Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018287 times)

SteveC · « **Reply #4275 on:** 20 January, 2016, 07:28:01 pm »

Definitely long-tails. They're not really related to the other tits and almost always appear in small family flocks. Their call is quite distinctive once you get to know it. We had some feeding about six feet from our patio doors the other day. Lovely.

madcow · « **Reply #4276 on:** 20 January, 2016, 07:37:14 pm »

A friend in the next village to us , about 2 miles away, had also noticed a small group of them. They don't hang around long but because there are several in a group, you can't help but notice them.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #4277 on:** 20 January, 2016, 08:54:29 pm »

Long-talied tits also have a very repetitive call, of four repetitions of the sam note. It's like the start of the third movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony, only higher-pitched.

Peter · « **Reply #4278 on:** 20 January, 2016, 09:43:36 pm »

and better!

andrew_s · « **Reply #4279 on:** 20 January, 2016, 10:16:49 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 20 January, 2016, 05:44:33 pm

I don't think I have ever seen a rough-legged buzzard. If I did, how would I tell the difference?

Assuming it's not sufficiently cooperative as to show off the feathered lower legs, check this video:
http://www.bto.org/about-birds/bird-id/bto-bird-id-winter-buzzards-common-and-rough-legged

If you want to try, apparently there's been one at Frinton-on-Sea today.
Bear in mind that common buzzards are very variable, so you'd want more than one identifying feature.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #4280 on:** 21 January, 2016, 02:01:38 pm »

A barn owl in the church yard whilst walking the dog this morning. Stopped Tilly in her tracks as she had never seen one before. It settled on a branch and gave us a good once over before flying off into the field next door.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #4281 on:** 21 January, 2016, 03:22:56 pm »

A hare, lollopping up the mountain while we were on a chairlift in Val d'Isere

jamesld8 · « **Reply #4282 on:** 22 January, 2016, 04:27:19 pm »

A bumblebee buzzing along

Peter · « **Reply #4283 on:** 22 January, 2016, 04:33:41 pm »

Quote from: pcolbeck on 21 January, 2016, 02:01:38 pm

A barn owl in the church yard whilst walking the dog this morning. Stopped Tilly in her tracks as she had never seen one before. It settled on a branch and gave us a good once over before flying off into the field next door.

No meat on you, then!

Basil · « **Reply #4284 on:** 22 January, 2016, 04:41:01 pm »

A baa lamb.

Basil · « **Reply #4285 on:** 23 January, 2016, 04:11:32 pm »

On the beach at Mwnt this morning.

Unfortunately, this tablet is not good for close ups. They look like a whole bunch of earth worms with shell beaks.

I'd never seen any before, but it turns out they are Goose or Goose Neck Barnacles.
This is also interesting. I did not know this where the Barnacle Goose got it's name from. The long earth wormy bit supposedly looking like a goose's neck, it was assumed that this was how they were born.

Apologies if I am the only person in the world to have never seen or even heard of them before.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #4286 on:** 23 January, 2016, 04:33:03 pm »

Red kite - in Essex!

We watched it for some minutes as it patrolled the Andrewsfield air field.

It is only the third time I have seen one in this fair county.

Ruthie · « **Reply #4287 on:** 23 January, 2016, 04:47:59 pm »

Quote from: Basil on 23 January, 2016, 04:11:32 pm

On the beach at Mwnt this morning.

Unfortunately, this tablet is not good for close ups. They look like a whole bunch of earth worms with shell beaks.
I'd never seen any before, but it turns out they are Goose or Goose Neck Barnacles.
This is also interesting. I did not know this where the Barnacle Goose got it's name from. The long earth wormy bit supposedly looking like a goose's neck, it was assumed that this was how they were born.

Apologies if I am the only person in the world to have never seen or even heard of them before.

Mmm delicious!

Kim · « **Reply #4288 on:** 23 January, 2016, 05:48:54 pm »

Delicious? Terrifying!

Steph · « **Reply #4289 on:** 25 January, 2016, 06:24:36 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 20 January, 2016, 05:44:33 pm

Quote from: Steph on 19 January, 2016, 09:33:28 pm
Quote from: Wowbagger on 01 January, 2016, 09:22:08 pm
Three buzzards and, later, two more buzzards. Also, quite a lot of fieldfares.

Definitely Buteo buteo and not lagopus?

I don't think I have ever seen a rough-legged buzzard. If I did, how would I tell the difference?

Tend to have darker and more distinct "wrist spots" underneath, as well as banded tails (mostly white with one or more dark bands towards the tip). Longer wings, but one behaviour they regularly do is hover. Not quite like a kestrel, but very unlike the common buzzard's soaring glide.

Steph · « **Reply #4290 on:** 25 January, 2016, 06:31:38 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 23 January, 2016, 04:33:03 pm

Red kite - in Essex! We watched it for some minutes as it patrolled the Andrewsfield air field.

It is only the third time I have seen one in this fair county.

Had one fly up Balcombe Road past my window the other day! Rather surprised me, I tell you. Anyway, yesterday morning, in my garden, as I returned from night shift, six deer. Roe, I think.

pcolbeck · « **Reply #4291 on:** 25 January, 2016, 11:53:20 am »

Yesterday morning on our Sunday walk over Spy Hill me an Tilly saw a group of five buzzards. Quite low over the fields, usually they patrol higher up in the air. We often see this group round the village.

Pingu · « **Reply #4292 on:** 25 January, 2016, 01:21:40 pm »

Quote from: Pingu on 15 January, 2016, 09:13:36 am

Otter in the harbour just now

Two together just now

jamesld8 · « **Reply #4293 on:** 25 January, 2016, 04:41:59 pm »

kestrel flying along side; snowdrops, celandines in flower and lambs in field

Kim · « **Reply #4294 on:** 25 January, 2016, 05:48:53 pm »

A clump of moss, about the size of a fist, doing a tumbleweed impression in the opposite direction to the one that I was barely travelling. There wasn't any other moss around, so it must have covered some distance.

As far as I could determine, it wasn't gathering stones.

Wombat · « **Reply #4295 on:** 26 January, 2016, 08:51:18 am »

Quote from: jamesld8 on 25 January, 2016, 04:41:59 pm

kestrel flying along side; snowdrops, celandines in flower and lambs in field

Indeed. One of those "all's well with the world" moments.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #4296 on:** 27 January, 2016, 10:41:07 am »

A weasel! In the car park/bike sheds at Southend swimming pool.

Pingu · « **Reply #4297 on:** 27 January, 2016, 11:24:22 am »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 27 January, 2016, 10:41:07 am

A weasel!

How do you know?

jamesld8 · « **Reply #4298 on:** 27 January, 2016, 05:25:48 pm »

Female sparrowhawk flying at virtually ground level up country lane ahead of me for 200m, then flock of c 50+ redwing in apple orchards

Peter · « **Reply #4299 on:** 27 January, 2016, 05:42:51 pm »

Regrettably about to be flock of 50+ - 1 redwings.