What have you seen

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  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2852

    Isn't it good of nature to get the Hawthorn to flower after the Blackthorn has just finished?

    Watching Starlings catching May flies on the wing. Very adept at it. We have a lot of Buzzards around here and I'm beginning to recognise the markings ion one or two of them, particularly as they seem to be sticking to their own patch now.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2853

    Have had the Hoopoe outside our lounge window for the last few days walking around the grass locking for insects  and what a strong beak even had a couple times he raised his crest what a lovely sight and he does walk about quite quickly also  had the Nightingale singing all last night as we are sleeping in the caravan he is a lot closer to us even OH said gosh he is loud and a lot of different notes, plenty of butterflies about today with the sun back out Pearly Heath Small Copper, Large Wall and Small Blues.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2854

     Have spotted Long Tailed Tits, and Garden Warbler, and heard Chiffchaffs and I thing Blackcap, over the last couple of days during our walks through t h e local woods.

  • greylag
    greylag Club Member Posts: 585
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    edited May 2020 #2855

    Close crop of leg ring, any suggestions as to the last character 9 or 7?.

    I will try the BTO later.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited May 2020 #2856

    I can’t read it either, greylag.

    Swifts are back here, today. Just checked my lists and it was May 5th when we 1st saw them locally last year.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2857

    1st of the season a Black Veined White on my flowers today and a very rare sighting of  Ladybird Spider (Eresus Cinnebarinus) hence the local name on top of my car they have been seen in the UK on RSPB Arne reserve.

    Plenty of butterflies about even saw a few fresh Glanville Fritillary yesterday on my walk down the road and into local field with lots of butterflies about.

    Nightingale singing again today whilst I was varnishing two wooden pots about 3 metres away from me in a oak tree and did manage a glimpse of it.

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited May 2020 #2858

    Has a stroll down to Sawley this morning, beautiful, sunny day.

    Saw redstart in the oak trees down there, another tick for us year list. 🙂

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2859

    Just been watering my plants in the polytunnel there was a Turtle Dove calling great to hear.

    Have got both Black Redstart and the Common Redstart here and both are nesting around our garden one has even tried to nest in our loft but gone elsewhere.

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited May 2020 #2860

    RK wrote "... whilst I was varnishing two wooden pots about 3 metres away from me"

    Must have been a very long handled brush. wink

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2861

    Ha ha Cyberyatch normal size brush but forgot to add the word and heyho it was very warm outside even in the shade 28C phew.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2862

    I can't compete with the sightings of Pliers and RK, but did see a pair of Little Egrets and a Grey Heron in one of the small pools in the local woods today. Also lots of song birds about but as I'm rubbish with most bird song was unable to identify most of songs.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2863

    Had a ride to the coast today and saw Lapwings, Eider Duck, Whitethroat, and a dozen or so Sand Martins  by the boulder clay cliffs.

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,064 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2864

    I have had to come into house, it’s a sweltering 26c here, no breeze at all. Swifts have arrived, saw and heard first ones over house. Closely followed by a Sparrowhawk.........

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2865

    Sat outside with a cup of tea late afternoon and it seems the birds are getting more used to our continuous presence at the moment. The spotted woodpecker seemed unfazed by me nearby. 

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2866

    Went back up to the golf course and was gobsmacked to find dozens and dozens of sand martins along the cliffs.  On investigation it looks like the nest site has expanded by at least 300 yards over previous years.  Good to see at least one species doing well

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2867

    Another walk along the shore today. Saw thousands of Dunlin along the incoming tide line and 3 huge murmerstions of birds way out to sea and high in the sky. More Sand Martins about as well as the odd Swallow and House Martins, and a few Wheatear, also a solitary seal, and a Common Lizard. 

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2868

    Tried to do this before, but had to resize. This is the little fellow we saw.

    Edit, Not quite cracked the white band thing yet.undecided

     

  • papgeno
    papgeno Forum Participant Posts: 2,158
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    edited May 2020 #2869

    Out for a walk this morning and saw three very young lapwings watched  over my what I assume was one of their parents.

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2870

    On one of the wildlife sites I follow I came across the following:

    The dead Scops Owl was found by children in their garden in the district of Neunkirchen (Lower Austria).

    Officials were called to investigate the noise by a resident who was annoyed at the ‘loud’ singing. During this inspection shots were heard to ring out. No body was found at the time and the bird was not heard to sing again.

