WHAT'S BUZZING OR FLYING NEAR YOU 2018

Discussion in 'Wildlife Corner' started by ARMANDII, Jan 1, 2018.

  1. strongylodon

    strongylodon Old Member

    Joined:
    Feb 12, 2006
    Messages:
    14,754
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    Wareham, Dorset
    Ratings:
    +28,240
    It happens here too @Scrungee, sometimes even after an hour... nothing!

    As we were going to Poole Leisure Centre swimming this morning we went afterwards to find the Mandarin duck and Goldeneye recently arrived on Pool park lake.
    Nothing, we think they were spooked by the close by firework display last night.:frown:
     
    • Friendly Friendly x 2
    • Like Like x 1
    • Scrungee

      Scrungee Well known for it

      Joined:
      Dec 5, 2010
      Messages:
      16,524
      Location:
      Central England on heavy clay soil
      Ratings:
      +28,996
      I find just sitting in that bird hide on a dull day for an hour or so very relaxing, it always looks really bright outside, there's excellent mobile internet access and a birding friend sometimes goes there to 'work from home'. Only takes 10 mins to get there.
       
      • Like Like x 4
      • Agree Agree x 1
      • strongylodon

        strongylodon Old Member

        Joined:
        Feb 12, 2006
        Messages:
        14,754
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired
        Location:
        Wareham, Dorset
        Ratings:
        +28,240
        I posted a pic of 2 Cattle Egrets seen here the other week (formerly a rarity), yesterday there were 21 in a cattle field near the town and another 30 at Abbotsbury Swannery. There has been a major influx of these relatively new birds to Britain, there are approx 250/300 nationwide!! With the Great White Egret now breeding and increasing in numbers and the recovery of the Bittern, our wetland birds are doing well.:blue thumb:
        Unfortunately the complete opposite with farmland birds. :frown:
         
        • Like Like x 2
        • Friendly Friendly x 1
        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

          Joined:
          Jul 3, 2006
          Messages:
          60,996
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Retired - Last Century!!!
          Location:
          Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
          Ratings:
          +117,283
          I've always wondered how the birds know when to migrate. They don't seem to do it simply by a change in the weather. :scratch:

          As the first two lines in the old hit song says:-

          Across the evening sky, all the birds are leaving
          But how can they know it's time for them to go?


          The song was written by the Sandy Denny in 1968 when she was with the Strawbs and then she joined Fairport Convention. It was recorded by many famous artists.

           
          • Like Like x 1
          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

            Joined:
            Jul 3, 2006
            Messages:
            60,996
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired - Last Century!!!
            Location:
            Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
            Ratings:
            +117,283
            A hornets' nest :hate-shocked:

            P1410128.JPG

            P1410129.JPG

            P1410130.JPG

            P1410131.JPG

            P1410132.JPG

            P1410134.JPG
             
            • Like Like x 4
            • Informative Informative x 1
            • shiney

              shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

              Joined:
              Jul 3, 2006
              Messages:
              60,996
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired - Last Century!!!
              Location:
              Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
              Ratings:
              +117,283
              These ladybirds were munching the bugs :blue thumb:

              P1410162.JPG
               
              • Like Like x 3
              • Agree Agree x 1
              • Scrungee

                Scrungee Well known for it

                Joined:
                Dec 5, 2010
                Messages:
                16,524
                Location:
                Central England on heavy clay soil
                Ratings:
                +28,996
                I saw that on a Dorset bird sightings website. I'm going that way again early next week - do you reckon it'll be worth me using a few quids worth of my Tesco Clubcard vouchers on a Swannery admission?
                 
                • Friendly Friendly x 1
                • strongylodon

                  strongylodon Old Member

                  Joined:
                  Feb 12, 2006
                  Messages:
                  14,754
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired
                  Location:
                  Wareham, Dorset
                  Ratings:
                  +28,240
                  I posted this in the wrong thread:wallbanging:
                  The one Cattle Egret in Wareham, where the other 19 have gone no one knows!
                  As I neared the field of cattle it saw me and flew off!
                  cattle egret 1.JPG

                  @Scrungee I wouldn't as they have spread out into the neighbouring fields and (I think) only return to the Swannery to roost and leave early in the morning.
                   
