WHAT'S BUZZING OR FLYING NEAR YOU 2018

kestrel.






Cormorants.

 

Lovely shots of the Kestrel Strongy! One almost hit me in the garden last week chasing a Sparrow which it failed to catch.

The geese have been leaving for a few weeks now and a skein of white ones flew over today. With no camera to hand I'd have to guess what they were.

I've just looked up the term for a group of geese. In any physical location they are known as a flock. On the ground known as a gaggle and in 'v' formation in the air, a skein.

 

Geese sitting on a waterfall. man made dam near my house.

 

A good number of Wheatears are still coming through on migration at Portland Bill, mainly this year's youngsters.

 

A few of a flock of over 100 linnets.


Another Kestrel.

 

First Fieldfares, this was the only really visible one out of about 30.




Linnets in the early morning sun.


Heard a thump outside on the kitchen door, opened it and found a Goldcrest on the ground. It was alive but looked seriously stunned so I put on the bird table to recover.


After about two minutes it flew to the feeder and then after another short, rest flew off.

 

There are a few Cattle Egrets around the county now and a 100+ nationwide, hopefully now they will stay and gradually colonise (as the Little Egret has done) as they are breeding in the SW now. They are not as slim and elegant as the little Egret and only eat insects distrrbed by large animals, they don't eat fish as the other Herons and Egrets do.
These two are on the river Frome meadows in Wareham, always distant.

 

This sand spit? (beside the main channel with Poole on the other side)



Rather disappointing when I zoomed in, they all had their heads under their wings, in 30 mins only one showed its bill

 

That's often how I see them, they spend a lot of time there sleeping and occasionally preening.
the other 30 or so were probably over on Brownsea Island half a mile away.

Great White Egret at Radipole RSPB Weymouth.




Common Snipe.

 

You're all so lucky. Beautiful pictures too. I am happy with my little lot though, mainly tits, blue and great, occasionally a flock of long tailed
I don't know whether squirrels count but I'm going to tell you anyway
This squirrel, or it and their mates, have been routinely coming into my garden to collect the conkers my children collected. The conkers are in a carrier bag outside my backdoor. They are soo busy! Across the fence, down the fence, up the fence, across the fence and repeat....... for hours!!!!!
Either this squirrel really likes conkers or they are planning for a bad winter, so cute though. ( obviously I'd prefer red squirrels but that isn't ever going to happen here )

 

Where do you get these from?

 

Infrequent visitors here too and never stop for more than a minute or so, two appeared this morning with a Blue Tit. One Coal Tit visits nearly every day bit also never stops, just takes it's nuts elsewhere to eat.