    On Friday 8th May children found the dead bird at the base of a tree.

    "That a weapon is immediately used because a harmless bird is singing, shocked me a lot, ”says Johannes Hohenegger, bird of prey expert at BirdLife Austria.

    He added “It is particularly painful as Scops Owl is a rare breeding bird in Lower Austria”

    The police are now investigating the crime.

    On a slightly happier note 2 x Turtle Doves which were shot on Malta have now recovered sufficiently to be released

     

  • Pliers
    Pliers Forum Participant Posts: 1,864
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    edited May 2020 #2871

    Was reading this morning that there has been an increase in “deaths” of raptors in the UK since the lockdown. Seems gamekeepers have been taking advantage of the lack of visitors/ walkers and “removing “ the birds from the grouse moors without being seen.

    Not good, but no great surprise.

    😢

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited May 2020 #2872

    What have we not seen.

    After spending hundreds of pounds on bird food, supplying nest boxes, keeping cats away and providing fresh water over many years, devastated today to realise they are totally ungrateful. 😩

    They have provided endless hours of pleasure wrens, dunnocks, sparrows, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, greenfinches, pigeons and doves and various occasional visitors.

    The one thing we always miss is the fledging of the blue tits as we are always on our first trip of the year along the east coast nature reserves. This year, with the lockdown, we were hoping to enjoy the fledging.

    Yesterday we became aware that the parents were no longer in and out of the box. Looks like they flew the coup before we got up, bummer.

    lets hope there is a second brood.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2873

    I'm outside now, sitting near a box of bluetit fledglings. I think the parents are trying to encourage them out. The trees are full of other fledglings, it's been an upside to knockdown enjoying all this! 🐦

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited May 2020 #2874

    Hi Brue

    Are you still based near Steart, we were thinking of a a bit of excercise in a more pleasant surrounding if it is not to crowded.

    Any advice, polite pleaselaughing 

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,145 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2875

    We have a lot of gold finches fledged unfortunately a couple of days ago one hit our kitchen window and was killed instantly 

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2876

    Well the advice would be a bit limited as we're over near the Dorset/Devon border. wink Looking at photos of Dunster Beach last weekend I'd hope it would be less crowded.?!

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,474 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2877

    I called to the storage facility where my caravan is over the weekend. I saw about 300 caravans, all gathering dust. frown

  • Bluemalaga
    Bluemalaga Forum Participant Posts: 936
    edited May 2020 #2878

    Our van was serviced and cleaned in early October, then covered for the winter. The way things are going, it will be due the next service before the cover comes off.

  • Wherenext
    Wherenext Club Member Posts: 10,607 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2879

    We've been royally entertained by the birds visiting and stripping bare our fat ball holder.

    In just the last 24 hours we have seen... Blue, Great, Long Tailed, and Coal Tits, plus House Sparrows.

    The Robin, Blackbirds ( male, female and even latest Junior), Song Thrush, Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie all flying up to the holder and having to keep their balance with wing flapping, except the Jay who merely held onto the pole and leaned sideways to gain access, plus 2 natural bird feeder raiders, the GSW and the Nuthatch.

    The Dunnock, Wren, Woodpigeons and occasional Blackcap have picked up the pieces.

    The Crow decided against it.

    I'm filling the thing up twice a day now. Have to admit it's never dull and as I can see it from the room I'm in at present and from the kitchen it always brightens the mood.

    They may not be rare but to me they are still spectacular.

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2880

    WN we have the local birds here and great to see, did a walk down the road and the sruprise was 2 Turtle Doves  calling to each other then 1 pooped out of a tree just in front of me so a good sighting not time for a photo though and then walked into a local field full of wildflowers and butterflies everywhere all colours a great sight to see just hop e the local farmer does not cut the grass to soon in the field it is my best spot for butterflies even spotted a couple of Chiffchaffs flying about and could hear young birds calling so think they were on feeding duties.  A lot warmer today after a very cool day yesterday and a very warm week to come, also seen some great moths and had another bat flying in front of our cameras the other night.

  • nelliethehooker
    nelliethehooker Club Member Posts: 13,647 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2020 #2881

    I wish we had similar, WN. All we've had on our fat balls,apart from the Wood/Field Mouse have been Jackdaws and young Starlings, who certainly have the knack of hanging on. The crumbs and being picked up by both the mouse and a pair of Dunnocks.