steve1 Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Returning from DEMU Showcase earlier today, I spotted an oyster catcher on a roundabout on a main road. It must have been at least 3 miles (in a straight line) from the River Ouse, as the biggest stretch of water in the area. One of my favourite birds too. steve PS I got a good enough look to know it wasn't a magpie, before anyone says anything. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 2, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 2, 2019 We have a lovely female blackbird in the garden who is quite tame , she has made a nest in a conifer about four feet from the house and is feeding young. Was sitting in garden today reading the latest Lancashire Derbyshire and East coast book and she was scampering around me on the lawn taking dried mealworms to her chicks. She seemed to be about all day taking food to them 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 2, 2019 Share Posted June 2, 2019 Blimey if she was reading a railway book too, that's what i call multi-tasking... 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 On 31/05/2019 at 14:27, rodshaw said: Last autumn we moved from York to the outskirts of Northampton to a house which is bordered by a small wooded area and over the autumn and winter we had robins, house sparrows, starlings, blackbirds, dunnocks and blue tits galore in our garden. Not to mention collared doves and woodpigeons. We also had flocks of goldfinches swooping around low and feeding off something or other on our lavender. One day I counted a group of 18 of them. I daresay the bird feeder and bird bath are helping. We've also had the odd great tit, song thrush and wren, and I've seen pied wagtails on the nearby footpaths. Never saw such a variety of birds in or near our garden in York, though I'm sure most of them will have been around. But the odd thing is that over the spring, maybe because of nesting, many of them have disappeared and we don't get nearly as many visitors apart from the most common ones. Hopefully they will reappear when the next generation has fledged. I used to live in Northampton. One winter I saw a flock of redwing, on Paddy's Meadows, near where I lived. The variety of birdlife was different to what I now see in Sidcup; I saw coal tits, and pied wagtails regularly, also starlings were far more common. Some of this is location, some changes due to human activity, climate changing etc. When I was a kid in rural Kent, lapwings used the fields regularly in winter. I've not seen one in 35 years, even when visiting my parents. 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 On 30/05/2019 at 16:37, PhilJ W said: A linnet perhaps? Actually possibly a redpoll (or two of them), based on the pictures on the RSPB site 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 3, 2019 Share Posted June 3, 2019 Mainly magpies and parrots in Sidcup...! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted June 4, 2019 Share Posted June 4, 2019 21 hours ago, Porkscratching said: Mainly magpies and parrots in Sidcup...! that certainly sounds like my garden. Last summer I saw a parakeet in Berkeley Square. Probably not quite as romantic song! 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 4, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 4, 2019 (edited) I have a new garden. I have joined the local Bowls Club (yes, I know...….) and it is in a very pleasant place between houses and not overlooked on one 'country' side. Plenty of trees and cover around. Yesterday afternoon I was up there having a Roll Up (not a spliff, that is against this Club's rules) and a friendly Pied Waggy kept on coming onto my Rink to see how crap my grouping was!!! All sorts of other stuff around as well, common but lovely as long as the Pigeons don't cra# on my whites! F. Drake. Edited June 4, 2019 by Mallard60022 5 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted June 5, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2019 Young here: (at least) 4 wrens, blackbird, crow (they don't eat everything!), great tit, robin, chaffinch, blue tit. It is a big garden!! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jbqfc Posted June 5, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2019 a first for us today a fledgling dunnock John 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
88D Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 On 17/05/2019 at 21:54, jonny777 said: I have just been to check the back door was locked, and as I passed the kitchen window I became aware of something moving on the lawn outside. Thinking at first it was a rat, my heart sank with the thought that I might have to take drastic action. Imagine my surprise when as it waddled closer to the house I realised it was a hedgehog, something I have not seen in the garden for about 15 years. There may still be hope for wildlife around here. You lucky devil. I haven’t seen a hedgehog around our place for over 15 years, chances are that the recently introduced badgers have driven/eaten them out. They built a sett 15 years ago, and brought up badgers from a badger hospital in Surrey. Don’t mind badgers, but would prefer to have the hedgehogs. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
88D Posted June 5, 2019 Share Posted June 5, 2019 Can’t remember if I posted this sighting before, but saw 5 Spoonbills near Keyhaven in Hampshire. My first sightings in Britain. Plenty of toddler Avocets as well. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 5, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 5, 2019 3 hours ago, 88D said: You lucky devil. I haven’t seen a hedgehog around our place for over 15 years, chances are that the recently introduced badgers have driven/eaten them out. They built a sett 15 years ago, and brought up badgers from a badger hospital in Surrey. Don’t mind badgers, but would prefer to have the hedgehogs. Haven't seen a hedgehog for nigh on 25 years. Not only is there a long established badger sett locally but plenty of foxes as well. Mind you they keep the local grey squirrel population in check. