Topic: Bird watch

[Son of Spion]

That is unusual behaviour Rob. 

Most raptors will have a plucking post then take the prey somewhere else to eat it or take it to the nest if they've got young.

Good video though.

The same has happened twice recently in my Mum's back garden.

The first time I watched as it plucked a sparrow on the lawn. Last week it was back and plucked a Starling on the lawn too. All that was left of the Starling was beak, a bit of skull and the usual pile of feathers.

[reddebs]

They're most likely males grabbing some food in between feeding mum and chicks. 

As I say they don't like being on the ground as they're an easy target for cats and foxes so they generally avoid where possible.

[rob1966]

Made a right mess didn’t it. Not very considerate 😁

Right scruffy get he was

[jillcwhomever]

Made a right mess didn’t it. Not very considerate 😁

Yeah, you wouldn't invite them around for tea with manners like that. 

[kesey]

Oh and how they sing.

[.adam]

I went for a shower, came down and could see this pile of feathers, it plucked the bird, then lifted the carcass out of the pile and started eating. Sadly I disturbed it trying to get a better shot and it flew off, with the carcass. I did get a bit of video of it plucking it

My 11 yr old has put it on Youtube for me 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/XyGj5OtZqvA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/XyGj5OtZqvA</a>

Cracking video that, Rob. You're in Manchester too, right? I'm in Chorlton. What else have you spotted in your garden?

I put out a Niyjer seed feeder for the goldfinches at the same time as a peanut feeder and two suet feeders. Must have been out for 2-3 weeks now and the goldfinches have been flying past the Niyjer feeder without an interest until this morning when I saw one land on the perch and have a cursory peck before moving on.

Have got a nesting wren down the bottom of the garden now who belts out a wonderful song. Think I might invest in a few nesting boxes and attach them to the shed for different birds. Anyone got any recommendations?

[reddebs]

Cracking video that, Rob. You're in Manchester too, right? I'm in Chorlton. What else have you spotted in your garden?

I put out a Niyjer seed feeder for the goldfinches at the same time as a peanut feeder and two suet feeders. Must have been out for 2-3 weeks now and the goldfinches have been flying past the Niyjer feeder without an interest until this morning when I saw one land on the perch and have a cursory peck before moving on.

Have got a nesting wren down the bottom of the garden now who belts out a wonderful song. Think I might invest in a few nesting boxes and attach them to the shed for different birds. Anyone got any recommendations?

The boxes need plenty of cover/shelter from heat and predators.  So in or very close to trees or bushes.

Also not where there's heavy human traffic as they don't like disturbance  and preferably away from feeding and water stations.

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[Crosby Nick]

Right scruffy get he was

They make some mess! Great video too. I saw a pile of feathers in the park the other day. I always presume it’s a fox or cat that’s down the same when you see that but maybe it could be a sparrow hawk then.

[rob1966]

Cracking video that, Rob. You're in Manchester too, right? I'm in Chorlton. What else have you spotted in your garden?

I put out a Niyjer seed feeder for the goldfinches at the same time as a peanut feeder and two suet feeders. Must have been out for 2-3 weeks now and the goldfinches have been flying past the Niyjer feeder without an interest until this morning when I saw one land on the perch and have a cursory peck before moving on.

Have got a nesting wren down the bottom of the garden now who belts out a wonderful song. Think I might invest in a few nesting boxes and attach them to the shed for different birds. Anyone got any recommendations?

Yes mate, I'm further over Flixton/Urmston area.

We have a lot of mice so there are a lot of cats, next doors has taken a couple of Wood Pidgeons, so I won't put any nesting boxes in the garden. We've a lot of magpies, crows and Wood pidgeons in the trees and garden. Small birds have been quite rare, but this year we've had Sparrows, Tits, Robins, Thrush. Blackbirds, Starlings and even a Goldfinch. See the odd Buzzard on the hunt and Sparrowhawk flits about now and again.

Hopefully some time next year there will be a Harris Hawk living in my garden too.

[CHOPPER]

The GT's have fledged and after me provisioning them with meal-worms for the past 3 weeks, they've stayed near the garden for a further 4 days whilst the parents get them stronger with more juicy meal-worms. Some genuinely brilliant moments of the family of 8 flying around across the garden and in and around me. I'll be sad to see them go but they've got as good a start to the big bad world, as they could of got.

