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Know Your Birds? - Edit - Not That Kind!

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  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,562
    did two weeks around the Western Isles back in April, didn't spot a single eagle of any variety, very disappointed. Did see an Osprey though, sorry no photo. 
  • did two weeks around the Western Isles back in April, didn't spot a single eagle of any variety, very disappointed. Did see an Osprey though, sorry no photo. 
    Poole Harbour is the place for eagles these days.
    4 White Tailed Eagles recorded around the harbour area a couple of days back. In your face Mull  :)
  • Talal
    Talal Posts: 11,490
    Recently got a feeder that's largely dominated by parakeets but today saw a blue one. Seems it's likely an escaped pet but was a nice surprise. 


  • Hal1x
    Hal1x Posts: 4,265
    edited June 2023
    Talal said:
    Recently got a feeder that's largely dominated by parakeets but today saw a blue one. Seems it's likely an escaped pet but was a nice surprise. 


    You would get a few more if you actually put some food in the feeders!😉
  • Talal
    Talal Posts: 11,490
    edited June 2023
    Hal1x said:
    Talal said:
    Recently got a feeder that's largely dominated by parakeets but today saw a blue one. Seems it's likely an escaped pet but was a nice surprise. 


    You would get a few more if you actually put some food in the feeders!😉
    Back again this morning, bit more food to choose from! (Apologies for poor quality). Hopefully a regular occurrence. Imaginatively been named Bluey. 

  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    There's a Bluey showing on a thread about birds. I can't imagine which poster will be along at any moment ;)
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026


    I never thought for a moment when I went out this morning that I'd see a Dartford Warbler. Incidentally, this bird was named by a man called John Latham from Eltham. The birds Latham saw (and killed) were actually in Bexley Heath (pre-contraction) not Dartford.
  • Leuth
    Leuth Posts: 23,316
    You had your posh camera on you too!
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    One never wants to go out under-dressed.
  • Leuth
    Leuth Posts: 23,316
    I've never knowingly seen one. Sardinian/Cyprus Warblers in S Europe, loads. But our very own Sylvia? Not yet...
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  • Stig said:


    I never thought for a moment when I went out this morning that I'd see a Dartford Warbler. Incidentally, this bird was named by a man called John Latham from Eltham. The birds Latham saw (and killed) were actually in Bexley Heath (pre-contraction) not Dartford.
    Where was this @S@Stig
  • Leuth said:
    I've never knowingly seen one. Sardinian/Cyprus Warblers in S Europe, loads. But our very own Sylvia? Not yet...
    Plenty down here in Sunny Dorset, even on the tiny pocket of heath near my humble abode
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    Essex. It's a place called Paglesham Lagoon, or Pag Lag as the locals call it. I can give you more precise directions if you want to try and find it.  
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    Leuth said:
    I've never knowingly seen one. Sardinian/Cyprus Warblers in S Europe, loads. But our very own Sylvia? Not yet...
    Blackcaps and Whitethroats are Sylvia, you must have seen them. Though granted, it's not quite the same.
  • Stig said:
    Essex. It's a place called Paglesham Lagoon, or Pag Lag as the locals call it. I can give you more precise directions if you want to try and find it.  
    That's okay mate. I was just curious 
  • The original name for the Dartford Warbler was the Furze Wren and that can still be spotted in Bexleyheath.


  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026


    Last week I drove to Colchester to see a flock of these. This week they are in Southend just a mile from my home.
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,762
    edited January 2024
    Stig said:


    Last week I drove to Colchester to see a flock of these. This week they are in Southend just a mile from my home.
    Many years ago we had a flock in our garden in Chatham, they stripped the cotoneaster bush of its berries. Such stunning birds, I keep hoping that I'll see  them again where I live now.

    They were at Kings Hill, West Malling a couple of weeks ago. Apparently this is a Waxwing year.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    I hope you get to see them again, they are so beautiful. I also love their boldness. You can go right up to them and the don't flinch. My theory is that it's because the berries they eat are often planted in big numbers in public places likes trading and industrial estates - if they want the prize they have to get used to the hubbub.
  • I'm aiming to do this tomorrow

    https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch/submission

    for the first time. Only my second citizen science activity ever.
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  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    Just done my count. Zero birds in the garden, which is unsurprising as it's like a postage stamp. Counted what I could see from the garden: Goldfinch 16; Starling 13; Black Headed Gull 11; Lesser Black Backed Gull 1; Herring Gull 1; Unidentified gulls (genus Larus) 6; Collared Dove 2; Wood Pigeon 19; Buzzard 1; Carrion Crow 5; Magpie 3; Feral Pigeon 6; Blackbird 1; Robin 1 (heard, not seen).

  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,762
    edited January 2024
    Hoping to do my count this afternoon. Hubby has filled up the birdfeeders and we would normally have 40+ feral pigeons, taking their share before any others. At the moment no birds in sight, the pigeons would normally congregate on the roof before flying down for their meal. I suspect that there is a sparrowhawk in the vicinity, so I'll have to delay my count.
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,481
    Has anyone ever seen a Woodlark…..quite rare I believe.
    They have a beautiful song too.
  • Just 1 Great Tit between 2-3pm, in deepest, sunniest Lewisham.
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,762
    Managed to see a few birds - Great Tit 1, Wood Pigeon 4, Feral Pigeon 20, Robin 1, Starling 4, Collared Dove 1, 1 unknown gull flew over.

    A squirrel monopolised the peanut feeder, so might have had more great tits if it hadn't been there. Last week I saw about half a dozen long tailed tits, which I've never seen in the garden before, though haven't seen them since.
  • rananegra
    rananegra Posts: 3,689
    I'm in Lewisham too, but near Hilly Fields so get quite a few birds. 10 sparrows, 2 each of rock and stock dove, 2 dunnock, 2 long tailed, 1 great and 1 blue, 1 starling. 
    There are dozens of starlings in the big trees in the park but only one came into the garden
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,485
    Stopped at a petrol station just on the outskirts of Reading a couple of weeks back, and there around 15 Red Kite circling above us. I thought they were gulls at first, then looked again and they where 100% Kite. Unbelievable to see in such an urban area
  • My count for yesterday.  Blue Tits =2, Jackdaws =6, Blackbirds=2, Buzzard (In the air above) =2, Robin=2. No sign of our regular Sparrowhawk at our pond unfortunately.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,026
    Gribbo said:
    Stopped at a petrol station just on the outskirts of Reading a couple of weeks back, and there around 15 Red Kite circling above us. I thought they were gulls at first, then looked again and they where 100% Kite. Unbelievable to see in such an urban area
    It's amazing how successful they have become and they are steady heading east. I think it’s brilliant how they have become rejuvenated. They are so successful now though, that I wonder if it's only a matter of time before they are seen as a nuisance and control measures are put in place.
  • Gribbo
    Gribbo Posts: 8,485
    Stig said:
    Gribbo said:
    Stopped at a petrol station just on the outskirts of Reading a couple of weeks back, and there around 15 Red Kite circling above us. I thought they were gulls at first, then looked again and they where 100% Kite. Unbelievable to see in such an urban area
    It's amazing how successful they have become and they are steady heading east. I think it’s brilliant how they have become rejuvenated. They are so successful now though, that I wonder if it's only a matter of time before they are seen as a nuisance and control measures are put in place.
    Raptors don't usually make it onto the General Licence and think I'm right in saying they're mainly scavengers, so not a treat to livestock etc. The only time I can see them being controlled would be for conservation reasons maybe?

    Hopefully they'll stay as they are for a long time yet