Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
Cheers bongo...... A day out with a bird or two is still far better than a boring day in :t:
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Very busy at the bird feeder today! (6 Viewers)
- Thread starter Moraybirdlover
- Start date
Cheers bongo...... A day out with a bird or two is still far better than a boring day in :t:
bongofury
Well-known member
Couldn't agree more. No Grand Prix or World Cup matches, so I was glad to get out, even if I got soaked twice and thoroughly wind beaten!
Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
A new Juvenile over head..... Herring Gull. (OK juvenile is the wrong term), but with an adult :t::t:
Gulls coming back in good numbers now.... GBBG again today
Gulls coming back in good numbers now.... GBBG again today
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Forgot to mention - the first juvvie Robin also today. Seems to be a lot more youngsters than I remember from last year.
Autumn seems to be creeping up on us already - the first failed breeding Green Sandpipers are on their way south and 10,000 Swifts past Spurn today.
CB
Autumn seems to be creeping up on us already - the first failed breeding Green Sandpipers are on their way south and 10,000 Swifts past Spurn today.
CB
karpman
Well-known member
Something rather amazing happened to me last night!
I got a lifer in my garden, Non less than a Tawny owl! A friend of my stepped out for a ciggy closely followed by me. In doing so we spooked a Owl off the lawn who then went to land awkwardly on the roof of a bungalow over the back for what seemed like ages but was probably only a few seconds.
Heard them in the area many times to see one was superb to say the least!
Karpman
I got a lifer in my garden, Non less than a Tawny owl! A friend of my stepped out for a ciggy closely followed by me. In doing so we spooked a Owl off the lawn who then went to land awkwardly on the roof of a bungalow over the back for what seemed like ages but was probably only a few seconds.
Heard them in the area many times to see one was superb to say the least!
Karpman
bongofury
Well-known member
Nice one, Karp! I've love to see an owl, but could never imagine one in my own garden...brilliant!
The goldies, aided by 2 pairs of siskins, have emptied the sunflower heart feeder twice this weekend. Its getting expensive! Oddly, a song thrush has been about all weekend too. Normally we don't get them during the summer. Maybe the birds know something that we don't.
The goldies, aided by 2 pairs of siskins, have emptied the sunflower heart feeder twice this weekend. Its getting expensive! Oddly, a song thrush has been about all weekend too. Normally we don't get them during the summer. Maybe the birds know something that we don't.
Well the other evening had a bird fly over my garden, and the only thing i can id it as, was a bittern! Flying north, it seemed to be flying with intent, i am still really surprised as this is something i would not have expected, I just wish I knew where it was going too,! Also had a tawny Owl calling just at the back of my garden the other night, All other birds are still regular, although Coal Tit and Willow Tits are making fewer and fewer visits, maybe im missing them, i dont know, maybe its the fact that i have run out of sunflower hearts...
Dan123
Well-known member
I have alot of catching up to do! I've not been able to put my direct attention on the garden for the last week or so, but with the extreme heat we have been having, everything goes quiter anyway. The feeders taking alot longer to go down and I have actually hardly seen any Starlings come in for any fat. Hopefully once it rains or gets cooler here there maybe some more frequent activity.
But aving said that, those still making appearecnes, the Jay has been in 5 times this morning. Coming in for water, Monkey Nuts and seed on the bird table. Each time being swooped my the male Magpie but each time coming back. The female blackbird has made her return and seem to be hopping around the shed for old wet leaves for nesting. I still do not know if they have even had one clutch this year. 2 Male blackbirds seem to be chasing each other, and couple of babies have been around the last few days though I don't know whos is who.
Female Chaffinch I am glad that I have seen everyday, the Goldfinches returned yesterday and greenfinches making very few appearences compared to usual. Blue tits and juvs still here, as well as 3 adult Great Tits. The pair of Dunnocks still around also, with glimpses here and there of the babies. House Sparrows occasionaly singing in the trees. Very few appearnces by the starlings, and loads of Woodies and Doves. But hopefully after the heat, activity may resume to back to normal.
But aving said that, those still making appearecnes, the Jay has been in 5 times this morning. Coming in for water, Monkey Nuts and seed on the bird table. Each time being swooped my the male Magpie but each time coming back. The female blackbird has made her return and seem to be hopping around the shed for old wet leaves for nesting. I still do not know if they have even had one clutch this year. 2 Male blackbirds seem to be chasing each other, and couple of babies have been around the last few days though I don't know whos is who.
Female Chaffinch I am glad that I have seen everyday, the Goldfinches returned yesterday and greenfinches making very few appearences compared to usual. Blue tits and juvs still here, as well as 3 adult Great Tits. The pair of Dunnocks still around also, with glimpses here and there of the babies. House Sparrows occasionaly singing in the trees. Very few appearnces by the starlings, and loads of Woodies and Doves. But hopefully after the heat, activity may resume to back to normal.
