saw a weasel knack a rabbit today

[Kevj]

Taken over the Kestrel as our most common UK bird of prey. I know of at least 2 nest sites within a mile radius of my house. I love them.

Persecuted to f*ck North of the border. Gamekeepers hate them. I hate gamekeepers.

There’s a nesting pair in the woods near me. In fact, there maybe to sets but I couldn’t make out exactly due to how far away they were.
Massive compared to a kestrel and sound class.

 

[Jon Dough]

Taken over the Kestrel as our most common UK bird of prey. I know of at least 2 nest sites within a mile radius of my house. I love them.

I see red kites and buzzards every day, kestrels occasionally though there seemed loads of kestrels about when I was a kid, but I never saw a buzzard or kite back then.

 

[Keawyeds]

Taken over the Kestrel as our most common UK bird of prey. I know of at least 2 nest sites within a mile radius of my house. I love them.

Persecuted to f*ck North of the border. Gamekeepers hate them. I hate gamekeepers.

We often see buzzards enjoying the thermals.
Quite remarkable as I didn't know they wore underwear.
When we're up in Scotland we see loads of buzzards, but also tons of Red Kite which is lovely.
There's a place in D&G where they feed them.
If you've never seen dive-bombing Red Kite's you may investigate them via my "Insta" as they say

Chris Swinton on Instagram: "Red Kites. Red Kites EVERYWHERE! Absolutely amazing. #redkites #redkite #redkitesofinstagram #raptors #raptorsofinstagram #birdsofprey #birdsofpreyofinstagram #wildbirds #conservation"

17 likes, 5 comments - keawyeds on March 16, 2020: "Red Kites. Red Kites EVERYWHERE! Absolutely amazing. #redkites #redkite #redkitesofinstagram #ra..."

www.instagram.com

 

[Quinninho]

There’s a nesting pair in the woods near me. In fact, there maybe to sets but I couldn’t make out exactly due to how far away they were.
Massive compared to a kestrel and sound class.

Me and the missus stumbled across a Buzzards nest when we got a bit lost walking near Greta Bridge. We were right underneath it ...absolutely huge it was (the nest) and the bird sitting eggs/young didn't fly off either.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

We often see buzzards enjoying the thermals.
Quite remarkable as I didn't know they wore underwear.
When we're up in Scotland we see loads of buzzards, but also tons of Red Kite which is lovely.
There's a place in D&G where they feed them.
If you've never seen dive-bombing Red Kite's you may investigate them via my "Insta" as they say

Chris Swinton on Instagram: "Red Kites. Red Kites EVERYWHERE! Absolutely amazing. #redkites #redkite #redkitesofinstagram #raptors #raptorsofinstagram #birdsofprey #birdsofpreyofinstagram #wildbirds #conservation"

17 likes, 5 comments - keawyeds on March 16, 2020: "Red Kites. Red Kites EVERYWHERE! Absolutely amazing. #redkites #redkite #redkitesofinstagram #ra..."

www.instagram.com

Every day they are above our place just almost motionless in the sky.
I often call out to them, Wonderful when they make their distinctive call.

 

[Quinninho]

Every day they are above our place just almost motionless in the sky.
I often call out to them, Wonderful when they make their distinctive call.

Reminds me of a tiny kitten 'mewing'

I see red kites and buzzards every day, kestrels occasionally though there seemed loads of kestrels about when I was a kid, but I never saw a buzzard or kite back then.

Yeah you don't see half as many kestrels around now. I think sparrowhawks are just as plentiful these days due to the bounty on offer at sparrowhawk feeding stations up and down the country (Garden Bird feeders)

 

[Butcher's Coat]

Not many thrushes about around ours these days.
Maybe the Magpies got to their nests and took the chicks/eggs a while back.

 

[Tuono]

I saw a kestrel yesterday in Portsmouth, first one I've seen in about a year. Buzzards I see every day, I'm sure they ride the thermals coming off my woodburner.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

Not many thrushes about around ours these days.
Maybe the Magpies got to their nests and took the chicks/eggs a while back.

Definitely Magpies and Domestic cats a massive threat to the population.
A couple of pairs around here.
Sad bastard as I am will often walk outside in the evening and listen to one of my favourite bird songs. Beautiful birds.
A pair of Mistle Thrushes around here as well. That distinctive machine gun fire outburst when they are alarmed.

 

[Macho]

aye, reckon a stoat would fancy its chances against a jack russell or similar.


aye, far more entertaining.
was in yellowstone few years ago ( oh look at me ) in the north east part is the lamar valley loads of bison up there and wolf pack knocks about there ( think called the druid pack ) was watching them one day, basically grey alsatians having a bark off.
2 blokes next to us were going ' oh the alpha male blah blah bah other male, blah blah blah ' ffs just give them names man, eg ronnie and reggie would suffice if they were the top boys.

A Jack Russell would pummel one man.

 

[herra soul mob]

A Jack Russell would pummel one man.

thats what punters said about goliath v david

 

[Macho]

thats what punters said about goliath v david

Can pull right on Jack's, proper little ratters.

