Urban animals

[Fujisan 533]

Out of curiosity...

What animals do you see around your neighborhood?

I see very few in my town...

I see foxes every night,the odd squirrel in parks or woodland but not much else....

Two questions-

What animals do you see in your towns?

Who has never seen a fox up close?

I even had one close enough to playfully nibble my finger and also saw four foxes at once(a pack-possibly cubs)

[Atenzan 1,084]

Athens here. Huge city, so animals are very rare (stray dogs and cats don't count I assume).

However I do live near an abandoned quarry, and its space is now practically a hillside park. On my walks there I sometimes see hedgehogs and owls, and once a hare. Owls are very common in Greece, especially in rural areas, so that's no big surprise. Other than that, it's mainly birds. Doves, robins, seagulls, sparrows, swallows in springtime, African parakeets in the summer. Pigeons of course are a frustrating abomination of nature and they do not deserve to be counted in with other birds. 

Foxes I only saw once in Athens, by a stream near the chilly Halandri area where the sides of two neighbouring mountains form a plain. 

On those mountains though, on the edge of the city, you can see hares and foxes quite frequently, and sometimes even deer. Snakes too, but I don't like them. If you're lucky and spry, you might chance upon my favourite animal in Greece:

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[orandashoho 720]

I was once in the kitchen of my best friend doing the washing up, looking out of the window at the neighbour's flowerbed, when I saw a large deer slowly stepping past and, gracefully lowering her head, snipping off the tops of the neighbour's prize tulips and eating them. I watched this, stunned. It was like a dream sequence, almost unreal.  She must have come from the forest, but to get to the tulips she had crossed many gardens and at least two streets. She walked out of sight, down the garage path to the street.
This house was not far from New York, a few stations upriver from Manhattan.

At another time I was in London helping a blind friend check out his garden shed where he had heard noises. "It's those foxes again," he complained. How right he was; a mother fox had chosen a cozy spot in the corner to have a litter.

Near my own house there has never been a sight of any wildlife besides rabbits by the score at silflay by the railway tracks. It's too close to the city and roads with traffic that never stops.

[Asojima 2,874]

In my neighborhood, outdoor pets are referred to as coyote or cougar bait.

[Fujisan 533]

  On 03/01/2018 at 22:19, McBugger said:

Athens here. Huge city, so animals are very rare (stray dogs and cats don't count I assume).

However I do live near an abandoned quarry, and its space is now practically a hillside park. On my walks there I sometimes see hedgehogs and owls, and once a hare. Owls are very common in Greece, especially in rural areas, so that's no big surprise. Other than that, it's mainly birds. Doves, robins, seagulls, sparrows, swallows in springtime, African parakeets in the summer. Pigeons of course are a frustrating abomination of nature and they do not deserve to be counted in with other birds.

Foxes I only saw once in Athens, by a stream near the chilly Halandri area where the sides of two neighbouring mountains form a plain.

On those mountains though, on the edge of the city, you can see hares and foxes quite frequently, and sometimes even deer. Snakes too, but I don't like them. If you're lucky and spry, you might chance upon my favourite animal in Greece:

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Wild parakeets? Now that I would like to see...

Yes I didn't count domestic animals but I also left out birds.....

I see all the birds you mention(except the parakeet and the owls you hear but dont see)
 but mostly its pigeons and seagulls,the smaller birds stand little chance against them in the food scramble..Pigeons and seagulls then sh*t all over the windows and leave me to clean up after them....

One I see thats not on your list are rooks or ravens who can often be seen sitting on gravestones just like in the movies.....

 When I went to scotland on the ferry we saw dolphins but the biggest surprise was in a field close to where I stayed there was 3 Alpacas(similar to Llamas)

Not your normal scottish animal.....

Edited January 3, 2018 by Fujisan

[Atenzan 1,084]

  On 03/01/2018 at 23:23, Fujisan said:

Wild parakeets? Now that I would like to see...

Here you are... They fly to us in the summer when Africa is too hot for them. They really seem to like eucalyptus trees, which we have in abundance to repel some of the mosquitoes.

Now Scottish alpacas? That's a surprise! 

[Oshirokita 192]

Vancouver (Canada) - has 2 of North America's 3 largest urban parks (Central Park in NYC is the third).

For birds, you can daily see pigeons, gulls, bald eagles, Canada geese (seasonally) and huge flocks of crows. Robins, jays, herons and small songbirds are reasonably common also. 

For mammals, I have occasionally seen coyotes, squirrels, skunks, rats, bats, beavers, rabbits, raccoons and mice. North Vancouver (separate city) is mountainous and has bears, cougars and deer, all of which I have seen there or nearby but never in Vancouver proper (though they may possibly stray here). I have not seen a fox here. 

Also, being an oceanside city, we have seals, otters, and (rarely) orca and other whales visit. 

