Author Topic: Seen today  (Read 996688 times)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5775 on: 03 March, 2021, 09:57:14 am »
Foggy this morning. But this appeared out of the gloom just outside our bedroom.


A heron after your frogs

nicknack

  • Hornblower
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5776 on: 03 March, 2021, 10:33:36 am »
Foggy this morning. But this appeared out of the gloom just outside our bedroom.


A heron after your frogs
Aye, probably. But it flew off without going down to the pond.
There's no vibrations, but wait.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5777 on: 09 March, 2021, 07:56:25 am »
A huge flock of fieldfares when walking the dog yesterday afternoon and a buzzard been scolded by crows.
This morning there was a pair of quail sat on our garden wall when I was making coffee.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5778 on: 21 March, 2021, 10:30:15 pm »

White Storks building nests at the Knepp Estate in darkest Sussex.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5779 on: 21 March, 2021, 11:03:14 pm »
 :thumbsup:

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5780 on: 03 April, 2021, 01:13:44 pm »
Heard rather than seen. I recorded unidentified birdsong coming from the environs of my neighbours's holly tree. I'm accustomed to hearing blackbirds, robins, and we have had a very noisy wren in the past week or so. But this was different. I've consulted people who probably know better than I (my first thought was blackcap) and the suggestion is garden warbler.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5781 on: 04 April, 2021, 01:35:22 pm »
Seen today: a buzzard, crossing over Richmond Park at about 7.30 this morning. Also, a goldcrest, only a metre or so away for long enough to have a proper look. And 3 little owls!

Heard: chiffchaff, woodpeckers (many).


Re: Seen today
« Reply #5782 on: 04 April, 2021, 08:33:16 pm »
A couple of swallows.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5783 on: 12 April, 2021, 03:30:08 pm »
First swallow of the year.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5784 on: 19 April, 2021, 03:36:04 pm »
A couple of muntjac strolling through the early morning frost in the field behind our house.  And, increasingly, buzzards, including one yesterday that looked very much like it was "stooping".  Competition for the red kites.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5785 on: 19 April, 2021, 11:49:19 pm »
Muntjac at the side of the road thinking better of it as I braced for impact.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5786 on: 20 April, 2021, 06:08:57 am »
Great crested grebe chicks

Basil

  • Um....err......oh bugger!
  • Help me!
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5787 on: 20 April, 2021, 06:54:24 am »
Yesterday. One swallow.
Admission.  I'm actually not that fussed about cake.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5788 on: 20 April, 2021, 12:58:48 pm »
Heard rather than seen. I recorded unidentified birdsong coming from the environs of my neighbours's holly tree. I'm accustomed to hearing blackbirds, robins, and we have had a very noisy wren in the past week or so. But this was different. I've consulted people who probably know better than I (my first thought was blackcap) and the suggestion is garden warbler.

A couple of days ago another (unknown to me) person reported to the local RSPB sightings website seeing a garden warbler in some ornamental gardens a couple of hundred yards away. I'll assume it was the same bird that sang to me.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5789 on: 01 May, 2021, 10:34:43 am »
My brother tells me he saw a solitary swift yesterday at Hanningfield Reservoir.
The loss of humanity I could live with.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5790 on: 06 May, 2021, 01:14:33 pm »
I have just had a Jay in the garden. That is the first in 43 years of living here and I have only seen three or four in the wild before.
Oddly, we started getting visits from two Crows to the bird feeder only a fortnight ago. We have Magpies and I saw a Jackdaw about 100 metres down our road yesterday.
Rooks there are plenty of a couple of hundred metres away. Do I only need a Raven for a complete Corvid set? Ignoring Choughs as unlikely to be found a mile from this small city centre.
Never knowingly under caffeinated

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5791 on: 06 May, 2021, 01:18:16 pm »
Raven.

Also there are two species of crow: carrion and hooded.

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5792 on: 06 May, 2021, 07:42:26 pm »
A pair of buzzards, fairly low, over the field opposite. They seem to be becoming more frequent a sight, after red kites have become commonplace.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5793 on: 07 May, 2021, 09:56:09 am »
OK, here's a weird one... this morning, I took the dog for a walk on the beach at Reculver. He was having a good run about, then stopped and started barking at something. I wandered over to see what it was, and was surprised to say the least...

(click to show/hide)

Also saw some interesting birds, which I need help identifying - unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures...

First, a flock of smallish birds that were nesting in the cliff - there was a series of holes dotted over the cliff face, and they were all coming out and flying around in a flock. Mostly black but with some white bits. Short, wide V-shaped tail. Possibly storm petrels?

Second, a few individual birds pottering about on the beach by the edge of the sea. Round and fat, black and white plumage, with long legs and long, bright orange beaks. They flew off over the sea before I got near enough to get a decent close-up look at them. I reckon oystercatchers. Does that sound right?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5794 on: 07 May, 2021, 11:19:40 am »
I thought storm petrels only came to the nest site at night.
Second one definitely oyster catchers.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5795 on: 07 May, 2021, 11:46:53 am »
Raven.

Also there are two species of crow: carrion and hooded.

Thanks for the Raven; that is what I meant to type.
As little chance of Hooded Crows here as Choughs, I am afraid
Never knowingly under caffeinated

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5796 on: 07 May, 2021, 12:01:04 pm »
...Also saw some interesting birds, which I need help identifying - unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures...

First, a flock of smallish birds that were nesting in the cliff - there was a series of holes dotted over the cliff face, and they were all coming out and flying around in a flock. Mostly black but with some white bits. Short, wide V-shaped tail. Possibly storm petrels?...

Where were the white bits? The nearest I can think of to your description is house martin.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5797 on: 07 May, 2021, 12:15:42 pm »
Where were the white bits? The nearest I can think of to your description is house martin.

The white bits were mainly on the underside. Looking at some pictures of house martins, I think they are a good match for what I saw - size and shape is pretty much spot on. I think you've nailed it. :thumbsup:

I thought storm petrels only came to the nest site at night.

Yes, I just read that elsewhere on the internet, so I'm now pretty sure they're not storm petrels.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Seen today
« Reply #5798 on: 07 May, 2021, 12:23:51 pm »
I have just had a Jay in the garden. That is the first in 43 years of living here and I have only seen three or four in the wild before.

We used to have a couple that were regular visitors to our garden, but I've not seen them for a while.  :(

We also used to get a green woodpecker but I've not seen him for ages either.

Suspect they've been chased out by the magpies, which are numerous round here.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Seen today
« Reply #5799 on: 07 May, 2021, 12:43:28 pm »
OK, here's a weird one... this morning, I took the dog for a walk on the beach at Reculver. He was having a good run about, then stopped and started barking at something. I wandered over to see what it was, and was surprised to say the least...

(click to show/hide)

Also saw some interesting birds, which I need help identifying - unfortunately I wasn't able to get any pictures...

First, a flock of smallish birds that were nesting in the cliff - there was a series of holes dotted over the cliff face, and they were all coming out and flying around in a flock. Mostly black but with some white bits. Short, wide V-shaped tail. Possibly storm petrels?

Second, a few individual birds pottering about on the beach by the edge of the sea. Round and fat, black and white plumage, with long legs and long, bright orange beaks. They flew off over the sea before I got near enough to get a decent close-up look at them. I reckon oystercatchers. Does that sound right?
That field which runs down to Reculver, the one with the plastic path laid in it, it's often covered in mole hills.