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earthstar

~ a celebration of nature

earthstar

Category Archives: animals

Sick rabbit, dead fox

30 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British mammals, dead fox, fox, rabbit, sick rabbit

During Sunday’s walk I came across this very sick-looking rabbit, sitting at the end of a local no exit road. I don’t think it had been hit by a car – no obvious signs of injury, and I doubt it had myxomatosis – eyes clear and bright. But, later, on Twitter, a contact suggested it might have had RVHD2 (rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease) as that often shows no outward signs. The only positive thing about that diagnosis is that the rabbit usually dies quickly, instead of suffering the horrific lingering torture of myxomatosis.

211130 sick rabbit

Monday’s walk took me round various Cardiff streets on the hunt for particular leafmines (more on that next Monday) and, sadly, this time I found a dead fox. In this case, I think the poor creature probably was hit by a car as it was lying just off the verge of a very busy road.

211130 dead fox

I was almost dreading what today’s walk might bring but I’m extremely relieved to report that I found nothing injured or deceased!

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The squirrel’s tail

23 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British mammals, grey squirrel, squirrel's tail

This must be the strangest thing I’ve found when out leafmining: part of a Grey squirrel’s tail. There was no sign of the rest of the squirrel and the tail was lying right next to a busy road, so I’m guessing the creature narrowly escaped death by car but is now looking much less bushy!

211123 squirrel's tail

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Opportunists

17 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

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Tags

brown rat, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, rat, Rattus norvegicus

The rat population at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park is thriving thanks to the generosity of those folk who leave seed for the birds. The rodents are fearless opportunists and extremely cheeky, approaching to grab their share of the bounty even before people have stepped away, but they do at least share the seed with the birds. The rats stuff their mouths full of seed and scuttle away, whereas the squirrels monopolise the seed, staying put and not allowing the birds to approach.

211117 rats

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Red fox

14 Wednesday Jul 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British mammals, fox, Red fox

Imagine my surprise when I looked up from photographing a butterfly yesterday to see this magnificent creature watching me from further along the woodland ride. I managed to get just a few snaps before it turned tail and disappeared into the undergrowth.

210714 fox

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Baby bunny

26 Saturday Jun 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

British mammals, Forest Farm, Forest Farm Nature Reserve, rabbit, young rabbits

It’s not only birds you can see from a bird hide. When I enjoyed my first (post-lockdown) wander in 18 months at Forest Farm Nature Reserve yesterday, I naturally visited both bird hides to see what was about. I didn’t venture inside the hides, thought it safer to peer through the slots in the tall fences on either side, and, though I did see one particularly beautiful bird, it was actually the family of young rabbits that held my attention. This little cutie was adorable. Those ears!

210626 baby bunny

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Holes

03 Saturday Apr 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, birds, insects

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Tags

animal hole, burrow, hole, insect hole

One of the many definitions of the word hole is ‘an animal’s burrow’, and some of hole’s many synonyms are cavity, chamber, cave, cleft, cranny, den, lair, nest, shelter, and tunnel. These photos show a few such places, possibly but not definitely created and occupied by Great spotted woodpeckers, rabbits, voles and/or shrews, bees, and beetles. What amazes me is how perfectly engineered so many of them are.

210402 holes (1)
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

210402 holes (3)

210402 holes (4)
210402 holes (5)

210402 holes (6)210402 holes (7)

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Three cheeky rats

15 Monday Mar 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

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Tags

British mammals, brown rat, Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, rat, rats eating bird seed, Rattus norvegicus

Three cheeky rats. Three cheeky rats.

210315 rats (1)

See where they hide. See where they hide.

210315 rats (2)

They poke out their noses to check all’s clear

210315 rats (3)

Then rush out to grab seeds, showing no fear

210315 rats (4)

Even when people like me are quite near.

210315 rats (5)

Three cheeky rats.

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Claws and nails

11 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal

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Tags

British mammals, claws, grey squirrel, Grey squirrel claws, nails

Despite the Grey squirrel being an invasive non-native pest, as a non-native myself I have some sympathy for these much-maligned beasties. Today, though, rather than get into a discussion about the presence of Grey squirrels in the environment, I’d like to focus on their claws and nails, if only because I hadn’t really noticed how long their nails can get until I took this photo.

210211 claws and nails

Of course, having long nails makes perfect sense for these furry acrobats. You only have to look at them leaping nimbly from branch to branch or running headfirst down a tree to realise that they need very strong powerful claws to help them perform these amazingly agile and gravity-defying feats. And, presumably, having strong long curved nails helps the Grey squirrel grip tree bark in the same way that a mountain climber uses crampons and an ice axe.

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359/366 Winter white

24 Thursday Dec 2020

Posted by sconzani in animals, birds, flowers, fungi, lichen, winter

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

the colour white, white in nature, white wildflowers

With no chance of a white Christmas for me, I thought I’d share some of Nature’s whiteness instead.

201224 1 snowberry
201224 2 cow
201224 3 oxeye daisy
201224 4 cat
201224 5 bindweed
201224 6 goat's-beard
201224 7 mute swan
201224 8 snowman
201224 9 sheep
201224 10 Honey fungus
201224 11 horse
201224 12 yarrow
201224 13 lichen
201224 14 White Spindles
201224 15 white campion
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169/366 Fox

17 Wednesday Jun 2020

Posted by sconzani in animals, mammal, nature

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

British fox, fox, fox in long grass, Red fox

This was a bonus on Monday’s long walk …
I first saw its red bottom and tail walking away from me and thought I wouldn’t see it again but then it turned and sat in the long grass, keeping an eye on me while I took several photos. After about 5 minutes it spotted something more interesting on the other side of the field and trotted off. A delight!

200617 fox

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder.

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