Uni Week 9

It has defiantly been a quiet week, with nothing really wildlife related that springs to mind. However, at the weekend I went on the Christian Union weekend away in wales, and on the way there I did get some decent views of buzzards on the roadside on at least 3 occasions, one of which the bird was sat on a lamppost. Also walking to the uni I spotted a squirrel in a bin, presumably rummaging, but since all I could see was its tail it was quite an amusing sight.

Uni Week 8

So this has definitely been a busy week wildlife wise, based on the standards set so far at any rate. So without further a do, lets commence with the breakdown of this week

Monday
Walking along behind the school on my way to uni I heard and then saw a lovely flock of long tailed tits. They were quite high up so I was unable to get any really great views but they still got the week off to a great start and they are always nice to see

Tuesday
So walking back from a club at 2.00 in the morning I was very surprised to hear a robin singing behind the students union building. Even by urban birds it still seems ridiculously early in the morning while its so dark too. Either way, I was impressed I recognized the song as a robin, even if I did not see the bird

Thursday
So on the way to the blockbuster closing down sale I have to walk through the botanical gardens. It was a lovely day, with blue sky and as it was early evening it had lovely light too. I spotted 9 squirrels on my walk and at very close quarters too, and some in very photogenic positions

Friday
Another walk though the botanical gardens and once more there were ample squirrels. I knelt down to get a better view of a few and they came running up, to you, it was pretty insane how close they were getting. Overall there were probably around 20 squirrels as well as 2 jays which were high up in a tree.

Saturday
More of the same really, just more Squirrels in the botanical gardens Botanical Gardens

Sunday
Walking to the village shop to get some milk this morning I spotted a jay fly near the Edge bar. It landed high up in a tree though so it was not a brilliant view but it was still nice to see.

Uni Week 7

Once more it has been a very quiet week, either that or I have been expecting too much. If that's true then its probably been quite a busy week, in that the numbers of ladybirds is still on the up and one is now asleep on my window. There has also been quite a few squirrels around, one of which was very bold and I managed to get within 1 meter of it, it was a huge squirrel too. Having said that, the real drama happened on Tuesday...

Tuesday
I came home from lectures today and crossing the courtyard where I live I found, under a bush, a feral pigeon that seemed injured, and was very stunned since I if I had wanted to I could simply tread on it. I figured it would be unwise to leave it there where so many students come past so went to get my gloves. I picked it up from the path and the thing did not move a muscle. There were some remnants of blood on its beak but apart from that and a bald patch on its neck there was no sign of injury. I placed in over the wall next to the stairs where I would be able to monitor it but nobody would know. I gave it some digestive and then left. Over the day I checked it regularly but it did not move at all. Before bed I came back and gave it some more digestive but it seemed pretty hopeless.

Wednesday
I headed down the following morning expecting to find that it had been predated during the night, or that it had died in its sleep. It was not where I left it so decided it must have died and been carried off, however when I turned around it was sat in the bike stands. I was pleased since it had obviously moved there itself. However, once more I was not keen to leave it there, in a place where it was very vulnerable so I moved to try and get it. I was pleased to see it running away and it even tried, though failed, to fly. Eventually I caught it and moved it on the field under some trees. I gave it some digestive and left it. When I checked later that day it had gone and there was no trace, suggesting it had flown off rather than being predated. I would like to think then that my rescue had been a success but sadly I guess I will never know...

Uni Week 6

This week was a lot more productive than recent weeks, or at least Sunday was. Apart from that its been another quiet week but I went for a walk to with church along the canal in Matlock.

Sunday
Went for a walk along the Matlock canal today, it had a mixture of weather, but on the whole it was pretty decent. The highlight was undoubtedly 9 little grebes, really close as well so that you could really appreciate how nice they are. Along with them there were numerous mallards and mute swans, as well as 2 species of wagtail, pied and grey. There were also a small flock of long tailed tits. While walking back I had to rescue a small newt from a puddle in the path but that was nice to see, if not a little unexpected. Also unexpected was the fact that I saw not one but 2 red admiral butterflies, which was bizarre considering that they are a migratory species. This could well be my latest ever butterfly record.

