7:54 pm
by El Prez
Nurse and I just watched a big dog fox wander across a recently mown field this evening. looked healthier than many I've seen of late. Collared Doves are called 'Cushy Dooos' in NE Scotland; ours are not long for this world, bastards wake me at 0445 every day.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 10:05 pm
by Peds
Just a handy hint - if you are driving along the road and hit a pheasant, it is illegal to pick it up as it qualifies as poaching.
If the guy in front of you hits it - its roast pheasant for dinner! The law is powerless.
I have noticed buzzards and kites getting more common, which is super. Lovely birds.
Posted: Thu 01 Jul, 2004 10:43 pm
by Tab
Posted: Fri 02 Jul, 2004 12:38 am
by Mince
Perhaps there is a difference between the country fox and the town fox. The latter is a very mangey specimen.