Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018530 times)

Tail End Charlie · « **Reply #1675 on:** 20 February, 2011, 05:45:48 pm »

A couple of weeks ago I was out riding and came across a large bird of prey which had been killed by a car. It was a large bird and I stopped to pick it up, its wingspan would be around 4 feet. It weighed perhaps three pounds. Underneath it was the rabbit it had been feeding on. I threw it to the side of the road.
Today I passed it and it is still there, gently rotting away. I'll take a picture next time.

How do I tell what it was?

SteveC · « **Reply #1676 on:** 20 February, 2011, 06:25:58 pm »

Quote from: Tail End Charlie on 20 February, 2011, 05:45:48 pm

A couple of weeks ago I was out riding and came across a large bird of prey which had been killed by a car. It was a large bird and I stopped to pick it up, its wingspan would be around 4 feet. It weighed perhaps three pounds. Underneath it was the rabbit it had been feeding on. I threw it to the side of the road.
Today I passed it and it is still there, gently rotting away. I'll take a picture next time.

How do I tell what it was?

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/ is a good start.

I'd guess buzzard on the grounds they're big, common and eat rabbits. But without some other distinguishing features it's a bit difficult

S

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #1677 on:** 24 February, 2011, 08:22:09 pm »

2 deer this morning on the way to work

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #1678 on:** 26 February, 2011, 04:37:05 pm »

About 20 waxwings in the trees at the back of the house. Armchair birdwatching, can't beat it

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #1679 on:** 26 February, 2011, 05:24:32 pm »

^ since my last post also seen a treecreeper and a gs woodpecker in the same trees. And the waxwings just paid another visit. Meanwhile, on the feeders in the garden, loads of blue/coal/long tailed tits. We're certainly enjoying our new house.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #1680 on:** 27 February, 2011, 03:40:11 pm »

Waxwings....you lucky sod.

Today, loadsa buzzards and 2 red kites

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #1681 on:** 27 February, 2011, 06:09:05 pm »

Waxwings were back again today, about 30 of them. They seem to be eating the leaf buds on the tree. Not sure if the tree is going to appreciate their attention much. But its probably endured worse.

longers · « **Reply #1682 on:** 28 February, 2011, 06:36:58 pm »

We saw and heard a magpie on sunday. Not very unusual but it was coughing. Not sure whether it was a real cough or it was putting it on.
I heard one in almost the same place last weekend making "odd" noises. Are they mimics?

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #1683 on:** 28 February, 2011, 07:31:01 pm »

A dipper this morning, on my way to work

Sorry, unable to shed any light on the coughing magpie.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1684 on:** 28 February, 2011, 07:32:42 pm »

Quote from: longers on 28 February, 2011, 06:36:58 pm

We saw and heard a magpie on sunday. Not very unusual but it was coughing. Not sure whether it was a real cough or it was putting it on.
I heard one in almost the same place last weekend making "odd" noises. Are they mimics?

If you read Gerald Durrell's "My family and other animals" magpies most certainly are mimics. I don't suppose he made all that up.

tonycollinet · « **Reply #1685 on:** 28 February, 2011, 07:36:48 pm »

It's dead badger ago go round here. Seen three in the last couple of days - they all look juvenile.

longers · « **Reply #1686 on:** 28 February, 2011, 07:59:36 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 28 February, 2011, 07:32:42 pm

If you read Gerald Durrell's "My family and other animals" magpies most certainly are mimics. I don't suppose he made all that up.

I don't suppose he did, thanks. I'll put it on my reading list.

Adrian · « **Reply #1687 on:** 28 February, 2011, 08:03:57 pm »

Quote from: Wowbagger on 28 February, 2011, 07:32:42 pm

Quote from: longers on 28 February, 2011, 06:36:58 pm
We saw and heard a magpie on sunday. Not very unusual but it was coughing. Not sure whether it was a real cough or it was putting it on.
I heard one in almost the same place last weekend making "odd" noises. Are they mimics?

If you read Gerald Durrell's "My family and other animals" magpies most certainly are mimics. I don't suppose he made all that up.

He is believed to have made up substantial parts of it though.

longers · « **Reply #1688 on:** 28 February, 2011, 08:12:06 pm »

Aha, I did wonder at the not making stuff up comment.

