Author Topic: Bird watch (Read 281301 times)

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1960 on:** July 7, 2020, 09:12:28 pm »

Quote from: liverbloke on July 7, 2020, 01:16:40 pm

Saw a Yellowhammer last week - could hear its famous call "A little bit of bread and no cheeeeeeeeese" but only found it after looking for a good 20 minutes

Such a sweet looking bird.

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1961 on:** July 7, 2020, 11:27:23 pm »

Quote from: Dr. Beaker on July 7, 2020, 09:47:16 am

Yep you've got to get the pet Robins on mate, that must be brilliant - they are brave little buggers, they get so close to your spade sometimes you are scared to work.

On a number of fishing trips to the Leeds-Liverpool at Lydiate I'd have a Robin that would sit right by me almost the whole day. He'd have more of my maggots than the fish would.

Up that way is also good for spotting the odd Kingfisher too.

Chakan · « **Reply #1962 on:** July 8, 2020, 05:19:02 pm »

First humming bird of the year

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1963 on:** July 8, 2020, 05:51:13 pm »

^
I love those little fellas. Obviously, we don't have them over here, but I've seen them in Cozumel, Cuba and Barbados. Beautiful.

Chakan · « **Reply #1964 on:** July 8, 2020, 07:53:46 pm »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 8, 2020, 05:51:13 pm

^
I love those little fellas. Obviously, we don't have them over here, but I've seen them in Cozumel, Cuba and Barbados. Beautiful.

Crappy pic though. It's strange we usually get a ton at our house by now, that's really the first we've seen all year round.

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1965 on:** July 9, 2020, 01:04:00 pm »

Quote from: Chakan on July 8, 2020, 07:53:46 pm

Crappy pic though. It's strange we usually get a ton at our house by now, that's really the first we've seen all year round.

I'd love to have a hummingbird in the garden.

Chakan · « **Reply #1966 on:** July 9, 2020, 01:11:55 pm »

Quote from: jillc on July 9, 2020, 01:04:00 pm

I'd love to have a hummingbird in the garden.

Here's a better pic :

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1967 on:** July 9, 2020, 01:28:14 pm »

Quote from: Chakan on July 9, 2020, 01:11:55 pm

Here's a better pic :

He's a gorgeous green colour. You have such exotic birds over there. I've just got sparrows and a massive wood pigeon who I keep thinking is going to shatter the fence.

Chakan · « **Reply #1968 on:** July 9, 2020, 01:45:28 pm »

Quote from: jillc on July 9, 2020, 01:28:14 pm

He's a gorgeous green colour. You have such exotic birds over there. I've just got sparrows and a massive wood pigeon who I keep thinking is going to shatter the fence.

Yeah we're pretty lucky here, we get all sorts hanging around the feeders. Although I can really only have 1 main feeder by my office window as the squirrels are notorious at getting the seed.

Chakan · « **Reply #1969 on:** July 10, 2020, 02:42:13 pm »

Chakan · « **Reply #1970 on:** July 10, 2020, 03:10:28 pm »

Strange bird!

Dr. Beaker · « **Reply #1971 on:** July 10, 2020, 07:07:30 pm »

Quote from: Chakan on July 10, 2020, 03:10:28 pm

Strange bird!

Looks like a cross between a hummingbird hawkmoth and a narwhal.

Some great photos there mate - jealous as hell!

kavah · « **Reply #1972 on:** July 11, 2020, 09:02:08 pm »

^ Anna's Humming bird right?

I'm in Oregon and They are lucky enough to have loads of Ospreys. Saw this on on the road this week.

Crosby Nick · « **Reply #1973 on:** July 11, 2020, 09:23:17 pm »

Saw a massive heron out on a bike ride today (me, not the heron). Always a great sight to see, was huge.

Buggy Eyes Alfredo · « **Reply #1974 on:** July 11, 2020, 09:58:58 pm »

Quote from: kavah on July 11, 2020, 09:02:08 pm

^ Anna's Humming bird right?

I'm in Oregon and They are lucky enough to have loads of Ospreys. Saw this on on the road this week.

Collins Beach?

Chakan · « **Reply #1975 on:** July 11, 2020, 10:18:32 pm »

Quote from: Dr. Beaker on July 10, 2020, 07:07:30 pm

Looks like a cross between a hummingbird hawkmoth and a narwhal.

Some great photos there mate - jealous as hell!

Hahah thanks!

Been enjoying the hummingbirds today. Guess when one finds it the rest follow.

Dr. Beaker · « **Reply #1976 on:** July 12, 2020, 02:22:10 pm »

Quote from: Chakan on July 11, 2020, 10:18:32 pm

Hahah thanks!

