Topic: Bird watch

[John C]

Really? Gorgeous.

[rob1966]

That must have been amazing. I love barn owls but I've never seen any owl on the wing. This summer I had a bat fly next to me when I was cycling. Only for a two or three seconds; one of those brief encounters that puts a smile on your face.

When I lived in Southport, we used to get an owl in the tree at the bottom of our garden, never used to see it but would hear it in the night and bats used to fly around the garden every night in summer, still get the odd one where I live now. One night we were driving home to Southport down the A570 just past Scarisbrick and this massive owl flew right across the road in front of us.

[jillcwhomever]

Seen Eagles in Scotland, fortunately, and an Osprey taking fish in Loch Garten.  Magical.

Like you Jill I've longed to see a kingfisher but they've always been elusive.  Last winter I saw a fleeting glimpse of one over the Kennet and Avon canal outside Newbury, but last weekend we saw one on the same canal in Hungerford.  It sat on a branch over the water, as we approached s/he (never got close enough to sex it of course) flitted along the water to a branch on the other bank, then went further and actually sat on the bank on our side.  We watched for about 2 minutes before some woman came along with her dog and it did a bunk.  It made my weekend. 

The elusiveness of kingfishers makes the filming of them so much more impressive doesn't it?  I'm chuffed to nuts to see one on a bank or in flight for a few seconds yet we see footage of them taking fish or feeding their young.  How patient must those camera people be?

I saw some Ospreys in Lake Brassenthwaite in the Lake District. We hired a cottage nearby and watched them hunting in the Lake, fantastic experience. Funny what you said about catching a glimpse of a Kingfisher. We visited Bodnent Gardens in North Wales and were doing the walk by the river. We saw loads of Dippers in and out of the water, and my mum caught a blur of orange and blue further down, but that was all. Too quickly he had disappeared, I guess that is all a lot of people see of Kingfishers. This is pretty cool though. https://youtu.be/E0Jw8sjGBD4

[jillcwhomever]

When I lived in Southport, we used to get an owl in the tree at the bottom of our garden, never used to see it but would hear it in the night and bats used to fly around the garden every night in summer, still get the odd one where I live now. One night we were driving home to Southport down the A570 just past Scarisbrick and this massive owl flew right across the road in front of us.

That happened to us late at night this Barn Owl came flying at us just like a ghost out of nowhere, it was quite surreal to be honest.

[rob1966]

That happened to us late at night this Barn Owl came flying at us just like a ghost out of nowhere, it was quite surreal to be honest.

This came from our left, flew along the road about 5ft above it then turned into the field on the right.

I love seeing birds of prey, we've had a couple of pigeon kills in our garden by a sparrowhawk, once I watched as it stripped the feathers from the carcass and then started to eat it. Pictures I took were too shaky sadly. We all saw an eagle when we were in Orlando last June. I've held a golden eagle in Tenerife, but never seen one in the wild, that was a great sight to see. I work on the 11th floor of an office building, sometimes we get kestrels fly past the window, strange to look down on them rather than up.

[jillcwhomever]

This came from our left, flew along the road about 5ft above it then turned into the field on the right.

I love seeing birds of prey, we've had a couple of pigeon kills in our garden by a sparrowhawk, once I watched as it stripped the feathers from the carcass and then started to eat it. Pictures I took were too shaky sadly. We all saw an eagle when we were in Orlando last June. I've held a golden eagle in Tenerife, but never seen one in the wild, that was a great sight to see. I work on the 11th floor of an office building, sometimes we get kestrels fly past the window, strange to look down on them rather than up.

I had the same experience of seeing a Sparrowhawk devouring one of our Starlings, feathers everywhere. They have such an aggressive face on them as well, just look furiously at you as if challenging you to come out.    I stayed in I have to admit. It must have been great holding the Golden Eagle. My brother paid for me to spend a morning with some birds of prey and we got to hold a number of them. Its a funny feeling when you're wearing that glove and this huge bird comes flying at you. We had one really big hawk, can't remember what it was but it was heavy. The guy told us he wouldn't sit on your arm for long, of course it did and in the end my arm just gave away. I don't think it was impressed. 

[Alecs left foot]

Taken while waiting at traffic lights. (Wife was driving). So the shots are not as good as I would have liked. But you can see what's going on.

First the hover.



Then the dive.



Now the get away.



All over in three or four seconds.

[zero zero]

Fantastic!

[jillcwhomever]

I think that is pretty good myself.

[John C]

Stunning pics mate. Beautiful, unforgiving nature.

