Shields Fauna

[Stout]

Please forgive me if this is totally the wrong place to post this and feel free to delete it or move it as you see fit.
I was going to post in the Secret Shields thread due to this being fairly unknown (as far as i know but thats not far really...)
but there were sightings of a grey squirrel in Shields last year and last night me and the father-in-law (an old Dorset country boy) heard an owl. Maybe some of our more venerable posters could tell us if there were more sightings of animals years back that folk today would consider 'out of place' in Shields? Maybe youve seen something recently? Keep the location secret to protect them if you wish. Ive seen foxes in many places in Shields over the years, an owl in a park about 12 years ago, woodpeckers and a squirrel last year.

[baldy.smith]

Shields has always been full of strange unusual creatures, a few of them post on these boards.

[eddieg]

Grey squirrels in springwell park in Jarrow,and an Otter allegedley raided a pond in Hylton rd primrose.I have seen herons and a kingfisher in the primrose nature reserve.And that was before I'd been in the Robin Hood.

[jimmywizz]

eddieg i made a post about the kingfisher last year, i saw it flying under the bridge at st pauls church, the heron can be found most days in the river behind the church

[jimmywizz]

Stout i have not seen the squirrel but have been told that there is one or two now in the town, there is also badgers on cleadon hills

[Pilot]

I have a mouse family in my garden, they seem to live off the bird seed we put out.

[baldy.smith]

Has anyone spotted the "Silver Fox" usually seen staggering
around sima on weekend nights.

[Stout]

I have a mouse family in my garden, they seem to live off the bird seed we put out.

Ditto, but we have a large ginger cat that also participates in this food chain...

Must drag she-who-must-be-obeyed over Jarrow way for a safari.

[jimmywizz]

"Has anyone spotted the "Silver Fox" usually seen staggering around sima on weekend nights" it was spotted coming out of the whiteleas club last week

[robadair]

I once saw a grey squirrel in next doors back garden when I lived in Whiteleas and that must have been over 3 years ago. At the time a few where being spotted in the West Park and also in the gardens behind the New Crown. I used to see a load of bats when I walked the dog around the footpaths in the fields between Whiteleas and Cleadon in the summer, just as it was getting dark. I regularly see a fox crossing Western Approach next to St Judes church at silly o'clock in the morning on my way to/from work and last year I briefly saw an owl flying over Trow quarry. You can often spot grey herons and curlews in the fields next to the level crossing on Benton Road / New Road where its all marshy with the reeds and bullrushes. Saw a rabbit last week running down the road next to the Jennings garage at Tyne Dock (used to be loads in the timber yards and Tyne Dock itself when my granda worked there I remember)

[champion.]

Saw a rabbit last week running down the road next to the Jennings garage at Tyne Dock

Well they have got a sale on down there

[anna]

Please forgive me if this is totally the wrong place to post this and feel free to delete it or move it as you see fit.
you can post just about anywhere you see fit ..
is Dorset down beside where Marra lives ?

[johnc10]

Please forgive me if this is totally the wrong place to post this and feel free to delete it or move it as you see fit.
you can post just about anywhere you see fit ..
is Dorset down beside where Marra lives ?

Dorset is near the south west coast, Marra lives in Wales

[Rocker]

Saw Red Squirrel on 2 occasions in West Ave recently, also had Tawny Owl in back garden after the mice that live under hut (West Ave). It actualy swooped down on me and cut just above my eye luckily was wearing glasses at the time.
Often spot Grey squirrels (which are actually considered vermin) in West park near bowling green, an elderly women feeds them.

Waiting for mice to come out

[baldy.smith]

Looks more like a barn owl to me, but the quality of the photo isn't
good enough to be sure.

[bamboo]

i,often see a fox around the t/a on highfield rd,about two years ago,bob the manager from the fountain pub,let his dog into the boozer car park and the fox appeared,his german shepard chased the fox over the road,the fox made it but bobs dog was hit by a car it was in a right bad way
but it did survive..

[eddieg]

The grey squirrels seem to have disappeared from the park in Jarrow.

[Jarrow Pete]

The grey squirrels seem to have disappeared from the park in Jarrow.

The immigrants must have eaten it.

[Rocker]

Looks more like a barn owl to me, but the quality of the photo isn't
good enough to be sure.

Afraid your wrong Baldy, its definately a Tawney Owl, this picture shows its front more.

[baldy.smith]

I stand corrected, it's much easier to see what it is from a frontal view,