Been enjoying the hummingbirds today. Guess when one finds it the rest follow.

Yeah. I have the same problem with pigeons.

kavah · « **Reply #1977 on:** July 12, 2020, 09:28:53 pm »

Quote from: Buggy Eyes Alfredo on July 11, 2020, 09:58:58 pm

Collins Beach?

ha ha - yes mate, went for a walk up to the lighthouse - didn't go the nudey beach

rob1966 · « **Reply #1978 on:** July 13, 2020, 04:41:23 pm »

Quote from: Buggy Eyes Alfredo on July 11, 2020, 09:58:58 pm

Collins Beach?

Quote from: kavah on July 12, 2020, 09:28:53 pm

ha ha - yes mate, went for a walk up to the lighthouse - didn't go the nudey beach

Son of Spions next holiday?

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1979 on:** July 13, 2020, 04:59:02 pm »

Quote from: rob19:6 "And yeah doth the Lord liketh trucking." on July 13, 2020, 04:41:23 pm

Son of Spions next holiday?

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1980 on:** July 13, 2020, 05:12:15 pm »

A good and bad in the feathered friends department today.

Good, was listening to a little Goldfinch singing its head off for ages whilst sat on the TV aerial this afternoon. Beautiful!

Bad, in that I found a dead chick in the pond earlier on.

Completely bald, eyes closed too, so I assume something's had him out of a nest and dropped him in the water. Anyway, I gave the little guy a dignified burial under a rose bush. RIP little fella.

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1981 on:** July 13, 2020, 05:58:26 pm »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 13, 2020, 05:12:15 pm

A good and bad in the feathered friends department today.

Good, was listening to a little Goldfinch singing its head off for ages whilst sat on the TV aerial this afternoon. Beautiful!

Bad, in that I found a dead chick in the pond earlier on. Completely bald, eyes closed too, so I assume something's had him out of a nest and dropped him in the water. Anyway, I gave the little guy a dignified burial under a rose bush. RIP little fella.

Aww, poor little thing. Every time I cycle to work I pass under some trees in the same place each day and the singing is incredible. I just want to get off my bike sit down and listen to it. As you said, its such a beautiful and calming sound.

Dr. Beaker · « **Reply #1982 on:** July 13, 2020, 08:26:41 pm »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 13, 2020, 05:12:15 pm

Completely bald, eyes closed too, so I assume something's had him out of a nest and dropped him in the water. Anyway, I gave the little guy a dignified burial under a rose bush. RIP little fella.

How did you manage that with your eyes closed.

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1983 on:** July 13, 2020, 08:34:45 pm »

Quote from: Dr. Beaker on July 13, 2020, 08:26:41 pm

How did you manage that with your eyes closed.

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1984 on:** July 13, 2020, 08:36:01 pm »

Quote from: jillc on July 13, 2020, 05:58:26 pm

Aww, poor little thing. Every time I cycle to work I pass under some trees in the same place each day and the singing is incredible. I just want to get off my bike sit down and listen to it. As you said, its such a beautiful and calming sound.

Birdsong is lovely, isn't it? That little Goldfinch was singing his lungs out.

Dr. Beaker · « **Reply #1985 on:** July 13, 2020, 08:47:12 pm »

Yep goldfinches and blackbirds are me faves.

rob1966 · « **Reply #1986 on:** July 13, 2020, 08:53:17 pm »

Got my bird of prey experience day booked for the end of August. Group reduced from 5 people to 2 and all outdoors now.

Chakan · « **Reply #1987 on:** July 13, 2020, 10:42:26 pm »

Couple more hummingbirds today

Buggy Eyes Alfredo · « **Reply #1988 on:** July 14, 2020, 12:56:41 am »

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/vulture-has-been-seen-roosting-peak-district-near-sheffield-2911940

Son of Spion · « **Reply #1989 on:** July 14, 2020, 01:01:26 am »

Quote from: Buggy Eyes Alfredo on July 14, 2020, 12:56:41 am

https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/people/vulture-has-been-seen-roosting-peak-district-near-sheffield-2911940

Bloody hell, he's got a wider wingspan than Batman.

No doubt my twitcher brother will be off to Yorkshire to spot that.

John C · « **Reply #1990 on:** July 14, 2020, 09:21:24 pm »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 13, 2020, 08:36:01 pm

Birdsong is lovely, isn't it? That little Goldfinch was singing his lungs out.

I love Goldfinches as well, there's loads by mine, I love the way they all sing in flight.

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1991 on:** July 15, 2020, 01:42:10 pm »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 13, 2020, 08:36:01 pm

Birdsong is lovely, isn't it? That little Goldfinch was singing his lungs out.