[reddebs]

The GT's have fledged and after me provisioning them with meal-worms for the past 3 weeks, they've stayed near the garden for a further 4 days whilst the parents get them stronger with more juicy meal-worms. Some genuinely brilliant moments of the family of 8 flying around across the garden and in and around me. I'll be sad to see them go but they've got as good a start to the big bad world, as they could of got.

It's possible they'll nest again this year as there's still plenty of time and as you've fed them so well they'd be silly to go elsewhere.

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[Son of Spion]

Nice today in Sefton Park. Had a Great Tit sat on my hand taking food. 

Lovely little fella.

[jillcwhomever]

Nice today in Sefton Park. Had a Great Tit sat on my hand taking food. 

Lovely little fella.

You lucky thing, I just gave one of my Blue Tits a shock of his life we almost bumped into one another!

[Son of Spion]

You lucky thing, I just gave one of my Blue Tits a shock of his life we almost bumped into one another!

I was quite surprised to be honest. It's a little area of the park where they've fed out of my hand in the past, but usually at times of the year when food is scarce.

As soon as we got there the little fell was straight over and sat on a branch just above us. I held out my hand and he was straight down.

He flew off for a while and as we were feeding a squirrel he came back, hinted at wanting more, so I held my hand out again and he jumped on.

Where are your Blueys? They are one of my favourite birds. There are a couple who are always on the fat balls in my Mum's garden. I think they have chicks at the moment as they get as much as they can then always head off back in the same direction, presumably to a nest.

[jillcwhomever]

I was quite surprised to be honest. It's a little area of the park where they've fed out of my hand in the past, but usually at times of the year when food is scarce.

As soon as we got there the little fell was straight over and sat on a branch just above us. I held out my hand and he was straight down.

He flew off for a while and as we were feeding a squirrel he came back, hinted at wanting more, so I held my hand out again and he jumped on.

Where are your Blueys? They are one of my favourite birds. There are a couple who are always on the fat balls in my Mum's garden. I think they have chicks at the moment as they get as much as they can then always head off back in the same direction, presumably to a nest.

Aww, that's so sweet. I have some bird feeders in my very small terrace/garden. I have two regular Blue Tits who visit, one of them has a habit of singing before he starts to eat. I usually hear him before I see him. He is a funny little thing, sings a few notes then feeds then sings again and then feeds some more. I have never noticed blue tits do this before. But the feeders are much nearer to me in this place it could be that this is normal behaviour. I only get a small selection of birds, robin, blackbirds, goldfinches, Blue and Great Tits. Although I am getting sparrows and starlings and a couple of lovey dovey doves now as well.

[Chakan]

So on Sunday we decided to clear out of porch/deck as the painters were coming Monday to repaint it. So we start moving furniture and everything around to make space and I have a little bar area that we haven’t used in awhile and my fiancé is moving the stuff out from underneath there, she lets out a little scream and tells me there is a dead bird in there.

So I go over looking for this bird she has found and can’t find it, and she tells me no it’s in the pot plant. So I look in the pot plant and low and behold there’s a nest in there with 3 little Carolina wren chicks in there. They’re not dead yay! But waiting patiently for mama to come back and feed them.

So we reschedule the painters for 2 weeks and now we’re just waiting for them to leave the nest.

You’ll have to zoom in to get the chicks as I didn’t want to get too close and disturb the nest

[jillcwhomever]

So on Sunday we decided to clear out of porch/deck as the painters were coming Monday to repaint it. So we start moving furniture and everything around to make space and I have a little bar area that we haven’t used in awhile and my fiancé is moving the stuff out from underneath there, she lets out a little scream and tells me there is a dead bird in there.

So I go over looking for this bird she has found and can’t find it, and she tells me no it’s in the pot plant. So I look in the pot plant and low and behold there’s a nest in there with 3 little Carolina wren chicks in there. They’re not dead yay! But waiting patiently for mama to come back and feed them.

So we reschedule the painters for 2 weeks and now we’re just waiting for them to leave the nest.

You’ll have to zoom in to get the chicks as I didn’t want to get too close and disturb the nest

Awww, sweet. 

[Chakan]

Checked today the chicks have flown away! Happy they made it!

