DDolfelin Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Cross posts. Geoff: Not a pigeon. Certainly not a Tern or a Gull. Owl-like in body shape but colour and wing size/beats would say no. Just have to leave it as a mystery I think. I've not seen it for some time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 Well it's good to have some mysteries. Last Tuesday I had a fantastic day out with a fellow birder at Titchwell in Norolk. Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Little Ringed Plover, and loads of Cetti's Warblers singing away to name just a few. We have both just retired (wee haa!!!!) and are enjoying it until the day that the reality of a pension strikes home (as neither of us is 65 we don't get our state pension yet.) Interestingly almost all the others out on the reserve on a lovely sunny day look as if they were retired. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 2, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2013 Cross posts. Geoff: Not a pigeon. Certainly not a Tern or a Gull. Owl-like in body shape but colour and wing size/beats would say no. Just have to leave it as a mystery I think. I've not seen it for some time. Might it have been an escapee? If so it could have been an 'exotic' such as a white Parakeet? However, the 'keet tail is distinctive isn't it. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted July 2, 2013 Share Posted July 2, 2013 .........a single (herring?) gull attempting to see it off. That sounds a bit fishy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Sidecar Racer Posted July 2, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2013 Often, Rich. In suitable weather, we have two or three buzzards overhead at a time. They may be trying to tell me something. I 'd be more worried if they were vultures . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Vultures are OK if you face down and cover your kidneys. In fact, you can do the same in the event of nuclear war with similar results. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted July 2, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 2, 2013 "if you face down and cover your kidneys. In fact, you can do the same in the event of nuclear war with similar results." I did that in Swilley ('orrible part of Plymouth) in1963 and actually prevented a Nuclear attack on Devonport Dockyard. Anyway back to birdies; anyone noticed the proliferation of the common finches this year? P 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted July 3, 2013 Share Posted July 3, 2013 Greenfinches are still scarce in my garden but regular chaffies and goldies. Too suburban these days for any others as Norwich has crept northwards past us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted July 3, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) Couldn't get a picture, but yesterday late afternoon there was a buzzard circling overhead with a single (herring?) gull attempting to see it off. The buzzard seemed completely oblivious & kept circling up - presumably in a thermal - until it was very much higher, then set off accross country... I've seen bunches of crows mobbing buzzards before, but never a single bird. Can you have a single member mob? Hello Rich, Recently witnessed a single large crow having a go at a buzzard, and I was quite amazed at the determination of the crow. The buzzard had to get into a thick pine tree, to try to get away from the crow. The crow didn't stop however, and still persisted, finally driving the buzzard off. I've seen 2 crows going after a kestrel. One crow was playing 'Top Gun' and flying about 15 feet above its partner, who was getting stuck in. The Kestrel easily out-turned the crow, but the crow kept going, for a good minute or more. At this point, 'Top Gun' dived in, and took over the attack, the other crow flying up, out of the melee. After about another minute, the positions were reversed. This kept going for a good 5 minutes. Ian Edited July 3, 2013 by tomparryharry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted July 3, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2013 Greenfinches are still scarce in my garden but regular chaffies and goldies. Too suburban these days for any others as Norwich has crept northwards past us. I wasn't aware that Norwich suffered continental drift.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted July 4, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 4, 2013 Saw a crow yeaterday fending of a Jay, From it's just flying (crashlanded on bicyle shed roof!) youngster, as for the original question I think they've all gone to see a high speed A4! just listen to the sound track before and after Bittern... The Q Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Two gannets dive feeding about 200m off the beach at Teignmouth the other day. First time I've ever seen any here. Not sure where they may have come from, I know there's a colony on the Cherbourg peninsula but do they nest/roost anywhere in south Devon/Cornwall? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted July 4, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 4, 2013 This little fellow seemed to be a regular (and quite tame as well) around the refreshment area at Haven Street station on the IOW steam railway on Monday: Pied Wagtail if I am not mistaken, and he has brought lunch. Just noticed he is ringed as well which surprises me as I thought these were still around in decent numbers in some places. