RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 13 hours ago, Phil Traxson said: Cuckoo? Too small, It was the size of a blackbird 7 hours ago, jbqfc said: it could be a fledgling thrush John The black tail puzzled me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprintex Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Had a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden this morning, keeping the local Starling population off the fat-ball feeder. Makes a change from them keeping the sparrows and tits off it themselves!! Paul 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 14 minutes ago, Sprintex said: Had a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden this morning, keeping the local Starling population off the fat-ball feeder. Makes a change from them keeping the sparrows and tits off it themselves!! Paul Precocious for a youngster 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jbqfc Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 43 minutes ago, melmerby said: Too small, It was the size of a blackbird The black tail puzzled me. yes it has even go the wife puzzled she has been birding for over 30 years she thinks it could be a blackbird but is not sure John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 7 minutes ago, jbqfc said: yes it has even go the wife puzzled she has been birding for over 30 years she thinks it could be a blackbird but is not sure John Two votes here for blackbird (young/female). 40 years and counting, have been known to be wrong though 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium dhjgreen Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 On 02/07/2019 at 12:53, Tim Dubya said: I am honoured with a visiting pair of Bullfinches, of course every time I attempt a photo they fly off once my back is turned. Although, I did come to the conclusion the other day that they use an advanced form of teleportation, as they don't fly in to or out of view they simply appear and disappear. I stalked a blackcap over several days to get a photo, camera left on a tripod was the key. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 (edited) Had a nice Robin in the garden earlier and a Chaffinch I think it is with club foot! Edited July 7, 2019 by brian daniels 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
88D Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 18 hours ago, melmerby said: What's this: I thought it was a blackbird transitioning from juvenile to adult but the colours seem too bright. It was mixing with other blackbirds which looked the more normal browns & blacks Juvenile male blackbird. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 7, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 7, 2019 1 hour ago, brian daniels said: Had a nice Robin in the garden earlier and a Chaffinch I think it is with club foot! That's the horrible fungal thing that is attacking the Chaffies. Been getting worse the last few years. Not as horrible as the disease that has almost wiped out the Greenfinches but still must be uncomfortable for the poor things. Great pics though. P 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian daniels Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Now you mention it I haven't seen any Greenfinches and Chafinches are thin on the ground here in Oxford. What can be done about the fungus? 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2019 (edited) 5 minutes ago, brian daniels said: Now you mention it I haven't seen any Greenfinches and Chafinches are thin on the ground here in Oxford. What can be done about the fungus? I think the RSPB web site has some info but I have not checked recently. I don't think this is an infection as such but what do I know. Several of these things are easily spread due to the huge increase in garden feeders and however scrupulous one is in cleaning the feeders then just one bird can leave the traces for the condition and away it goes with others using the same perching place. There maybe something one can use on the feeders that is like an antiseptic? P Edited July 8, 2019 by Mallard60022 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2019 On 02/07/2019 at 10:39, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: New bird for me and our garden, there's a tawny pipit returning regularly to one of the birdbaths. I have had the binos on it and books to hand, so very confident I have it right. Where is this? UK or elsewhere? There's very rare visitors to UK, a handful of records on passage most years. I saw several in Mallorca in May. If this is UK, please photograph and submit to your County recorder. No need for your exact address, your privacy will be respected. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2019 On 06/07/2019 at 23:03, melmerby said: What's this: I thought it was a blackbird transitioning from juvenile to adult but the colours seem too bright. It was mixing with other blackbirds which looked the more normal browns & blacks Juv blackbird 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2019 2 hours ago, brian daniels said: Now you mention it I haven't seen any Greenfinches and Chafinches are thin on the ground here in Oxford. What can be done about the fungus? 2 hours ago, Mallard60022 said: I think the RSPB web site has some info but I have not checked recently. I don't think this is an infection as such but what do I know. Several of these things are easily spread due to the huge increase in garden feeders and however scrupulous one is in cleaning the feeders then just one bird can leave the traces for the condition and away it goes with others using the same perching place. There maybe something one can use on the feeders that is like an antiseptic? P Antiseptics will not deal with a fungal infection such as this. A fungicide is the answer but many fungicides can cause even more problems and could even prove fatal to small creatures such as birds. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 3 hours ago, Tim Hall said: Where is this? UK or elsewhere? There's very rare visitors to UK, a handful of records on passage most years. I saw several in Mallorca in May. If this is UK, please photograph and submit to your County recorder. No need for your exact address, your privacy will be respected. Central Herts. Too late for any photographic record, been and gone within a half hour, and no camera to hand. Whatever it was, I really enjoyed seeing it as the flight was so distinctive and attractive. 