Wildlife November 2010

[Lesley Cox]

We have a possum which is overdaying in a shed roof and inaccessible to poor Teddy who knows it's there and can just reach the tip of its tail which hangs down in the doorway. He barks and carries on as if he were a berserker! At night it inhabits the gum trees. Roger (plastered and on crutches) tried to get it out by pulling on the tail but it was hanging on to the rafters too tightly and he couldn't move it. I took off for the safety of the house because I figured if he got it out and it turned on him, he'd crash and probably wreck his plaster and perhaps the ankle altogether, and I didn't want to have to retrieve the body. This was three days ago. It's still there this morning and Teddy is just about demented with frustration.

Anthony, when you move, you'll have to get used to the letter box being at the end of the front path, at the garden gate. No onto the mat here. Or even at the end of the road (as ours is) if you choose somewhere in the country.

[Paul T]

Mark,

A brush tailed possum to be more precise.  They've become a massive pest in NZ (and quite a reasonable one in the suburbs here as well at times! ).

Lesley,

When I read that Roger was plastered and on crutches, all that went through my head was that being drunk must really mess with the co-ordination.  Then I clicked that plaster was actually plaster.    I have a disturbed mind I think.

[David Lyttle]

I didn't want to have to retrieve the body. This was three days ago. It's still there this morning and Teddy is just about demented with frustration.

Have you checked on Roger recently or just left him to his fate

[Lesley Cox]

I think he'll give me a shout or a text message when he's had enough.

[Stephenb]

Two adult White-tailed Eagles circling over the house this morning (-10C). Unfortunately, I don't have a powerful enough zoom on my camera - in the second shot I captured them at speed passing each other - cross eagles should be taken seriously (I retreated inside).....



 

[Ragged Robin]

Congratulations Stephen, these shots are so difficult to get!

[scatigaz]

Nice one Stephen. Do you get many White-tailed Eagles where you live? The only place i have seen them is on Mull in Scotland where a few pairs breed.

[mark smyth]

Thanks to Norway there are now sea eagles in Ireland. They are in the south west but a bird came up to N Ireland last year

[wooden shoe]

I found this brown frog in the pond last Sunday. Very surprising to see them in mid November. It was quite fat, probably eaten a lot of slugs. It'll probably pop up in spring again after the winter rest has been done.

[Paddy Tobin]

Anthony, when you move, you'll have to get used to the letter box being at the end of the front path, at the garden gate. No onto the mat here. Or even at the end of the road (as ours is) if you choose somewhere in the country.

Did I miss something, or is Lesley just joking? Is Anthony moving?

Paddy

[mark smyth]

yep for a new life down under

[Lesley Cox]

I can't remember which thread it was in Paddy, but yes, Anthony and his family and I assume his dog, are all moving to New Zealand, probably in the new year.

[Stephenb]

Nice one Stephen. Do you get many White-tailed Eagles where you live? The only place i have seen them is on Mull in Scotland where a few pairs breed.

I wouldn't say many, but I see them maybe 5-10 times a year. There's probably one pair in this area (30 km stretch of coast along the fjord). They are much more common on the outer coast from where they have been taken for the introduction programs in Scotland and Ireland (they're are flown out from the airport at Trondheim which I see from my house). They were also persecuted here in the past and didn't breed within the fjord 20-years ago. On the other hand Eagle Owls have become less common in the same time frame

Incidentally, I went on an RSPB trip from Edinburgh to the island Rum in the late 1970s soon after the first birds had been released there. I remember the excitement of maybe seeing on (we didn't), but it was more than compensated for by the amazing Manx Shearwaters on the top of the mountain (we camped out all night to witness this!)

[Paddy Tobin]

I can't remember which thread it was in Paddy, but yes, Anthony and his family and I assume his dog, are all moving to New Zealand, probably in the new year.

Wow, what a big move. Best of luck, every happiness etc. Paddy

[Paul T]

So can Anthony bring ANY of his plants with him to NZ?  I know that you can bring bulbs in under certain restrictions, but I am guessing that most "green" material hasn't a hope?  It also depends on course where in NZ he's moving to, and therefore what he can actually grow there?