Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1019337 times)

chris · « **Reply #2225 on:** 03 December, 2011, 05:24:59 pm »

Went back to Blackberry Farm today. There must have been about 15 shorties around and it was difficult to look anywhere and not to see any. Got there a bit earlier and the light was better -

David Martin · « **Reply #2226 on:** 03 December, 2011, 05:32:55 pm »

Can anyone identify this?

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Juan Martín · « **Reply #2227 on:** 03 December, 2011, 06:15:14 pm »

Not the photo above (dunno) but on my ride today, a magpie perched on the rump of a shetland pony. It looked quite comical but they both seemed happy enough. Too far away for camera-phone-camera unfortunately.

RJ · « **Reply #2228 on:** 03 December, 2011, 10:09:57 pm »

Quote from: David Martin on 03 December, 2011, 05:32:55 pm

Can anyone identify this?

Struggling. Looks like a thrush of some sort - but what sort (after consulting my books) I'm not sure.

David Martin · « **Reply #2229 on:** 03 December, 2011, 10:54:29 pm »

That was about as far as I got. Definitely behaving a bit like a thrush - a largish one.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #2230 on:** 03 December, 2011, 11:34:02 pm »

A couple of days ago - some sort of brown hawk, maybe a buzzard but looked a bit too small and not quite right. Perched on a fencepost next to the road, flew off as I approached then circled behind me, keeping very low all the time, then landed in a field on the other side of the road.

Wonderful photos above from David Martin and Chris. I've just been to see the Wildlife Photography of the Year exhibition at Bristol Museum, and I swear some of the ones here are virtually as good.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #2231 on:** 04 December, 2011, 01:00:13 am »

Quote from: David Martin on 03 December, 2011, 05:32:55 pm

Can anyone identify this?

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

It looks quite like a fieldfare although is very short of speckles.

The above is from this page and there seems to be a fair bit of variety in the number & density of the speckles.

Fieldfares are winter visitors to these shores, and I think our flocks mostly come form Siberia. When we were in Germany last year in the summer, I was surprised to see birds very like fieldfares by the Rhine, and very much more confident around humans than the fieldfares we see regularly in Essex in the winter. It was only after we arrived home that I checked their migratory habits and discovered that they are resident in Germany.

David Martin · « **Reply #2232 on:** 04 December, 2011, 02:09:40 pm »

Many thanks. I was thinking in that direction but stumped by the lack of spots.

Bledlow · « **Reply #2233 on:** 04 December, 2011, 03:37:36 pm »

A sparrowhawk at Checkendon (S. Oxfordshire), perched in a spot where Mrs B says she's often seen one before on her standard solo loop.

A green woodpecker near Goring. We also saw one yesterday, just south of Reading. Both were on the ground when spotted.

longers · « **Reply #2234 on:** 04 December, 2011, 05:17:02 pm »

Spotted a log in the woods with what looked like a huge crop of oyster mushrooms erupting from it. No camera with me so no id of mushrooms or log, but do edible oysters grow on the outskirts of Manchester?

Tim Hall · « **Reply #2235 on:** 04 December, 2011, 07:29:41 pm »

Up in Leicester for the weekend, we took a walk along the canal/river this morning. We arrived at a rather manky weir with a collection of mallard and a handful of swans messing around. A swan sort of perched on the upper edge of the weir and, egged on by another, gave a little wiggle and slid down the face of the weir, looking a bit flustered.

jogler · « **Reply #2236 on:** 05 December, 2011, 03:56:03 pm »

Marj & I have just witnessed avian homocide.Very spectacular & very very fast it was too.A kestrel swooped down from above the gazeebo & clawed into a small bird as the latter lifted off from the bird table,possibly being aware of & trying to esacape from, approaching doom at the last second.The kestral dragged it down onto the lawn & administered the coup de grace.
All a mere couple of metres in front of us.

jogler · « **Reply #2237 on:** 05 December, 2011, 04:01:55 pm »

'twas a Sparrowhawk.not a kestrel

gerwinium · « **Reply #2238 on:** 06 December, 2011, 11:12:16 pm »

Saw two geese flying low in a northerly direction over Blackheath this afternoon. I couldn't make out what type of geese (and wouldn't have much of a clue even if I could have seen detail

)

David Martin · « **Reply #2239 on:** 10 December, 2011, 02:48:12 pm »

A couple of wagtails. One grey (though it looks yellow to me) and one pied (or should that be peh'd in Scotland?)

Grey wagtail (female) by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Pied Wagtail by davidmamartin, on Flickr

Saw a curlew for the first time but it was a long way away..

Untitled by davidmamartin, on Flickr

And a bunch of the usual suspects. I'd not seen Dunlin before.

Seabirds and waders by davidmamartin, on Flickr

nicknack · « **Reply #2240 on:** 10 December, 2011, 03:15:32 pm »

Those two wagtails could be brothers.

Juan Martín · « **Reply #2241 on:** 10 December, 2011, 04:45:22 pm »

A Green Woodpecker, a Jay and a goldfinch brightened up a otherwise pretty monochrome ride this morning.

David Martin · « **Reply #2242 on:** 10 December, 2011, 05:00:56 pm »

Quote from: nicknack on 10 December, 2011, 03:15:32 pm

Those two wagtails could be brothers.

oops Cmd-V-fail

red marley · « **Reply #2243 on:** 11 December, 2011, 10:07:09 pm »

On the Norfolk coast at Horsey. Currently about 400 Grey Seal pups charming everyone.

Peter · « **Reply #2244 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:11:00 pm »

Sorry, Jo, can't possibly compete with that!

However, I did see a melanistic hen pheasant today. It flew right in front of me and landed by the side of the road. It was an even darker brown than this picture:-

I saw a male decades ago but this is the first hen.

why1040 · « **Reply #2245 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:17:40 pm »

Parakeets!

In the trees on the border to the golf course next door to the stables!

I've seen pheasants, buzzards, kites and even a woodpecker or three, but parakeets??

Peter · « **Reply #2246 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:24:25 pm »

Do you live Home counties-ish, Why? They are not that rare, now, I believe, but still a marvellous sight!

why1040 · « **Reply #2247 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:28:58 pm »

Just outside the M25 here

How the heck have we ended up with parakeets?? Not that rare?

Pingu · « **Reply #2248 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:34:18 pm »

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/ringneckedparakeet/history.aspx

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/ringneckedparakeet/index.aspx

why1040 · « **Reply #2249 on:** 12 December, 2011, 10:40:22 pm »

Blimey!

Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1019337 times)

red marley