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 11 hours ago, PhilJ W said: Haven't seen a hedgehog for nigh on 25 years. Not only is there a long established badger sett locally but plenty of foxes as well. Mind you they keep the local grey squirrel population in check. Blimey, I'd like to see your bionic Badgers running up trees after squirrels... 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2019 21 minutes ago, Porkscratching said: Blimey, I'd like to see your bionic Badgers running up trees after squirrels... Its the foxes that have had a few squirrels. I have seen them with dead squirrels but never seen them catch one. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Enduring image tho isn't it !! I'd maybe guess the squirrels are carrion / roadkill rather than hunted prey, but I'm no expert..the foxes I come across seem to be scavengers rather than hunters, it's so easy to find edibles in the modern day rubbish, hence there's loads about...and the railway trackside is an ideal motorway for them, we're right by the track and the ones round here seem to be coming via that route.. ( see how I inserted a bit of railway stuff in there.. ) 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2019 Foxes do catch and kill rats and I've seen one chase and almost catch a squirrel by leaping up as the squirrel ran up a tree, alas it couldn't leap high enough. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 I guess foxes are opportunists and will grab whatever's going, the ones round here have too much choice with minimal effort, probably the more 'country' foxes have to do a bit more traditional hunting ! You need to be quick on your toes to grab a squirrel tho, our dogs ( despite being quite nimble) have had absolutely no chance when they've tried their luck..!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 6, 2019 4 hours ago, Porkscratching said: I guess foxes are opportunists and will grab whatever's going, the ones round here have too much choice with minimal effort, probably the more 'country' foxes have to do a bit more traditional hunting ! You need to be quick on your toes to grab a squirrel tho, our dogs ( despite being quite nimble) have had absolutely no chance when they've tried their luck..!! Sadly, around this area of north Notts and South Yorks, it is notorious for lamping; Badger 'hunting' and Hare Coursing is a big problem and sadly it is the Travelling community that is often involved. The Police try very hard but the culprits are far too canny to get caught most of the time. The other thing here is that a 'local' Hunt (no names here) is not that choosy about how it goes about it's so called sport. There are some very nasty individuals that are 'employed' by the hunt and oh so accidentally, how did that happen Officer, Foxes are regularly flushed and tracked by the hunt dogs and chased to the death. We have a local group (not the Sabs so often involved in this sort of situation) that report these people but get very little support from the authorities. They dare not confront the 'Hunt supporters' for fear of their safety and some stuff shown on Facebook is absolutely horrendous. Fortunately many landowners and farmers locally will not allow these 'Hunters' on their land and won't be intimidated either, but it is interesting that they are sometimes the victims of what is termed rural crime. Strange coincidence methinks. There are also locals who seem to enjoy shooting birds and wildlife as well and taking duck for who knows what, and thundering around on their OR bikes and Quads and in their huge off road vehicles scaring the poop out of the wildlife and humans that might be in their way! Sounds like the wild east, but it is just that we hardly have any Police around here, however there are swoops occasionally and people are caught, fined and their vehicles confiscated. I worry about our nature Reserve now as well, as the Notts W.T. has almost totally culled the FT paid staff and we rely on Volunteer Rangers for most of the site 'security' and wellbeing of the birds, sheep, cattle and landscapes. P 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted June 6, 2019 Share Posted June 6, 2019 Clearly there's a lot of real scum out there, some of which would even claim to be 'respectable' ( ie 'hunts' ) if there's no enforcement and adequate meaningful punishment inflicted on these a**eholes it's just going to continue... 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted June 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2019 (edited) Only the male is feeding the two chicks, only one at a time on the grass (female on second brood?). I put some seed on the ground which the male eventually found. Edited June 8, 2019 by dhjgreen 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted June 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2019 (edited) Both young together, the one on the right seems more confident to feed itself. There are now seeds, suet, apple and sultanas to eat, we do spoil them. The apple is nailed down to stop the squirrels stealing it. Edited June 8, 2019 by dhjgreen 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jbqfc Posted June 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 8, 2019 saw my first goldfinch fledgling of the year today and my first ever great tit fledgling having a god year in the garden John 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) Briefly saw a bullfinch in the garden yesterday, for only the second time. And a bluetit feeding its young (fledged, it was perched on the edge) from the feeders. Edited June 10, 2019 by Reorte 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted June 10, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 10, 2019 On 06/06/2019 at 16:31, Porkscratching said: Clearly there's a lot of real scum out there, some of which would even claim to be 'respectable' ( ie 'hunts' ) if there's no enforcement and adequate meaningful punishment inflicted on these a**eholes it's just going to continue... Note today'so news about the Herefordshire scumbags feeding live cubs to the hounds. Nicer things......both Blackbirds and House Sparrows on second broods and a Stock Dove has started visiting but is quite a nervous bird. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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