Topic: Bird watch

[Lad]

fisting ha ha - but that sounds great mate as long as i don't have to fist anything 

but i am gonna have to do that and visit a falconry one day soon

If you’re ever down that way it’s based at Herstmonceux Castle. The fella who runs it is excellent. I would highly recommend it. Just had a look at the website now and there’s photos of the owl on peoples heads 😁

[rob1966]

fisting ha ha - but that sounds great mate as long as i don't have to fist anything 

but i am gonna have to do that and visit a falconry one day soon

Gauntlet birds of prey in Mere near Knutsford is where I did my day

Finally got to do my Bird of Prey experience today, what a brilliant day it was.

Lanner Falcon



Chaco Owl, This one loved getting its head rubbed



American Black Vulture



Harris Hawk





Caracara





Eagle

[jillcwhomever]

Fantastic photos Rob, hope you got as much enjoyment out of it that I did.

[liverbloke]

If you’re ever down that way it’s based at Herstmonceux Castle. The fella who runs it is excellent. I would highly recommend it. Just had a look at the website now and there’s photos of the owl on peoples heads 😁

cheers for the info 

Gauntlet birds of prey in Mere near Knutsford is where I did my day

great photos mate - will look into that too 

[Chakan]

Looks like a great day!

[andyrol]

Been a few reports that people have seen a few waxwings lately in Halifax, not seen one for years.

[liverbloke]

great looking birds waxwings - but they tend to hang around aldi and asda car parks!

something to do with the berries on the trees that the supermarkets prefer to plant because they are more hardy (i think)

anyhoo - went for a little walk down the front at waterloo yesterday and there was a male goldeneye on the lake - nice to see but only had my compact with me so the photos aren't great

[reddebs]

Been a few reports that people have seen a few waxwings lately in Halifax, not seen one for years.

Many many years ago we'd gone for a run out to Tetney Marshes and as we were turning round in a gateway there was one sat in the hedge in front of us.  I'd never seen one before but I had a bird book with a picture of one on the cover.

A couple of weeks later at home we had a small flock of them, around 40 birds, feeding in the cherry tree at the front of the house then flying into the back garden doing the same in the rowan.  They hung around for most of the day.

I've only seen them once since where I used to walk the dogs every day.

They're probably my favourite winter visiter although the flock of Wheatear we had in the garden on their spring migration last year was impressive too.

[reddebs]

great looking birds waxwings - but they tend to hang around aldi and asda car parks!

something to do with the berries on the trees that the supermarkets prefer to plant because they are more hardy (i think)

anyhoo - went for a little walk down the front at waterloo yesterday and there was a male goldeneye on the lake - nice to see but only had my compact with me so the photos aren't great

Beautiful ☺️

[Chakan]

Had a clear day for walk today, but a bit frustrating as I was playing around with the camera and didn't get some shots I wanted. Here's a few that came out alright though.

White-throated Sparrow looking for something to eat





Song Sparrow giving me the eye


Eastern Phoebe


Downy Woodpecker


Carolina Wren


Red-Tailed Hawk - These were quite far away and just couldn't get a good shot of the one on top.

[liverbloke]

Had a clear day for walk today, but a bit frustrating as I was playing around with the camera and didn't get some shots I wanted. Here's a few that came out alright though.
...

lovely mate

here's a tip for you regarding birds that are high up and you can only see their bellies -

get your camera all ready and held in position and then simply quietly go 'shh shh tchik tchik' (meant to be onomatopoeic) they will curiously look at you out of interest and 'bang!' you got your shot of their face rather than them looking away

seems to work with all birds - just remember: don't do it too loudly or aggressively as they'll fly off and not trust you again 

[Chakan]

lovely mate

here's a tip for you regarding birds that are high up and you can only see their bellies -

get your camera all ready and held in position and then simply quietly go 'shh shh tchik tchik' (meant to be onomatopoeic) they will curiously look at you out of interest and 'bang!' you got your shot of their face rather than them looking away

seems to work with all birds - just remember: don't do it too loudly or aggressively as they'll fly off and not trust you again 

I’ll give it a go mate, these birds were a good 100 meters away though.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Seen a shit load of birds in our garden this year. The usual Magpies, Blackbirds and Wood Pigeons that all live around here, but now also swallows, Tits, robins and a few other things I'm not sure about.

Great to see them all back

Dunno where they were last year

[liverbloke]

I’ll give it a go mate, these birds were a good 100 meters away though.

the high-pitched sound will travel no worries - i us a 500 and they hear me 

Seen a shit load of birds in our garden this year. The usual Magpies, Blackbirds and Wood Pigeons that all live around here, but now also swallows, Tits, robins and a few other things I'm not sure about.

Great to see them all back

Dunno where they were last year

on holiday?

what does it mean when you see a gull flying with only one wing?




...it means he's just been the chippy 

[Chakan]

the high-pitched sound will travel no worries - i us a 500 and they hear me 

Ok will give it a go. I’ve got a few shots of them, I’ll see if I have better pic.

