What have you seen

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  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1232

    Great shots BM

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1233

    Thanks OP

    Less than a dozen Bewicks still at Slimbridge yesterday, probably all gone by today. Hoping to be free in time to see the Short Eared Owls later. Four reported over the weekend. It won't be long before they are gone as well.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited February 2018 #1234

    Superb photos, Blue. They're not often seen out in the open, well not by me anyway!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1235

    Great photos, BM.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1236

    Lots of different wader on the harbour shore at Lindisfarne today, Bar-tailed Godwits, Curlew, OCs, Redshanks etc. and a small flock of Light Breasted Brent Geese, also spotted one Grey Seal out in the water.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1237

    3 of the 9 Shorelarks at Holkham beach last week

     

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1238

    Well spotted OP. I guess they are very difficult to see until they move judging by the colouring. Not seen any myself.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1239

    For the pedantically minded, Birdguides have just identified my birds as 'Lesser Redpolls'.  There is nothing lesser about them to me.

    22 days and counting, still here.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1240

    I got a flash of red today, but our visitor is so quick to pick up any movement I could only get this, he visits every day and has started drumming nearby.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1241

    Frustrating

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited February 2018 #1242

    Our local  Parakeet is still around, think he must be an escapee. He is very vocal in the park smile and feeds on the peanut feeder put out by the moored narrow boats along the canal.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited February 2018 #1243

    We have green parakeets that have "migrated" out of London,so they may well be heading your way as wellsurprised

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1244

    Whilst braving the East wind for 30 minutes yesterday, this made it worthwhile.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1245

    Great shot GL, where were you.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1246

    Now who's the jammy beggar.

    Great shot.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1247

    Have spotted quite a few Goosanders on both the R.Tweed, along with a couple of Dabchicks, and on the lakes in Duns estate. There are Bull Finches and Woodpeckers in the woods of Paxton House, and a Tawny Owl who starts calling in the afternoon for some reason, well before the sun has gone down.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1248

    BM...true....pure chance, but jammy none the less as I was there only 30 minutes.

    OP...same spot as ever...kingfisher pool.  Heard a cheeping call for a few minutes, I took to be a bird.  I then thought...otter maybe?  Then the mum swam round and then this cub came out and sat on a plank of wood for only 15/20 seconds, with the sun behind.

    I cannot guarantee that I will see them every day/week....just be there and take what comes.

    Fed up with the weather being so gloomy, when my niece sends pic's of them on a site in Spain.

    Picture is mum.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1249

    You know your patch, visit regularly, you get your reward.

    Simple rule I follow in life, the more effort you put in, the luckier you become.

    Another lovely pic.

    I could not tell you how many visits I made to see the Short eared Owls, but eventually they came near enough to get some pics. They have not been reported since Thursday last week, so we may have to wait till next year now.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1250

    SEO's seem in short supply this year...Waxwings the same.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,644 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1251

    Great photos, GL.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1252

    You are absolutely right, but there seems more Hawfinches, Snow Buntings and Shore Larks about.  

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1253

    My new birding partner....not sure she will sniff out any SEO's...first time up the river.

    About to stake out the Lesser's being bright  and snowy.  Didn't see them much yesterday, probably blame being stuck indoors painting.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1254

    Saw a Buzzard sat on a post on the way home.  It was only when it took of I realised it was a Rough Legged Buzzard.  There has been one hanging around Haddiscoe Island for a while so guessing it’s that one seeking food.

  • HelenandTrevor
    HelenandTrevor Forum Participant Posts: 3,221
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    edited February 2018 #1255

    Had a great close encounter with our local Buzzard today, not seen it about for a while. This morning slowed down in the car on way home passed the park, I'd seen movement on the verge, first thought it was a cat, but no it was a Buzzard, hopped under the fence and appeared on the grass verge. Beautiful bird and only a couple of feet away from the car, wonderful made my day! smilesmile

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited February 2018 #1256

    I am confused by the behaviour of our local birds.

    It is very cold -1c at present with a fairly stiff breeze blowing, but the birds seem to not care.

    We have fairly large trees in surrounding gardens and at the very top or in bare trees are sitting the birds. 5 wood pigeon 4 collared doves and several magpies. There are eight crows sitting on TV ariels or ridge tiles.

    Why do they not seek shelter from the wind and sit leeward in the conifers that would keep them much warmer.

    Anyone know why?

     

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1257

    Hungry, stupid, mating season who knows.  Filled the feeders up this morning including putting out additional rations.  Temperature here is still -3C with a wind chill of -8C but birds seem happy enough.  I am expecting to see some Sparrow Hawk activity

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited February 2018 #1258

    White out, stuck indoors, tried to get pic's, not great.

    Not seen Goldfinches doing this before....6 of them picking off the wall?

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2018 #1259

    Never seen gold finches do it but we often have great tits do it

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
    Name Dropper
    edited February 2018 #1260

    Me too.

  • neveramsure
    neveramsure Forum Participant Posts: 712
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    edited February 2018 #1261

    After refilling the feeders and topping up the bird bath water, I managed to take a few pics of our garden visitors.