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Tits like coconuts. The bird thread!
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message 351:
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Kathy
(new)
Mar 23, 2017 12:22AM
I heard from a fellow choir member last night that she was female - the choir member works at Slapton Ley. I asked how you could tell and its her size apparently that is the clue. Really sorry to hear that she got tangled up. Hope she recovers well.
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Poor whale. That must have been quite a rescue.
Sounds a risky business, Lynne. She was freed by volunteers belonging to the British Divers Marine Rescue group who attended in a small boat that Humphrey could easily have crushed.
Yes that was a picture I had in mind. She's huge.
Oh no ! Poor Humphrey, keep us posted please BJ
Last seen swimming strongly out to sea and heard muttering through her twin blowholes, 'I'm not going back there again.'
Just heard of the first reported sighting this spring of a returning osprey. It was seen flying over the River Teign at 10 o'clock this morning.
B J wrote: "Just heard of the first reported sighting this spring of a returning osprey. It was seen flying over the River Teign at 10 o'clock this morning.""Osprey at 10 o clock number two."
"Target acquired number one."
"Keep tracking, keep tracking...... what's the range two?"
"One thousand and closing fast."
"Put a couple of rounds under the blighter."
"Want the perisher driving north one."
"Apparently there's a new regulation, they've all got to go to Scotland or something. Pacifying the natives and whathaveyou."
I'll get me coat
Don't go Jim, we all love you and your writings too much !
B J wrote: "Just heard of the first reported sighting this spring of a returning osprey. It was seen flying over the River Teign at 10 o'clock this morning."Can I move in with you BJ ? I'll bring cake, lots of cake, I've never seen an osprey, we don't get them round here. The nearest I've been is hearing one, several times when we were at carsington a couple of years ago, the site overlooked the water but each time I got to where I could see the water the bird was long gone, I know story of my life ;)
Anita wrote: "B J wrote: "Just heard of the first reported sighting this spring of a returning osprey. It was seen flying over the River Teign at 10 o'clock this morning."Can I move in with you BJ ? I'll bring cake, lots of cake, I've never seen an osprey, we don't get them round here. The nearest I've been is hearing one, several times when we were at carsington a couple of years ago, the site overlooked the water but each time I got to where I could see the water the bird was long gone, I know story of my life ;)
.."
I'm lucky enough to have seen ospreys several times. The first time at Loch of the Lowes, then at Loch Garten (when we also saw Capercaillie) and finally at Glaslyn in North Wales. I've visited the Dyfi Osprey Centre and the nearby Ynys Hir RSPB site many times but not seen the ospreys there.
I believe the resident female arrived back at the nest at Loch Garten this week.
I saw one often at lake Annecy. We had a room close to the water and watched it fishing. No photos!
I've seen them at Loch Garten too. Magnificent birds.
They pass over us in the autumn heading south and in the spring heading north. They often stay around for a day or two feeding in the estuaries of the Dart, Exe and Teign. We were really lucky last autumn when the long mild spell persuaded several to stay for two or three weeks. I've a feeling that the one that flew over this morning is going to get a cold shock when it reaches its breeding territory.
Yesterday I saw my first red kite over Torbay. It's the first one I've seen in South Devon. 25 years ago we went to stay with friends living in Northampton. We spent an entire day driving around Northamptonshire looking for one of the small population of red kites that had moved into the area. I eventually grabbed a distant shot of one high over my head. Since then these magnificent birds have spread over most of the country. In the last few years I've heard reports of sightings over North Devon that were possibly birds that had made the short trip across the Bristol Channel from Wales, but this is the first time I've seen one on this coast. It will be interesting to see if a local population builds up and, if so, how it affects our large population of buzzards.
Always a good day when you see a red kite Barry, we go to knaresborough quite a lot and see them up there, highlight of my holiday, have got a couple of shots in the past but hope to get some better ones soon, I'm getting my new lens today so hope to get some good ones as they often near the roads. I have only seen 1 locally, they reintroduce them to Harewood house in Leeds which isn't too far away so we did hope to get a local population but not up to now sadly.
Mum was watching the bluetits going in and out of the nesting boxes that she has in her garden. The same bird was going into both boxes, so she wondered if they were trying to decide which one to use. I said it was probably one male that had two females. Although I know the bluetits are a bit possessive over the boxes, even if they don't want to use them - we saw them chase off some wrens that were trying to nest there one year.My sister had to go one better though. She has a buzzard building a nest in the field behind her garden.
Anita wrote: "Always a good day when you see a red kite Barry, we go to knaresborough quite a lot and see them up there, highlight of my holiday, have got a couple of shots in the past but hope to get some bette..."There have been conflicting reports from around the country on how red kites and buzzards get on. Some areas have reported no obvious conflict, despite them sharing the same food source, but other areas have reported seeing buzzards kill red kite young as soon as the parents leave the nest unattended.
That takes me back, Anita. A lifetime ago when I was a student in Leeds, Knaresborough was a favourite weekend destination. Is Mother Shipton's Well still going strong, or has the Health & Safety Executive filled it with concrete?
