Topic: Bird watch

[jillcwhomever]

Jays are lovely looking birds but I've heard they can be quite aggressive.

[John C]

The jay has returned again. Snapped a photo.

They are known as Autumn visitors and they never fail for me. I saw one a few times last week, brilliant to see.

[liverbloke]

Jays are lovely looking birds but I've heard they can be quite aggressive.

Jays? No more than any other corvid but animals aren't necessarily aggressive because they don't have an understanding of aggression - they just act on instinct.

Blue jays on the other hand - not native to the UK - can attack people but only because they see us as a threat to their chicks/territory and again are just protecting using natural instincts.

[.adam]

Lovely looking, isn't it. Apparently they're voracious acorn hunters and bury them for leaner times. I read an article saying that some scientists attribute the spread of oak trees throughout the UK to long forgotten acorns buried by jays!

Bit annoyed I had my camera on manual mode rather than aperture priority - that's why it's a bit grainy. Hopefully he re-appears and I can get another shot.

Might have a little look through my safari photos from 2018 and dig out a few bird shots if anyone is interested. Think I've got some quite interesting ones (secretary bird, red-billed ox pecker, shoe-billed stork etc.)

[.adam]

The nuthatch has been back today. Brought a mate with him too.



Any ideas what type of Tit this is? I get Greats and Blues but thinking this could be a Coal/Willow/Marsh?

[reddebs]

The nuthatch has been back today. Brought a mate with him too.



Any ideas what type of Tit this is? I get Greats and Blues but thinking this could be a Coal/Willow/Marsh?

Looks like a coal tit to me Adam.

[liverbloke]

debs is right - Coal Tit

as well as the colours, Great Tits can be identified by a dark stripe that runs down their breasts

Willow and Marsh are more uncommon - to identify these birds their caps are more well, cap like 

[duvva 💅]

Sometimes see Coal Tits in our garden, also had a family of Long-Tailed tits last year but not seen either this year. Get lots of goldfinches which are my favs, but unfortunately our cat seems to be rather fond of them too.

Wanker (love him really just not when he kills goldfinches)

[evie]

I have recently really got into photography and I've been practising on birds in particular. That jay is really a skittish one  Barely have time to raise the camera and it's usually off but I managed to snap a pic the other week.

[reddebs]

I have recently really got into photography and I've been practising on birds in particular. That jay is really a skittish one  Barely have time to raise the camera and it's usually off but I managed to snap a pic the other week.

Superb that Evie [emoji106]

[evie]

Superb that Evie [emoji106]

Cheers 😊👍🏻

[evie]

Jays? No more than any other corvid but animals aren't necessarily aggressive because they don't have an understanding of aggression - they just act on instinct.

Blue jays on the other hand - not native to the UK - can attack people but only because they see us as a threat to their chicks/territory and again are just protecting using natural instincts.

I was attacked by an Australian magpie in Queensland when I didn’t notice there was a big nest in the tree above me. The little bastard bird pecked me in the temple 😏

[ShatnersBassoon]

Had a pileated woodpecker coming last couple days. The fuckers are huge! I’ll hopefully get a pic with a proper camera next time

[jillcwhomever]

Had a pileated woodpecker coming last couple days. The fuckers are huge! I’ll hopefully get a pic with a proper camera next time

Wow, that is big. 

[WhereAngelsPlay]

So with the craziness of our seasons when can I cut my bloody hedge ?

[jillcwhomever]

So with the craziness of our seasons when can I cut my bloody hedge ?

Why, can't you get out of your house? 

The RSPB recommend not trimming between March and August/September. Some birds nest a bit later but you should be fine now. Just make sure the local sparrows aren't living in it first though. 

Have said all of that the Doves are still procreating. I had ten in my garden yesterday, I've never even seen ten doves before. The youngsters are very fluffy and have no idea how to fly in the wind.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Why, can't you get out of your house? 

The RSPB recommend not trimming between March and August/September. Some birds nest a bit later but you should be fine now. Just make sure the local sparrows aren't living in it first though. 

Have said all of that the Doves are still procreating. I had ten in my garden yesterday, I've never even seen ten doves before. The youngsters are very fluffy and have no idea how to fly in the wind.

You laugh but it's not far off covering half the window.We actually had 2 dove chics in the backyard,cat was in the back bedroom window one morning going ape shit,I has a look and there were two of the fluffy buggers,just starting to get their feathers staring back at me,wish I had taken a photo now.

[John C]

I've just had my best encounter ever with a Jay. I was working at home when one landed outside my window on the patio and started digging in the cracks only about 5 feet away from me. It looked absolutely splendid. It stayed for a few minutes and even my kids where getting excited about it.  It was finding all sorts and it moved an acorn from one position to another, stayed a bit longer then few off flashing its wonderful colours. What a treat.
Then literarily 1 minute later a squirrel came and took the acorn. The little twat must be just clocking what's going on.

[Son of Spion]

I've just had my best encounter ever with a Jay. I was working at home when one landed outside my window on the patio and started digging in the cracks only about 5 feet away from me. It looked absolutely splendid. It stayed for a few minutes and even my kids where getting excited about it.  It was finding all sorts and it moved an acorn from one position to another, stayed a bit longer then few off flashing its wonderful colours. What a treat.
Then literarily 1 minute later a squirrel came and took the acorn. The little twat must be just clocking what's going on.

   It's usually the other way around.

We feed the squirrels in Sefton Park with monkey nuts, and if they don't eat it right away they take it away and bury it. As soon as they walk off a Magpie, Crow or similar will swoop in and dig the nut up again. 