[Lad]

Moved to a new house recently and put my bird feeders up after a few days. Within twenty minutes I’ve got blue and great tits.
Next day I put a feeder out with niger seeds to see if there’s any goldfinches in the area. I’m not joking an hour later there’s four on it and three more waiting there turn. Just how do they know ? Do they send a scout out scouring the area ?

[RedmeisterOZ]

From National Geographic: 'When Christian Moullec saw that lesser white-fronted geese were struggling with their migration from Germany to Sweden in 1995, he took to the skies to help them. Today, weather permitting, he soars with birds on an almost daily basis.' https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/01/bird-man-flying-france-microlight-spd/

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/U-WIS7Q-zCk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/U-WIS7Q-zCk</a>

[Alecs left foot]

Show off.

[jillcwhomever]

Show off.

I remember being chased by a peacock when I was a kid when we were in France. They are quite aggressive.

[Alecs left foot]

I remember being chased by a peacock when I was a kid when we were in France. They are quite aggressive.

This was taken in Spain. I was standing on a walkway, everyone that passed, the bird turned to face them.
I suppose this could have been aggression. 

[jillcwhomever]

This was taken in Spain. I was standing on a walkway, everyone that passed, the bird turned to face them.
I suppose this could have been aggression.

It probably was. You were lucky he didn't chase you for the picture. 

[rob1966]

Past couple of evenings I've been watching a Sparrowhawk soaring above our house, its great to watch.

[John C]

Past couple of evenings I've been watching a Sparrowhawk soaring above our house, its great to watch.

Get a vid Rob mate, are you sure it's not Buzzard?

[jillcwhomever]

A beautiful Red Kite flew over Leasowe this morning.

[zero zero]

We went for a picnic next to Beverley Brook in Richmond Park, South West London the other day. It was a glorious day and we were enjoying the sun when we saw a tiny turquoise jewel tearing down along the bank. A little later I heard an unfamiliar call, youtubed it, found out it was a kingfisher, and shortly saw another one! This time it perched on an old tree stumped in a classic pose.



About eighteen months ago the authorities that Look after Richmond Park did some engineering work on some of the banks and fenced off an area to keep away dogs from a small section of the brook to encourage Kingfishers and here they were. Fair play to them. Absolutely delighted as though I've seen kingfishers in other parts of the world this was the first time I'd seen them in England. And around seven miles from the centre of London of all places.

(Note my pic, obviously)

[rob1966]

Get a vid Rob mate, are you sure it's not Buzzard?

I know we have a sparrowhawk around here, as it once caught a wood pigeon in our garden and stripped it and started to eat it on the grass, so I assumed it was that. Having double checked the pictures of both birds, I'm now certain it was actually a Buzzard I was watching. I'm used to seeing Buzzards in pairs on the motorway so didn't think it would be one of those around here.

Came in here to post this, I work on the 11th floor of an office building, looked out the window to see a Buzzard rising on the thermals and then swoop away over Old Trafford cricket ground.

[jillcwhomever]

We went for a picnic next to Beverley Brook in Richmond Park, South West London the other day. It was a glorious day and we were enjoying the sun when we saw a tiny turquoise jewel tearing down along the bank. A little later I heard an unfamiliar call, youtubed it, found out it was a kingfisher, and shortly saw another one! This time it perched on an old tree stumped in a classic pose.



About eighteen months ago the authorities that Look after Richmond Park did some engineering work on some of the banks and fenced off an area to keep away dogs from a small section of the brook to encourage Kingfishers and here they were. Fair play to them. Absolutely delighted as though I've seen kingfishers in other parts of the world this was the first time I'd seen them in England. And around seven miles from the centre of London of all places.

(Note my pic, obviously)

I have always wanted to see a Kingfisher what a beautiful picture that is.

[Crosby Nick]

Got an owl living near me at the moment (no Hodgson jokes please!). Not seen it but hear it most evenings hooting away.

[The Gulleysucker]

Saw an interesting thing just a few days ago though sadly camera was not at hand.

A Greenfinch was a few metres from our backdoor behaving rather strangely on the ground.

At first glance it appeared to be having a dustbath and grooming its feathers, which was peculiar as it was on the edge of a lttle path outside our backdoor edged by plants with no obvious dust.

On closer observation, it was picking something up off the floor every so often with its beak and then wiping whatever it was on its feathers.

I went outside and it seemed oblivious to my presence, obsessed with whatever it was doing until I got within about a metre of it when it finally flew off.

Intrigued, I looked at the ground where it had been and observed there were quite a lot of ants scurrying around so I was pretty sure that's what it was picking up and wiping its feathers with them.

