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Tits like coconuts. The bird thread!
.....just googled great grey shrike - definitely not that! I think it could be a sparrowhawk!
It's a sparrowhawk :)
I blame my failing faculties! I can't see the yellow eyes, yellow legs or barring on the chest.
No neither can I! But I don't know what other raptor it would be
Richard wrote: "Kath wrote: "They taste of nought at allAnd always give me indigestion."
Channelling the spirit of Sid Kipper, Kath? :)
http://www.kipperfamily.co.uk/inthefa..."
I certainly am! I love the Kipper Family and have most of their stuff - on tapes and vinyl.
I saw them a couple of times live at the Bedworth Folk Festival in the 90s. Happy days...
Don't laugh, I hadn't got my specs on and it was on my little phone. I thought it was a dirty penguin.
Hehehe Lynne, imlike the idea of a dirty Penguin ! I can't make out any detail on the photo either, my eyes are as bad as yours BJ.We've a lot of Redwings and Fieldfares around but up to now no Waxwings :(
Couple of young Tawnys pair bonding in woods first thing, flown right across my path a few times, made Emma jump !
Glad I wasn't the only one! I was going to suggest African Penguin!! Obviously a well traveled migrant. Still find it hard to see a raptor shape there though.
This one was taken before "the kill" !!
We (me and himself) agree it's a sparrowhawk. Disguised as a penguin!
.....damn good disguise eh?
Classic sparrowhawk - now it's slipped off that penguin costume. Nice photo, Flo.
That's the only time we've seen him - and he stayed on the parapet wall, just outside my bedroom for ages...... I didn't think I stood any chance of getting to my camera before he vanished - but I was lucky - then he flew away and two minutes later he was in the back garden with his kill and blood all over the grass!
The Screech Owl Sanctuary were in Plymouth again this morning with a number of their beautiful owls. I couldn't resist the offer to stroke one again - their breast plumage is so soft! The one I stroked (I forgot to ask which kind it was!) was apparently 18 years old and might live up to 20-24 years. In the wild, the man told me he'd be lucky to live beyond 8. Such a privilege to get that close. Normally I just hear the tawny owls in the valley at night.
Where we go in France they have grand duc owls and we have a Scops owl in a hole in a tree very nearby. I love the noise the Scops owl makes. It's like a sonic blip. . When my dog was a pup the grand duc swooped over her in the woods. Fortunately the owl misjudged the size of her and turned away but she scared the doodah out of the dog. She went through that part of the woods ready to run away for years. It made a noise like the alien being in the Predator film. .
Our Natural History Society walked along the south bank of the Humber this morning. We saw a marsh harrier, fieldfares, redwings, curlews and a kingfisher as well as the usual SBJs.
Any day that features a kingfisher is a good one. Speaking of owls, my barber (his name is Sean - what else could he do for a living) keeps several varieties in aviaries. He flies them in displays and takes them to nursing homes. When I called in for a haircut a few weeks ago, he had a young eagle owl in a cardboard box. It was at an age where it needed feeding frequently so Sean had to bring it to work. It was of a size that meant its eyes were just over the sides of the box. It was a strange experience to sit in the chair being watched by those huge eyes.
Apart from a haircut, I had a lesson on owl biology. For instance, they have three eyelids on each eye.
Kath wrote: "Our Natural History Society walked along the south bank of the Humber this morning. We saw a marsh harrier, fieldfares, redwings, curlews and a kingfisher as well as the usual SBJs."So jealous, Kath. I love curlews particularly and the call they make. And a kingfisher...? Brilliant.
We have a pair of Curlews nest not too far away from here every year, they are very prehistoric looking don't you think ?
T4bsF (Call me Flo) wrote: "This one was taken before "the kill" !! Definitely looks much better without the disguise! Great pic!! "
There's a lovely man made lake in Barry with ducks and swans. And gulls. Hundreds of gulls. And geese.It was created after a storm blocked a stream from reaching the sea which created a huge swampy area. They manicured it nicely. Not sure when. Perhaps Victorian times.
Unfortunately, it's marred by huge signs asking people to not feed the birds. Birdshit can be a problem.
Anita wrote: "We have a pair of Curlews nest not too far away from here every year, they are very prehistoric looking don't you think ?"That's wonderful. Which part of the country are you in, Anita? They are strange-looking birds.
Did anyone see the planet earth programme with the murmurations of starlings in Rome? They (and their droppings) were spectacular
I did, and I agree. What a mess they made, but in flight , Wow!
