nice whitethroat - i now have two competing in the lane...
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County Louth (formerly Dundalk Bay) local patch. (9 Viewers)
- Thread starter breffni
- Start date
nice whitethroat - i now have two competing in the lane...
On the Sunday 17 May 2009 at 5am, the North Louth branch of Birdwatch Ireland will host National Dawn Chorus Day at Listoke House, Ballymakenny Road, Drogheda, Co Louth. For details on how to get there please phone: 353 (0) 41 983 2265 or see http://gardens.ireland-guide.com/listoke_gardens.garden.7176.html. For details about the event please call Breffni on 087 9145363. We will meet at the car park at 5am and take a walk around the grounds until about 6 or later.
Probably thanking me for the food........Dolce, It was probably a Starling, they can do great impressions of everyday sounds. We had one that mimicked our neighbours alarm siren
gareth2005
Well-known member
8 eggs now hatched in the Great Tit nestbox, mothers seems to be feeding them often but with all this wet weather it cant help.
gareth
gareth
gareth2005
Well-known member
Just an update, 7 Great Tit nestlings now left in the nestbox, chicks are still blind
Gerry o Neill
Well-known member
Nice bonxie! I had an arctic and lit gull off greystones yesterday and at 4am on the way to the dawn chorus i had the short eared owl again following the road along willville so he is still around.
Great turnout for the dawn chorus and great location (apart from being very hard to find - sorry about that to anyone who got lost!)
Great turnout for the dawn chorus and great location (apart from being very hard to find - sorry about that to anyone who got lost!)
Gerry o Neill
Well-known member
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very nice - maybe they'll stay and breed - for anyone interested here is a google link for lough shark http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=54.308011,-6.365719&spn=0.020531,0.046778&t=h&z=14 which is also called acton lake. Unfortunately access is difficult but if you part at the entrance about two miles north of poyntzpass and walk down to the tow path (there is a disused canal) to the right, you can get views of the birds. To get close waders will be required...
The fulmars at St John's castle in Carlingford are back: http://www.flickr.com/photos/breffni
Has anyone ever noticed Swifts high up in trees. I noticed quite a few playing and flying as they do the other evening near hospital, then following day sat on the carved seat in edge of Daisyhill woods watching at least a dozen of them again darting and playing low enough for ages without landing and that convinced me Swifts plus all brown colour. It was lovely watching them. I saw them flying over my garden several times going to work and then convinced this evening that I saw about six or seven high up in tree nextdoor. It was there odd behaviour of lying against the outside leaves of the tree and not perched the way birds usually do that drew my attention to them. Then with binoculars I could see the odd looking brown black slanted eyes and very dark beaks with wings partly open mostly and hunched together. I just think its unusual to see them in a tree but maybe I am wrong and think the way they were in the tree odd and as if not used to being in trees.
I also saw about seven of the really large Woodpigeons with long necks and white on side of neck sitting together on telegraph pole nearby. Saw a beautiful well bigger than sparrow mostly creamy/brown sort of speckled on side of bird hopping along with large amount of white on right and left of the end of tail very noticeable, no idea what that hopped back into woods too. I thought it a Song thrush or juvenile Mistle thrush but not sure if they hop.
I also saw about seven of the really large Woodpigeons with long necks and white on side of neck sitting together on telegraph pole nearby. Saw a beautiful well bigger than sparrow mostly creamy/brown sort of speckled on side of bird hopping along with large amount of white on right and left of the end of tail very noticeable, no idea what that hopped back into woods too. I thought it a Song thrush or juvenile Mistle thrush but not sure if they hop.
Derek Watters
Well-known member
Hi Dolce
If you are not sure if they are swifts, listen for their unmistakable screaming calls. In fact, the collective noun for swifts is not "a flock of swifts" but "a scream of swifts"! Click "play" here to listen to them http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/swift/index.asp
To my knowledge, swifts never rest in trees. Some never return to earth after they leave the nest; eating, drinking, sleeping and mating in the air. They also live quite long for such a small bird - average 9 years, but a bird was found in Switzerland that was ringed 21 years previous! So you can imagine what milage they can clock up in a lifetime.
However, your description does sound like them, in particular the eyes, which are as you described. Apart from nightjars (if there were 6 or 7 of these in your neighbours tree, we'd all be there!), I cannot think what else they might be.
Seems to be more woodpigeon around this year than previously (my observations anyway).
Your last bird is probably a mistle thrush. The amount of white on the sides of the tail can vary on different birds.
If you are not sure if they are swifts, listen for their unmistakable screaming calls. In fact, the collective noun for swifts is not "a flock of swifts" but "a scream of swifts"! Click "play" here to listen to them http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/s/swift/index.asp
To my knowledge, swifts never rest in trees. Some never return to earth after they leave the nest; eating, drinking, sleeping and mating in the air. They also live quite long for such a small bird - average 9 years, but a bird was found in Switzerland that was ringed 21 years previous! So you can imagine what milage they can clock up in a lifetime.
However, your description does sound like them, in particular the eyes, which are as you described. Apart from nightjars (if there were 6 or 7 of these in your neighbours tree, we'd all be there!), I cannot think what else they might be.
Seems to be more woodpigeon around this year than previously (my observations anyway).
Your last bird is probably a mistle thrush. The amount of white on the sides of the tail can vary on different birds.
Helsinki Birder
Stealth Birder
Ive seen chimney swift roost in trees. And many swift species will roost on rockfaces, buildings etc.
Owen
Owen
Derek Watters
Well-known member
I had two in tree again this morning briefly and can see white patch under neck and odd brown eyes so distinctive clearly but from studying book noticing Crag Martins not unlike Swifts and now think thats what they are. They swoop flying out of the tree exactly like Swifts but fly sideways down towards sea from angle I am sitting at so I didnt notice no forked tail as only side view of tail. I wonder would it be more common to see Crag Martins in trees because definitely one or the other as no-one could mistake odd looking eyes and face. I will listen today but Swifts are definitely flying low around here too especially in the evenings.
I also have Rock Sparrows, anyone know if they are common. I have one little mite coming to the back door daily for seeds and can so clearly see the bright peach line coming straight out of eye and even saw the yellow spot high up on neck and vaguely streaked chest too. They are very dainty lovely birds. Today a Dunnock came to near patio doors too for seeds which is unusual too but I was sort of hidden behind a darkish curtain.
Here are some pictures finally of my tropical bird as I have named him. He appeared again a few weeks past evenings only alone when light going down. This week started to go on feeders occasionally during day too although likes to feed alone. Finally got pictures today but as I crept closer he kept looking around hense slightly blurred pictures. I wonder where is his partner with the pale pink and white on chest and even nicer face. You can see the massive pale beak in first picture, black around eyes and gorgeous design of black down his back. What on earth is he ? not sure why I think he is the male. I think you can the startling bright colour of the green on him too even down the tail although more obvious in real life.
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gareth2005
Well-known member
Its a Greenfinch Maybe not so tropical
Maybe not so tropical