I had to look this behaviour up and sure enough its called anting and it would appear quite a few birds have been observed to do this.

Fascinating and something I've never seen before.

It appears there's no firm answer as to why, but some theories suggest there's a possible narcotic effect that some birds have learned and seem to enjoy, which might explain why it seemed totally oblivious to my close presence.

[Maggie May]

It appears there's no firm answer as to why, but some theories suggest there's a possible narcotic effect that some birds have learned and seem to enjoy, which might explain why it seemed totally oblivious to my close presence.

You sure it was a Greenfinch, or just a bird off its tits?

[Lad]

Thinking of taking my bird feeders down. Squirrels just overwhelming it. Have tried everything including greasing my pole (ooh er missus).

[Maggie May]

Some information please.  I think I have a nightingale.  It only sings at night, (well early hours of the morning to be accurate), a most beautiful, pure sound.  I say a nightingale as that was the only night singing bird I could think of.  Any clues please?

[John C]

Saw an interesting thing just a few days ago

I've never known or heard anything like that at all Gulley mate.
An action to look out for from now.

Meanwhile, I'm delighted by the overhead visit of 4 - 6 Buzzards regularly, but sincerely pissed off at the fucking pugnacious, territorial Crows that drive them away.

[Tsar Kastik]

Thinking of taking my bird feeders down. Squirrels just overwhelming it. Have tried everything including greasing my pole (ooh er missus).

l have a similar problem mate. I hang my feeders from the washing line using thin wire. It has helped a bit.

[rob1966]

l have a similar problem mate. I hang my feeders from the washing line using thin wire. It has helped a bit.

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

[Skidder.]

So, considering you're all bird lovers, I imagine you'll know about moths.

Me and my nephews were sitting off and this moth crawled up on my nephews leg, he brushed it off and it looked like a bee without wings. My nephew freaked and went to stamp on it (he's young), I picked it up and put it on top of the bin in shade to see if it sorted its shit out, but it just looked fucked. Knowing my nephew would probably faff with it, I took it home and thought I'd leave it in the side... But we have a lot of fruit trees around and there are shit loads of birds around here looking for a tasty meffed-up moth.

I know they live for over a month, so I thought I'd keep an eye on it and it looked so shit, honestly, I am no moth expert, but I wouldn't be surprised if he conked it in the sun

A few minutes later it had come out of its chrysalis a bit, but when I googled the moth it definitely had some kind of messed up metamorphosis.

Anyhow, have him in a glass and I think he moved onto the asparagus that I left in there, he isn't doing much, but if I move the table around and put him in the shade, he seems to crawl around so that the light is on his wings.

So yeah, pop him out for the birds, or leave him to his own devices in the house for a bit?

[The Gulleysucker]

It has probably just come out of the chrysalis so its wings have yet to be inflated, they'll look like tiny rolled up bits of tissue on its back hence the weird appearance.

It needs to get into sunlight, it won't have fed yet so it's about conservation of energy, and the heat from the sun will allow it to inflate its wings and then they dry out hopefully perfectly formed.

[Skidder.]

It has probably just come out of the chrysalis so its wings have yet to be inflated, they'll look like tiny rolled up bits of tissue on its back hence the weird appearance.

It needs to get into sunlight, it won't have fed yet so it's about conservation of energy, and the heat from the sun will allow it to inflate its wings and then they dry out hopefully perfectly formed.

Well, it turns out he is a she. I left her with a little bit of lettuce (knowing what caterpillars do to lettuce), and she's laid eggs all over it. I left her to her own devices and thought she had flew out of the window, but she is still lingering about.

These eggs, they aren't self-inseminating are they?

[Dr. Beaker]

Well, it turns out he is a she. I left her with a little bit of lettuce (knowing what caterpillars do to lettuce), and she's laid eggs all over it. I left her to her own devices and thought she had flew out of the window, but she is still lingering about.

These eggs, they aren't self-inseminating are they?

Don't even fucking think about it.

[Crosby Nick]

Don't even fucking think about it.

[John C]

 

[zero zero]

[The Gulleysucker]

Percy, the last surviving Peacock from the farm next door, has decided to grace us with his presence and come and visit us again now that Dog is no longer around.

He must be almost 20 years old now and he's rather lonely, the last of his mates died off some time ago, foxes etc.

He likes to sit just outside the front door admiring his own reflection and intimidating the cats.

[Maggie May]

Lovely story Gulley.  Thank you. 

[rob1966]

Had a week in Menorca last week and saw a lot of birds of prey. I could easily identify the Kestrels we saw, but had to search google to identify the others, which were the Red Kite and booted eagle. I love watching these in flight.