What have you seen
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Today I saw the Sparrow Hawk that occasionally visits our garden, swoop down and take a Blue tit from the feeder then land on the lawn, it was my instinct to clap my hands and try and save the little bird but the Sparrow Hawk flew off with it. All the birds stopped singing and kept very quiet for a couple of minutes.
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Hi OP
I booked an afternoon slot 14 august and 4 nights at Greendale site. There are 4 slots on the 16th and thats it for pm slots until September. Lots of 4am slots though.
Is it worth looking over to your area following the 17th?
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Hope you have a great time Blue. You should be able to shoot over and see the Bee Eaters. All my photo's were rubbish, should have gone to see them mornings as the sun might have been more cooperative.
Not going to get back from our Lakes/Scottish tour until third week of August then Daughter will take caravan to Car Fest South. Might try again in early September
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Thanks OP
Might look into the bee eaters, I was also wondering if the nature resurves such as minsmere might be worth a look or is there more to hear than see. We have visited a couple of RSPB sites this month, but can hear lots but to much vegetation to see anything.
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Not sure where the Bee eaters are you are talking about(been away again), but a chap in Derbyshire was telling me there are 5? in East Leak.....Cemex site....junction 25. Thought about calling in, but too much traffic hassle to make it worthwhile.
I did console myself with the memory of Minorca 3 years ago and the sight of 150 pairs in ONE paddock, I didn't think I would get as close this time in the UK.
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Hey GL, Bee Eaters are indeed at East Leake Quarry, I only saw 5 but believe there may be 7. See below for location details
anyone interested in seeing them the postcode is
LE12 6RG which is just outside of the village of Hoton. Car parking is £5 with half the amount going to the RSPB.havent been to Minsmere for a while although I believe there is a Purple Heron hanging about.
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Fascinating to watch the juvenile birds on the feeders. The young gold finches arrived and feed on flower seeds until adults showed them the feeders. Young Dunnock's feed on the ground but then sit on the feeder. One young Blue tits picks up seed in its foot then flies to the top of the feeder where it gently devour the morsel while trying not to fall of the perch!
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Just sorting through the pictures from Bempton, first one of the puffins
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These swallow chicks fledged the afternoon while we were there, we were lucky enough to see them go.
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Noticed yesterday a large Dragon or Damsel fly flitting across the pond seeming to follow the fish. Then to my surprise, it landed on a fish as it surfaced. Only for a few seconds, but it repeated this action for a number of times on different fish. Any idea what the purpose of this activity?
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Pleasantly surprised following the dragonfly visit to notice a juvenile greenfinch feeding on our sunflower heart feeder. Have not seen a greenfinch in the garden for many years. A small flock of longtailed tits arrived shortly after, but the resident bluetit chased them off in about 2 minutes, so didn't see much of them.
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Hi GL
Is this pic from the quarry or your trip to Minorca? Hoping to visit the quarry in around the 15th Aug.
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Bm
Never made the quarry, this Beeeater was one of the Minorcan multitudes. The thought of braving our roads to see a Beeeater sitting on a wire 2/300 yards didn't do it for me.
The Colchester Peregrines have been one of very few highpoints this summer, you have probably sussed out that as a rule I do not travel much to see birds. The thought of driving 50/60 miles to see something that just flown or been eaten by a cat, again doesn't do it for me.
The footpath up my river is so overgrown I can't get through, when my pal comes back, we are going equipped with a petrol strimmer and make a path again.
I am back in Colchester this weekend and trying to wangle another visit.
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This coming up behind us yesterday looked like a moving tree as we could not see the tractor. I can only guess the tractor driver was using the edges of the track to guide himself.
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I've been walking in the Peak District for over 30 years and for the first time ever I've seen a Red Kite, flying over the fields above Ashford in the Water. This was yesterday. We were walking along Curbar Edge today and saw the same individual. This is about 4 miles from yesterday's spot. Hope they're spreading out.
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Just returned from a trip to Lincolnshire, with trips to Frampton Marshes and Titchwell
Frampton provided a flypast from a Lancaster Bomber which was quite a surprise. First sightings for me and OH of Red Necked Phalerope, Pectoral Sandpiper and Curlew Sandpiper all fairly distant but the experts near-bye named them for us. Also a lone Whooper Swan and one Mediteranean Gull
Titchwell gave us first sightings of 4 juvenile Bearded Tits and the adult male. A pair of Pectoral Sandpipers, Ruff and hundreds of Avocets
Both areas had 3 Spoonbill
Plus all the usual varieties.
Repeat journey to Minsmere in a couple of weeks.
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Great spots BM. We are in lakes at the moment. Decided to walk up to the valley floor of High Cup Nick and imagine our surprise and delight to spot a Pole Cat, got quite a good photo but won't be able to post till we get home. Also saw wheatears and Dippers.
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I didn't realise these Pectoral Sandpipers were something of a rarity as we saw them very close to the hide, along with many other folk.
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They hop. Didn't you know?
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Next door neighbour looked out of the window yesterday to see a big pale blue parrot with a red beak sitting in one of their trees. It stayed in the garden for several hours eating sunflower seeds and apple before it decided to fly off. Obviously someone's pet - wild parrots are quite rare / extinct in Derbyshire. Unfortunately I was out all day so missed it.
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I'm impressed with the ability to identifying wildlife that's not very big! Do you always have binoculars with you?
I'd like to take part in the butterfly watch. On our walks we see lots but I'm not certain of their identity as every book we have to use shows them with open wings. Almost impossible to see the top markings, we need ones that show closed wings 😉. Especially the brown ones I think gatekeeper and small coppers in profusion in one place.
Our garden only seems to attract singles of anything despite lots of budleia and other nectar plants 😢 most sad.
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I always have binos or a bridge camera with me. In this case the bird sat on a post and flew on to the ground not 5 yards from the van before flying off. Usually I photo anything I'm not sure of to ident later. A good time for Butterflys is earlish morning when they are warming up they tend to stay put with wings open unless you get too intrusive. Again I try to get a picture to aid identification
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