chaz Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Afraid that's the real world though A few years ago there was a rare wader strutting its stuff in front of all the twitchers at an East Midlands reservoir - a red legged phalarope at Swithland I think - when there was a large swirl and no more phalarope. Esox Lucius thinks he is king of the water am afraid. Phil That would be a red necked phalarope, Phil. Phalaropes are not that rare, occurring in small numbers on passage. Photo is of a grey phalarope (close relation) which I took at Farmoor Reservoir - about ten miles west of Oxford. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 ...excellent Chaz...I called in there once but certainly didn't see one of these. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 Are gulls edible? I believe they are......in China. Your culinary expert in this area is SHMD; he seems to have digested most things in the People's Republic! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gloria Sass Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 not a bird watcher by any stretch, but i do see bats outside my window at night and i enjoy watching them, very close to the building too, perhaps we have a nest in the roof, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 ...excellent Chaz...I called in there once but certainly didn't see one of these. Dave On the same visit we had amazing sightings (for us). The second species we saw (the first was about a trillion coots) was an osprey. Later on the same visit we saw two black terns and just before we left (having walked right round the southern half of the reservoir) half a dozen yellow wagtails. Since then we have gone at least once every autumn and have always seen something interesting - the yellow wagtails never disappoint! Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) ...Wagtails...I've filmed both grey, white and pied but haven't seen a yellow one yet. Ospreys...I haven't viewed in the same way since going to Sanibel island, Florida last year and seeing (and hearing) them in many tree tops or nesting poles. Black terns would be new to me too. Dave Edited June 18, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) "where? when? Please tell (I gotta know!)" Martin Mere - a few years ago. http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martin-mere/ Edited June 18, 2013 by DDolfelin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 "where? when? Please tell (I gotta know!)" Martin Mere - a few years ago. http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/martin-mere/ Ah, thanks. So I assume not at this time of year. I have seen all of these species except the Bewicks swan here on the south coast. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 ...Wagtails...I've filmed both grey, white and pied but haven't seen a yellow one yet. Ospreys...I haven't viewed in the same way since going to Sanibel island, Florida last year and seeing (and hearing) them in many tree tops or nesting poles. Black terns would be new to me too. Dave Saw a few yellow wagtails in Norfolk (Titchwell and Cley) in the spring. But they can be hard to find, I've never seen one in Hampshire. I believe they are one of the species that has suffered a big drop in numbers. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) Here's a gentle identity quiz from my old photo's: A) B ) C) D) E) F) G) H) Edited June 18, 2013 by DDolfelin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Here's a gentle identity quiz from my old photo's: A) GooseH ?.jpg B ) DuckB?.jpg C) DucksC?.jpg D) DuckP ?.jpg E) DuckD?.jpg F) GeeseD?.jpg G) Goose B?.jpg H) GooseF ?.jpg Unfair! I think they might be feral or collection birds, or snapped "foreign". Apart from duck C - which looks like three semi-feral mallards - crosses between wild mallards and aylesburys - i suspect that non of these are on the British list. I love the gull with the red bill patches - definitely not a british bird though.... Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 They were all taken at Martin Mere. Supposedly free flying. Admittedly they are mostly cropped and enlarged from the background in other pics. (hence very poor quality). ... and, I don't necessarily know the answers! I thought your 'gull' might be some sort of Wood Duck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 They were all taken at Martin Mere. Supposedly free flying. Admittedly they are mostly cropped and enlarged from the background in other pics. (hence very poor quality). ... and, I don't necessarily know the answers! I thought your 'gull' might be some sort of Wood Duck. Silly me - yes the "gull" is a duck I should have looked a bit more carefully at the bill. (call yourself a birdwatcher....?) but it's not in any of my field guides, so your guess..... But you definitely have some escapes (from ornamental collections or similar) in amongst these - apart from the odd mallards - this species is prone to plumage variations, after all the all-white Aylesbury with it's yellow bill is genetically a mallard. D might be a white headed duck - but this is not on the British list so if it is its almost certainly an escape. The closest they come to the UK (according to my Collins Guide) is southern Spain. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Silly me - yes the "gull" is a duck I should have looked a bit more carefully at the bill. (call yourself a birdwatcher....?) but it's not in any of my field guides, so your guess..... But you definitely have some escapes (from ornamental collections or similar) in amongst these - apart from the odd mallards - this species is prone to plumage variations, after all the all-white Aylesbury with it's yellow bill is genetically a mallard. D might be a white headed duck - but this is not on the British list so if it is its almost certainly an escape. The closest they come to the UK (according to my Collins Guide) is southern Spain. Chaz Southern Spain is too hot for them right now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted June 18, 2013 Author Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hope you made the most of it, Gruffers. "D" looks a bit Scaup-like but I wouldn't know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted June 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2013 "Saw a few yellow wagtails in Norfolk (Titchwell and Cley) in the spring. But they can be hard to find, I've never seen one in Hampshire. I believe they are one of the species that has suffered a big drop in numbers." I saw one at Winchester City Mill about 4 years ago. I'm at work so can't access the pics. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Southern Spain is too hot for them right now! Yes, they winter there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Hope you made the most of it, Gruffers. "D" looks a bit Scaup-like but I wouldn't know. Sorry, but D is definitely not a scaup - which looks like a tufty but with a light grey back ((and no tuft!). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 ...yellow wagtail...... I saw one at Winchester City Mill about 4 years ago. I'm at work so can't access the pics. Pete I'm envious. Of course, as they are migratory, they can turn up on any piece of water in spring or autumn. If you have a photo please post it when you can. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2013 That would be a red necked phalarope, Phil. Phalaropes are not that rare, occurring in small numbers on passage. Photo is of a grey phalarope (close relation) which I took at Farmoor Reservoir - about ten miles west of Oxford. Thanks Chaz - only goes to show I should stick to railways! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 Thanks Chaz - only goes to show I should stick to railways! Phil No don't do that. I find the two hobbies go well together, when I need a break from all this fine detail I go out and walk. Whilst I am searching the skies and trees I often have good ideas about the modelling I'm doing. If I don't at least I get some exercise.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) On a Sanibel island condo plot A few clips filmed around our Florida condo in March last year....includes ospreys, mockingbird, grackle, red shouldered hawk, white ibis, red cardinal and snowy plover Dave Edited June 19, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium petethemole Posted June 18, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2013 Yellow wagtail at Winchester City Mill 31/05/09. Apologies for the quality, it was at max zoom on my Fuji compact. Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 (edited) ...I'd be pleased to have a pic. like that. Dave Edited June 20, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted June 18, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2013 No don't do that. I find the two hobbies go well together, when I need a break from all this fine detail I go out and walk. Whilst I am searching the skies and trees I often have good ideas about the modelling I'm doing. If I don't at least I get some exercise.... Spot on Chaz! How can we model the real world if we don't appreciate it? Trout fishing takes me out in to some wonderful wild countryside, and some of that is reflected in Abbotswood. Cheers Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now