Missed Something out, Bullfinches
Was out yesterday and when we came back checked my planters over, and found there had been something sitting in my planters and squashing my violas, thinking it might be squirrel being a rascal again, so went inside to do food, my wife was looking out and she said i know whats been sitting in the plants, Bullfinches!! And as i came into the front room 1 male was in 1 pot and the female in my hanging basket flew out, they have been pecking open the seed heads on the violas!, so as its such a cracking pair of birds, I will let them off for squashing my plants!
Was out yesterday and when we came back checked my planters over, and found there had been something sitting in my planters and squashing my violas, thinking it might be squirrel being a rascal again, so went inside to do food, my wife was looking out and she said i know whats been sitting in the plants, Bullfinches!! And as i came into the front room 1 male was in 1 pot and the female in my hanging basket flew out, they have been pecking open the seed heads on the violas!, so as its such a cracking pair of birds, I will let them off for squashing my plants!
earleybird
Well-known member
when we were looking after 2x Tawny owls we used to have the local Tawnys round every evening. They'd stand on top of out avairy and scream at our owls who'd scream back . February was bedlam .
Tawnys have a huge repetoire of calls and can make some extraordinary sounds. I recorded quite a lot of our male owl Hero. He'd walk along the branch in his avairy and sit right next to me and we'd talk for ages every night .
I have a lovely picture of him bathing in a cat litter tray of water which must be a pretty rare sight .
Here he is being taken for a walk by Mrs E from the car to the Vets.
If you want to try calling the wild owls into your garden simply copy their call. You just need to whistle by sucking in rather than blowing out
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Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
Geez loads going on: Owls seem to be every where except here at the moment... well done with those. I had one screech in the garden last year but never saw it.
earlybird how did you end up with Tawny Owls?
Siskins (My Favs), Jays, Bullfinchs and Bittern.... really superb birds to see in and over the gardens, well done to everyone with those sightings and visits
Just the usual on the feeders at the mo, still no Juv Blackbirds (***update Male frantically gathering food, so fingers crossed***) and no sign of the Coal Tits.
Agreed the food taking longer to go down now as the rush to feed the newly fledged has subsided, a few second broods will be due so keep some in the feeders.... but I guess we can tighten the purse strings for a few months.
Dave
earlybird how did you end up with Tawny Owls?
Siskins (My Favs), Jays, Bullfinchs and Bittern.... really superb birds to see in and over the gardens, well done to everyone with those sightings and visits
Just the usual on the feeders at the mo, still no Juv Blackbirds (***update Male frantically gathering food, so fingers crossed***) and no sign of the Coal Tits.
Agreed the food taking longer to go down now as the rush to feed the newly fledged has subsided, a few second broods will be due so keep some in the feeders.... but I guess we can tighten the purse strings for a few months.
Dave
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It's hard to keep up with all the interesting stuff that you're seeing. Nice Swift photo, Dave! Congrats on the Owl, Karpman!
It's getting ridiculous in our yards now with more birds arriving daily. Mainly more of the same species but yesterday two Eurasian Collared Doves joined in.
At one point the White-winged Doves got their own back on the cats by eating the food we put out for a stray cat that hangs out behind our shed.
Also, several of the WWDs were behaving oddly: They would sit on the fence and spread out their wings and tails. They didn't preen; they just sat there. As it wasn't very hot, I can't think what they were doing.
Whatever it was for, a young House Finch thought it looked like fun and so imitated them.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com
It's getting ridiculous in our yards now with more birds arriving daily. Mainly more of the same species but yesterday two Eurasian Collared Doves joined in.
At one point the White-winged Doves got their own back on the cats by eating the food we put out for a stray cat that hangs out behind our shed.
Also, several of the WWDs were behaving oddly: They would sit on the fence and spread out their wings and tails. They didn't preen; they just sat there. As it wasn't very hot, I can't think what they were doing.
Whatever it was for, a young House Finch thought it looked like fun and so imitated them.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com
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AndyK
Well-known member
a new garden bird for me this weekend, they seem to be coming thick and fast at the moment! This time it was a very shabby looking coal tit, think it must have been moulting, very happily hopping around the garden picking up fallen seed from the feeders with two house sparrows. I couldnt believe how small it was in comparison!
earleybird
Well-known member
Mrs E used to be a Vet nurse and Practice manager so any wildlife that came in we invariably ended up doing the rehabilitation at our house which was above the surgery.
Female Tawny had a co-ordination problem and couldn't see or hunt properly so we got her for the rest of her life. Hero the male we had from the age of a couple of months. A well meaning client came into the surgery with him because he had been keeping them awake all night . He was imprinted by that time so couldn't be released .
I never knew what I was coming home to. Tortoises in the kitchen, bats in the airing cupboard, Buzard and kestrel in the garage, and umpteen week old kittens to feed all night long. :t:
Nick
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Congrats on the Tawny Owl Karpman!! :t::t:
A Bittern is an excellent record at any time of year but even more so at this time of year. Make sure you send the record to the county recorder.
Lovely pics Earleybird!!
CB
Hows the moth trapping going, ?
My pair of bullfinches flew out from the bottom of the garden this evening with a juvenile in tow!
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