# Deer on Purdown ?



## gentlegreen (May 13, 2010)

One crossed my path at speed this morning.
Does anyone know what it was doing there ?

I heard a rumour a while back that the council planned to graze cattle on Purdown to save money on their food bills ...


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## big eejit (May 13, 2010)

I think it's part of a new Tory policy to reintroduce hunting.


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## Gerry1time (May 13, 2010)

Deer get everywhere. You see tons of them if you get the very early morning train from Bristol to Bath.


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## BlackArab (May 13, 2010)

The council are planning to graze cows at Stoke Park to keep the grass down and supply the beef to schools. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news...gets-ahead/article-869984-detail/article.html


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## hermitical (May 14, 2010)

there's a deer in Eastville Park. Heard quite a few reports about it then my wife saw it being chased across the field nearest the tennis courts by a wolfhound cross! Luckily she had our two lurchers on the lead!


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## gentlegreen (May 14, 2010)

Well, having had a badger build a temporary sett in my (back to back terrace) back garden, I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised.

It's an odd place, Purdown - ranging from burned out cars on the Locklease side to yuppie housing - plus the ministry and UWE ...


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## hermitical (May 14, 2010)

if that was in Montpelier the badgers would've had a yurt


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## BlackArab (May 14, 2010)

I'm gutted, I cycle through Eastville Park and across Purdown daily and have never seen any.


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## BlackArab (May 14, 2010)

hermitical said:


> if that was in Montpelier the badgers would've had a yurt



and an inflated opinion of itself.


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## Gerry1time (May 14, 2010)

There's at least one badger set along the side of the Severn Beach Line round Montpelier way oddly enough.


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## gentlegreen (May 14, 2010)

BlackArab said:


> I'm gutted, I cycle through Eastville Park and across Purdown daily and have never seen any.



My colleague said he'd seen a deer last year over the Locklease side. This was the first one I've seen in several years of cycling up through there daily.

Otherwise all I've ever seen is the odd small bird of prey...


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## hermitical (May 14, 2010)

BlackArab said:


> and an inflated opinion of itself.



 very good...



Gerry1time said:


> There's at least one badger set along the side of the Severn Beach Line round Montpelier way oddly enough.



My good lady saw a badger by the scout-hut on our street

She also saw a hooker giving a guy a handjob near there but that's another story....


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## hermitical (May 14, 2010)

gentlegreen said:


> My colleague said he'd seen a deer last year over the Locklease side. This was the first one I've seen in several years of cycling up through there daily.
> 
> Otherwise all I've ever seen is the odd small bird of prey...



saw a kestrel hovering a few weeks ago just past the weir in Eastville Park, also regularly see a kingfisher


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## Geri (May 15, 2010)

My dad used to have an aviary in his garden with cockatiels in it. A sparrowhawk used to visit every day to have a look at them! 

There are deer in Arnos Vale cemetery as well.


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## BlackArab (May 15, 2010)

hermitical said:


> saw a kestrel hovering a few weeks ago just past the weir in Eastville Park, also regularly see a kingfisher



I'm hoping that's the same one I used to see last year when I was cycling through Purdown. It's amazing how familiar you can become with wildlife you see everyday, I got worried that I hadnt seen it in months. 

There's a crane I regularly see in Eastville Park and I've got soppy seeing that the Canada Geese and ducks have just had sprogs. May have to have words with the bullying swan that seems to think he runs the lake just because he's owned by the Queen.

Jesus wept, I'm turning into Beatrix Potter.


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## gentlegreen (May 15, 2010)

BlackArab said:


> Jesus wept, I'm turning into Beatrix Potter.



You haven't given them whimsical names yet though


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## BlackArab (May 15, 2010)

Nah, they told me they hate that.


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## Gerry1time (May 15, 2010)

BlackArab said:


> May have to have words with the bullying swan that seems to think he runs the lake just because he's owned by the Queen.



Swans are unadulterated ill tempered bastards as a rule. Her Maj is welcome to the fuckers.