Yes, a million birds put on a breathtaking performance. I couldn't help wondering if the crew had deliberately parked that car under the tree and left it there for a few days.
That's about the same mess as you get from six wood pigeons! We are infested with them here - disgusting. No-one shoots them anymore and consequently not only have they proliferated but they've got cocky too. I'd take the starlings any day, haven't seen a murmuration here for quite a few years now.
From my limited experience of guano. I think it was a few hours worth
Looked out at our elderly cherry tree today and there were eight magpies in it, chattering away. Why so many? Eight for a wish. So, I wish you all a merry Christmas!
This afternoon there were 12 lined up along the ridge of a nearby house, so that will bring us all wealth.
Don't seem to have that many magpies around here just now, fieldfare and redwing by the dozen but no magpies. Saw Tawnys this morning, one definitely need to go to elocution lessons, his call is pathetic, more like an injured kitten than an owl.
I've just watched a programme on BBC 2 this morning. Super powered owls. It was really good. Well worth a watch on catch up or iPlayer.
Used to get sparrows on the seed feeder, blue tits on the nut feeder - unfortunately since neighbours with two cats moved in, both remain untouched and the birds have decamped elsewhere.
That's a shame! There are 2 cats living in the house at the back of mine - but our birds must be made of sterner stuff here, as they don't seem to care a fig and keep coming for their grub!
Ours make such noise when there's cats about. They shriek from the bushes and we usually send Daisy out to wee and she will chase any cats off at the same time. We've got an RSPB cat scarer which works but only if we put proper Duracell batteries in it. The cheaper versions don't seem to work.
The downstairs neighbour is putting bread out so we're getting loads of gulls. Not good.Think I'll get them a bag of bird seed next time we're out and have a gentle word with them.
Don't talk to me about gulls. I left my shiny car outside daughters yesterday. It was truly bombed. I had to wash it before I could touch the handles good job I was there with water and a bucket or I'd had had to climb in with little one through the hatch back. I've never seen such a n enormous splat. Talking of which there's a game being advertised called Seagull Splat. How nice for playing after Christmas lunch.
Yes I think I'd need rubber gloves on to play that.
Saw 2 Sparrowhawks and 3 Kestrels on our way out to Filey this morning and then a small starling Murmuration on way back from the crematorium, Graham would have enjoy seeing them.
We've got a wren visiting the bird table and collecting meal worms this morning.
It amazes me how such a loud noise can come out of those tiny little bodies every time I hear it !
I can hear the oyster catchers this morning. Always reminds me of my old spaniel, 'putting them up'. She loved birds and couldn't bear to see one walking on the beach. I swear they taunted her. Stupid stupid man yesterday pulled up in front of our house to eat his lunch and he fed the seagulls. He was chucking food out into the road not the other side which is a grassy bank down to the sea. Much as I hate seagulls I felt awful when the inevitable happened and a passing car hit one hard. Stupido did get out and move the poor bird to the grass but if he'd only thought first. I guess Mr Fox appreciated supper last night.
I put out all the fat and skin from the turkey and the fat from the ham this morning. We usually don't get seagulls in the garden, but within minutes, a flock of black-headed gulls (winter plumage) was circling around, gathering on nearby houses, and trying to get down between the trees and the washing line. Eventually, one brave soul managed, and after mobbing him, the rest then plucked up the courage, and plundered the garden.
We saw oyster catchers on the beach this morning too. I love their piping call. Also have a coal tit regularly raiding the feeders this morning - a pretty rare visitor in our garden for some reason.
There are some stupid people around aren't there. Could have had a beach walk myself this morning but 90 miles is a bit far to go. We get a lot of Black headed gulls at local RSPB they are my least favourite but I love the oyster catchers and Evie likes their bright orange legs so they are amongst the first she looks for. Next year I hope to take her to Bempton for the Puffins and Gannets.Our garden is fairly quiet right now but as it's so cold I'm feeding up in the woods, we get everything from Coal tits to Greenfinch and the very beautiful Goldcrest too. So many lovely birds !
I got the Helm Guide for Christmas, it looks great, not had a chance to look at it yet.
We've had blue and great tits, green finches, goldfinches, chaffinches, robin, jackdaw, tree and house sparrows, starlings and blackbirds all in the garden. Then we went for a beach walk at Hornsea. A small flock of four sanderling were preceding the incoming waves, running like little clockwork toys.
This was in my back garden - with his bloodied prey! He looks like a bank robber with a mask on!"
Tricky! It looks as if we have a bi..."
Isn't a shrike a wading bird??