AnthCC · « **Reply #1689 on:** 28 February, 2011, 10:56:16 pm »

At the back door last night

Before retiring to the neighbour's garden (he'd been chased out of the garden by our wee cat the night before)

Buzzard over the centre of Edinburgh at lunchtime today

(sorry, been taking a lot of wildlife shots recently - set up EdinburghWildlife in the time I've been away...)

Rig of Jarkness · « **Reply #1690 on:** 01 March, 2011, 07:08:33 am »

Quote from: AnthCC on 28 February, 2011, 10:56:16 pm

set up EdinburghWildlife in the time I've been away...

Looks interesting

andrew_s · « **Reply #1691 on:** 01 March, 2011, 06:52:53 pm »

Quote from: AnthCC on 28 February, 2011, 10:56:16 pm

Buzzard over the centre of Edinburgh at lunchtime today

That's a sparrowhawk

AnthCC · « **Reply #1692 on:** 02 March, 2011, 11:29:25 am »

Quote from: andrew_s on 01 March, 2011, 06:52:53 pm

Quote from: AnthCC on 28 February, 2011, 10:56:16 pm
Buzzard over the centre of Edinburgh at lunchtime today
That's a sparrowhawk

Now see it did bug me at the time, the wings weren't right, but it was soaring much much more like a Buzzard.

I do, naturally, have a Sparrowhawk shot...

Snakehips · « **Reply #1693 on:** 02 March, 2011, 09:45:47 pm »

Nice , a male Sparrowhawk appeared briefly on my bird feeding table a couple of days ago but it had gone by the time I got my camera.

RJ · « **Reply #1694 on:** 03 March, 2011, 12:36:20 pm »

Quote from: AnthCC on 02 March, 2011, 11:29:25 am

Quote from: andrew_s on 01 March, 2011, 06:52:53 pm
Quote from: AnthCC on 28 February, 2011, 10:56:16 pm
Buzzard over the centre of Edinburgh at lunchtime today
That's a sparrowhawk
Now see it did bug me at the time, the wings weren't right, but it was soaring much much more like a Buzzard.

Possibly displaying (round and round in circles, getting higher and higher, with occasional fluttery bursts of flapping??).

This lot Edinburgh Sparrowhawks - hawkwatch home | Edinburgh Hawkwatch might be interested.

border-rider · « **Reply #1695 on:** 03 March, 2011, 02:01:56 pm »

A woodcock

The RSPB: Woodcock

I've never seen one before, but we were pootling about in a swampy bit of land behind our barn this morning and disturbed one who was resting up in the undergrowth. Positive ID by the Woodland Trust chap I was with

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1696 on:** 03 March, 2011, 02:04:05 pm »

I saw a couple of woodcocks when strolling around with my brother on Christmas Day.

They are not the sort of bird recommended for someone with a weak heart.

SteveC · « **Reply #1697 on:** 04 March, 2011, 07:45:48 pm »

Fox. Yesterday lunchtime. I was riding back to work and was passing the last bit of countryside before the edge of Yeovil. A car 'parps' its horn and I look and see a fox in the road. It ambles into the hedge line and proceeds to stand there as I rode past. I must have been within 10 feet of it at the very most. It was totally uninterested in me. Didn't even bother looking at me.

Never been that close to a wild one before!

S

rogerzilla · « **Reply #1698 on:** 05 March, 2011, 07:18:41 pm »

A red kite in our village. We're going to my parents' house tomorrow, so we'll probably see theirs - they feed them bacon.

Earlier this week in the woods near work, some other large bird of prey, possibly an owl of some kind staying up late.

Crumbling Nick · « **Reply #1699 on:** 05 March, 2011, 09:09:10 pm »

Quote from: rogerzilla on 05 March, 2011, 07:18:41 pm

A red kite in our village. We're going to my parents' house tomorrow, so we'll probably see theirs - they feed them bacon.
<snip>

If your parents have only one kite, I'd be worried that the salt in the bacon might have been bad for the other birds' health

They're a bit commoner than that, in that part of the Kennet valley IME. Nevertheless they are glorious birds to watch - truly masters of the air that make even soaring buzzards look inefficient. Nice to hear they've spread west as far as your place.

Author Topic: Seen today (Read 1018530 times)

Tail End Charlie

AnthCC

AnthCC

border-rider