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## lizzieloo (May 15, 2010)

gentlegreen said:


> Well, having had a badger build a temporary sett in my (back to back terrace) back garden


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## gentlegreen (May 16, 2010)

lizzieloo said:


>



Until recently my garden was a scary jungle I hardly ever dared go out into. I only found the sett when I was clearing it last month.

Several winters ago, 3 am perhaps, I see the world's biggest cat staring at me -  lit up by my security light. It wasn't very stripey. I unfortunately didn't have my camera ready.

Luckily it didn't make much of a mess, and it sounds like a neighbour had it collected by the RSPCA. 

http://www.urban75.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=320487


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## lizzieloo (May 16, 2010)

gentlegreen said:


> Until recently my garden was a scary jungle I hardly ever dared go out into. I only found the sett when I was clearing it last month.
> 
> Several winters ago, 3 am perhaps, I see the world's biggest cat staring at me -  lit up by my security light. It wasn't very stripey. I unfortunately didn't have my camera ready.
> 
> ...



I was just wondering where you put a back garden in a back to back.


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## gentlegreen (May 16, 2010)

This is "back to back" in an almost suburban sense


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## hermitical (May 17, 2010)

BlackArab said:


> I'm hoping that's the same one I used to see last year when I was cycling through Purdown. It's amazing how familiar you can become with wildlife you see everyday, I got worried that I hadnt seen it in months.
> 
> There's a crane I regularly see in Eastville Park and I've got soppy seeing that the Canada Geese and ducks have just had sprogs. May have to have words with the bullying swan that seems to think he runs the lake just because he's owned by the Queen.
> 
> Jesus wept, I'm turning into Beatrix Potter.



do you mean the heron in Eastville Park? also those swans are evil buggers - seen them trying to drown the goslings. I think the year before last the geese barely had any young by the end of things...


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## BlackArab (May 17, 2010)

hermitical said:


> do you mean the heron in Eastville Park? also those swans are evil buggers - seen them trying to drown the goslings. I think the year before last the geese barely had any young by the end of things...



Is it a heron? probably the one, I'm useless at ornithology so I'll defer to someone who knows these things. I had wondered if the swan was protecting it's own young somewhere but infanticide!!!!!


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## hermitical (May 17, 2010)

also seen the coots or moorhens ganging up on a seagull before down there - bird asbo central


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## BlackArab (May 27, 2010)

ParkWatch latest: The bullying swan has revealed the reason for his behaviour, Mrs swan has turned up with a batch of cygnets. I'm guessing she has been incubating them on the nearby island. The balkanization of the lake is now complete with swans, geese and ducks occupying different sections with their sprogs and hissing when the other groups or us humans get too close.


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## gentlegreen (May 28, 2010)

No new animal life to report, but it looks suspiciously as if the council have used selective weedkiller on the bank of "weeds" along the edge of the "yellow brick road" in Stoke park - thus diminishing its value as a wildlife habitat.


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## BlackArab (Jun 6, 2010)

ParkWatch latest: Two moorhens have produced some sprogs now. You can see the nest quite clearly as it's quite close to the path. Head down the path from the upper park that brings you to the middle of the lake near the fishing spots. You'll see the nest and can feed the moorhens and watch them take food to the kiddies, although I did notice today they had joined their parents in feeding direct from the public.

Meanwhile the standoff between thug-swan and the Canada Geese continues at the M32 end of the lake. The Geese are occupying a part of the path with their goslings while thug-swan was intimidating them from a position on the lake directly in front. As I supected, Mrs swan and cygnets are nesting on the island at the opposite end. I'm not sure why he's ignoring the moorhens and ducks and has the hump with the geese unless of course it's their immigrant roots  Anyone have any idea???

Other news: a white mallard has joined the lake but the heron seems to have moved on. Probably decided to relocate to Henleaze lake as its all gone a bit rough in the 'Ville


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## hermitical (Jun 14, 2010)

fear not - heron is alive and well on the stretch between the lake and the weir


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