this is evolution

[sonic youth]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/feb/11/conservation

pretty impressive if you ask me.

[Reg Smeeton]

I've yet to see a peregrine in an urban setting, but there are some at Symond's Yat, which are worth a look.

   I love spotting raptors, there's quite a variety within Britain and the scene is always changing with some succeeding more than others...for example 20 years ago, you got plenty of kestrels, and a buzzard was a rare sight , now its the other way around, also the red kite, has made a comeback.

 About 5 years ago I saw what I thought might have been an osprey, on the edge of the Cotswold Water Park.....I was walking back from Down Ampney, and disturbed this bad boy, while approaching a stream,  it was perched peering in.  Common sense says it couldn't have been, but it didn't fit into my knowledge of regular raptors.

[BANGKOK RED]

Birds of prey are cool as.

In Phuket they used to have these chaps walking around with Eagles on their arms to have your photo taken with. No exaggeration these Eagles must have stood about 1 1/2 feet tall and where damned heavy. Their beaks and talons could do some real damage to any person.

The Thai government has clamped down on that kind of stuff now and rightly so, but they are still as common as crows in the south along the coast, quite an impressive site they are.

[BANGKOK RED]

Mind you.

The size and power of those Eagles was an awe inspiring site. But nothing beats the Falcon for sheer evolutionary design sexyness (Not in a weird way), but youv'e gotta hand it to them, they are good looking birds.

[leefer]

Its brill,i drive all over Britain and its amazing how Hawks,Kestrels etc have made a comeback,,,,some of the camouflage when they stand still on posts is fantastic.

[BANGKOK RED]

I have seen an Owl once or twice whilst walking home from Lawn Woods.

People generally don't beleive me because walking home from the pub would  suggest drunkedness, and rightly so but I stand my ground as alcohol has never made me hallucinate (I think).

I love mildlife though and when in a wild environment i look for these kind of things so I am more likely to notice than most.

[flammableBen]

It's only a matter of time before Badgers gain the ability to fly. I'd be worried by the havoc these airborne death scavengers could cause, but it'd be so fucking awesome that I don't think anybody would have the right to be upset about it.

[BANGKOK RED]

It's only a matter of time before Badgers gain the ability to fly. I'd be worried by the havoc these airborne death scavengers could cause, but it'd be so fucking awesome that I don't think anybody would have the right to be upset about it.

Are you trying to say that Badgers cannot fly?

[flammableBen]

Not yet. I've never seen one fly anyway. And it would mean that I was horribly misinformed by the classic bbc education program "Look and Read" and its story edition titled "Badger Girl". That thing taught me about magic e. Hat becomes Hate and all that stuff. Happy days.

I also remember "Geordie Racer" which was about pigeons racing or something, and the marvellous (well at the time - I was in year 3 so probably 7 or 8 maybe) "Through the Dragon's Eye" which was some wonderful fantasy story with Dragons and shit. I remember that one giving me nightmares but still loving it so much that I couldn't wait until we got to watch the next episode on a Friday afternoon. I've got a vague memory of some kids collecting bits of a bit octagon and getting liquidised or something.

[leefer]

I once took a badger on holiday,perfectly normal for a badger to fly!

[Lumps]

  I love spotting raptors, there's quite a variety within Britain and the scene is always changing with some succeeding more than others...for example 20 years ago, you got plenty of kestrels, and a buzzard was a rare sight , now its the other way around, also the red kite, has made a comeback.

I walk up onto Blackamoor, on the edge of the Peak District, from my house most weekends and see Red Kites virtually every time. There's rabbits eveywhere up there and watching them hunt is fucking A.

[Luci]

If you like birds of prey Warwick castle is awesome.  They have some amazing falconry etc. there, so entertaining!

Reminds me of when littlecote house used to be open when they had the birds of prey there and the jousting!

[dell boy]

  I love spotting raptors, there's quite a variety within Britain and the scene is always changing with some succeeding more than others...for example 20 years ago, you got plenty of kestrels, and a buzzard was a rare sight , now its the other way around, also the red kite, has made a comeback.

I walk up onto Blackamoor, on the edge of the Peak District, from my house most weekends and see Red Kites virtually every time. There's rabbits eveywhere up there and watching them hunt is fucking A.

I can see the Red Kites becoming a pest very soon there are so many of them in Bucks/Berks.

PS Red Kite aren't big enough to take rabbits. Mice being the main diet.

[genf_stfc]

i remember reading once that a peregrine falcon can reach over 180mph in a dive, and that this is known because a post war spitfire pilot swears that one went past him once.  I would love to think thats true.

[Arriba]

I've yet to see a peregrine in an urban setting, but there are some at Symond's Yat, which are worth a look.

agree reg.symonds yat has some fantastic views also.i took a ride on the river last year there.its lovely place for a day out