This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
Collective term is a charm
Oh and on an unrelated matter what is the collective noun for know-it-alls? 😉
This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
Collective term is a charm
Oh and on an unrelated matter what is the collective noun for know-it-alls? 😉
interested to know how far south do people see parakeets? Couldnt move for them in south east London but never seen a single one down here in deepest darkest Sussex.
We are very lucky not to have them down here the diversity of birdlife in this area is fantastic..on a day to day basis I can see Gold Crest (one of my favourites as they Woodpeckers ( both species) Nuthatch Sparrows Blackbirds Robin Blue/coal/long tailed tits Pheasant (born in the wild) Jay (and the more boring corvids) Buzzard
Often see gold and green finch
Have also seen Mistle thrush Woodcock (at night) An odd red kite
This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
Collective term is a charm
Oh and on an unrelated matter what is the collective noun for know-it-alls? 😉
😊lolwrays maybe ? but I am sure you ll know the collective term for sarcastic feckers from NZ
This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
Collective term is a charm
Oh and on an unrelated matter what is the collective noun for know-it-alls? 😉
An encyclopaedia? Or, to be more up-to-date, a Wikipedia?
Interesting little black and white (almost pied) bird down here in the school fields flies around 18" off the ground, I used to find it worrying that Bowyer in particular would chase them but they wouldn't fly off. They keep returning almost dive bombing him but keeping far enough away not to get caught, a relief teacher told me that were feeding off the insects Bow was kicking up from the grass and he was actually feeding them and not chasing them. Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
Interesting little black and white (almost pied) bird down here in the school fields flies around 18" off the ground, I used to find it worrying that Bowyer in particular would chase them but they wouldn't fly off. They keep returning almost dive bombing him but keeping far enough away not to get caught, a relief teacher told me that were feeding off the insects Bow was kicking up from the grass and he was actually feeding them and not chasing them. Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
Not sure where you live but could be a pied flycatcher
Interesting little black and white (almost pied) bird down here in the school fields flies around 18" off the ground, I used to find it worrying that Bowyer in particular would chase them but they wouldn't fly off. They keep returning almost dive bombing him but keeping far enough away not to get caught, a relief teacher told me that were feeding off the insects Bow was kicking up from the grass and he was actually feeding them and not chasing them. Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
Not sure where you live but could be a pied flycatcher
Interesting little black and white (almost pied) bird down here in the school fields flies around 18" off the ground, I used to find it worrying that Bowyer in particular would chase them but they wouldn't fly off. They keep returning almost dive bombing him but keeping far enough away not to get caught, a relief teacher told me that were feeding off the insects Bow was kicking up from the grass and he was actually feeding them and not chasing them. Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
Not sure where you live but could be a pied flycatcher
This is where everyone says 'ooh ooh ptarmigan!' but it's actually a white-phase Willow Grouse EDIT no it IS a (rock) ptarmigan, viz. the following extract: the male willow ptarmigan lacks the rock ptarmigan's black stripe between the eyes and bill.
Very good
I currently have Gold Finches in my garden - lovely little things - re-filled our feeders this morning, and they were watching me and twittering away - I imagined them saying to each ‘about bloody time, you lazy git, should have done that yesterday’ !!
Goldfinches can flock to over 100 in NZ. Quite the sight.
Collective term is a charm
Oh and on an unrelated matter what is the collective noun for know-it-alls? 😉
Interesting little black and white (almost pied) bird down here in the school fields flies around 18" off the ground, I used to find it worrying that Bowyer in particular would chase them but they wouldn't fly off. They keep returning almost dive bombing him but keeping far enough away not to get caught, a relief teacher told me that were feeding off the insects Bow was kicking up from the grass and he was actually feeding them and not chasing them. Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
Not sure where you live but could be a pied flycatcher
Here's an interesting bird from NZ. The wrybill. It's endemic to NZ and it's bill is completely unique globally. It fossicks under stones for little beasties.
On the subject of asymmetry in nature. It is pretty rare i think because of balance issues generally being selected against evolutionarily. I can think of sole and flounder (to risk exciting some fish puns). Can anyone else think of some asymmetrical animals (excluding abnormalities).... what an interesting thread this is.
There's the fidler crab - one of its front claws is much larger than the other
and snails and shellfish like welks which have a spiral shell have either a left-handed or a right-handed spiral, which because it is a spiral cannot be symetrical!
There's the fidler crab - one of its front claws is much larger than the other
and snails and shellfish like welks which have a spiral shell have either a left-handed or a right-handed spiral, which because it is a spiral cannot be symetrical!
Interestingly all the examples apart from the Wrybill are underwater - where managing gravity is less of an issue. Can anyone think of another above water example.
okay forget it i found a list which speaks to my theory about water v land animals. The asymmetry noted in other land animals is generally much more subtle and less likely to affect balance... an extra tooth here (Honey Badger) a pair of non aligned ears there (owls).
I have been following the wonderful work being done to save the critically endangered NZ bird the Kakapo. I saw a tv programme about it and found them to be fascinating birds.
Wikipedia suggests Britain is now in its distribution- exciting. Apparently a rare visitor to NZ shores as well super exciting. Wikipedia said a pair hung out with some spoonbills !
Comments
Gold Crest (one of my favourites as they
Woodpeckers ( both species)
Nuthatch
Sparrows
Blackbirds
Robin
Blue/coal/long tailed tits
Pheasant (born in the wild)
Jay (and the more boring corvids)
Buzzard
Often see gold and green finch
Have also seen
Mistle thrush
Woodcock (at night)
An odd red kite
Or, to be more up-to-date, a Wikipedia?
Oh...
Ive no idea what they are called, but Im sure the Twitchers on here would know.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/bird-a-z/pied-flycatcher/
The Pied wagtail looks similar Ive got on video somewhere I'll try and nick a photo from it.
Edit: More info: https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/wrybill/
and snails and shellfish like welks which have a spiral shell have either a left-handed or a right-handed spiral, which because it is a spiral cannot be symetrical!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animals_featuring_external_asymmetry
And the list is really very short so, yeah. Interesting.
https://www.doc.govt.nz/kakapo
Pied Stilt
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pied_stilt