As I'm interested in wildlife as well as aviation, I'm often looking out of aircraft windows when taxing to see what creatures might be about. Recently when I was watching aircraft at LPL doing the Kiev flights, I was aware how many birds were around me in the grass around the taxiway and shrubland surrounding. I saw Kestrels Blackcaps, Swallows and Whitethroat , but most exciting was quite a number Grey Partridge, a once common farmland bird which is now on the countries "red list" being in severe decline. They seem to have a little safe haven around Liverpool Airport, which was great to see. Maybe I should tell the airport , their environmental department could be interested, or perhaps I say nothing and leave the birds to themselves. Has anyone else seen wildlife at their local airport ?
 
Many airports employ ecologists and other wildlife specialists including falconers among their teams.
Mainly to monitor and of course manage risks to aviation . Those feather things can make a mess of your nice and shiny metal enginie thing !

Speke is certain to have rather more variety than many other UK airports with the neighboring estuary and sand banks oh and hares are a particularly prominent mammal in the North West I believe!

Contact the management at Peel there will be someone that’s interested to here from you .
 
During my days working at LBA I saw Deer, Foxes, Rabbits, Geese and Ducks and numerous birds of prey (used to scare the smaller ones away). Off the airfield but loose were Shetland Pony's escaped from a nearby field. During spotting days around the airfield I once saw a family of stoats walking down the perimeter path. On one occasion there was a dog loose that managed to gain access airside and flights were temporarily suspended.

images
 
Many airports employ ecologists and other wildlife specialists including falconers among their teams.
Mainly to monitor and of course manage risks to aviation . Those feather things can make a mess of your nice and shiny metal enginie thing !

Speke is certain to have rather more variety than many other UK airports with the neighboring estuary and sand banks oh and hares are a particularly prominent mammal in the North West I believe!

Contact the management at Peel there will be someone that’s interested to here from you .
thanks for the tip, will drop them a line. I've seen Hares too, normally from plane windows. Have a friend who is head of conservation at Chester Zoo, he was very interested.
 
I think the big thing about airfields, probably like military areas, there out of bounds for people for the most part and the grassed areas won't be sprayed with herbicides or insecticides.
 
I’m also into wildlife photography.
I have seen various birds of prey around BHX.Buzzards,Sparrowhawks and Kestrels.Other birds species are also seen.
One thing that is not uncommon are foxes getting onto the grass areas airside.Very often the Ranger chappie,he who goes round in a 4X4, has to scare them away.He also has to scare the birds away,as they can be a real problem some days.
Great for photographers,not so good for the airport people.
 
I too am interested in wildlife and airports/airfields are indeed a haven for it and frequently watch the sparrowhawks and Buzzards on the hunt at BHX. In the past there were large flocks of waxwings which used to keep the bird scaring crew occupied, also the field at the back of the Tristar hotel from which you could access from Elmdon Lane was infested with rabbits as well as being a great viewing place for aircraft using runway 33and the terminal.
 
I too am interested in wildlife and airports/airfields are indeed a haven for it and frequently watch the sparrowhawks and Buzzards on the hunt at BHX. In the past there were large flocks of waxwings which used to keep the bird scaring crew occupied, also the field at the back of the Tristar hotel from which you could access from Elmdon Lane was infested with rabbits as well as being a great viewing place for aircraft using runway 33and the terminal.

I've never seen Waxwings, they're stunning.
 
Many airports employ ecologists and other wildlife specialists including falconers among their teams.
Mainly to monitor and of course manage risks to aviation . Those feather things can make a mess of your nice and shiny metal enginie thing !

Speke is certain to have rather more variety than many other UK airports with the neighboring estuary and sand banks oh and hares are a particularly prominent mammal in the North West I believe!

Contact the management at Peel there will be someone that’s interested to here from you .

I did drop them a line by the way.
 
If you guys like to combine wildlife and aircraft,then try the London wetlands centre near Barnes.
Lots of birds,waterfowl and smaller birds that prefer Reed beds etc.Also lots of species of ducks,swans and the occasional Egret and Herons.
You can also see various amphibians such as newts and small lizards as well as frogs and toads on warmer days.Allegedly there are grass snakes to,although I have yet to see one there,but I have seen all of the others species mentioned except an Egret.
Combine that with aircraft coming in to land at LHR,depending on landing runway of course,then it does make an excellent day out.
 
The two interests looks like can work well together if your outside watching aircraft and have a gap waiting for next departure or arrival....take a look to see whatever is in the air near you!
 
I recall watching a programme on TV some years ago about an airfield where spiky grass was being developed to reduce the risk to aircraft. I don't know how widely used this new grass is but I don't recall ever seeing anything else about it since. I know airports go to great lengths to scare birds (perhaps disperse is a better way of putting it). Most airports use loud speakers paying bird distress noises, flares, lasers and even fire arms are also used at many airports.
 
Whilst working in an old hangar on a night shift at Manchester airport in 1993, a stoat ran into the avionics crewroom (there was only one door in/out of that crewroom and the hangar doors couldn't be closed!) the 3 avionics engineers that were in there at the time left in rather a hurry as the creature appeared inside with them!
We used to have regular wildlife visitors into the old hangar (Foxes, Stoats and Rabbits to mention a few!)
The airport that I work at now, I haven't seen that much in ground based wildlife but there are a good variety of feathered friends including Linnets, Kestrels, Skylarks, Pied Wagtails and the odd Heron.
 
Not strictly at my local airport as ive not been there, but this could still be so. Has anyone noticed an increase in wildlife in their local area / garden etc. I have, and the best of it is to hear for the first time in a number of years from my garden and while cycling is a Cuckoo. Ive now heard Cuckoos about 6 times in May / June.

Ive also seen and heard Blackcaps Whitethroat Loads of Skylarks 4 types of Warblers and Green Woodpeckers.
 
Careful if you ever visit the Jumbo graveyard at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. They often spot Big cats! . Thought to be Black Leopards or Panther to use it's general term. Tatenhill Aerodrome in south Staffs has similar visitors apparently!.
 
Careful if you ever visit the Jumbo graveyard at Bruntingthorpe, Leics. They often spot Big cats! . Thought to be Black Leopards or Panther to use it's general term. Tatenhill Aerodrome in south Staffs has similar visitors apparently!.
Interesting. Last summer I saw one of these big black cats near Ilkley in West Yorkshire. I'd never heard of them roaming the countryside before then but supposedly they're quite common. I shan't be going climbing the Cow and Calf anytime soon.
 
I have to admit to seeing one 20 years ago!. Too near to home for my liking!. This being on the outer suburbs east of Birmingham. A friend saw one some years later off the M42 north of Tamworth. There are a great many it seems, and not all black. Sandy coloured Puma are quite common, as are Linx. The Big Cat Conversations podcast on Google is very interesting and a new episode released about every 2 weeks. All totally absorbing stuff!. It seems no part of the UK is devoid of these creatures. Dead Big Cats involved in RTA's are quickly removed by men in white hazmat suits and recorded as 'dog' on paperwork. The official Government line is 'no such thing' as they don't want public panic or shooting parties turning up. Generally they keep away from humans, although if they have cubs nearby they will growl and almost escort you away!. Never run away from one (although tempted) as that can bring on their hunting instincts. Males can roam up to 30 miles in one night!.
 
The one I saw was a black panther. It was crossing the A65 near Berley in Wharfedale heading from the river Wharfe towards Ilkley moor. A colleague driving behind me said she'd seen it too. There was just no way it was a domestic cat. The big cats have their own swagger.
 

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