What have you seen
Comments
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WN, watch out for the Barn Owl, if you are still there. We saw it on a couple of evenings when we stayed there.
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Walked along the Cleveland Way today. Took our "small" bins. Glad we did.
Saw plenty of usual scrubland birds plus Yellowhammer and Bullfinch but we also heard a couple of unusual birds, namely Grasshopper Warbler and a Quail. Couldn't find either but good to hear. The Kittiwakes were on the cliff face at Staithes and on the way into Runswick Bay I had to swerve the car to avoid running over 2 Weasels crossing the road, one of them with breakfast in his mouth.
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Anyone any idea on the killer? We do have a visiting sparrowhawk. Our pigeons are huge!
It's been raining heavily and happened in the hour we were out.
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Could it be a cat?We have a sparrowhawk and she only seems to take smallish birds but we also are visited by several local cats who will go for the collared doves.In a village of only 250 people 240 seem to have cats!!!!
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Thanks Oneputt I think it was a female linnet, not seen it since 😢.
I also agree on the bird feathers - I dont think it was a cat, checked once the worst of the rain subsided nothing anywhere in the garden other than feathers. I would imagine the recipients had a decent feed 😉
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We have similar incidents, there is only ever feathers left, but not seen the culprit.
The garden if full of birds at the moment, adults and juveniles, they are emptying two large feeders every day.
Goldfinch, greenfinch, flock of sparrows, blackbirds, blue and great tits. Several magpies, wood pigeons and collared doves
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Not at all sure what I saw at Durham Grange on Friday / Saturday -- just low level small sparrow sized birds whizzing round in a feeding frenzy even tho' it was utterly lashing down.
Lots of small blackish sized birds belting round 'tween the 'vans pitched on the central area which could have been 'martins but with the rain lashing down across the windows I could not make an accurate identification. If I'd left the van I would have had the same problem with rain across my specs ( In fact it was soooo very wet I left visiting the F & C Van for my supper & brewed up a can of M & S Beef curry instead
)As for Bakers2's vandal - almost certainly a sparrowhawk. That would pluck off but a few feathers before heading to it's preferred feeding post for lunch or to break the carcass down into bite sized lumps for any young.
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Had a lovely cliff top walk today and once again we were left mesmerised by the sheer elegance of the Fulmar in flight. Hardly a flap just wonderful use of any thermal going. Don't get too close to any nest, though, for photo purposes as they emit a very stinky gunk straight at you!
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We're now on the Fife coast and there's lots of wild flowers out here, along the coastal paths. Eider ducks on the water and even Fulmers flying/gliding around the cliffs by the harbours.
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Not seen a lot Chez ABM
not raining all the time but when it does it comes as tho' it intends to make up for lost time !Bird feeders only getting a little attention 'cos, as WN mentioned, only ducks and such like are fully water-proof, and many little ones are sheltering & preening, and looking a bit sorry for themselves.
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Walked out of the site gate and looked across the barley field and lo and behold a young Barn Owl was trying to catch breakfast, which 2 minutes later he did.
Down to Bempton to view the Gannets and other seabirds. Super day.
Had to laugh as our walk was held up by an impertinent little Tree Sparrow who insisted on finishing his delicious beetle before letting us continue on the path. Another couple coming the other way also had to stop and wait their turn.
Sparrow seemed happy with it anyway.0 -
Just back from a weekend in the peak district , we saw a pair of Grey Wagtails and a Dipper along the river Wye near Litton Mill. The river was much faster flowing than our last visit in February.
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At Muncaster Castle.
Are you coming out?
I might
If there's food for me.
This is how big I'll grow!
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Took a few hour trip to Slimbridge today to take advantage of a break in the weather and saw best and worst of nature. Firstly Reed Warbler chicks being fed in a reed bed (in front of Robbie Garnet hide) Last year the reed warblers were feeding a large cuckoo.
Then I was shocked to see what amounts to brutality I have not seen before without reason. A female Tufted duck waddled out of the greenery followed by about 12 tiny ducklings, my enjoyment at this sight disappeared very quickly as first an Avocet attacked the ducklings and the female duck, then a large male Shellduck joined in by attacking the female. This was a prolonged and brutal attack that went on for several minutes firstly in the water then onto the land. The attack continued again for several minutes before the shellduck returned to the water and set upon one of the ducklings for over 5 minutes with the duckling fighting for survival. The remainder of the ducklings were scattered into three groups, each one being attacked one group by black headed gulls, the other group attacked by Avocets.
The first duckling was left for dead by the shell duck but surrounded by black headed gulls as they waited for the inevitable, however the plucky little fella got up and tried to escape, at which point the shellduck returned to continue the attack again until the little fella lay motionless. At this point all the other ducklings had made it to undergrowth around the lake and to my surprise the first duckling rolled over and again made for cover while the black headed gulls looked on.
I hope the little fell was less badly injured than it looked and the parents managed to find their scattered brood.
I was totally shocked by this as it seemed pointless as neither the parents or ducklings posed any threat to any of the birds that attacked them, it was so brutal.
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I agree with your comment Brue, but I have never seen this level of intent when there is no threat or a meal involved.
Not to dwell, the better part of the day was shared by a couple of fellow members from Suffolk who happened to be in the hide at the same time.
Pics show a pair of swallows and reed warbler adult and chicks.
What bird was in your pics above Brue, I assume it was an owl, but I do not recognise it.
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The owl is a Verreaux's Eagle Owl. I am slightly iffy about birds in captivity BM but Muncaster belongs to the Hawk Conservation Trust. The birds they had were fascinating. Instead of a "show" we learnt a lot about them from dedicated handlers.
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What is this fledgling, I haven't a clue? About thrush size, maybe slightly larger. Distinct red banded upper tail with yellow green body. Very poor image, but best I could get unfortunately. Seen in Caledonian Forest near Loch Morlich.
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A good day today. Firstly a stoat ran across the lane from the site as we were setting off for our morning walk and then spotted a Willow Warbler singing from tree on the way back. Walking through Kirroughtree Forest we spotted a Treecreeper and a Red Squirrel. Then this evening, while stood filling our water carrier there were 2 Buzzards circling and hovering over head and a Red Kite riding the thermals.
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My initial though too, a EGWP but beak was wrong. After trawling though copious photos I'm pretty convinced now it was a juvenile Redstart. Must say we've seen both eagles whilst up in Wester Ross and Red Kites near Inverness but no Ospreys on this trip. Buzzards everywhere!
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Think your right Mickysf.
Funny thing about Ospreys this year, we normally get them on their way in an out of the country they stay and feed for a couple of days then get on their way. This year there have been reports of a couple hanging about a while then disappearing before returning.
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