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Post by ayjay on Jun 24, 2016 22:23:46 GMT
I meet quite a few people when I'm out and about in the Forest and along the coast; (and sometimes I can't avoid getting engaged in conversation).
I met a chap a couple of years back who was mildly interested in Birds and he told me that his garden backed onto the Forest and he consequently saw quite a few different birds there.
His next statement had to be taken with a pinch of salt as he went on to tell me:- " I had six of those Hen Harriers in my back garden last week"
I don't know what he saw, but I can pretty much guarantee it wasn't six Hen Harriers.
Anyone else met any good storytellers?
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Post by Tringa on Jun 25, 2016 16:40:29 GMT
Something similar has happened to me, but only twice in 35+ years.
I was in an open area of east London in the early 1980s and I met a bloke who told me he had just seen a couple of buzzards. I have seen one from my back garden in the last few years but in the '80s it would have been very unlikely.
A few of years ago I was at the Perfume Studio on the shore of Loch Ewe. For a minute or so a kestrel was hovering nearby and one person identified it as a hen harrier.
Dave
BTW If anyone is in the Gairloch/Poolewe/Aultbea area do go to the Perfume Studio. Their meals as are simple but very good and the location is great.
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Post by aeshna5 on Jun 26, 2016 6:59:01 GMT
Though they were far from common then- in fact rare to be honest, I certainly did see the occasional Buzzard over the London area back then. Now they are breeding in places around the suburbs + can be seen passing over even in the centre of London as can be attested by the number of observations reported on Londonbirders by many competent observers.
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Post by NellyDee on Jun 27, 2016 16:46:11 GMT
It is not just birds you get good stories about. I got a lady telling me pine martens were big enough to kill her dog! Her dog was a large Doberman.
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Post by Tringa on Jun 29, 2016 8:06:47 GMT
I wonder where these stories come from, perhaps it is the same place as - "a swan can break your arm with its wing".
Dave
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Post by Harold Smith on Jun 29, 2016 19:07:22 GMT
I wonder where these stories come from, perhaps it is the same place as - "a swan can break your arm with its wing". Dave 'or Bats in your hair' Harold |
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Post by Tringa on Jun 29, 2016 19:31:37 GMT
Thanks Harold; I'd forgotten that one.
Does anyone else have some more of these?
Dave
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Post by ayjay on Jun 29, 2016 20:56:18 GMT
I wonder where these stories come from, perhaps it is the same place as - "a swan can break your arm with its wing". Dave The one that started this topic I heard straight from the horses mouth - I think he genuinely believed that he'd had six Hen Harriers in his garden. I've been racking my brains ever since for what they might have been. |
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Post by Tringa on Jun 30, 2016 8:00:57 GMT
Where is the bloke's garden Ayjay?
Just thought about the odd videos I've seen of kites swooping down to get food from a garden.
Interesting the bloke should identify the birds as hen harriers. If he knows anything about birds then he'd know hen harriers in his garden and six of them at once is a non-starter. If he knows nothing about birds then hen harrier is an odd bird to choose.
Dave
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Post by NellyDee on Jun 30, 2016 8:19:56 GMT
If he lives near Argaty (Doone) then he might well have had that many flying over as the estate puts out food for them every day and there are upwards of 20 many be more that fly in.
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Post by rowanberry on Jun 30, 2016 10:14:07 GMT
We visited a farm near Powys several years ago where they fed red kites, too- amazing spectacle! The outrageous claims that the media like to whip into a frenzy are the ones about foxes being marauding cat-killers. Considering that there are about twenty cats in our street alone who seem to roam throughout the night with impunity....  |
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Post by Tringa on Jun 30, 2016 12:26:24 GMT
Foxes come into houses and savage children too.  I can believe a fox would kill a cat, if the cat was infirm in some way, or very young, but I think there is virtually no chance with a healthy cat. Even though adult foxes are probably bigger and heavier than many cats I think both somehow know the risks of fighting are too high. I've seen a trail camera footage of our cat (she is fairly small) who sleeps outside and a fox. Both were clearly aware of the other but just ignored each other. The cat watched and the fox had a nose around the garden and went on its way. Sorry I've hijacked the thread. Back to the subject - I don't think this is anywhere as believed as it was many years ago but --- "Toads can give you warts" Dave |
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Post by ayjay on Jun 30, 2016 20:39:27 GMT
Where is the bloke's garden Ayjay? Just thought about the odd videos I've seen of kites swooping down to get food from a garden. Interesting the bloke should identify the birds as hen harriers. If he knows anything about birds then he'd know hen harriers in his garden and six of them at once is a non-starter. If he knows nothing about birds then hen harrier is an odd bird to choose. Dave I was just by Norley Wood when I was talking to him, (about here:SZ357986). I'm guessing as he was dog-walking he didn't live too far away. We get occasional Red Kites this far South but rarely more than one at a time. |
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Post by Tringa on Jul 1, 2016 9:17:37 GMT
Thanks Ayjay. As you say a fairly unlikely place to see six kites, and even more unlikely to see six hen harriers.
Dave
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Post by htcdude on Jul 1, 2016 15:25:24 GMT
If he knows nothing about birds then hen harrier is an odd bird to choose. Dave Probably because it's one of the main birds all the magazines and tweeters are talking about at the moment. As with most of you I've also spoken to people who claim to have strange and out of place things in their gardens. Someone once told me they had an Osprey in their urban garden... Nige |
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