[Son of Spion]

Checked today the chicks have flown away! Happy they made it!

Great news. 

We've had loads of Starling chicks raiding the feeders and fat balls this week, then having a bath in the pond.

[jillcwhomever]

Checked today the chicks have flown away! Happy they made it!

Great news.

Great news. 

We've had loads of Starling chicks raiding the feeders and fat balls this week, then having a bath in the pond.

I had a baby Blue Tit before, very fluffy on the front feathers falling off. Its so sweet, I'm guessing there must be more roundabout. A lovely thing to wake up too. It will get noisy round your way with those Starlings though. 

[Dr. Beaker]

Have any of you good folks got any recommendations for a bird identification app. That can be a visual ID  or even a birdsong ID. I've been working nights this week and the highlight each night comes about 3.30am when the dawn chorus starts up. For me the blackbird takes some beating but I'd like to be able to ID a few others.

[Crosby Nick]

Saw a couple of jays on my run this morning, found a new route off the beaten tracks a bit, close to river and quite a bit of woodland so can see quite a lot. Saw about 12 magpies in a group. Don’t even know if the rhyme goes that far up!

[reddebs]

Have any of you good folks got any recommendations for a bird identification app. That can be a visual ID  or even a birdsong ID. I've been working nights this week and the highlight each night comes about 3.30am when the dawn chorus starts up. For me the blackbird takes some beating but I'd like to be able to ID a few others.

The RSPB have an ID help section where it asks a series of questions about size, colour, habitat, beak shape/colour etc then gives a list of possibilities with pictures.

You can buy birdsong soundtracks for ID purposes but they can be expensive.

Not sure if there's any apps though.

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[reddebs]

Saw a couple of jays on my run this morning, found a new route off the beaten tracks a bit, close to river and quite a bit of woodland so can see quite a lot. Saw about 12 magpies in a group. Don’t even know if the rhyme goes that far up!

Only goes to ten Nick.

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[Dr. Beaker]

The RSPB have an ID help section where it asks a series of questions about size, colour, habitat, beak shape/colour etc then gives a list of possibilities with pictures.

You can buy birdsong soundtracks for ID purposes but they can be expensive.

Not sure if there's any apps though.

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Cheers Debs.

[Son of Spion]

Great news.

I had a baby Blue Tit before, very fluffy on the front feathers falling off. Its so sweet, I'm guessing there must be more roundabout. A lovely thing to wake up too. It will get noisy round your way with those Starlings though. 

I love Blueys, so a Bluey chick must be too cute for words. 

The Starlings? Noisy is too kind a word. They are nutcases. Fighting each other on the feeders, having punch-ups in the pond, screaming like banshees.

Mind you, afterwards they all bask together on top of the shed. The roof is black, so absorbs the sun's heat. They love sunning themselves after a feed and a bath. 

There are lots of Sparrow chicks too, but they are much quieter.

The Goldfinch was back earlier too. Just came down for a drink and a bath.

[reddebs]

Out of all the bird species I've ringed the bluetits are by far the most aggressive.  They might look cute but they sure can take care of themselves.

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[CHOPPER]

Have any of you good folks got any recommendations for a bird identification app. That can be a visual ID  or even a birdsong ID. I've been working nights this week and the highlight each night comes about 3.30am when the dawn chorus starts up. For me the blackbird takes some beating but I'd like to be able to ID a few others.

BirdNET is great for identifying bird song.

A very kind person on here told me to try it and its perfect.

[Dr. Beaker]

BirdNET is great for identifying bird song.

A very kind person on here told me to try it and its perfect.

[Son of Spion]

Out of all the bird species I've ringed the bluetits are by far the most aggressive.  They might look cute but they sure can take care of themselves.

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I didn't realise that, but it's good to know they can handle themselves.

A bit like the Robin, I imagine. I know they can actually be very aggressive.

When I used to go fishing on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Lydiate there was always a Robin who would sit next to me on the bank so I'd feed him.

When I went further up into West Lancs at Halsall a family of Coots and/or Moorhen chicks would haul out and sit by me to get a feed too at this time of year. 

[reddebs]

I didn't realise that, but it's good to know they can handle themselves.

A bit like the Robin, I imagine. I know they can actually be very aggressive.

