Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1014222 times)

rafletcher · « **Reply #6025 on:** 10 January, 2022, 09:51:01 am »

A Heron, in the waterlogged bit of the field opposite.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #6026 on:** 14 January, 2022, 09:09:27 pm »

A hen sparrowhawk, just as I was driving along Redbridge Lane to get home. Sadly there was someone behind me so I couldn't stop and get a closer look.

slowfen · « **Reply #6027 on:** 20 January, 2022, 09:23:10 am »

well yesterday

a merlin

Flite · « **Reply #6028 on:** 20 January, 2022, 12:40:08 pm »

Brilliant to spot a Merlin.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6029 on:** 21 January, 2022, 10:50:57 am »

A squirrel perched on top of the bird table roof and a cock pheasant stood at the base of the table at the same time. Of course both ran of as soon as I tried to get a picture.

sam · « **Reply #6030 on:** 22 January, 2022, 01:15:54 pm »

Speaking of squirrels...

The previous unofficial entrance(s) to the loft having finally been adequately barricaded, just now heard her attempting ingress on another side of the house. Please make your nest in the great outdoors, as generations have before you! I'm not running a daycare centre here.

We had a stare down, me with my head poking out the bedroom window, her peering over the gutter. No picture, unfortunately.

I hauled the ladder out and found another small hole she's likely working on. Have jammed the tile she also probably loosened over it for now.

Someone should have a word with her about the sunk cost fallacy.

rafletcher · « **Reply #6031 on:** 22 January, 2022, 04:23:46 pm »

The local buzzard, perched in a birch tree. Not quite as interesting as our friends in Sidney on Vancouver Island, who on looking out of their front window saw a crowd gathered in the street, with long lenses pointed at their house. More particularly at the Alaska Snowy Owl perched on their ridge of their roof back in December.

https://www.vancouverislandfreedaily.com/community/sidneys-snowy-owl-hides-out-during-annual-christmas-bird-count/

T42 · « **Reply #6032 on:** 22 January, 2022, 04:49:44 pm »

Great Egret, which buggered off before I could get a pic.

Snakehips · « **Reply #6033 on:** 22 January, 2022, 06:18:36 pm »

Rat-tailed maggots in my carefully tended swamp area at the end of the garden. Strangely robins and other carnivores seem not to fancy them.

Basil · « **Reply #6034 on:** 22 January, 2022, 06:58:25 pm »

A heron this morning. Nothing unusual there, I see one most mornings. But this one was perched high in a tree. It looked really odd, it being quite a large bird. Also it was the same tree that I'd previously seen a cormorant looking equally incongruous.

SteveC · « **Reply #6035 on:** 22 January, 2022, 07:24:28 pm »

If you ever get the chance, Basil, go and see a heronry. There's one near us with about 40 nests, all very high up in the trees. Looks most unlikely (and unsafe).

Basil · « **Reply #6036 on:** 22 January, 2022, 07:32:04 pm »

I've never seen a heron's nest. Didn't even know they were a thing until now.
I guess they must be quite large.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6037 on:** 23 January, 2022, 10:54:30 am »

Quote from: SteveC on 22 January, 2022, 07:24:28 pm

If you ever get the chance, Basil, go and see a heronry. There's one near us with about 40 nests, all very high up in the trees. Looks most unlikely (and unsafe).

There is one very close to St. Andrew's University. I stayed there for two consecutive summer schools and both times there were lots of herons messing about in the pine trees to the north of the Agnes Blackadder hall of residence. I never got close enough for a detailed look though.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6038 on:** 01 February, 2022, 12:13:12 pm »

I'm so annoyed I missed it.

Mrs Pcolbeck went out in the back garden with a coffee to let the dog have a pee at dawn. There was a barn owl in our cotoneaster!
The dog had scared it off by the time I had finished faffing and went out.

We have had a tawny owl and a long eared owl before in one of the other trees but that's the first barn owl and I missed it

TheLurker · « **Reply #6039 on:** 01 February, 2022, 04:35:35 pm »

First, confirmed*, skylark of the year, a full fortnight earlier than last year (16th Feb), about an hour ago. Stood listening and watching it from take-off to a power dive and pull out for landing. I prefer their "parachute" descents to the dives, but it was a lovely thing to see and hear.

*Thought I heard one at the weekend, but couldn't be certain.

CrazyEnglishTriathlete · « **Reply #6040 on:** 01 February, 2022, 04:43:10 pm »

Quote from: SteveC on 22 January, 2022, 07:24:28 pm

If you ever get the chance, Basil, go and see a heronry. There's one near us with about 40 nests, all very high up in the trees. Looks most unlikely (and unsafe).

There is an egretry at Pagham Harbour. They've decided to use blackthorn rather than altitude as a way of keeping punters away.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6041 on:** 01 February, 2022, 06:42:35 pm »

Quote from: TheLurker on 01 February, 2022, 04:35:35 pm

First, confirmed*, skylark of the year, a full fortnight earlier than last year (16th Feb), about an hour ago. Stood listening and watching it from take-off to a power dive and pull out for landing. I prefer their "parachute" descents to the dives, but it was a lovely thing to see and hear.

I was watching some in a field last week. They are resident all year round, I don't think they migrate. They do stop singing and doing the mad ascent and descent thing in winter though.

SteveC · « **Reply #6042 on:** 01 February, 2022, 07:12:34 pm »

Earliest I have noted them singing (and I don't keep complete records) is 21st January.

TheLurker · « **Reply #6043 on:** 01 February, 2022, 08:13:52 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck

Quote from: TheLurker
First, confirmed*, skylark of the year...
I was watching some in a field last week. They are resident all year round, ...

Aye, we thought we'd seen them during the winter*, but we weren't sure what with one LBJ being pretty much like another. This is the first year in 20 odd that the fields weren't mown flat so there's been long grass for them to hide in.

*Winter's officially over, the skylarks are singing.

rafletcher · « **Reply #6044 on:** 02 February, 2022, 08:06:40 am »

Today I heard the first dawn chorus of the year, preceeded by 20 minutes of the Song Thrush in the hedge opposite the house singing it's heart out. And 2 hares in the back field.

PaulR · « **Reply #6045 on:** 03 February, 2022, 01:17:29 pm »

Yes, today was the first day this year when the noise of birds was enough to call a chorus!

And larks, well, we have fields full of them around here (Vale of Aylesbury) and they make a lovely sound.

Here they are in December.
https://fieldrecordings.xyz/2021/12/08/skylarks-buckinghamshire-uk-in-november-2021-by-paul-ridout/

pcolbeck · « **Reply #6046 on:** 20 February, 2022, 09:35:41 am »

A pair of cock pheasants chasing each other round and round our garden like something out of Looney Tunes. They have been at it for a quarter of an hour so far. On the last lap one did a spectacular skid on the wet patio.

Jaded · « **Reply #6047 on:** 23 February, 2022, 04:33:24 pm »

Seen yesterday...

Looked lost. there weren't many insects about, and it was flying in a loop in amongst a circle of trees. They shouldn't be out at this time and they normally fly a route, rest, fly again. There are some big trees where it was flying, but these were cut down in autumn.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #6048 on:** 23 February, 2022, 06:17:35 pm »

I heard Something singing as I was cycling home a few minutes ago. I think it was a song thrush, but I could really do with having listened a bit longer. There was too much traffic about for me to hear it very clearly.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #6049 on:** 27 February, 2022, 01:53:14 pm »

Swifts! \o/