                  • Like Like x 5
                  • Useful Useful x 1
                  • johnny canoe

                    johnny canoe Gardener

                    Joined:
                    Apr 28, 2017
                    Messages:
                    30
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Prairie Horticulturalist
                    Location:
                    Calgary Alberta Canada
                    Ratings:
                    +145
                    I haven't been down to the river to feed my friends since Sunday, they were quite happy to hear me calling them. Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and the White Breasted Nuthatches.

                    The White Breasted Nuthatch this morning,
                    P1050963.JPG
                     
                    • Like Like x 7
                    • strongylodon

                      strongylodon Old Member

                      Joined:
                      Feb 12, 2006
                      Messages:
                      14,754
                      Gender:
                      Male
                      Occupation:
                      Retired
                      Location:
                      Wareham, Dorset
                      Ratings:
                      +28,240
                      A smart looking bird @johnny canoe, I saw one in Colorado in September but not as close as your one.

                      Mandarin duck, recently taken up residence on Poole park lake.
                      Mandarin 3.JPG

                      A few pairs of Goldeneye have returned to the lake for the Winter but I could only see three males today.
                      Gold 1.JPG

                      Gold 7.jpg
                       
                      • Like Like x 6
                      • Agree Agree x 1
                      • Sheal

                        Sheal Total Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Feb 2, 2011
                        Messages:
                        35,545
                        Gender:
                        Female
                        Location:
                        Beauly, Inverness-shire. Zone 9a
                        Ratings:
                        +52,310
                        I watched a couple of Red Kites soaring together over the garden today. They weren't hunting just enjoying each others company. :)
                         
                        • Like Like x 4
                        • ARMANDII

                          ARMANDII Low Flying Administrator Staff Member

                          Joined:
                          Jan 12, 2019
                          Messages:
                          48,096
                          Gender:
                          Male
                          Ratings:
                          +100,834
                          There's quite a few in the Rutland, Leicestershire and Peterborough area. I have fished a gorgeous classic English lake where the Red Kites would fly down to sit on posts only 20 feet away from us and start "chortling" to us!!! The cry of Red Kites is, to me, really unique and it brings back some good memories of days of fishing.:love30::hapydancsmil::hapfeet::snorky:
                           
                          • Like Like x 4
                          • Loki

                            Loki Total Gardener

                            Joined:
                            May 3, 2015
                            Messages:
                            1,664
                            Gender:
                            Female
                            Location:
                            Middlesbrough
                            Ratings:
                            +4,092
                            Gold finches for the first time ! My daughter ran to get the I d book! :)
                             
                            • Like Like x 5
                            • Sheal

                              Sheal Total Gardener

                              Joined:
                              Feb 2, 2011
                              Messages:
                              35,545
                              Gender:
                              Female
                              Location:
                              Beauly, Inverness-shire. Zone 9a
                              Ratings:
                              +52,310
                              They are lovely birds and along with all the birds of prey fascinating to watch. :) There's quite a few Buzzards in this area too. When the birds disappear from the bird table and all goes quiet I automatically look over the valley at the back to see what's looking for it's next meal.
                               
                              • Like Like x 2
                              • strongylodon

                                strongylodon Old Member

                                Joined:
                                Feb 12, 2006
                                Messages:
                                14,754
                                Gender:
                                Male
                                Occupation:
                                Retired
                                Location:
                                Wareham, Dorset
                                Ratings:
                                +28,240
                                Red Kites are still an uncommon bird in Dorset, I have only seen one this year!

                                We are hoping that some of the Osprey chicks that were brought down here to Arne, as a relocation project two years ago, will return here next Spring and set up home.
                                No one is sure whether they have survived the two years in West Africa.
                                 
                                • Like Like x 1
                                • Informative Informative x 1
                                Loading...

                                Share This Page

                                1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                                  By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                                  Dismiss Notice