Edited January 4, 2018 by Oshirokita
added raccoons, how could I forget!

[Yamanashi 3,904]

Here in the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina:  We moved into a new subdivision -- American tradition, name the subdivision after the natural thing you destroyed to build the houses (e.g., "Sweetgrass Terrace", "Eagle Landing").  For the first few years we saw some of the creatures who used to live here (possums, voles -- creepy!) and we still have anole lizards and an occasional skink (also creepy!).  Very rarely a deer.  Eagles, hawks and vultures, in addition to the usual smaller birds.  Squirrels, of course.

 

[Fujisan 533]

  On 04/01/2018 at 00:04, McBugger said:

Here you are... They fly to us in the summer when Africa is too hot for them. They really seem to like eucalyptus trees, which we have in abundance to repel some of the mosquitoes.

Now Scottish alpacas? That's a surprise!

It was for me,I have pictures but I wouldn't know how to post them(old fashioned camera pictures)

Also in large numbers we have swans,geese and ducks.....

Usually in parks or conservation areas but occasionally they stray....

My friends and I came across a swan miles from any water in the middle of a road,it was uninjured but a bit confused,for its own safety I pushed its bottom softly and guided it onto the pavement then left it to find its own way home.

Great picture of the parakeets...

If I saw them where I live I would be chuffed to bits as we say in England I would tell all my friends and family,especially my brother who keeps pet parrots and at least one parakeet........

Edited January 4, 2018 by Fujisan

[Fujisan 533]

Slightly off topic but when I was younger I used to think llamas actually had two heads like Doctor Dolitle...

Edited January 4, 2018 by Fujisan

[Sakura 1,495]

  On 03/01/2018 at 22:34, orandashoho said:

Near my own house there has never been a sight of any wildlife besides rabbits by the score at silflay by the railway tracks. It's too close to the city and roads with traffic that never stops.

My favourite quote from Watership Down was `silflay hraka u embleer-rah' 

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

Living in the rural suburbs, I regularly stir up hares when riding my bike to work, and sometimes even a pheasant. And squirrels, of course. Apart from that it's mostly crows and magpies. The most spectacular sighting so far was a wild boar right next to the autobahn.

And I *really* want to meet those mice which always chew through the ribbon of my shutters!

[torquato 1,075]

I live in the city centre of Berlin.

From my writing desk I usually can watch some magpies, also doves, common starlings and some species of black crows.

Some time ago when I enjoyed a warm summer evening outside only a few houses away a hedgehog passed by. An animal I didn't expect in the centre of such a big city. In a park close by I once saw a common kestrel.

At a friends place not far away there's a squirrel family living (this fluffy european red squirrel, not the big grey ones that konquered England from the States). Once one of them came into the house over the balcony and tried to steal a ball of wool. It failed because one end was stuck at the basket. In the morning we could see a long thread of wool going through the living room, over the balcony and along some trees.
At her place you sometimes can also see and hear a Great spotted woodpecker. A beatiful bird I think.

<
Who has never seen a fox up close?
>

Never or ever? I saw one a few years ago at very unexpected place. It was on the Museumsinsel right in the heart of the city centre. It was on the lawn which was there at the spot where the Palast der Republik stood and where they now build the Humboldt Forum museum. It just passed by a few meters away in a warm summer evening. The fox seemed to be completly unimpressed by all the people arround.

Wild boars are said to be frequent in the outer city districts, but I've never seen any of them myself.

If you look close enough there is quite a lot of wildlife here in Berlin…

 

[RabidJohn 1,855]

  On 03/01/2018 at 23:23, Fujisan said:

Wild parakeets? Now that I would like to see...

The wild parakeets of London are quite well known (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4P_NhFlb5w). I used to see thousands (literally!) when I fished around the Staines/Wraysbury/Horton area in the late 90s, but I understand the prolonged cold winter of 2010/11 cut their numbers somewhat.

There is a former gravel pit near Staines that was nicknamed Fox Pool in the late 70s because the foxes became semi-tame, visiting the anglers to scrounge food.

I've also seen deer (fallow, red and roe) wandering the streets at night, but when you've spent as many nights sitting beside urban park lakes and ponds as I have, you would also know that our towns and cities are full of wildlife!

Didn't see it personally, but the most extraordinary urban animal I'm aware of was featured on the 'Cities' episode of the Planet Earth II series a couple of years ago - urban leopards in Mumbai: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zHUNAx7q1M

Edited January 4, 2018 by RabidJohn

[Jakusotsu 6,049]

  On 04/01/2018 at 06:47, torquato said:

Never or ever? I saw one a few years ago at very unexpected place. It was on the Museumsinsel right in the heart of the city centre.

Not quite that unexpected. Foxes are frequently reported to invade cities. They just cannot hide as well as rats yet.