[ToneLa]

sparrows are dead cute

[Chakan]

sparrows are dead cute

They’re full of personality

[reddebs]

Beautiful morning in the garden watching and listening to long tailed tits on the feeder. Such a fabulous song.

Then a linnet arrived 🥰

[Chakan]

Internet was down so sat in the back yard taking some pics. Got a few more queued up to edit but really liked this Eastern Phoebe Dark-eyed Junco and Robin

[John C]

Superb again. I loved the Carolina Wren earlier, ours are nothing like that.

[liverbloke]

lovely them chakan mate - keep it up 

popped out earlier this week and took a few myself with the weather not being as bad or as over cast

saw a grey heron in the field away from me - was a bit too far to get a good shot but liked the way the wings looked on this



..then met another grey heron on the canal who was quite happy for me to take a close up portrait shot of his good side



a cormorant swims past so i use the reflection to try and get a mirror shot



a great crested grebe was 'fishing' but was (again) a bit far away but managed to get an action shot of it with its catch



...and finally, not the best shot of a lapwing, but this fella was showing off flying with just one wing the cheeky get 

[Chakan]

Very nice Liver! Great picks

Oh just a correction apparently the top bird of mine is a Dark-eyed Junco, not an Eastern Phoebe.

[Armand9]

Internet was down so sat in the back yard taking some pics. Got a few more queued up to edit but really liked this Eastern Phoebe and Robin

lovely pics

but isn't the first pic a Dark-eyed Junco? Saw one in the New Forest year's ago, looked just like that 

[Chakan]

Very nice Liver! Great picks

Oh just a correction apparently the top bird of mine is a Dark-eyed Junco, not an Eastern Phoebe.

lovely pics

but isn't the first pic a Dark-eyed Junco? Saw one in the New Forest year's ago, looked just like that 

[jillcwhomever]

Such beautiful photos everywhere, this thread doesn't half brighten up Rawk. 

[John C]

liver they are incredible photos, absolutely magnificent.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

liver they are incredible photos, absolutely magnificent.

Such beautiful photos everywhere, this thread doesn't half brighten up Rawk. 

[TheMissionary]

what does it mean when you see a gull flying with only one wing?


...it means he's just been the chippy 

I thought he was taking his library book back.


Had a tree creeper in the front garden yesterday and a nuthatch this morning.  The latter was scared off by the cock pheasant that wanders up and down the street.  Mrs TheMissionary's camera was in the other room and I don't have a phone so no photees, but I'll be more prepared next time (I said that last time).

[jillcwhomever]

Never seen this before. I was on my way home on the train when I saw this crow on the bonnet of a car tapping it with beak. I was wondering if he could see his reflection and thinks there is another bird there? Anyone seen anything similar? 😀

[liverbloke]

Never seen this before. I was on my way home on the train when I saw this crow on the bonnet of a car tapping it with beak. I was wondering if he could see his reflection and thinks there is another bird there? Anyone seen anything similar? 😀

yes - quite a common thing with birds

i once had a couple of sparrows regularly attacking my back door handle - i taped it up and as soon as i did they stopped

my brother had a magpie that was attacking his letterbox and did the same thing - he thought it was kids at first

car door mirrors are another example - there are examples on youtube

[jillcwhomever]

yes - quite a common thing with birds

i once had a couple of sparrows regularly attacking my back door handle - i taped it up and as soon as i did they stopped

my brother had a magpie that was attacking his letterbox and did the same thing - he thought it was kids at first

car door mirrors are another example - there are examples on youtube

That's interesting. 

[Chakan]

That's interesting. 

I think it's been proven that Crows are some of the smartest birds there are, they also hold grudges.

A 2011 study revealed crows can remember the human faces who capture them. According to another a study published in the journal Animal Behaviour, ravens which include crows, jays and magpies, have the ability to 'hold grudges' for up to two years.

[Brissyred]

A few of our locals.

[Crosby Nick]

Rainbow lorikeets! Is the top one a kookaburra?

[Brissyred]

A few more.

[Brissyred]

Rainbow lorikeets! Is the top one a kookaburra?

Sure is.

[liverbloke]

A few of our locals.

flippin eck - and all those at crosby beach?

nice photos mate

is the osprey one taken somewhere were they feed them? the fish is cut in half that's why i'm asking - ospreys are one of my favourite birds

and we do get black swans at crosby - not so much the rainbow lorikeets though 

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

Robins are out and about..

Went to East Cowes for the weekend, saw a ton of Robins. Spring is in the air..

[Chakan]

Robins are out and about..

Went to East Cowes for the weekend, saw a ton of Robins. Spring is in the air..

We get a ton in my neighborhood. Always bop bop bopping along.

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

We get a ton in my neighborhood. Always bop bop bopping along.

I took a few pictures.. will post it sometime after 6:00 PM..  Its a DSLR (Lumix FZ300) but I am clueless about photography so I use the auto mode!