• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Search results

thxpress_search_the_forum Search Opus
  1. Pitvar

    Water Shrew ? Cheshire

    Hello all, on a morning walk last weekend I was having a look at a water filled drainage ditch which feeds into a stream system with ponds nearby, when a very small mammal swam across the surface towards some overhanging brambles. My first impression was of a small black mammal "buzzing" across...
  2. Pitvar

    Donna Nook UK - confirmations

    Hello all, not had much time for birding the last six months and could do with confirmation of the two attached from this weekend - I believe Yellowhammer [but the markings on the head left me with some doubt] and Rock Pipit [fairly sure on this one given the streaking but some mipits around!]...
  3. Pitvar

    Tanzania - Arusha NP last few IDs

    After a visit to Arusha NP last week [a day's R&R following climbing Kilimanjaro] I listed around 80 species - most of which I've ID'd with the Helm guide to East Africa but I'm left with a few puzzlers: First one looks like a juvenile and it was raining but I can't get close to an ID -...
  4. Pitvar

    Key species and sites - Orlando and surrounding area - April 2014

    Just a few highlights of some of the key species from the last fortnight in case anyone's out in Florida soon [I will try and get a proper trip report done sometime...]: Bald Eagle - one seen over the lake at Magic Kingdom, pair on road to Boggy Creek airboats - one roosting on telegraph pole...
  5. Pitvar

    Crossbill - enough for Scottish?

    Flock of 12 or so Crossbills feeding on Saturday morning on the west side of Loch Morlich. Had brief views until they flew on into the forest. They were feeding on Larch and whilst I didn't get any sound recording [which I'm kicking myself for] my general impression was that the calls were...
  6. Pitvar

    Tenerife - phylloscopus and other problems

    Hello all, back from a holiday on Tenerife which tested my birding skills with so many lifers and new habitats [for me]. Hopefully someone can help: Firstly Chiffchaffs - I know they vary in colouration and I was listening for different calls [didn't hear a UK type Chiffchaff the whole holiday]...
  7. Pitvar

    Binoculars found in Tenerife

    Bit of a long shot but i've found some bins in the forest on Tenerife - if you've lost any tell me where, what make and what spec and we'll arrange return. They look like they've been outside a while but are in good order. I've let Dr Guarcia-del-Rey of S.O.C. know as I met him whilst he was...
  8. Pitvar

    Bassenthwaite otter

    Currently watching on otter fishing in Bassenthwaite - came to look for Ospreys but very happy with some mammal watching! First Cumbrian otter I've seen for a while. Edit: Then twenty minutes later I watched an osprey catch a sizeable trout :)
  9. Pitvar

    Roadkill Pine Marten [graphic] reporting?

    Hello all, was sad to see this very fresh roadkill Pine Marten last week [North of Inverness - exact location withheld online in case of persecution?] I stopped and took a photo in case it was of use to anyone surveying range etc? The spot didn't look like what I'd imagined "typical" habitat...
  10. Pitvar

    Intersex Mallard? Chester - UK

    Hello all, having found a few older posts on here and elsewhere, could anyone offer an opinion on the bird pictured here? - seen today at Chester Zoo of all places. I noted the female type plumage on the flanks, the male type patterns on the breast and head but the incomplete male...
  11. Pitvar

    Barnacle Goose - NW UK - hybrid?

    Hello all, just out of interest the attached Barnacle has been around Dunham Massey in the north west for at least a few weeks - I know it could be escaped or possibly of wild origin but my interest is in how dark and marked the bird is on the head and wing coverts. I know that there are...
  12. Pitvar

    Curlew Sand? - Hoylake, UK

    Hello all, sadly this is a tentative ID from a photo - I didn't pick this bird out in the field through my bins but on looking at my photos I wonder whether I've managed a shot of a Curlew Sandpiper today. The distinct white eye stripes, the generally smaller size and the white shoulder patches...
  13. Pitvar

