What have you seen

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  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited January 2020 #2642

    We were in Manchester yesterday, for the match at the Etihad. Amazed to see a flock of about 40 lapwings flying over the ground, a very built up area, about a mile from the city centre.

    2020 year list coming on nicely, saw a treecreeper today, close to home. Not a bird we see very often locally, but we do get a lot of nuthatches.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2643
  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2644

    I've got a new phone and took a few photos in our garden today. I spent a long time trying to resize them but the collage version seems to work. Nice to see some colour in January. smile

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2645

    Nice Brue. Not much colour in our garden at the moment.

    Been very concerned about a poor little Coal Tit. It was sitting in our caged peanut holder for half an hour occasionally pecking away at some nuts whilst all of the Blue Tits ignored it. They usually spend about 20 seconds maximum. This one was all puffed up and sat on the base of the holder. It eventually disappeared. Hope it manages to survive.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2646

    Good walk at Breydon Water today, met up with a guy who does a daily bird count.  Lot of Widgeon about and he told me his estimate was 61000 which I believe when seeing them all fly up.  He had also estimated 12000 Lapwing.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2647

    Out walking Flyte on the last couple of days along the main road into town I saw a Tree Creeper on each day at a different place each day, and then this afternoon spotted a Charm of Goldfinches, numbering about 50 birds.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2648

    Despite the weather, it was lovely to hear the sound of Spring approaching as I heard a Song Thrush, a Blackbird and a Robin all singing and a GSW drumming.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2649

    Whilst driving between Chester and Runcorn on the M56 Mrs WN saw a Little Owl perched atop a fence post in the adjacent fields and later on saw a Buzzard doing the same. Presumably the flooded fields are good hunting grounds at the moment.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2650

    A first for me today whilst hanging some washing out saw a small bird flying about so watched it for about 4 minutes it was a male Woodlark  doing it's flight display not as high as a skylark but very impressive, also had two Red Kites fly over and two common Buzzards finding a thermal above the house. Had a lot of birds singing Blue and Great Tits, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Chaffinches and Nuthatches,  weather has felt springlike again today upto 17.6C unusual for January so coffee outside watching the birds.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2651

    There's an early flowering Rhododendron in a garden that we often pass on our morning walks but have never seen it in bloom in the middle of January before. They may bloom this early down south but most unusual this far north I think

  • redface
    redface Forum Participant Posts: 1,701
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    edited January 2020 #2652

    What have I seen?

    A dead thrush, I think it hit a window at full tilt, being eaten by a magpie.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2020 #2653

    Fast food then?

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2654

    At long, long last I have connected with some Short Eared Owls, 3 have taken up residence close by.

    After 5 visits I managed to get them up close, I caught the last minute of a fly round and managed to get a couple of pics, would have been more, but I was too excited to concentrate.

    May visit again later today.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2655

    Great spot and photo's GL.  Only seen one so far this winter.  There are usually some at both Carlton and Oulton marshes

     

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2656

    We have 3 in attendance......just about to go  back out and try again.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2657

    Well...2 SEO's,1 Barn Owl and loads of happy snappers.

    Also had a SEO with a vole being mugged by a Kestrel.  The owl lost it's prey in the chase and sat on a fence post and sulked.

    Tomorrow will be the last time I'll be attending as I do not think I can get any better pic's, although being a weak person I may succumb to the attraction of the SEO's.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2658
  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2659

    Great photos Greylag and your patience for getting them.

    Nothing so good here just had 8 Mistle Thrushes on our plot also had a male Sparrowhawk go close to the lounge window yesterday but did not catch anything.

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited January 2020 #2660

    Full of envy GL. The change of viewpoint has certainly improved the end result. Having the sun at your back makes a world of difference to the quality of shot. 

    Our usual patch for the SEO's (Aust Warth, between the two severn crossings) has been empty so far this year, still hoping or may have to have a day trip somewhere, nearest is about 40 miles away at present.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2661

    BM, you are quite right, having the sun behind makes a world of difference.  Amazed that many other 'experts' remained in place with the sun in front or to the side....

    In the morning I was watching a family of Otters, but the sun was dead in front of me and the Otters were mostly blotted out by the brightness, still nice though to be that close.

    I am taking a rest from the SEO's....my wife called me a 'Twitcher' the other day...she knows how to hurt.

    Not bad for one day though.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2662

    Decent day along the Whafe....a couple of female Goosanders, numerous Grey Herons and Dippers, and a glimpse of what I think was a Mink. Back on site it was pleasing to see a pair of Long Tailed Tits on the feeder I put up when we arrived yesterday.

    A couple of great spots there, GL

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2663

    More birdlife  along the Wharfe today. Multiple pairs of Mallards, a few Herons, a pair of Goosanders, Grey Wagtails, Trees Creeper, a GSW hammering away, and most surprisingly about 100 Mandarin Ducks!!

     

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2664

    GL where did you see the SEO or is it a closely guarded secret.?  I saw one at Oulton Marshes but it was flying away directly into the sun 

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2665

    It's such a closely guarded secret....but I'm going to take a risk and tell you.....Hardley Staithe...........

    In actual fact it's no secret at all.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited January 2020 #2666

    BM....I have a question which I will post in Hobbies section.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited January 2020 #2667

    A common seal has been seen on one of the lakes at Nene Parksurprised

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2668

    For the last fortnight or so we've seen 2 blue tits looking at, and going in to, the nesting box.  This happens a few times every day.  I thought it was rather early to start looking where to build a nest, but perhaps the mildish weather has something to do with it?  Never seen them doing that this early in the year.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2669

    Went to Hardley Staite this morning. No owls but did see Marsh Harriers, Kestrel, Heron, Cormorant and also heard a Sky Lark.

    Never been here before so thanks GL

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2020 #2670

    Spotted the same thing happening this morning in one of the new nest boxes set up behind the CL we're on at the moment.

    Went to Gibraltar point this morning but there wasn't a lot to see, especially as the rain came in early.... Little Egret, lots of Wigeon, a few Little Grebes and Goldeneyes. There were a few large flights of birds but much too far to be sure of species, possibly Golden Plover.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2020 #2671

    Doubt that it's a record, but very interesting all the same.....We had 7 Long Tailed Tits on our fatball feeder at the same time this afternoon.