[Atenzan 1,084]

We have a few crows as well. My aunt works in the national university, and she has a wonderful office on campus on the 8th floor of a building. It's practically an apartment. Massive desk, all the amenities, private restroom, even her own personal library (used to be dean of philosophy and language). Only problem is that a family of crows have made their home in the outside part of her windowsill. She regularly finds the parents feeding their young with various worms and small lizards- most of the time still living! Quite unsettling. 

[Benihana 1,937]

  On 03/01/2018 at 21:34, Fujisan said:

I even had one close enough to playfully nibble my finger and also saw four foxes at once(a pack-possibly cubs)

And what did the fox say?

 

Rabbits. Lots and lots of rabbits and the occasional hedgehog. In the outskirts wild boar became a pest in the last years. All kinds of local birds, cats, squirrels, mice, but no stray dogs. If you're patient, you can even watch beavers near a riverside park.

[orandashoho 720]

  On 04/01/2018 at 00:04, McBugger said:

Here you are... They fly to us in the summer when Africa is too hot for them.

(The Hague, The Netherlands) Around 1990 I saw the first one near my house. They were quite rare, but they have done so well that their population exploded and they have become somewhat of a pest. They're not migrating but staying the year round, wintering quite well, and each year there are more of them.

They have the same roosting habits as rooks,  swarming at dusk to the tops of favourite trees, and these become defoliated because of the sheer numbers. The aerobatics at those times is spectacular, when the wind is calm the noise of their sharp tweets is deafening, in particular where there are tall buildings around to echo the sound.

  On 04/01/2018 at 06:47, torquato said:

Wild boars are said to be frequent in the outer city districts, but I've never seen any of them myself.

There are no wild boars near my German house because it's too far from the woods, but they use the footbridge over the motorway to rummage through garbage cans in Rohr, and hunters have been called at several times to kill the "problem swines" that find out about these easy pickings.

Edited January 4, 2018 by orandashoho

[Fujisan 533]

  On 04/01/2018 at 06:47, torquato said:

 

<
Who has never seen a fox up close?
 >

Never or ever?

I saw one a few years ago at very unexpected place. It was on the Museumsinsel right in the heart of the city centre. It was on the lawn which was there at the spot where the Palast der Republik stood and where they now build the Humboldt Forum museum. It just passed by a few meters away in a warm summer evening. The fox seemed to be completly unimpressed by all the people arround.

 

 

Really,I was wondering how common foxes are in other countries.....

I see them so regular I wondered if anyone thought of foxes like I do about parakeets and wished they could see them in their town(bad habits aside)...

[orandashoho 720]

Foxes are pretty common in The Netherlands, but I've never seen one in a city. They stay in the dunes and nature reserves. The Netherlands is pretty densely populated and there is not a single square metre of land that isn't managed in some way, except the Oostvaardersplassen where nature is left to itself. Prey like pheasants have lost their farmland habitats due to the disappearance of hedges and wild verges. But in places where there is an abundance of prey and an absence of competing predators, they thrive. For instance, the foxes in the Oostvaardersplassen have a bounty of young geese yet unable to fly in spring, as shown in the award winning nature documentary "The New Wilderness". A bit of that can be seen in the trailer.

[Fujisan 533]

  On 04/01/2018 at 17:03, orandashoho said:

Foxes are pretty common in The Netherlands, but I've never seen one in a city. They stay in the dunes and nature reserves. The Netherlands is pretty densely populated and there is not a single square metre of land that isn't managed in some way, except the Oostvaardersplassen where nature is left to itself. Prey like pheasants have lost their farmland habitats due to the disappearance of hedges and wild verges. But in places where there is an abundance of prey and an absence of competing predators, they thrive. For instance, the foxes in the Oostvaardersplassen have a bounty of young geese yet unable to fly in spring, as shown in the award winning nature documentary "The New Wilderness". A bit of that can be seen in the trailer.

Cleethorpes is only a small town,so less traffic....

wildlife experts say the more the fox gets used to humans,the further into suburbia they stray

[Yamanashi 3,904]

  On 04/01/2018 at 08:21, RabidJohn said:

The wild parakeets of London

Didn't the late Warren Zevon have a song about them?

"I saw a parakeet drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's,

His plumage was perfect ... "

[Bumpkin 438]

Fujisan; Urban animals? "You can not be serious?"

[RabidJohn 1,855]

  On 04/01/2018 at 22:13, Yamanashi said:

Didn't the late Warren Zevon have a song about them?

"I saw a parakeet drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's,

His plumage was perfect ... "

You'd better stay away from him.

He'll peck your lungs out, Jim!

[Fujisan 533]

  On 04/01/2018 at 22:59, Bumpkin said:

Fujisan; Urban animals? "You can not be serious?"

"That ball was in I tell you,a fox ate it"

Edited January 5, 2018 by Fujisan