-Little Grebe

Uni Week 5

Its been a slow week with not a lot happening, and not been out much and the weather has not been up to much either. Its been a bumper week for squirrels, numerous have been seen as well as a couple fighting. Apart from that the only noticeable thing is that collections of hibernating ladybirds have started to develop in the corners of the stairs. That's about it though in all honesty, its been a quiet week.

Uni Week 4

Just a collection of odd bits from walking around this week, nothing especially major

Monday
Walking through Broomhill and I spotted a sparrowhawk loitering over the buildings there, probably hunting but it was nice to see as it was flying quite low. I also spotted a small flock of long-tailed tits in a garden on my way to the uni, though it was a brief and not very good view.

Tuesday
Walking to a gig in the evening I could hear some geese above me and looking up I spotted a skein of about 30-40 of what I assume are pink-footed geese flying in  formation in a NE direction. Its my skein of the autumn so I was very please to find them, especially in the dark.

Uni Week 3

Lectures started this week so things have settled down a bit more and I have not been out as much to see birds or wildlife within Sheffield due to work load. Having said that there has still been odd bits around.

Tuesday
I had a squirrel on the roof opposite from my bedroom window which I was able to watch for a bit. It did not seem too bothered about my being there so it was nice to watch

Thursday
Wandering down to the uni for my lecture I spotted a sparrowhawk loitering in the sky above the road, which was nice

Sunday
I spotted 2 jays on the tree next to my bedroom window while I was outside waiting for a friend. I did not get a great view but it was decent enough

Uni Week 2

So week 2 in my new home comes and goes. This week was built mainly on fieldwork and so we were out in the field quite a lot.

Tuesday
Went to Whiteley Wood to collect leaves. On the bird front there was a heron, one buzzard soaring overhead and a pair of robins having a real scrap

Wednesday
We went to the cemetery to collect leaves but there was not much there due to the poor weather. On the way back we went through the botanic gardens and there were ample, maybe 10 magpies all on the lawns, as well as wood pigeons and collard doves.

Saturday
I went on a walk with the Sheffield university bird-watching society through Endcliffe park to Forge Dam. We recorded a few interesting species, grey wagtail, sparrowhawk, buzzard, mistle thrush, long tailed tit, tree-creeper and nuthatch, and it was a nice walk

Sunday
Went for a walk with a church up on the borders of the peak district through some woods and round a reservoir. Butterflies were in abundance, with multiple Small Tortoiseshells and Speckled Woods. There was also a Common Sandpiper on the bank of the reser which was really nice to see. Besides that there was a sparrowhawk.

Uni Week 1

So obviously I have been busy and so have not really had time to update this blog. Uni has been good so far but there was been a limited amount of wildlife. I am staying in a rather green area of Sheffield, which bodes well but so far there has not been much about, except in the way of fungi which have been in excess! I did however go for a walk on the edge of the peak district through church so I have been able to see some things that way. Most notably was that there were a flock of around 5 swallows hunting, which will probably be my last this year. I also found a handful of meadow pipits as well as your usual carrion crows. So it has been a good start and hopefully we will continue to find plenty of birds. I have joined the bird-watching society so hopefully through there I will also get to visit some other sites further afield.

The departure

So off we go to uni. Its goodbye my beloved Halifax for a little while anyway. And then, just as we were setting off would you believe what was on my mums budlia bush as we pulled out? it was a beautiful painted lady butterfly. Once more I lacked a camera and had other priorities at that exact moment but even so it was a bit sickening to see, this species that I still need a photo off, especially after missing one less than a week ago...
  So thats two in a week when they really should have started to migrate back, when I have lacked them for the past 2 years!