What have you seen

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  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited March 2020 #2762

    Had a walk this morning in the magic hour after most of the dog walkers had completed their early morning circuit and before the tourists descended on Portchester Castle. Was rewarded by seeing our local kingfisher flitting up and down the moat surrounding the meadow.

  • marchie1053
    marchie1053 Forum Participant Posts: 584
    edited March 2020 #2763

    We walked around the beach area in Burntisland and saw a flock of Great Tits, many walking 4 abreast to occupy the full width of the promenade, so 2 metres social distancing became about 10cm. Some Lesser Tits who could be identified by only walking in pairs, many in the adolescent stage of development so possibly mature enough to breed next year; they left as much as 60cm space between each other but still left very little space for some Old Buzzards on mobility scooters to pass safely.

    The raw beauty of Mother Nature on a bracing Sunday afternoon on the Firth of Forth ...

    Steve

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2764

    Reading previous posts on here about pond life (nothing to do with the above post! wink) We've had nothing in our pond until this weekend, suddenly we have frog and toad spawn and the newts are active.

    Butterflies are starting to emerge in the sun, I love the bright yellow Brimstones, this always heralds Spring for me. smile

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2765

    Small Tortoiseshells in the garden for over a week.  Robins mate has turned up.  Siskin on feeder this morning 

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2766

    We have very few birds in our garden for one reason or another, the occasional Robin and a Rook who devours the peanuts on the feeder. However just after we went to bed last night the security light came on and looking out spotted a hedgehog making it's way through the garden.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2767

    Working in the garden this morning was a joy, not something I've been heard saying very often.

    There was plenty of Songbirds chattering away, with both Song and Mistle Thrush, a GSW battering hell out of a tree trunk, Chiffchaffs doing what they do but best of all some very contented Chickens from the bungalow 3 doors down and the filthy laugh of the Ducks a couple of streets away. Not a lawnmower, hammer, drill or Karcher going anywhere. Sheer bliss.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2768

    After a very noisy day yesterday thanks to a burst of mechanical activity around us (loudest of all was a petrol driven lawn edger, never heard one before, we just go round with a half moon spade.) We could hear the birds today and they could hear each other! wink

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2769

    We had a pleasant walk yesterday along by Sandscale Haws. There were Lapwings and Curlews calling and Skylarks singing above the dunes.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,064 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2770

    Nice to hear birds singing all day long, so little other noise. We are getting butterflies as well, Peacocks and Tortoiseshell. 

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2771

    We have had 1 lonely swallow fly over us usually see more by now.

    Had my hour exercise this afternoon down the road and through a wood plenty of brids singing blackbirds, thrushes, chiffchaffs and blackcaps also plenty of butterflies orange tips, wall brown, brimstone, large tortoiseshell and peacocks good to see and hearing the birds there are lot of cowslips out along the road verges.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2772

    I meant ask about Swallows the other day RedKite as we haven't seen any yet. smile

    If anyone's been looking skywards the view of the crescent moon and Venus in the west have been spectacular, last night the moon was tinged with red from the setting sun.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2773

    We had a swallow over the garden about 10 days ago

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2774

    Swallow seen on the Dee estuary the other day but just a solitary one. 

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2775

    One of the benefits from our power outage yesterday was the chance to see the sky in all its glory. No street or house lights on and a clear sky as well. A rare treat and Venus was indeed beautiful as were the many recognisable constellations. 

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2776

    For a couple of months or so now we've seen that one of the squirrels we get in the garden appears to have had some sort of accident: it has a very short tail!  It's about a third of the normal size.

    It doesn't appear to hinder it in getting on the top of the bird feeder though, and doesn't appear to have lost any weight, so obviously very adaptable.

     

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2020 #2777

    Our local Sparrowhawk is on the prowl, we've been watching him on the ground under a hedge near the bird feeders, we then realised he was standing on a mouse or a small bird. He is the deadliest of all the predators around but I suppose needs food himself...frown we watched him lift his prey up into an apple tree and then fly off.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2778

    A  Hoopoe has arrived here yesterday and today 2 more swallows flying over usually a lot more than 2 at this time of year, Blackcaps singing  in the garden. The sparrowhawk here has had 1 Blue Tit and a Collared Dove as you say brue they need food also.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2779

    You're having to do our migration watch for us RK. Keep posting as we'll get a vicarious pleasure out of it.smile

    Out on a walk today and heard a kerfuffle from a bunch of birds in a thicket. Next minute a Sparrowhawk flies off with his prey. At least a quick death.

  • Unknown
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    edited April 2020 #2780
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  • SteveL
    SteveL Club Member Posts: 12,311 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2781

    Woodpeckers were on full hammer action during our exercise period in Sherwood Forest yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately despite hearing them, in all the years we've lived here have only caught fleeting glimpses a couple of times.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2782

    We are lucky Steve. They visit us, both male and female, multiple times a day to attack the fat balls. The smaller birds love it as the GSWs make a real mess and loads end up on the floor.

    Whilst outside on the drive today I saw 2 Buzzards, the male performing his courtship swooping romance dive for the female. She seemed impressed as they both glided off together.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2783

    Good couple of days birdwatching from the garden.  Yesterday’s highlight was a white tailed eagle flying along the coast and then heading North West.  Very rare visitor in our neck of the woods.  
    Today a Western Osprey flew over the house heading North.  This evening a pair of long tailed tits were dancing around the garden, don’t know if they are looking for a nest site.

    Not all good news though we used to have a flock of about 25 Starlings visit the garden daily all year round.  In the last couple of weeks I have only seen one, no idea why though

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2784

    Going to try and see the ISS flying over around 8.50pm tonight. Missed it last night due to cloudy skies. I think that's the last opportunity for a while.

    The skies were so clear today we could see the sort of clouds that are normally lost due to vapour trails spreading out. Reminded me of when we were young and could really see the different clouds!

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited April 2020 #2785

    A flock of about 100 golden plover over our local moors this morning, good to see them back on their breeding grounds.

    Only a short stroll from home, so I am allowed there for my daily ration of outdoor exercise!

    🙂

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2786

    An unusual and delightful sighting today of 2 Lapwings over a farmers field, fighting off the local Seagull population. I fear their endeavours will be for nought as the farmers were in on the return journey furrowing the fields. Not very often we see Lapwings in this part of the world.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2787

    Just seen our first bat of the year. Not sure I'm well disposed towards Bats at the moment though.undecided

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited April 2020 #2788

    Heard willow warblers singing this morning, 1st this year. Also lots of snipe displaying over the moors. Lovely sunny day, nice escape from reality!

    🙂

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2789

    WN we have pipistrelle bats here flying around the house the ither evening whilst watching the ISS go over and 1 bat managed to get one of our lights to come on with a sensor on it.

    We have heard the Cuckoo the last two days but not in full song yet sounds like she has hiccups!

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited April 2020 #2790

    A pleasant walk by Sandscale Haws on the way back from shopping. Green and Gold Finches, Meadow Pilots, Skylarks and Stonechats, and a Peacock Butterfly as we walked down to the sea; Lapwings and Little Egrets on the marsh; Redshanks, Shelducks, Oyster Catchers, a solitary male Eider Duck, and a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers on the water.

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited April 2020 #2791

    Sitting in the garden heard a wren calling then noticed it was picking up Rosas fur from her grooming ,then also notice a blue tit doing the same, both flew into next doors garden,,so started to take more notice ,a wood pigeon was making a nest in the Ivy on our garage wall,and sparrows making a nest in the same ivy,