There are always prying eyes on the lookout for food, it seems.

[.adam]

Picked up a few squirrel-proof feeders last week and put them out at the weekend. The nuthatches have found the sunflower seeds and have been devouring them for the past two hours. Swoop over, grab a sunflower seed, swoop over to a nearby tree and either bury/crack it open.

Have got another feeder up full of finch seed but having little luck with attracting anything other than goldfinch at the moment.

[liverbloke]

grey squirrels - cute anthropomorphic shaggy tailed aw

NO they're nasty vermin! 

Don't buy a squirrel guard - buy one of these instead

[Buggy Eyes Alfredo]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/Q3SyxMdI2U4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/Q3SyxMdI2U4</a>

[liverbloke]

^ that owl is saying 'look, I got the money now let's get outta here! heeeeeey you're not my pilot...'

[.adam]

Ring necked parakeet in the garden this morning.

[liverbloke]

Ring necked parakeet in the garden this morning.

I am a birder and an animal and bird lover - BUT if you see any more then (again) buy one of these for those pests

[jillcwhomever]

The goldfinches are so feisty at the moment, every time there is crowd of them at the feeders they are fighting over every scrap of seed.   

[.adam]

Just had a woodpecker in the garden but was too slow to get a photo I saw one in the same trees about five years ago when we first moved in but since then nothing.

I'm assuming it was a Great Spotted but it flew off too quickly to be sure.

[liverbloke]

Just had a woodpecker in the garden but was too slow to get a photo I saw one in the same trees about five years ago when we first moved in but since then nothing.

I'm assuming it was a Great Spotted but it flew off too quickly to be sure.

yeh it'll be the common Great Spotted for sure but a little tip for you - go outside and tap on some wood just like a woody pecking and you might just see the Greaty popping his head around to have a look at who's in his territory

[Son of Spion]

I am a birder and an animal and bird lover - BUT if you see any more then (again) buy one of these for those pests

I met a birder yesterday in Sefton Park. He was telling us about Lunt Meadows and how he was photographing the Kingfisher in the park. For a moment, I wondered if it was you, because I know you've frequented both places watching birds. Then he said he was going to photograph the Ring-Necked Parakeets, and I knew it wasn't you. 

[liverbloke]

I met a birder yesterday in Sefton Park. He was telling us about Lunt Meadows and how he was photographing the Kingfisher in the park. For a moment, I wondered if it was you, because I know you've frequented both places watching birds. Then he said he was going to photograph the Ring-Necked Parakeets, and I knew it wasn't you. 

ha ha - yes you got me right in the fact that I wouldn't photograph those bloody birds 

you'll know it's me when we meet - I'm usually surrounded by my bodyguards and at least 3 blondes linking my arms

but give me the nod and I'll tell the bodyguards to let you approach me

no autographs or photographs though - I'm sick of people selling them on ebay

[Son of Spion]

ha ha - yes you got me right in the fact that I wouldn't photograph those bloody birds 

you'll know it's me when we meet - I'm usually surrounded by my bodyguards and at least 3 blondes linking my arms

but give me the nod and I'll tell the bodyguards to let you approach me

no autographs or photographs though - I'm sick of people selling them on ebay

I think I spotted you the other day.

 

[liverbloke]

I think I spotted you the other day.

 

now that's how to bird watch

[John C]

Had a parakeet literally per through my window earlier, took a look at me and flew off again. Got a flock of them on my street at the moment, in and out of trees and the flapping around our brickwork constantly.

Exciting. Delightful. Exquisite are some of the welcoming thoughts on sight of our new urban Parakeet friends.
I can't wait to see more and more of them with their flash of colour and paradise imagery.
Like our favourite, cute Goldfinches who have a distinguishable song as they fly in numbers, Parakeets do also.
I'm all in for 24 months of this in Liverpool. Unlike those suddenly prevalent squirrels, they'll be welcome on our land.

In due course though, I predict noisy, nuisance, annoying c*nts which create a fucking racket could be more descriptive.

[liverbloke]

Exciting. Delightful. Exquisite are some of the welcoming thoughts on sight of our new urban Parakeet friends.
I can't wait to see more and more of them with their flash of colour and paradise imagery.
Like our favourite, cute Goldfinches who have a distinguishable song as they fly in numbers, Parakeets do also.
I'm all in for 24 months of this in Liverpool. Unlike those suddenly prevalent squirrels, they'll be welcome on our land.

In due course though, I predict noisy, nuisance, annoying c*nts which create a fucking racket could be more descriptive.

 

ah Parakeets - seeing one for the first time is like hearing your favourite song on a sunny day

after seeing about 1000 a day they're more like hearing your favourite song on full volume at 4 in the morning whilst you're in bed with a massive headache

[Son of Spion]

ah Parakeets - seeing one for the first time is like hearing your favourite song on a sunny day

after seeing about 1000 a day they're more like hearing your favourite song on full volume at 4 in the morning whilst you're in bed with a massive headache

Oh you old misery. Parakeets are great. 

[liverbloke]

Oh you old misery. Parakeets are great. 

in a pie - yes 

[Son of Spion]

in a pie - yes 

I'm sorry, but you deserve this.   

[kopite321]

Rook chasing off an Osprey... took this whilst in Sri Lanka on the west coast at a place called Benatota

[liverbloke]

Rook chasing off an Osprey... took this whilst in Sri Lanka on the west coast at a place called Benatota

cool that but it's not an osprey (markings are all wrong) - looks like a white bellied sea eagle to me which is also very cool

[kopite321]

Arrr yes, mate, you are correct... apologies..  here are a few more pics from that day...