What have you seen
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Just noticed an error on my list yesterday, which I put down to predictive text and me not checking what I have typed. It should have read GSW ie Great Spotted Woodpeckers, which perhaps I should have written out in full at the time!!
It was good to have my observation of Snipe confirmed this morning when out walking with the WNs. We also saw the Goosanders again, and a Tree Creeper during our walk. This afternoon I saw another pair of ducks I can't identify. Both were dappled brown in colour and the one I took to be the male had an orange band on it's shoulder and was orange around the rear too. Anyone any idea?
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We have been watching some nest box activity today, we think it's a pair of Linnets, intriguing, so will keep an eye out for further developments. We also had a Bullfinch on a feeder right by our kitchen window, another unusual event as we rarely see Bullfinches although the winter honeysuckle flowers and buds seems to tempt them. It's been very frosty and cold but the bird activity is increasing each day, good to hear them singing.
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'Tis a puzzle if you don't know!! Thanks all the same.😊
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I've been cogitating.
2 possibilities. Depends how far away they were. One obvious one is Shelduck which does have brown shoulder strap and brownish rump but is very distinctive in all other markings. The other might be Egyptian Goose, which can look like a large duck from a distance. Quite a "Brown" marked goose. Have a look online, otherwise I'm out of suggestions.
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Don't think it was either of those, as I am sure I would have recognised either. I might try BTO, or perhaps OP!!😁
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They were the only two that struck me as possibilities as well. Can't imagine that NTH would have been unable to ID either of those.
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I had a look through all of my bird books but couldn't come up with any ideas, I even checked the section for rare visitors without any luck. I wonder if anyone in the area where you saw them has a collection of ornamental wildfowl, making these two escapee's.
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Good idea Impy.
There's the Wildfowl centre at Martinmere by Southport and I know Ruddy Ducks have turned up at various lakes in Cheshire from there. Otherwise it might just be Nellies old age catching up with him and he needs new lenses in his glasses.
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Ringed teal, maybe?
Just a guess, and the photo isn’t mine, of course, lifted from a website.
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+1👍🏻
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Perhaps you are right. I am convinced of what I saw and it was a rather fleeting look but the Orange shoulder/wing stripe was distinctive.
The Ringed Teal doesn't match with my recognition of the bird.
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After taking my lead from Pliers I checked with RSPB & they confirmed it👍🏻, I’m happy to go along with Pliers hunch & RSPB’s ID👏🏻👏🏻
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If you insistll
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I don’t, it’s purely optional👍🏻
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They are early, it is usually not before the first week in March that they arrive at the next sites. Last year one was seen at Poole Harbour on 5th March, accords to the UKOsprey webbsite.
There have been numerous reports of sightings of them through France from early in January on the RSPB Loch Garten web site. https://community.rspb.org.uk/placestovisit/lochgartenospreys/f/loch-garten-ospreys/282084/osprey-sightings-2023/1420323#pifragment-4292=1
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Keep them lovely birds away from MY area pleeeease !!
Did a Full All~a~round Top up of the feeders at my home, came in and gave my paws a good scrubbing { Birds can be the messiest of creatures }, put the kettle on and brewed up, then settled down to watch what happened next . Precisely ZERO happened thats what and all because a blooming SPARROWHAWK decided to perch on the drinking/birdbath
.I hadn't the heart to drive it away ~~ they are just another one of natures Beauties after all, but it didn't stay too long anyway, obviously liked Fast Food !!
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Same here ABM, we were enjoying the big variety of birds appearing this morning including a nice flock of goldfinches (or is that a "charm?") when everything exploded! Some of the hunting has been successful so the survival of the fittest is always there. Sparrowhawks are so clever at their game!
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Such a nice day yesterday I set about a few jobs on site. Replacing a rotten post at the playfield gate, I'm knelt down squaring up the post hole when, you know when you get the feeling of being watched. Well there was a buzzard on the post the other end of the gate watching me work, only 6 feet away. It was hard to keep still and get in a position where I could sit and watch. One of those fantastic moments, only lasted about half a minute before he loped off.
JK
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Talking of Buzzards, I was outside doing some work on the drive when I heard 2 Buzzards high in the air above the house. The male was showing off his aerial skills trying to impress the female. Made an entertaining interlude.
There was also a sighting of a male Blackcap rearranging the feathers after having a bath in the back garden this morning.
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An excellent day of birdwatching at Burton Mere reserve today including a rare sighting for us of a Long Billed Dowitcher, an American tourist.
Also saw a Ruddy Shelduck and some Spotted Redshanks. There was also a first sighting and first song call from a Chiffchaff, who promptly found a female to chase after. Very early to hear one this far north so I'm assuming it was one of a few that overwintered on the Dee Estuary coast.
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Not so much what have I seen more what I’m hoping to see. Had some tip offs today from friends that common crane have been seen at Alkborough. Can’t get straight away so hope, if they are there, they hang around. The CL College Farm https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificatedlocations/england/lincolnshire/scunthorpe/college-farm/ is an excellent place to stay when visiting this reserve.
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Hey micky, don't keep giving away the name of all the good CLs ( another that would be included on my list, if I had one.
), as we will have trouble getting a pitch with all these favourable comments.0 -
Arrived on our latest CL today and the first thing I saw was a pair of Buzzards circling over the site. On our afternoon walk saw 3 flocks of Lapwings and a few Curlew, then during this evening's walk, around 17:30 just as it was going dark, I was lucky enough to be able to watch a Barn Owl coursing the heathland up the road from the site.
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