Wildlife, living next to nature

[Carruthers]

The housing estate deer

Deer go in search of food in the gardens of an Essex housing estate as the residents sleep.

The herd of Fallow Deer was photographed wandering the streets and grazing on lawns from around 11pm to 4am, before returning to nearby woods.

That's just NE of London and the deer have probably come from Epping Forest which is described as 'London's largest open space'.

[xoxoxoBruce]

wandering the streets and grazing on lawns

Interesting, I think of deer(whitetail) as browsers and elk as grazers, but Fallow Deer swing both ways.

[Gravdigr]

I think of them both as steak.

And the occasional casserole, or, meat loaf.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Some think of you as steak.

[Gravdigr]

I'm always thankful that, as I step out of GCOne on the riverbank at night, I don't have to worry about bears, cougars (well, pumas, anyway), crocogators, and the like.

Around here, the only thing you need to worry about is be sure to kick some dirt/gravel around when you get out of the car at night. Runs off those pesky cotton-headed-rattle-moccasins.

Walking along the riverbank at night, if you smell cucumbers, stop, and go back the way you came, slowly, and in the same footsteps. Copperheads smell like cucumbers, and they don't run away.

[Gravdigr]

Yep, that's a bobcat dragging a shark outta the ocean!

Link

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Attachment 51090

Yep, that's a bobcat dragging a shark outta the ocean!

Link

That's a dolphin

[Scriveyn]

Look what the cat dragged in!



(South Devon beach)


.

[fargon]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Attachment 51090

Yep, that's a bobcat dragging a shark outta the ocean!

Link

I just found that pic here http://www.nationalgeographic.com/
About a quarter of the way down the page.

[glatt]

I stepped out this morning to get the paper, and the birds were going nuts just after a rainstorm. I decided it was because they had been hiding from the heavy rain, and now that it was clear, so they were all happy.

But then I realized it was a murder of half a dozen or so crows making all the noise, and they were cawing frantically, like it was a warning. I was watching them, over my neighbor's house, when a fox walked up the neighbor's driveway onto our property and trotted casually along our fence. Too fast for me to get the phone out to get a picture, but in no hurry at all. I clapped my hands loudly to see if I would spook it, but it just ignored me and continued slowly on its way.

The funny thing was, the crows kept pace with it and were cawing a warning the whole time. After I couldn't see the fox any more, I could still see the crows circling and cawing their way slowly up the neighborhood.

I wonder who the crows were trying to warn? Was it just a general warning for all birds in the area, or for other crows? I thought it was pretty cool. A coordinated defense. Seemed awfully charitable of them, since they were in no threat of the fox.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by glatt

I was watching them, over my neighbor's house, when a fox walked up the neighbor's driveway onto our property and trotted casually along our fence.

What did the fox say?




A fox at home is pretty cool. Most people go their entire lives without seeing a live fox. Even in the country, it's pretty rare to see a fox.

Was it a red fox, or a gray fox? I'm assuming it wasn't a Redd Foxx. Or a Jamie Foxx.

[Gravdigr]

I started to ask if it was a Michael J. Fox.

But, I thought that might be a little shaky.

[glatt]

lol

[Gravdigr]

Made me remember this:

[Carruthers]

The bald eagles land: New York city awaits first birth of national bird in 100 years

Bird enthusiasts in raptures about return of nesting raptors to New York city as further sign of the bald eagle's comeback from near-extinction


A pair of Bald Eagles, the majestic raptor that is America's national bird, is nesting in New York city for the first time in more than a century.

The young couple appears to be about to start a family on the south shore of Staten Island as they have been spotted by engaging in the sort of brooding behaviour associated with birds incubating their eggs.

The exciting announcement was made by the New York branch of the Audubon Society, America's leading bird conservation organisation.

The height and location of the nest means that it has not been possible to confirm that there are eggs inside, but the society is confident that New York will soon gain notable new addition to its feathered ranks after an incubation period expected to end next month.

The species appeared to be heading for extinction a few decades ago, but has made a recovery in some more remote habitats. But these would be the first since 1914 to produce offspring in the urban jungle of New York, even in one of its less densely populated areas.

"We're thrilled to have bald eagles possibly raising their young in New York City," said Tod Winston, a spokesman for New York City Audubon.

Another bald eagle couple was spotted in the same area two months ago, but although they were seen moving nesting material to an unused dock, they then left the area.

The species nearly died out as a result of shooting, habitat destruction and the widespread use of DDT insecticide, which is poisonous to the bird. The US ban on DDT and the passage of the Endangered Species Act are widely credited with helping the bald eagle's comeback from brink of extinction in North America.

The powerful bird of prey was removed from the list of endangered species in 2007 as the numbers thrived.

Daily Telegraph

I hope that this pair breed successfully. It's an eye opener how some raptors have successfully adapted to urban surroundings.
I posted somewhere on the Cellar about the Peregrine Falcons that have nested on the County Council tower block in Aylesbury in recent years.
They have also flourished in London and provincial cities with church and cathedral steeples being favourite nesting spots.