4 hours ago, brian daniels said: ... What can be done about the fungus? Practically, let Nature sort it out. This is the 'dark side' of evolution by natural selection that very few want to acknowledge. Shit naturally happens that can and will kill off whole species. If this fungal problem happened to take out all the Chaff and Green - finches, worry not. There will be fully resistant maroonfinch, azurefinch, heliotropefinch and jonquilfinch along to fill their niches, any millennium now. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tim Hall Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 8, 2019 27 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: Central Herts. Too late for any photographic record, been and gone within a half hour, and no camera to hand. Whatever it was, I really enjoyed seeing it as the flight was so distinctive and attractive. Practically, let Nature sort it out. This is the 'dark side' of evolution by natural selection that very few want to acknowledge. Shit naturally happens that can and will kill off whole species. If this fungal problem happened to take out all the Chaff and Green - finches, worry not. There will be fully resistant maroonfinch, azurefinch, heliotropefinch and jonquilfinch along to fill their niches, any millennium now. That's a shame. Please consider submitting a written report, though, seriously rare bird in the UK! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2019 53 minutes ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: Central Herts. Too late for any photographic record, been and gone within a half hour, and no camera to hand. Whatever it was, I really enjoyed seeing it as the flight was so distinctive and attractive. Practically, let Nature sort it out. This is the 'dark side' of evolution by natural selection that very few want to acknowledge. Shit naturally happens that can and will kill off whole species. If this fungal problem happened to take out all the Chaff and Green - finches, worry not. There will be fully resistant maroonfinch, azurefinch, heliotropefinch and jonquilfinch along to fill their niches, any millennium now. …..and I suppose humans will go the same way if we are not careful with biotrickery ( happens?) Anyway, personally I think this 'fungus' and sadly so many other things, is possibly as a result of human activity. Consequetntly, I know that nature should 'take its' course and natural selection is inevitable, but maybe we should not be quite so dismissive of it? Phil 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 1 minute ago, Mallard60022 said: ...and I suppose humans will go the same way if we are not careful with biotrickery ( happens?) Anyway, personally I think this 'fungus' and sadly so many other things, is possibly as a result of human activity. Indeed, quite possible, both of them. But here's the thing, humanity is fully part of the process. Our presence is no more or less natural than a great big rock hitting the planet and causing extinctions. If evolution by natural selection produces a brainy ape it's part of the 'shit that happens': and the natural selection process operates. Even David Attenborough is doing his bit toward extinctions, however much he wishes he weren't. Those organisms that cannot adapt to this particular environmental change will fail: on present evidence it is the likes of bacteria, rats and cockroaches that will thrive. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2019 1 minute ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: Indeed, quite possible, both of them. But here's the thing, humanity is fully part of the process. Our presence is no more or less natural than a great big rock hitting the planet and causing extinctions. If evolution by natural selection produces a brainy ape it's part of the 'shit that happens': and the natural selection process operates. Even David Attenborough is doing his bit toward extinctions, however much he wishes he weren't. Those organisms that cannot adapt to this particular environmental change will fail: on present evidence it is the likes of bacteria, rats and cockroaches that will thrive. Can't argue with that....sort of dystopian future then? G. Orwell. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said: Can't argue with that....sort of dystopian future then?... "sort of inevitably dystopian future then", if the scientific understanding is correct. Read all about Entropy. Personally I am convinced of something much better, but faith in God is so discredited, only a complete loony abandoned to all reason would believe in that. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted July 8, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 8, 2019 The only hope is now that enough birds with resistance to the fungal infection survive to breed but the chances of that are slim. A good example of how devastating a fungal infection can be is Dutch Elm Disease, the few remaining Elms are now in the equivalent of intensive care. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodshaw Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Some blackbirds and a robin sunbathing in our back garden a few days ago... 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 12, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 12, 2019 On 09/07/2019 at 14:29, rodshaw said: Some blackbirds and a robin sunbathing in our back garden a few days ago... I have often wondered why birds do this but I have never looked it up. Sometimes they adopt really weird poses! Over our garden yesterday there were magnificent flying displays by up to 40 ish HMs and we appear to have about 8 Swift. Great view against storm cloud back-scenery. P 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porkscratching Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 They're having a 'dust bath' to scrub their feathers and get rid of parasites etc, in theory....but looks like they rather enjoy just for the fun of it when I've watched them.. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
88D Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 11 hours ago, Porkscratching said: They're having a 'dust bath' to scrub their feathers and get rid of parasites etc, in theory....but looks like they rather enjoy just for the fun of it when I've watched them.. Out this afternoon in Exbury, and saw a thrush dustbathing. Got my phone out, but the b——r flew off before. I could photo him/her. I went over to the dustbath area, and it was an ant’s nest. Our intelligent thrush had been enticing the ants to squirt the feathers with formic acid. No effect on the thrush, but woebetide the ectoparasotic efforts trying to eke out a living! 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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