Seeing nature in the raw

[Liam]

Lost count of the amount of dead Pike I have seen, either with their bellys sliced open and left on the bank or floating along with their head bashed in by fishermen.

 

Ah, the joys of nature!

[blackrose]

It has always facinated me that with male female it is procreation, with male male it is rape. There is clearly a male sex drive that seems to differ from the females, but it wasn't until a study on elephant seals that the world realised that sexual selection is largely driven by the female species. Males want to get their proverbial leg over, and it is a good job the females don't else there would be no nurture.

 

Well I was talking about swan male-female rape. Anyway, there are plenty of human females who just want to get their leg over too and they aren't interested in procreation.

Edited May 20, 2008 by blackrose

[blackelle123]

What nests are councils emptying - can you let me know so I can stand guard over my 4 nesting boxes with my golden finches and coal tits - any councellor coming near them is toast !!!!

 

They are mainly going for the canada geese and moscovy ducks which roost/nest down by the public waterfront. Must admit when the numbers are high, the amount of mess on the pavements is a little over the top. The council have to have path sweepers every day (including time and a half on Sundays, double time on Bank Holidays).

There are obviously those birds that get away with 'illegal' nest building and the result are currently swimming happily and creating plenty are aaahhhhhh!!!!! factor.

[Chickadee]

It's not a "barge", it's a narrowboat! I do get upset when people call my boat a "barge" !!!

 

hehe I spent Saturday night confusing my drunk friends.

 

Them "so you live on a barge now then"

 

Me " no i live on a narrow boat"

 

Them "whats one of them then"

 

Me " its a "narrow" "Boat""

 

Them (confused look) "oh... not a barge then?"

 

I think i had that conversation about 6 times.

 

Back on topic, mother duck near me is now down to four babies from six shes managed to loose her real cute one. It was lighter with little orange feet.

No rape last night though.

I did see a swan attack a collie the other week. Wouldnt want to have a fight with a swan. It would win.

[carlt]

Anyway, there are plenty of human females who just want to get their leg over too and they aren't interested in procreation.

Thank Goodness!

[John Orentas]

We are told not to intervene but it can be quite distressing to see such scenes . . .

 

 

I agree with all of that and share your sentiments, we just have to tell ourselves that without these balances we would be up to our armpits in ducks, but it doesn't seem to help much though somehow.

[bottle]

hehe I spent Saturday night confusing my drunk friends.

 

Them "so you live on a barge now then"

 

Me " no i live on a narrow boat"

 

Them "whats one of them then"

 

Me " its a "narrow" "Boat""

 

Them (confused look) "oh... not a barge then?"

 

I think i had that conversation about 6 times.

 

Back on topic, mother duck near me is now down to four babies from six shes managed to loose her real cute one. It was lighter with little orange feet.

No rape last night though.

I did see a swan attack a collie the other week. Wouldnt want to have a fight with a swan. It would win.

 

 

Chickadee

 

You be in glostersheer now, they always called them barges, specially in the area you are moored.

[Chickadee]

Chickadee

 

You be in glostersheer now, they always called them barges, specially in the area you are moored.

 

Haha the boaters near me seem to call them narrowboats. It was the young'uns (18+) that i was out with at the weekend that were calling it a barge.

[bottle]

Haha the boaters near me seem to call them narrowboats. Arrr but theys'll be incomers, with their nice shiny boats. It was the young'uns (18+) that i was out with at the weekend that were calling it a barge. They'll probably be locals, don't know any difrent.

[Dominic M]

The old uns down there called em "longboats", and I knows that for a fact. Maybe them Foresters calls 'em barges, but they don't know nothin' about nothin.

[longreach]

We don't seem to have a problem with ducks in our area. The swans tend to thin them out, and if they don't get them, the pike do

[larkshall]

Well I have been known to take the odd partridge and pheasant clutch home and put them under a broody hen When I see parents road killed, FAr too frequently up here. Last year had 30 pheasant and 7 partridge chicks> THey are still around, and will often still turn up at chicken feeding time. (there is no shooting in this village). I still eat both birds, but I hate to see suffering and will help when I can.

 

I would have rounded up duckling by now (At night especially). THe moorhen problem is bit more difficult Have no time for crows/rooks/ravens/magpies, but accept that they too are part of the country family, and must feed young.

 

As for canada geese, in York they are a plague< I often come across them in town at 4am< THe only way to get them to shift is drive straight at them. THey do move...grudgingly and late. I know they are actually a worse problem than pigeons, and many times culls are suggested. THey do however 1/2 the eggs and feed contraceptives, but these birds should be culled further.