• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. JTweedie

    Is Slimbridge wetlands the Mecca of bird spotting in the Uk?😄

    I saw my one and only Bittern (so far) at Attenborough. Had literally just got into the hide and there it was. That's how I like my birding. Had a great time at the reserve walking around with a colleague who lived not far off from here. Cetti's Warblers too which I don't get where I am.
  2. JTweedie

    Springwatch 2024

    Oh and talking about moths flying around lights. I have a streetlight outside my window and spiders have taken up residence on it. I see them active all year, but at this time of year they must be really getting a bounty with all the moths and other insects I can see around the light.
  3. JTweedie

    Springwatch 2024

    Just catching up with this and watched episode 2 tonight. I really enjoyed the segment on moths and how they keep their backs to a light source and how this can lead to them flying in circles around a light. But there was an interesting link that Nightjars are taking advantage and hunting in...
  4. JTweedie

    Mexican man dies of bird flu

    In the first human case, the man had been infected with strain H5N2. With bird flu still killing thousands of birds around the world and people advised not to touch dead or dying birds they find, this is potentially a notable event although he seems to have also been suffering from other issues...
  5. JTweedie

    Springwatch 2024

    I know due to the BBC's impartiality rules that there's only so far they can push an agenda on Springwatch, but being a live programme they do sometimes try to approach the line a wee bit, but then they just hold it back a bit. For example when they talk about species declines, they'll touch on...
  6. JTweedie

    Egrets historic range in Spain?

    Thanks John, that's really helpful.
  7. JTweedie

    Fiction Books on Birds

    If you're interested in the wildlife mentioned in Master and Commander, then I've written a blog about it, as long as you're aware it might include some spoilers for the book. https://jtweedie.wordpress.com/2024/05/27/master-and-commander-natural-history/
  8. JTweedie

    Egrets historic range in Spain?

    If someone was writing in 1800 and spoke about "both kinds of egret" around Valencia, what species do you think they're most likely talking about? I know there are up to four species in Spain with egret in their name, but I wonder if in 1800 what would be the two most likely to have been seen...
  9. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    There was a Stone Curlew near Inchinnan today. I've no car so I haven't been to see it. But this was only the third record in the Clyde area.
  10. JTweedie

    Fiction Books on Birds

    Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin books, about the naval officer Jack Aubrey and his friend, the doctor, spy and naturalist Stephen Maturin features a lot of birds and other wildlife. In one of their first encounters in the first book Master and Commander, Maturin spots a Hoopoe in Mahon...
  11. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    That's really good going - around 25 km a day! As for the West Highland Way I think it gets much better once you're north of Crianlarich. It really opens up and feels wilder, although there's probably not as much wildlife around as there should be.
  12. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    Whereabouts did you go? Accessible without a car?
  13. JTweedie

    Killer whales in Strait of Gibraltar

    15 metre long yacht sunk near Morocco after being struck by Orca. The sailors were rescued by a passing tanker. https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/may/13/yacht-sinks-after-latest-incident-involving-orcas-in-strait-of-gibraltar
  14. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    Good trip to Lochwinnoch today. I think this is the first trip there this year it's not been raining. It was overcast, but it was quite warm and it stayed dry all day. My target species was Garganey which had turned up yesterday. My luck was in and the drake gave excellent views. I don't think...
  15. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    I say my first hirundines of the year on 14 April (mentioned in a post above) but it was just a few of each. Today it was a mixed flock of several hundred so it sounds like they've really started to arrive now. Hopefully more will turn up where you are in the next few days. One of my favourite...
  16. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    Hopefully yours will turn up. They built artificial nests for them at Lochwinnoch but the birds never used them, preferring natural riverbanks nearby.
  17. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    I went to Lochwinnoch today. An unplanned visit. When I left home it was grey but dry, but at Lochwinnoch it was just constant heavy drizzle. This along with it being a Monday meant the reserve was really quiet, but the birds didn't appear to be too bothered by the weather. On the scrape I saw...
  18. JTweedie

    Mallorca 2024

    Do you ever cover Menorca in this thread? I started reading the Master and Commander books and the first one starts in Mahon where a character gets excited at seeing a Hoopoe. I'd like to visit sometime, perhaps by ferry from Barcelona.
  19. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    I had five Mute Swans flying over my flat this morning. Not the most exciting sighting in the world, but it was the first time I'd seen them here. They were flying towards a park that has a pond in it, but the park isn't exactly on my doorstep. Heard them before I saw them! It was like seeing a...
  20. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    Largs is usually a good spot for Black Guillemots. Pretty much guaranteed actually. Just take a walk along the waterfront and you should see some eventually.
  21. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    Hogganfield Loch today. Saw the two Arctic Terns that have been there for a few days. Really pleased to see these as I missed them last year as they hadn't nested on the Isle of May which I rely on for an annual sighting. Other firsts for year include a mixed flock of House Martins and Sand...
  22. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    I went to Irvine today. When I left home it was overcast and it looked like it would rain, but it actually hadn't rained for the full trip there - until we got to Irvine! It rained lightly on and off but it was very windy and stormy and the sea was looking really rough. I don't go to the coast...
  23. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    It was fun watching the Mallards and Goosanders on the Kelvin. The water was really high and flowing really fast, and the birds would fly upriver, then they'd come down on to the water and then let the current carry them downriver. Probably a good way of conserving energy.
  24. JTweedie

    Western Scotland birding

    I was up the West End of Glasgow today to visit a bookshop but I walked through Kelvingrove Park before heading home. Usual parkland birds, but highlights were my first Dipper of the year and one of the Peregrines that nest in the tower of the Gilbert Scott Building at Glasgow University.
  25. JTweedie

    Western Isles questions

    Hopefully there will be more stability getting to various islands when the new ferries are in service. I think there's one going through trials now with others due to launch very soon. Unfortunately there's been a lot of strain put on the ferries over the past year or so with stripped back, and...
Back
Top