There always seem to be conflicting reports but can't say I saw or even heard about a lot of conflict. I do know that in 2015/16 there were quite a few kites killed, gamekeepers and farmers or so I believe, on a couple of occasions they were even bragging about it in a couple of pubs that Roy goes in ( good job I wasn't there ! ) Mother Shipton is still going strong, or was this time last year, I've never been in myself but keep saying I should have a look at it. It's a wonder HSE haven't filled it in, they are slowly nailing a lot of things, makes you wonder how we all survived without all these safety issues doesn't it.
I see Devon Wildlife Trust are saying that a great grey shrike has been spotted near Bystock Pools nature reserve. To judge from the photo on FB, he's a smart guy. https://www.facebook.com/Devonwildlif...
Thanks for the link, Kathy. Although I've been a member of Devon Wildlife Trust for years, and taken many a walk on the adjacent Woodbury Common, the existence of Bystock Pools had somehow passed me by. Looks an interesting mixed habitat. Must get there soon.Yes, that shrike's a handsome chap.
I've got a female blackbird keeps following me every time I go outside. I put suet bits out for the birds every morning and she's cottoned onto the idea - seems to expect me to feed her as soon as I put my head out of the door. She nearly came into the kitchen yesterday. Clearly she has young to feed because she crams as much suet in her mouth as possible before flying off.Of course, I've started talking to her. She never answers back.
That's lovely Kathy, we've got 2 friendly Robins right now, my husband is moving the shed and other bits, even when he's out there they come down for the worms he's turned over in the soil, soon as I get my camera they go again !
Isn't that typical, Anita? It's so difficult to get photos of them. I love the way Robins sing so sweetly close by when you're gardening. You can persuade yourself it's just for you!
Our blackbirds love cat kibble. I used to have a dish on the window ledge when we had cats and I've seen the blackbird and the cat on opposite ends of the window ledge. We had a pigeon hit the upstairs windows yesterday. It left a big greasy outline on the window and a panic induced brown stain on the lower ones.
The swifts are back! Just seen my first ones of the year as they whizzed past my bedroom window while I was lying in bed. I love seeing them.It makes a change from the seagulls.
Isn't it lovely to see them Vanessa. I've seen more swallows over the house this week.
Vanessa (aka Dumbo) wrote: "The swifts are back! Just seen my first ones of the year as they whizzed past my bedroom window while I was lying in bed. I love seeing them.It makes a change from the seagulls."
How lovely. To me, they're the sound of summer. None have arrived in this part of the Chilterns, yet.
The chimney above the kitchen extractor hood is speaking blackbird this year. Makes a change from pigeon!
Blackbird's quite nice, Elizabeth. Does it act like a megaphone and amplify it?
We've just realised our lovely goldfinches have got fed up with fighting for space with the flock of (unwanted) pigeons and moved down the road to my friend's feeders. :(
We've got a hollow in the grass under the brid feeders caused by excessive traffic. The seeds drop and they all scuffle about looking for them. This morning it was full of twigs. It looked like a nest. I'm looking for the duck or ground nesting bird who has started it off. It would be in an ideal position for a lazy bird. It would be able to nest, look up and just open its beak for seed to drop in from above.
Yesterday we saw the sparrowhawk on the path with his lunch. He must have just knocked the bird down, despite running out to see if the little bird was just stunned we were too late. The hawk flew off with difficulty with its little bird in its talons. I wish it had been one of those damn pigeons that have taken to hanging about and hanging their dirty bums over the gutters.
Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "We've got a hollow in the grass under the brid feeders caused by excessive traffic. The seeds drop and they all scuffle about looking for them. This morning it was full of twigs. It looked like a n..."We used to have our feeding station in the lawn, conveniently close to a hedge and a small tree. But the dropping seed and nutrients apparently enriched the ground and attracted more worms. Which then attracted moles... It became a nightmare with our little lawn cross-hatched with runs and hills! We moved the feeding station to hard ground with a new base. Fingers crossed, it seems to be helping the mole situation.
Kathy wrote: "Blackbird's quite nice, Elizabeth. Does it act like a megaphone and amplify it?"Hi Kathy - sorry for the delayed reply. Yes, it used to. However since then, we've moved a lot further North to a much more modern house without chimneys. The compensation is a splendid view across the vale to the hills and the occasional sighting of a flock of birds (racing pigeons?) whose wings gleam silver in the sunlight as they fly one way down the valley, disappear as they change direction and then reappear to shine as they fly back.
Elizabeth wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Blackbird's quite nice, Elizabeth. Does it act like a megaphone and amplify it?"Hi Kathy - sorry for the delayed reply. Yes, it used to. However since then, we've moved a lot furthe..."
Sounds wonderful, Elizabeth! There's a lot to be said for having no chimneys - we've had a sooty pigeon flying round the house after falling down one and bees nesting in them too and crawling out of the fireplace, sick with soot and, presumably, fumes. :(
Yes, my extractor hood used to speak angry bee sometimes.
Saw the first skylark of the year yesterday on the morning walk! Great song as usual but the little blighter was far to quick to photo. Can't wait to video one ascending as it sings. Last and only time I saw this i was too stunned to get it on camera.
