Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018551 times)

border-rider · « **Reply #2200 on:** 22 November, 2011, 02:03:33 pm »

On our post box this morning. She's up late (November), albeit looking a bit brown round the edges. The postman was quite disconcerted.

nicknack · « **Reply #2201 on:** 23 November, 2011, 07:54:04 pm »

Not remotely cycle related but seen a couple of days ago in Amsterdam. About 7pm just after the fish stall in the market had packed up.

I never realised they were particularly opportunistic buggers, but there they were - about half a dozen of them - just hanging about for scraps. Most herons scarper when you get within about 50 yards of them. These were wandering around in the street and only toddled away if you got within a couple of feet from them.

Just like the people, Dutch herons are somewhat more laid back than ours.

ferret · « **Reply #2202 on:** 24 November, 2011, 02:16:53 pm »

Don't see this very often, even here. Turned off the A40 heading home when I spied a Red Kite flying about 15 to 20 foot above & in front of me

when suddenly he folded his wings and dropped to the road, didn't actually land but picked up something, flying away it looked like a worm hanging from his feet, had to brake quite hard other wise I would have flattened him ( I was in the car ) nice to see them in "action" so to speak

Feanor · « **Reply #2203 on:** 25 November, 2011, 06:44:05 pm »

Geese.
Millions of them, in flight.

My work is near Montrose Basin, and that's Goose Central.
It's a bird reserve, and a major international stopover for Geese.

The have started their annual commings or goings, and the sky was thick with them flying over at 4pm.
Skene after skene.
And the noise is terrific.
I watched their massed formations passing overhead for about 5 minutes, till I got too cold.
But still they were coming, with no end to them in sight.

--
F

why1040 · « **Reply #2204 on:** 25 November, 2011, 07:14:08 pm »

Coming down the backroads by Wing in Bucks yesterday, I could swear I saw an albatross!

It was huge, had the slim wings and that hooked beak thing going on.

Never thought I'd see one of them!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2205 on:** 25 November, 2011, 10:11:51 pm »

I had a sea front pootle and saw lots of gulls, a curlew, a load of dunlin, assorted other waders but pride of place went to the snow buntings.

border-rider · « **Reply #2206 on:** 26 November, 2011, 12:35:20 am »

A small gang of wild boar/Old Spot cross piglets on our lane just now.

David Martin · « **Reply #2207 on:** 26 November, 2011, 05:18:44 pm »

Down to the new nature reserve at Riverside Park (the former landfill site - a large patch of artificial MT5 apparently).

Shelduck, Teal, Oystercatchers, Redshank, crows, mallards, gulls of various sorts. It was blowing an absolute hoolie - trying to use the bins and my eyes were watering.

No small birds to be seen.

Saw a cormorant and a heron there yesterday.

SandyV · « **Reply #2208 on:** 27 November, 2011, 01:39:03 pm »

A koala - in our yard! We got the dog before he got the koala but not before the koala decided attack was the best defence and ran at him and took a swipe at his nose. Feisty creature taking on a greyhound perhaps five times its size. We were relieved when it headed for the nearest tree even if it is a frangipanni. Hopefully with the dogs locked in it'll come down soon and resume its journey as there are no suitable feed trees in our yard.
Must keep the dogs in at night for a couple of months.

Kim · « **Reply #2209 on:** 27 November, 2011, 02:57:37 pm »

Sure it wasn't a dropbear? Sounds like one...

clifftaylor · « **Reply #2210 on:** 27 November, 2011, 03:51:28 pm »

A Harris Hawk, seen Friday, being taken onto the roof here at Derby Hospital for a bit of pigeon scaring - and if I was a pigeon, I'd certainly go elsehere.....he looked like a serious birdy

David Martin · « **Reply #2211 on:** 27 November, 2011, 04:57:20 pm »

Buzzard taking a kill on the railway line. I have some photos which are pretty poor (it was a long way away and the light was falling fast) 1600ISO and 1/250th with a 500mm lens and the bird was the height of the AF markings..

Think it was a rat it got.

clarion · « **Reply #2212 on:** 27 November, 2011, 05:15:21 pm »

Them's mighty talons.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2213 on:** 27 November, 2011, 06:25:39 pm »

A buzzard being mobbed by crows at Doggett's Farm.

Two muntjac, plus assorted wildfowl, at Hanningfield visitors' centre.

A heron flying over, struggling with the headwind even more than I was, between Ashingdon and Hullbridge.

David Martin · « **Reply #2214 on:** 27 November, 2011, 07:15:15 pm »

Apologies for the poor quality pics - can't afford the lens I really need to get better ones (even a weekend hire would be more than this lens is worth).

Buzzard with kill

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Cormorant

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Teal

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Oystercatchers

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Shelduck

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Redshank

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Bledlow · « **Reply #2215 on:** 27 November, 2011, 09:14:42 pm »

Sparrowhawk perched on a wire by the road 200 metres south of the M4 this afternoon. Gave us a dirty look when Mrs B started talking about it, & flapped lazily away as we drew near. Very near, in fact.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2216 on:** 27 November, 2011, 11:39:44 pm »

Are you 100% sure that's a cormorant? Its head shape, from that picture, give the impression of one of the divers (black- or red-throated, or great northern).

Edit: looking more closely, its bill seems to be curved down at the end, rather than sharp pointed, which is a cormorantish characteristic.

David Martin · « **Reply #2217 on:** 27 November, 2011, 11:52:35 pm »

Yes. I had the distinct advantage of being able to watch it for some considerable time in the company of someone else who knew what they were looking at.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2218 on:** 28 November, 2011, 12:06:49 am »

Quote from: David Martin on 27 November, 2011, 11:52:35 pm

Yes. I had the distinct advantage of being able to watch it for some considerable time in the company of someone else who knew what they were looking at.

That is, indeed, a great advantage. I saw a cormorant (well, several, but most were flying) today and the first glance made me look for a diver. When it resurfaced I trained some binoculars on it and there was no doubt.

There was also a great crested grebe in the same bit of reservoir but the first, and clearest, tell-tale sign for the grebe is that its beak points downwards. Cormorants' and divers' beaks point up.

SandyV · « **Reply #2219 on:** 28 November, 2011, 10:41:02 am »

Quote from: Kim on 27 November, 2011, 02:57:37 pm

Sure it wasn't a dropbear? Sounds like one...

Hmmmmm - you could be right!

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2220 on:** 30 November, 2011, 08:17:12 pm »

A red admiral in Priory Park. Not bad for St. Andrew's Day!

jogler · « **Reply #2221 on:** 01 December, 2011, 02:46:14 pm »

Each day this week since Monday, Robin Redbreast has visited our bird table.We have one every year & I wonder if it's the same bird.

marcusjb · « **Reply #2222 on:** 02 December, 2011, 02:19:03 pm »

Sparrowhawk on Turnham Green busily ripping up a pigeon whilst everyone got on with their lunchtime shopping around it:

Untitled by marcus_jb1973, on Flickr

Pingu · « **Reply #2223 on:** 02 December, 2011, 06:57:15 pm »

Coupla buzzards and a jay.

David Martin · « **Reply #2224 on:** 03 December, 2011, 02:44:41 pm »

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

And a couple of dippers squabbling over river rights..

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018551 times)

border-rider

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