Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1024531 times)

Pingu · « **Reply #2425 on:** 11 March, 2012, 09:53:25 pm »

Today's haul: more lambs, buzzards, geese & larks plus yellowhammers & a kestrel.

PaulR · « **Reply #2426 on:** 12 March, 2012, 01:29:10 pm »

I love that short-toed eagle Steph. It brings back memories of walking on the edges of the Cevennes. There was one moment when one of these eagles seemed to be showing slightly too much interest in the youngest member of the peewit family, but I'm sure it could not have done any real harm.

We've still got lingering redwings in our neighbourhood. Presumably if they hang around here any longer they'll miss their breeding opportunities elsewhere.

Oh, and a huge shield bug in our kitchen this weekend. We finally managed to get it into our box hedge where it disappeared.

Steph · « **Reply #2427 on:** 12 March, 2012, 02:32:24 pm »

I will say it again: I am pleased with that picture! I did get a lot of crap ones, though, and I missed the black and Egyptian vultures that came through.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2428 on:** 12 March, 2012, 09:32:33 pm »

It's a fantastic photo! The photo of the black kite is not so good as a photograph but is interesting to me as I didn't know they were found that far north, and most of the others I've never even heard of!

As for what I've seen today, it was three buzzards squabbling with a crow over a dead rabbit in a field (winner: me! They all flew off when I stopped to watch... $:-\$ ) and a stag, which I think was a red deer (though its coat was actually grey).

Steph · « **Reply #2429 on:** 13 March, 2012, 01:06:16 am »

So far north? That was Gibraltar! The black kite is quite common throughout Europe, particularly in Southern France.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2430 on:** 13 March, 2012, 10:07:05 am »

I've only seen them in India (that I remember) so I think of them as belonging far further south!

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #2431 on:** 13 March, 2012, 09:42:28 pm »

A buzzard on top of my house, it was crying (miaowing) away for some reason and didn't seem fazed by my presence. Nipped inside for a camera, but it flew off.
I can't recall seeing one like that before.

Snakehips · « **Reply #2432 on:** 13 March, 2012, 09:49:54 pm »

Quote from: Tail End Charlie on 13 March, 2012, 09:42:28 pm

A buzzard on top of my house, it was crying (miaowing) away for some reason and didn't seem fazed by my presence. Nipped inside for a camera, but it flew off.
I can't recall seeing one like that before.

I once saw a Kestrel behaving oddly on my roof and elsewhere , rather like a lost child !
Maybe it had just been driven away by its parents. I believe some larger birds including birds of prey change their behaviour abruptly towards their offspring when it deemed to be time for them to 'leave home'.

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #2433 on:** 14 March, 2012, 10:48:21 pm »

Yes, there was something definitely odd about this one. I thought perhaps it had made a kill and left or dropped it, but couldn't see anything obvious.

Tim Hall · « **Reply #2434 on:** 15 March, 2012, 02:44:29 pm »

On a similar note, the other day I spotted a raptor of some sort coming up from out of a field, over the hedge and over the road as I passed beneath it. It appeared to be carrying something (dinner presumably) in its talons. From the bullet head I'd say it was a kestrel.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2435 on:** 15 March, 2012, 06:48:57 pm »

Pussy willow and heard a chiff-chaff.

Adrian · « **Reply #2436 on:** 17 March, 2012, 10:22:31 am »

A robin in the kitchen. It had come in the back door and was banging its head on the window, so I caught it and put it back out the door where it flew off seemingly none the worse for the experience.

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #2437 on:** 18 March, 2012, 06:42:08 pm »

Still 7 whoopers on Threipmuir and a brambling on the feeders at Bavelaw. But spring is in the air, lots of skylark song and displaying lapwings.

clarion · « **Reply #2438 on:** 19 March, 2012, 02:15:18 am »

A jay in Sutton.

Peter · « **Reply #2439 on:** 19 March, 2012, 10:14:18 am »

@ Clarion

There is no J in Sutton!

On a ride yesterday (Dales), I saw a cock pheasant, two curlews, oystercatchers and a lapwing all in the same field. A grouse, later on.

Basil · « **Reply #2440 on:** 19 March, 2012, 11:14:19 am »

Yesterday, a largeish bird swimming with its body just below the surface of the river. Its long neck doing a good Loch Ness Monster tribute.
No crest, but I'm guessing Great Crested Grebe still in winter attire.

Snakehips · « **Reply #2441 on:** 19 March, 2012, 06:38:59 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 19 March, 2012, 11:14:19 am

No crest, but I'm guessing Great Crested Grebe still in winter attire.

Cormorant ?

Snakehips · « **Reply #2442 on:** 19 March, 2012, 06:45:19 pm »

I was riding along listening to a shrill repeated monosyllabic call , thinking Nuthatch. I glanced up and saw the rear end of a Nuthatch sticking out of a tree hole. Clearly not the one I heard calling but a pleasure anyway.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2443 on:** 19 March, 2012, 10:23:52 pm »

Quite a lot of the usual waders, including avocet, but the most remarkable bird we saw today, and a species I haven't seen for a few years, was a short-eared owl.

LindaG · « **Reply #2444 on:** 20 March, 2012, 12:51:27 pm »

Lapwings, peewitting madly whilst doing that mad courtship dance, I could watch them all day

A bunny. Ducks. A yellowhammer. Grey wagtails

I heard a curlew as well.

Technically this was yesterday.

Maverick · « **Reply #2445 on:** 20 March, 2012, 01:11:37 pm »

Osprey on the River Isla when I was out walking the dog - that's the second time in a week. They are early this year.

tiermat · « **Reply #2446 on:** 20 March, 2012, 01:18:58 pm »

As with LG, this was technically yesterday, but I saw a raptor. Not that unusual around here, but this one was bigger than the usual ones(hobbies and kestrels), and looked more like a Peregrin Falcon (Looking at the RSPB bird identifier it might have been a Goshawk, more grey under the wings, and wings more rounded than the PF)

It also lead me to remember Mrs T seeing a LARGE raptor sat on our deck at the beginning of the year, and I started speculating about the missing cats being reported in our area (3 I know of so far this year).

Pingu · « **Reply #2447 on:** 22 March, 2012, 12:22:36 pm »

A GS woodpecker from our front door - never seen one in the city before.

A seal in the harbour.

clarion · « **Reply #2448 on:** 22 March, 2012, 12:24:06 pm »

Ah, this morning, on the Parkland Walk near Crouch End, I heard (but didn't see

) two woodpeckers - one each side of the path.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #2449 on:** 23 March, 2012, 08:18:21 am »

Two young rabbits, chasing a cock pheasant round and round in circles

Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1024531 times)

Tail End Charlie

Tail End Charlie

LindaG