When I used to go fishing on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Lydiate there was always a Robin who would sit next to me on the bank so I'd feed him.

When I went further up into West Lancs at Halsall a family of Coots and/or Moorhen chicks would haul out and sit by me to get a feed too at this time of year. 

Robins will fight to the death to protect their territory but are friendly towards us.  My hands were torn to shreds ringing bluetits though.

Fishing allows you to observe nature at it's finest I think. 

When I used to go I'd often get bank voles running across my feet backwards and forwards ferrying food to their nests.

[Son of Spion]

Robins will fight to the death to protect their territory but are friendly towards us.  My hands were torn to shreds ringing bluetits though.

Fishing allows you to observe nature at it's finest I think. 

When I used to go I'd often get bank voles running across my feet backwards and forwards ferrying food to their nests.

Yep, this is one reason why I'd go out to those areas to go fishing. The fishing is good there, but the variety of wildlife is great too. Often sheep in the fields nearby, rabbits playing on the tow path and a big variety of bird life from the little ones in the reeds to Herons, Cormorants, birds of prey, Kingfishers etc. Mid summer I'd often fish from dawn til dusk, and the wildlife and peace fix I got would sooth my otherwise battered mind.

[Dr. Beaker]

I didn't realise that, but it's good to know they can handle themselves.

A bit like the Robin, I imagine. I know they can actually be very aggressive.

When I used to go fishing on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Lydiate there was always a Robin who would sit next to me on the bank so I'd feed him.

When I went further up into West Lancs at Halsall a family of Coots and/or Moorhen chicks would haul out and sit by me to get a feed too at this time of year. 

Reminds me of when I was on some obscure Scottish island watching the puffins. They love us, for the entirely logical reason that we scare off their predators.

[Son of Spion]

Reminds me of when I was on some obscure Scottish island watching the puffins. They love us, for the entirely logical reason that we scare off their predators.

I've never actually seen a Puffin in the flesh, though I'd love to.

I was a bit sad to see that when we went to Iceland they eat them there.

I know they have some on Anglesey but we never spotted any on our visit.

[reddebs]

Yep, this is one reason why I'd go out to those areas to go fishing. The fishing is good there, but the variety of wildlife is great too. Often sheep in the fields nearby, rabbits playing on the tow path and a big variety of bird life from the little ones in the reeds to Herons, Cormorants, birds of prey, Kingfishers etc. Mid summer I'd often fish from dawn til dusk, and the wildlife and peace fix I got would sooth my otherwise battered mind.

It's the peace and quiet I loved.  The total solitude apart from the sounds of nature all around.

I never fished that part of the canal, it  was Rufford section when I lived there and also a lot of lakes and ponds.

[Dr. Beaker]

I've never actually seen a Puffin in the flesh, though I'd love to.

I was a bit sad to see that when we went to Iceland they eat them there.

I know they have some on Anglesey but we never spotted any on our visit.

Lunga island is the place for you.

[jillcwhomever]

I love Blueys, so a Bluey chick must be too cute for words. 

The Starlings? Noisy is too kind a word. They are nutcases. Fighting each other on the feeders, having punch-ups in the pond, screaming like banshees.

Mind you, afterwards they all bask together on top of the shed. The roof is black, so absorbs the sun's heat. They love sunning themselves after a feed and a bath. 

There are lots of Sparrow chicks too, but they are much quieter.

The Goldfinch was back earlier too. Just came down for a drink and a bath.

The BT chick is beyond cute, it was being fed before. Still puzzled as there still appears to be only one so far, unless he's just the first one to come out of the nest. I love Starlings despite the noise, they fight like families and then as you say cuddle together at the end of the day. The Blackbird is still making his little noise as it arrives I'm starting to think he could be a young male, as he's very sleek in appearance. The Goldies have gone awol at the moment from here, sure they will be back sometime though.

[Lad]

BirdNET is great for identifying bird song.

A very kind person on here told me to try it and its perfect.

Tits a pleasure 👍❤️

[.adam]

Assuming this little fella is a juvenile. Has been visiting my feeder over recent weeks.

[Charlie Adams fried egg]

Are there any other birds with red on their heads than goldfinches or woodpeckers?
Saw one in the garden yesterday and it had more yellow than pictures I've seen of Goldfinches and am sure it wasn't a woodpecker.