    Common Scoter Variation - UK

    Hello all, I had the pleasure of watching the Scoter flock at Embo yesterday, after creeping onto the pier and staying very low until they came in to feed [well until some chap set a fire on the beach and put them out to sea]. Both in the field and on looking through the photos I got, a few...
  14. Pitvar

    Two fungi for ID please - UK

    Had my first proper wander looking for fungi in a wood near work yesterday lunchtime. I was able to ID most from the web last night and I've ordered a Collins Guide so I don't have to keep asking! I was amazed by the Helvella Elastica - never noticed those before. The two I'm not sure about are...
  15. Pitvar

    Pec Sand or Ruff - Hale, UK

    Hello all, after getting rained off a high tide visit to Pickerings Pasture I went up to Carr Lane pools in Hale. Light was very poor and raining but several good flocks of waders flew in. There were colour ringed Godwits and at least two Ruff but I'm undecided whether I also saw the Pec Sand...
  16. Pitvar

    Water Pipits and?? - UK

    Hello all, I think I have three water pipits attached [first three shots - number three being particularly well marked] and then the fourth and fifth I think are just variations on the Meadow Pipit range - can anyone comment? Sorry for the terrible photos - the light was not good at Conder Pool...
  17. Pitvar

    Otters - Leighton Moss

    Four otters showed well at about 100m away from Lower Hide at Leighton Moss this afternoon - around 3pm - 3.30pm at least. Appeared to be an adult and three younger ones? The presumed adult caught at least one eel - fishing in an opening in the ice - but appeared to have a spine/back right leg...
  18. Pitvar

    Pine Marten - maybe

    Hello all, no photo I'm afraid but I saw something this week which I'm considering is a possible Pine Marten - I was stopped at the roadside to check out some Grebes at Duartmore Bridge just north of Kylesku at about 21.15 when I got a fleeting glimpse of an animal 50m away as it finished...
  19. Pitvar

    UK Orme - Juv Peregrine?

    Another 99% but wanted to check as a couple of features don't quite work for me. Early this morning on the limestone pavements got a flyby of the attached at some distance and at an angle. The bird was flying into the sun so I believe the uniformly dark colouration is true to life. My instinct...
  20. Pitvar

    Another Mipit? - UK

    Hello all, another one that I'm 99% sure of but just doesn't quite feel right :) Please could anyone confirm Meadow Pipit - its the pale fringing on the coverts and the non stripy head that's thrown me a bit I think - just winter feather abrasion or moult from 1w? Cheers, Peter
  21. Pitvar

    UK - Skylark confirmation

    Hello all, you know sometimes you see a bird and are almost totally sure... I'm 99% confident this is a skylark - especially given the long hind claw and the crest but the evenly streaked breast is giving me some doubt - is this just a skylark with quite fresh plumage? It was in a flock of...
  22. Pitvar

    UK - Gull ageing

    Hello all, I've had some excellent advice and help with gulls generally and am getting there slowly... but this one is confusing me a bit - my best bet is 3rd winter moulting into 3rd summer Herring Gull. The only factors which are causing me to doubt myself are the markings on the primaries...
  23. Pitvar

    Mountain Hares - Dovestones

    Inspired by reading about the population of Mountain Hares in the Peaks I set off early this morning to see if I could find them in the valley between Dovestones and Chew Reservoir. Spotted my first just as the mist and rain rolled in so spent a surprisingly pleasant hour sitting in my...
  24. Pitvar

    Caper?

    Hello all, need to visit Thurso on business soon and was wondering if there were any good spots for Caper - [rogue for preference!] between Inverness and Thurso - or somewhere not too far off the driving route :) I understand people may not want to post it up but I'd be very grateful for any...
  25. Pitvar

    Redpoll sp Yorkshire UK

    Saw a flock of Redpoll today - sadly as the light was fading, but I think I have a Lesser, a Lesser with more pink to the chest [as it would in summer] and finally a Mealy/Common? All three were photgraphed within a few minutes, in the same tree so the colder, grey colouration of the last bird...
Back
Top