Nature is a calm and blessed way of making sense of the worse things about life, I've always found that. Some of my darkest days, I've just took off gone to a quiet corner and let the sounds wash over me and I instantly feel in a better place. We can take it all for granted way too easily, I hope future generations will be able to sample the same relief in their darker times too.

liverbloke · « **Reply #1992 on:** July 16, 2020, 08:45:13 am »

Quote from: jillc on July 15, 2020, 01:42:10 pm

Nature is a calm and blessed way of making sense of the worse things about life, I've always found that. Some of my darkest days, I've just took off gone to a quiet corner and let the sounds wash over me and I instantly feel in a better place. We can take it all for granted way too easily, I hope future generations will be able to sample the same relief in their darker times too.

As long as they don't grow up like their parents.

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1993 on:** July 16, 2020, 05:24:52 pm »

Quote from: liverbloke on July 16, 2020, 08:45:13 am

As long as they don't grow up like their parents.

Lazy so and so's.

liverbloke · « **Reply #1994 on:** July 16, 2020, 06:02:15 pm »

Quote from: jillc on July 16, 2020, 05:24:52 pm

Lazy so and so's.

Aren't they

Went for a stroll around Lunt reserve today...

...swifts flying low and seeming to enjoy flying right by me as they dart here and there...

...then it started to rain...

...which made it even more enjoyable

jillcwhomever · « **Reply #1995 on:** July 16, 2020, 06:06:51 pm »

Quote from: liverbloke on July 16, 2020, 06:02:15 pm

Aren't they

Went for a stroll around Lunt reserve today...

...swifts flying low and seeming to enjoy flying right by me as they dart here and there...

...then it started to rain...

...which made it even more enjoyable

Love it when the swifts and swallows are around, have to take the bike to Moreton shore always loads around there, say nothing of some of the summer migrants singing away in the bushes. A great time of year for discovering new breeds and songs. I have the most lovely young Blackbird who comes into the garden, he's a gorgeous bird but not very street wise and way too tame so far.

Mag Hull · « **Reply #1996 on:** July 16, 2020, 07:40:03 pm »

Quote from: liverbloke on July 16, 2020, 06:02:15 pm

Aren't they

Went for a stroll around Lunt reserve today...

...swifts flying low and seeming to enjoy flying right by me as they dart here and there...

...then it started to rain...

...which made it even more enjoyable

Me & my husband saw a Golden Oriole there last Thursday - I almost fell in The Alt in surprise! Did my research when I got home and apparently Sefton is an accepted site for Golden Oriole sightings but with only 90 spots in the UK per year, I sadly think it was a once in a lifetime thing - the yellow colour was unbelievably vibrant.

Brissyred · « **Reply #1997 on:** July 17, 2020, 07:50:22 am »

Quote from: Son of Spion＊ on July 13, 2020, 08:36:01 pm

Birdsong is lovely, isn't it? That little Goldfinch was singing his lungs out.

I was saying that to the wife the other day, back in the UK the birdsong is tuneful and sweet, over here everything screeches and squawks really loudly.

liverbloke · « **Reply #1998 on:** July 17, 2020, 08:02:35 am »

Quote from: Mag Hull on July 16, 2020, 07:40:03 pm

Me & my husband saw a Golden Oriole there last Thursday - I almost fell in The Alt in surprise! Did my research when I got home and apparently Sefton is an accepted site for Golden Oriole sightings but with only 90 spots in the UK per year, I sadly think it was a once in a lifetime thing - the yellow colour was unbelievably vibrant.

I'm not saying that you didn't see a Golden Oriole but man that would be an extremely rare sighting - an amazingly rare sighting actually.

Did you manage a photo or do you remember its call?

Could it have possibly been a Yellowhammer?

Can you give the exact location.

Here's the RSPB's map of where to find this rare bird.

Mag Hull · « **Reply #1999 on:** July 17, 2020, 08:44:50 am »

Quote from: liverbloke on July 17, 2020, 08:02:35 am

I'm not saying that you didn't see a Golden Oriole but man that would be an extremely rare sighting - an amazingly rare sighting actually.

Did you manage a photo or do you remember its call?

Could it have possibly been a Yellowhammer?

Can you give the exact location.

Here's the RSPB's map of where to find this rare bird.

Agreed, however there have been regular sightings in Anglesey and on the Dee Estuary - bright yellow and black wings so it certainly wasn’t a yellowhammer. It was on the path along the River Alt past the pumping station just before the pile of logs - it flew parallel to the riverbank right in front of us and then turned inland. Was too surprised to do anything but point!