 

[Sneech]

At creswell. heard these ungodly squeals from clump of bushes next to one of carparks there, knew wasn't a bird and thought this doesn't sound good, got better angle and weasel was well mucked into the bunny, told him to behave ,it ran off, rabbit ran a few yards but looked knackered, then more squeals and weasel had gone back to finish it off, to be fair rabbit looked like had that pox that's going round, eyes a bit scabby to say the least.
Not a pleasant watch and the rabbit noises were haunting but that's nature for you, the weasel and its marras will dine well tonight.

Nature red in tooth, beak and claw

 

[Tuono]

I found a discarded eggshell from a starling this morning, good to see they're breeding locally as they're getting quite rare now.
I had a spare half hour at work yesterday so knocked up a bat box from some old flooring, I'll post pictures when I put it up later today. Next project will be a communal bird box for spuggies, I'm not sure it'll attract any but it's worth a try.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

Russell has been smashing into the windows from 5:45 this morning ffs.
Bastard thing is evil.
Russell 1 Swindon 0.

 

[Quinninho]

I saw a pair of crows kill a rabbit outside of Barclays at Doxford International last year. The rabbit wasn't half squealing. I tried to run over and stop it once I realised what was happening but I wasnt quick enough.

I've got no idea why the crows attacked it like that, it was minding its own business and they weren't trying ing to eat it. Horrible f***ing things.

They would eat it if undisturbed.

Seem some funny wildlife dining in recent years..

Saw a Seagull swallow a big rat whole in Mothercare car park at the shopping centre on Team Valley. How It actually managed to get airborne with its crop bulging I'll never know!!

@Swindon On Tour favourite the Magpie eating a Blue Tit chick on the fence post outside on the driveway.

Sparrowhawk catch and eat a frog at Clara Vale (Near Prudhoe)

And like the OP I have seen a weasel (not a stoat) knacker a rabbit. They are only small but they succeed with large prey by hanging until their victim totally exhausted by the struggle.

Definitely Magpies and Domestic cats a massive threat to the population.
A couple of pairs around here.
Sad bastard as I am will often walk outside in the evening and listen to one of my favourite bird songs. Beautiful birds.
A pair of Mistle Thrushes around here as well. That distinctive machine gun fire outburst when they are alarmed.

I always look for raptors when I hear that alarm.

Fun fact kids: our smallest raptor, the Merlin is about the same size as a Mistle Thrush and can also be seen mimicking its flight pattern when hunting. I've seen this up at Cockfield Fell. Amazing sight.

 

[black-cat]

Saw a seagull sat on a pigeon ripping the feathers out of it's back, pigeon was just sat helpless. I chased the gull like but no doubt it'll have came back and finished the pigeon off after I went, it was fooked. Barely had a feather left on its back, mind it did trot away but doubt it could have flown.

They would eat it if undisturbed.

Seem some funny wildlife dining in recent years..

Saw a Seagull swallow a big rat whole in Mothercare car park at the shopping centre on Team Valley. How It actually managed to get airborne with its crop bulging I'll never know!!

@Swindon On Tour favourite the Magpie eating a Blue Tit chick on the fence post outside on the driveway.

Sparrowhawk catch and eat a frog at Clara Vale (Near Prudhoe)

And like the OP I have seen a weasel (not a stoat) knacker a rabbit. They are only small but they succeed with large prey by hanging until their victim totally exhausted by the struggle.

I always look for raptors when I hear that alarm.

Fun fact kids: our smallest raptor, the Merlin is about the same size as a Mistle Thrush and can also be seen mimicking its flight pattern when hunting. I've seen this up at Cockfield Fell. Amazing sight.

Saw a merlin myself once on the shores of loch awe, gliding over some meadow grass more or less scratching it's belly with it. An amazing sight I consider myself quite lucky to have seen

 

[Quinninho]

I see red kites and buzzards every day, kestrels occasionally though there seemed loads of kestrels about when I was a kid, but I never saw a buzzard or kite back then.

If you're around the same age as me, Red Kites we're all but extinct when we were lads I think.

A lot has changed in my time.

When I was a lad, Kestrels, Skylarks and House Sparrows were plentiful.

You'd rarely see a Magpie, Seagull or Wood Pigeon in a town or city.

 

[Scunny Dan]

There should be an SMB Wildlife on one. With all the slang.

"And here is the lion, gannin after a gazelle for his bait"

Gazelle made a canny run for it, mind.

dont think so , checked on interweb when got home, was tiny, was punching well above its weight, like billy hardy fighting mike tyson.

Is a stoat bigger than a weasel?

 

[---Nemo---]

Fun fact kids: our smallest raptor, the Merlin is about the same size as a Mistle Thrush and can also be seen mimicking its flight pattern when hunting. I've seen this up at Cockfield Fell. Amazing sight.

I see them regularly when I'm up visiting a friend near Murton in Cumbria. Cracking little flyers, it's a treat to watch them diving, skimming the ground at high speed to flush prey.