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Doesn't have to be rare to be ringed John - any bird caught in organised nets will be ringed simply as part of long term research and monitoring of ages, migration patterns etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffers Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I wasn't aware that Norwich suffered continental drift.... No just urban drift:-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfsboy Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I wasn't aware that Norwich suffered continental drift.... Norffolk has always been on a different planet to the rest . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alfsboy Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Swallow tail redux . I returned to the same place ,Ranworth Church ,today armed an SLR and a bit of sun ,two dogs ,grandson and daughter .I didnt expect to see the swallowtail again and at first no sign of it .Then along came two .i photographed one in almost the same place as last time but the second was shyer and higher .So another Swallowtail pic for your delectation . 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 "Jackie" the Jackdaw. Some years ago, we were sitting in the garden when this fellow joined us. We fed it. It stayed and used to spend the day perched (dangerously) on top of the open back door. As time passed it travelled out with us, perched on the steering wheel. I taught it to catch flies in our very large hedge from its perch on my hand. Sometimes it travelled on my shoulder and did great damage to the back of my shirts. One day it bit my ear and flew off, never to be knowingly seen again. Ungrateful brute. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted July 10, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 10, 2013 Since we've gone onto insects as well as birds - does anyone have any idea what this wee beastie is? (underside view) New to our garden this afternoon (well actually, on the neighbours' aerial) was a Goldfinch - too far to get a good image of though... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 (edited) Since we've gone onto insects as well as birds - does anyone have any idea what this wee beastie is? moth1.JPG moth2.JPG (underside view) moth3.JPG New to our garden this afternoon (well actually, on the neighbours' aerial) was a Goldfinch - too far to get a good image of though... Your moth is a Jersey Tiger - Euplagia quadripunctaria - only found in Devon and Cornwall, so you were well placed to find one! Chaz Edited July 11, 2013 by chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 The insane Nuthatch has gone since early this year. We had a problem for near two years that one Nuthatch would sit in the sunflower seed dispenser, and throw away twenty before finding one to its liking. I ended up suspending a small bucket under the feeder to prevent a wood pigeon trampled sunflower field replacing the grass, once this behaviour had been regularly observed. And then spent more time devising a method for keeping squirrels out of the catch bucket. One enterprising squirrel nearly broke through the bucket base seam, but fortunately the mad bird ceased before it succeeded. Anyhoo, noticing in March that the catch bucket was no longer being filled, it was removed. A brood of Nuthatches were successfully raised in the nearest oak tree, and these are all properly adjusted. They spend a lot of time hammering on the window frames, which is normal for Nuthatches until they discover that UPVC is a poor environment for insect larvae and the like. (How hard is that? Having developed a behaviour to exploit window frames as a good source of food, the walking trees change what they are made from so the insect life largely goes away. On similar lines, Green woodpeckers are not in the least averse to probing Astroturf and like products...) Next problem, stopping the badgers from climbing a tree to get at the hanging (squirrel proof) peanut dispenser. Think I am going to take the easy route on this one, and hang it from the house. Badgers cannot climb brick walls is my guess. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted July 11, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2013 Your moth is a Jersey Tiger - Euplagia quadripunctaria - only found in Devon and Cornwall, so you were well placed to find one! Chaz Thanks Chaz - I'm impressed we found something rather special then (although strictly it found us!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted July 11, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 11, 2013 According to my far more knowledgeable and wonderful Fiancee this little fellow which came up to us yesterday lunchtime is a Dunnock: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Happy Hippo Posted July 12, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2013 No photo as it was too dark, but last night faound a young barn owl in the oak tree alongside the house. When we first moved here nearly 20 years a ago it was quite a common resting point, but this is the first one I've seen and heard in the area for nearly ten years. Nice to have them back, even though their bloodythirsty shrieks can be a bit unnerving at first. Regards R 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 According to my far more knowledgeable and wonderful Fiancee this little fellow which came up to us yesterday lunchtime is a Dunnock: Dunnock01.jpg Dunnock02.jpg Dunnock03.jpg Yup, your fiancee is quite right, a dunnock. This species used to be called a hedge sparrow but as it's not a sparrow (look at that sharp little beak!) "dunnock" is now accepted. Dunnocks have interesting sex-lives! Chaz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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