What have you seen

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  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1172

    I took a trip into the Forest of Dean yesterday to see the Great Grey Shrike, which was successful. I was advised to park down a little lane by the lady that owned a nice little bingalow all on its own on the edgeof the forest. At the bottom of her garden was a feeder full of peanuts with seveal species of Tit filling the tree. I watched for at least 10 minutes on leaving the car and when returning. There must have been well over 30 birds at a time.

    The birds never touch peanuts in my garden.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
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    edited February 2018 #1173

    Talking about bird food, waiting for delivery of sunflower hearts, need soon as I am down to my last 2 feeders full.

    At £20.99 for 20 Kgs and free postage, I think this is the best price I've seen, so I can still afford to feed the hungry perishers.

    Camera is set up in open doorway, behind net waiting for better light and the Redpolls, they are still around.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
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    edited February 2018 #1174

    3 minutes of brightness and they turned up on cue, hope they stay around....oh, sun's coming out might try again.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1175

    Great pic GL

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1176

    Thanks OP.....just a treat to see them....puppy on my lap, me peering through net and there were 3 of them, but they don't stay long.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1178

    ⬆️👏👏

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1179

    Stopped to watch a pair of Great Crested Grebes performing their wonderful courtship mirror dance this afternoon. Reservoir walk was very quiet, dogs busy having a good sniff around, but the entertainment value of the bird life was just magical! No doubt we shall see them nest building and taking new offspring out for a swim later in the year.......laughing

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1180

    Well caught GL, never seen a Redpoll in the flesh, best we can do in the garden is Goldfinch and Long Tailed Tits which have just started using our feeders.

    For those touring or resident in Gloucestershire, the Slimbridge area has some nice offerings. The Tudor Touring Site is within walking distance if interested.

    Within 5 miles you can find a Richards Pippet, Great Northern Diver and Slightly further afield is the Penduline Tit.

    In and around Slimbridge is the recent visitor Glossy Ibis, Bewick Swans and the usual wetland birds.

    Pics attached of a Redshank and the Spotted Redshank showing the longer Bill. Bewick Swan and Pintail coming in to land for the afternoon feeding of the Bewicks.

     

     

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1181

    Great photos BM.  

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1182

    Thanks OP

    Just found out I did not know how to use the focus system on my camera. The manuals are not very good at explaining the details of the camera and with so many options it is very confusing.

    Always good to bump into the younger generation, they are so much in tune with the technicalities. Swapping knowledge for experiences is a great thing.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1183

    BM

    They are still here and although I promised OP no more....just this one.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1184

    GL, How many are you seeing at one time?

    Is anyone else experiencing the occassional change to the photo display? I am seeing a slideshow options on occassions, any ideas what is happening, is this an upgrade?

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1185

    Noticed the change in photo’s a couple of days ago.  There are usually Redpolls, Bramblings and Siskins from now until late March at Sculthorpe Reserve, which is a couple of miles outside of Fakenham

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1186

    1 female, 2 male's....not sure what type of Redpolls they are....lesser, common or mealy,  just enjoying them.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1187

    Purple Sandpiper, Bullfinches, Grey Wagtail, Knott, Oyster Catchers, Heron and the usual crew down on the lower 'estuary' of the River Esk. Unfortunately my new bins and cameras all packed ready for Costa Rica.smile

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1188

    We had a most unusual visitor to our back garden this morning. There was a Snipe wandering around on the snow on the patio at the back of our house, which settled down using the garage wall as a shelter. Did try for a photo through our bedroom window but distance and the falling snow was against getting a decent one.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1189

    What a lovely surprise that must have been NTH.

    I have been wandering up and down the Sharpness canal for a number of visits trying to spot the Great Norther Diver without any success. However as the weather turned sour today I headed back towards the car and came across a couple of Great Crested Grebe diving for a morsel or two. They did nor seem bothered by my presence so grabbed a couple of pics.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
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    edited February 2018 #1190

    Whilst waiting for BT engineer to fix broadband,I sat watching garden birds and noticed this Chaffinch with the same ailment as Greenfinchs, cruddy feet.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1191

    Hi GL. Is this the disease that has reduced the Greenfinch numbers over the last few years?

    Still trying to find the Great Northern Diver but still no show. At least I am getting some exercise and fresh air.

    Swung by Aust Warth on the way home in hope of some Short Eared Owls and turned up just in time to see an owl quartering the warth.

    First 2 pics show the owl finding the target. Pic 3 as the owl swoops down. Pic 4 The owl make for a safe perch to devour the vole. Pic 5 shows a Kestrel with an eye on the owl's meal pestering for several minutes up to the highest I have seen an owl fly. Kept his/hermeal though.

     

    Whilst looking for GND, I noticed a CL on a farm alongside the Sharpness canal at Purton. Could not see what the field was like though.

     

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585 ✭
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1192

    BM.....you jammy begger!

    I would love to have pictures as good as those....oh to see SEO's like this.

    I think this is same disease?

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1193

    Great pics Blue.  There are a couple of SEO and a rough legged buzzard at Haddiscoe Island currently.  Haven't seen any at Oulton Marshes so far this year

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1194

    Thanks GL

    Knowing where they hunt helps, but to have them this close is very lucky. It took many visits before it payed off.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1195

    Thanks OP

    If anyone is nearby, they can be seen most afternoons from about 3.00 pm alongside the road at Aust Warth. This is the closest to the road that they have hunted.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1196

    Great pictures, BM, thanks for posting them.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1197

    You are welcome NTH.

    Pictures posted much earlier in this thread were the reason I visited Norfolk and surrounding areas last year which was very enjoyable.

    On reflection, the people we then met suggested other places which led us to take a trip to Bempton Cliffs then tour West Wales and visit Skomer.

    Looking forward to removing the van's cover and seeing where we end up this year, with Pics to follow, of course.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited February 2018 #1199

    Wow, what a fantastic addition to your garden list.

    Very envious!

    😊

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1200

    Nice one Nell, where are you currently?

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1201

    That one was at home, sheltering against our garage wall. We're on site just outside of Penrith, and it's chucking it down!!yell

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