Rats, they're not that bad are they?

  Yes, this is a quick write up about Rats.I think it's safe to say that most people's love of Nature does not extend to these highly adaptable, furry fast multipliers (in a breeding sense not Mathematics) Myself, I think they are fascinating to watch.People see Rats and think of disease or their voracious appetite but they are capable of amazing things.
  Just read about HeroRATS which are put through months of training and save thousands of lives through mine detection and TB detection and you realise how incredible these rodents are.You can even adopt one on their website below ;)
https://www.apopo.org/en/

  I live next door to one pub and almost opposite another one so I occasionally see the odd Rat in the garden trying to reach the bird food but this week I had the chance to watch a whole 'mischief' of Rats, the most I counted at once was 13 scampering around.They were taking advantage of the food on offer at a feeding station in a Yorkshire Nature reserve.

 
  This tree stump of food was the main prize with up to 6 Rats on the top at any one time.A larger Rat(I will call Hulk after the wrestler Hulk Hogan not because he was green) arrived and started to take control.

  This dominant Rat seemed to sniff every other one that climbed on to the stump.If it passed its "smell test" they were allowed to feed if they didn't , it resorted to fisticuffs followed by being unceromoniously thrown off the stump.A bit like a Rat Royal Rumble, hence the name Hulk.
  The sniff test

  Fisticuffs

  Dumped off the stump.

 I continued to watch their behaviour with interest with the younger, smaller Rats foraging around the stump and on the ground under the bird feeders.These younger ones were very wary of the Moorhen brigade and if they came too close the Rats scarpered off down their holes.

  

  Keeping an eye out for those pesky Moorhens.

  While watching the Rat entertainment another couple walked into the hide but as soon as the woman saw the Rats she turned and walked straight back out with her partner close behind, saying to us "She really hates Rats!"  lol

  They end up as prey victims for everything from Birds Of Prey, Foxes, Stoats, Weasels, Grey Herons and Scottish Wildcats so they do have a role to play in our ecosystem, even if there are maybe a few too many (estimated UK population around 80 million).

  Next time you come across a Rat, instead of hitching up your skirt and jumping on to the nearest bench ;) just observe it for a minute and appreciate its tenacity :)

  Thanks for reading :)

  

  

30 Days Wild:Day 11 - The Chimney Sweeper, the Damsel & The Colony Of Gulls

  I couldn't think of a good title so I have the above though it does sound like some fantasy adventure movie where the Chimney Sweeper saves the Damsel from the evil land of the Gulls ;)

  Anyways, I thought I would have the whole day to get out somewhere but it turned out to be a few hours of work first (til 3pm) so had to think of somewhere nearby to pop into for a "wild" walk.

  As we were near Lincoln we decided on the Whisby Nature Park.The first thing you hear once you get past the visitor centre is the deafening sound of the Black-headed Gull colony.I gave up counting Gulls once I got past 600 lol with around 50% of them chicks.

  

  Some strange new species were being hatched like this Push-Me-Pull-You Gull ;)

  A quick check of the feeding station only produced a couple of Great Tits but also this Brown Rat.I know some people don't like them but I think they're kind of cute :)

  I stood watching and enjoying been serenaded by this Robin.

  The hedgerows and ditch vegetation were alive with hundreds of Damselflies, Moths, Bees and Dragonflies.

 Chimney Sweeper Moth

  Common Blue Damselflies(photos by Majella Fox)

  Large Red Damselfly(photo by Majella Fox)

  Female Black-tailed Skimmer

  Bee watching(photos by Majella Fox)

  Somehow among the Gull colony that had pretty much taken over the islands and the rafts, Common Terns were still managing to breed among the mayhem.

  I also saw Bullfinches, heard a Blackcap(even with my limited hearing) as it was that close but could still not see it through the foliage and a couple of Song Thrushes.

  If you are ever around the Lincoln area then its a great place to check out.You can easily spend the whole day there with such a massive area to explore and it's a good place to see and hear Nightingales.We didn't see them this time but have done on previous visits.

http://www.naturalworldcentre.co.uk/

  Thanks for staying with us til Day 11 and reading and looking at the photos.Lots more to come.