Wildlife on the airfield
Supercharged PPRuNer
Joined: Nov 2000
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,188
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From: Doon the watter, a million miles from the sandpit.
Alright then, how about a pair of alligators basking in the undershoot at Marco Island? 
Makes the hares & pheasants at Stapleford seem quite boring . . .
Makes the hares & pheasants at Stapleford seem quite boring . . .
stiletto psychopath mk4
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 122
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From: uk
Don't know how long they live but seem to recall they mate for up to 24 hours at a time!
And they do seem to live in the pond all year round, although there were frogs in the garden before there was any water. I remember when we dug the hole for the pond: we put the liner in and then left it, intending to fill it with water the next day. When we went out to admire our handiwork in the evening, there was this frog, sitting at the bottom of this hole, looking up as if to say, 'So when's the water going to arrive?'
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 174
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From: Europe
Hi,
As this excellent, relaxing, refreshing and long overdue thread seems a bit biased towards warmer climates (crocodiles et al), I will dare add my pennys worth of experiences in colder climates, just to keep up the geographical balance of the forum:
Up in Scandinavia I've had the educating opportunity to be delayed by stray dogs, horses (
not too special, I admit), foxes, snowfoxes (a tad tricky on snowcovered rwys!), deer, harts and moose/elk, but the winner was the reindeer!
....and reindeer tastes lovely as well...
Oh, almost forgot.. I know absolutely nothing about frogs lifespan, sorry!
Cheers, and bon apetit
RedBar1
As this excellent, relaxing, refreshing and long overdue thread seems a bit biased towards warmer climates (crocodiles et al), I will dare add my pennys worth of experiences in colder climates, just to keep up the geographical balance of the forum:
Up in Scandinavia I've had the educating opportunity to be delayed by stray dogs, horses (
not too special, I admit), foxes, snowfoxes (a tad tricky on snowcovered rwys!), deer, harts and moose/elk, but the winner was the reindeer!....and reindeer tastes lovely as well...
Oh, almost forgot.. I know absolutely nothing about frogs lifespan, sorry!
Cheers, and bon apetit
RedBar1
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 420
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From: Io
It turns out that very little is known at all about the natural lifespan of frogs. Partially, this is because it's pretty hard to track a frog all its life! (I guess they havent figured out a good way to put little tiny collars around their necks!)
However,some records show that in captivity, many species of frogs and toads can live for surprisingly long times. They seem generally average somewhere between 4 and 15 years!
Recently I ran across a page where people were posting data about how long their species of frogs had lived in captivity.
The longest lifespan entered was a European Common Toad (Bufo bufo ssp.) at 40 years!!!!!
However,some records show that in captivity, many species of frogs and toads can live for surprisingly long times. They seem generally average somewhere between 4 and 15 years!
Recently I ran across a page where people were posting data about how long their species of frogs had lived in captivity.
The longest lifespan entered was a European Common Toad (Bufo bufo ssp.) at 40 years!!!!!
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,102
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From: E Anglia
Last year while on final approach under the hood into Fort Myers, Fla.,on my last practice NDB approach before the FAA/IR test, the tower announced 'a dozen turkey buzzards' circling in the undershoot to my runway
Rightly or wrongly the instructor continued us down to decision height and we landed safely though a certain part of my anatomy was twittering furiously waiting for the bang.
Never saw a single turkey buzzard and it wasn't until I got back to the UK and looked 'em up in my birdie book that the hairs really stood up on the back of my neck.
We had flown through a flock of seriously big beasts.
Safe flying
Cusco
Rightly or wrongly the instructor continued us down to decision height and we landed safely though a certain part of my anatomy was twittering furiously waiting for the bang.
Never saw a single turkey buzzard and it wasn't until I got back to the UK and looked 'em up in my birdie book that the hairs really stood up on the back of my neck.
We had flown through a flock of seriously big beasts.
Safe flying
Cusco
Official PPRuNe Chaplain
Joined: Apr 2001
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From: Witnesham, Suffolk
Yea, Cusco, those turkey buzzards are seriously large birds. Had a similar encounter, likewise with no airprox to report.
The alligators at Marco were much inconvenienced by me doing PFLs there - fortunately we didn't get TOO close.
Last week at Knettishall, something large loped across the runway when I was on short final (I pulled up over it). Larger than a hare, similar gait. Vintage ATCO reckoned it was a muntjak.
The alligators at Marco were much inconvenienced by me doing PFLs there - fortunately we didn't get TOO close.
Last week at Knettishall, something large loped across the runway when I was on short final (I pulled up over it). Larger than a hare, similar gait. Vintage ATCO reckoned it was a muntjak.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 902
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From: Dorset
Sorry - bit of thread drift, but it just reminded me of a few old jokes that I collected some time ago:
Leaving Palo Alto on Friday. A Citabria had just landed: PAO: 85 Uniform, Taxi to position and hold.
Me: Position and hold, 85 Uniform.
Citabria: Umm, Tower, there's a dead seagull on the right side of the runway near the windsock.
PAO: Roger. 85 Uniform, cleared for takeoff. Watch for a dead seagull on the right side of the runway.
Me: 85 Uniform, Dead seagull traffic in sight.
A little later, the Citabria was downwind when I heard:
PAO: Citabria 123, cleared to land 30. Caution - there's a buzzard trying to eat the seagull on the runway.
_________________________
Pilot: We've just sucked a seagull into one of our engines.
