What's Buzzing or Flying near you today.... 2014

Amazing, both of them, the courting Cranes are brilliant.

 

What variety of crane are they , I saw my first ever wild ones in Florida just amazing and so graceful , landed in the garden in the house I was staying in, had its own lake

 

Fantastic

 

Common or Eurasian Crane, reintroduced in Somerset (I think). They are seen in East Anglia fairly frequently although I am not sure they have bred here yet, HsuH may know more.

 

You are right strongylodon, they are the common cranes that were reintroduced / released to Somerset levels. And a group of them somehow wandered their way back to Slimbridge and they are the ones I saw today. The Great Crane Project will give you full information about how the reintroduction is going, for example here is a summary of where they are, and their position on a map

PS here's an extract about their breeding activities:

Cranes rarely breed before they are 4 years old, so we were amazed that two separate pairs built nests in the Spring of 2013. One pair went on to lay a single egg and incubate it to hatching on the Slimbridge Reserve, and a pair in Somerset built an impressive nest, but took their attempt no further. Sadly the chick at Slimbridge died at around a day old, probably on account of the dreadfully wet and cold weather that occurred at the time of hatching. Pairs have started forming in early 2014 and the Spring of 2014 should be exciting! The project aims to establish around 20 breeding pairs in the South West by 2025 so 2013’s attempts are just the start!

 

Fledgling pigeon in the garden (there's also fledging robins about)

 

I noticed a couple of days ago that Jackdaws are building a nest inside the chimney pot of a neighbours bungalow. Hopefully I might be able to get a picture of them tackling large sticks into position, it's quite funny to watch.

 

@HsuH your photos are incredible! Super envious of your Kingfisher shots, I would love to photograph them!

 

Durlston (cliff top) Country Park near Swanage today. Not much around, the odd Wheatear and Swallow, Ravens and Chiffchaffs but more around the cliffs. Lots of flying Guillemots but too fast to capture, a couple of Fulmar (Petrel) and some Razorbills at the bottom of the cliffs.
Fulmar.


Razorbills.

 

Thanks Yvonne. These at Slimbridge are relatively "easy" as there is a hide overlooking their nest site. However, we were talking to a chap who had come from London to Slimbridge primarily to see them and he had been in the hide for an hour when we arrived. Thirty minutes later with no sign of kingfishers, he was thinking of packing up and going for a cup of coffee, when out they came and he was able to return to London a happy man!

MrH tells me he saw his first kingfisher about 40 years ago. He then waited about thirty years to see his second! We now see them quite often (once or twice a year) on our local river but usually as a flash of blue disappearing down the river. But sometimes when luck is on our side we are able to catch them on camera, like this one we came upon while out walking after a heavy snow fall. It was trying to fish on a frozen river which perhaps made it a bit less camera shy than usual.





And this one resting on a branch on the other side of the river on a spring day.


In summary, if you know where their nest is then sit and wait with patience, otherwise luck is what you need.

 

4 swallow's 12th April feeding over the river , no house martins yet.

 

Whenever we have a pizza takeaway we always throw the uneaten free garlic bread in the back garden for the birds but always wondered what was eating it so quickly by the morning.

Well I found out last night...

 

Arne RSPB this morning, newly arrived Swallow, decided to have a rest.


Sleeping Spoonbills in the Middlebere Channel.


Male Blackcap, singing for a mate?

 

Love that Blackcap piccie Strongy,
Jenny

 

He had a very loud and distinct song but had to compete with Blackbirds and Wrens, I think he was winning.