Tower: Which one?
Pilot: Dunno, you've seen one seagull, you've seen 'em all.
_________________________
...pilots are seagulls - all they do is squawk and sh+t, and you have to throw rocks at them to get them to fly....
The similarity between pilots and seagulls: "They both fly, squawk, sh!t and screw".
The difference between a pilot and a pig?
"Pigs do not hang around bars, trying to pick up pilots"
Me: Position and hold, 85 Uniform.
Citabria: Umm, Tower, there's a dead seagull on the right side of the runway near the windsock.
PAO: Roger. 85 Uniform, cleared for takeoff. Watch for a dead seagull on the right side of the runway.
Me: 85 Uniform, Dead seagull traffic in sight.
A little later, the Citabria was downwind when I heard:
PAO: Citabria 123, cleared to land 30. Caution - there's a buzzard trying to eat the seagull on the runway.
_________________________
Pilot: We've just sucked a seagull into one of our engines.
Tower: Which one?
Pilot: Dunno, you've seen one seagull, you've seen 'em all.
_________________________
...pilots are seagulls - all they do is squawk and sh+t, and you have to throw rocks at them to get them to fly....
The similarity between pilots and seagulls: "They both fly, squawk, sh!t and screw".
The difference between a pilot and a pig?
"Pigs do not hang around bars, trying to pick up pilots"
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,966
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From: Norfolk
Can't remember exactly which dirt strip in the Krugger national Park in NE South Africa - (so long ago and I have been to so many
) but I do recall buzzing the dirt strip twice to scare away the lions and hyena that were scrapping over a dead antelope.
The first pass at about 50 feet and 150 knots in a Chieftain just deflected their attention for about 15 secs then they returned to the affray/dinner table. The second pass a litle lower, a little slower and a lot louder did the trick!
I have had two birdstrikes - I hit a guineau fowl just as I was about to touch down in a Citabria I hit it with the wing strut and although there was no damage to the aeroplane the bird felt no pain when I plucked it later!
And about a year ago I hit a French partidge with the leading edge of the top wing in the Pitts - it did no damage but was very, very messy
cetainly wasn't enough left to eat!
Stik
) but I do recall buzzing the dirt strip twice to scare away the lions and hyena that were scrapping over a dead antelope. The first pass at about 50 feet and 150 knots in a Chieftain just deflected their attention for about 15 secs then they returned to the affray/dinner table. The second pass a litle lower, a little slower and a lot louder did the trick!
I have had two birdstrikes - I hit a guineau fowl just as I was about to touch down in a Citabria I hit it with the wing strut and although there was no damage to the aeroplane the bird felt no pain when I plucked it later!
And about a year ago I hit a French partidge with the leading edge of the top wing in the Pitts - it did no damage but was very, very messy
cetainly wasn't enough left to eat!
Stik
stiletto psychopath mk4
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 122
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From: uk
Never mind Stik, (English) grey leg partridges taste much better (more succulent) than (French) red leg partridges. 
When I went on a postie trip delivering mail to ranches out in Far North Queensland last year, there were several strips where termite mounds were seriously encroaching on the runway thresholds. Not to mention the wild cattle running all over the place...
When I went on a postie trip delivering mail to ranches out in Far North Queensland last year, there were several strips where termite mounds were seriously encroaching on the runway thresholds. Not to mention the wild cattle running all over the place...
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,082
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From: SX in SX in UK
Stik said:-
Now all partridges are reluctant to fly, preferring to run from danger. When they do fly, they don't fly very high.
So stik, what exactly were you doing??
I hit a French partridge with the leading edge of the top wing in the Pitts
So stik, what exactly were you doing??
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,966
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From: Norfolk
Kolibear - I was in the process of landing, looking out the side when I caught a movement dead ahead in my peripheral vision.
When I pushed the aircraft into the hangar I found that there was gooey feathery bits over bits of it. The colour of the feathers somewhat gave it away. Many of my neighbours put birds down each year.
Singaporegirl - I agree with you re the quality of the English (blue/grey leg) but they are quite rare over here and with the more predatory/terratorial nature of the French bird have seen quite a decline in their numbers over the years. As the French partride is both hardier and less costly to rear than its English counterpart, it is understandable why most game keepers in these parts rear them. The decline of the indigenous bird is rather a shame in my opinion - however that does not stop me from eating the French variety!
Just this morning I saw 3 pairs of French partridges on the strip - looks like they have paired off quite early and in just a few weeks I'm sure to see the chicks on the strip - quite an attraction for my puppy I'm sure!
Stik - pilot and BASC member!
When I pushed the aircraft into the hangar I found that there was gooey feathery bits over bits of it. The colour of the feathers somewhat gave it away. Many of my neighbours put birds down each year.
Singaporegirl - I agree with you re the quality of the English (blue/grey leg) but they are quite rare over here and with the more predatory/terratorial nature of the French bird have seen quite a decline in their numbers over the years. As the French partride is both hardier and less costly to rear than its English counterpart, it is understandable why most game keepers in these parts rear them. The decline of the indigenous bird is rather a shame in my opinion - however that does not stop me from eating the French variety!
Just this morning I saw 3 pairs of French partridges on the strip - looks like they have paired off quite early and in just a few weeks I'm sure to see the chicks on the strip - quite an attraction for my puppy I'm sure!
Stik - pilot and BASC member!
