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Yorkshire Birding (15 Viewers)

birdieboy123 said:
Does anyone know if the LEO's are still at Fairburn, Hoping to go tommorrow morning
Still there today according to birdguides. I'm going to have another bash at photos tomorrow am, couldn't today. If you want, birdie boy, I could text you if they are there. PM a mobile number to me.
If I get any decent pics I'll post them tomorrow night.
 
birdieboy123 said:
Thanks Keith, What time will you be there, I should be there about 9.30

I've replied to the PM John, I'll be there 7.30am for about 15 to 30 mins only. Got to work on a Saturday so won't be around for too long.

also Marcus, I had a cracking sparrowhawk...a lady... fly past the window at work today, certainly upset the local pigeons. I'm just far enough away from Fairburn to miss the raptors that are seen on the reserve. If the office window faced East rather than West I'd stand a chance.
 
malgos said:
I was going to post this in the Eagle Owls in Britain thread but felt it was only relevant to Yorkshire Birders.

The Kite release scheme at Harewood produce a Newsletter and I bumped into Doug Simpson yesterday who is in charge of the release scheme and he gave me a copy of newletter-Issue 8. the following is quoted from this newsletter. " Eagle Owl. Another surprise cami in the form of an Eagle Owl which took up winter residence in the area where there several Red Kite breeding sites. Its arrival was particularly topical as it occured shortly after the broadcast, on BBC telivision of a programme about a pair of Eagle Owls which had been breeding in North Yotkshire for several years. That programme had prompted a debate about the likely origins of a number of Eagle Owls which were known to be present in the wild in England-it being known that there was at least one pair in Yorkshire besides those noted above. Whilst the most likely explanation is that they are captive birds which escaped,there is a school of thought that some of them could be of Continental origin which have made there way here.
The bird preent in West Yorkshire spent many evenings calling - trying to attract a mate. It appears to have been unsuccessful and is presumed to have moved on elsewhere. There were no clues as to its origin,it not having been posssible to see whether it was ringed".
I thought this might interest you all.
Malcolm

That's an interesting post Malcolm, I hadn't heard of this bird and am a bit sick that I missed it. I take it the bird was on the Harewood Estate so only a handful of miles from my house?
 
Keith Dickinson said:
That's an interesting post Malcolm, I hadn't heard of this bird and am a bit sick that I missed it. I take it the bird was on the Harewood Estate so only a handful of miles from my house?
Yes on the Harewood Estate.
 
Keith Dickinson said:
I've replied to the PM John, I'll be there 7.30am for about 15 to 30 mins only. Got to work on a Saturday so won't be around for too long.

also Marcus, I had a cracking sparrowhawk...a lady... fly past the window at work today, certainly upset the local pigeons. I'm just far enough away from Fairburn to miss the raptors that are seen on the reserve. If the office window faced East rather than West I'd stand a chance.

Must have been exciting for you Keith. Can't beat a big female smasking through the local flocks. Think I may try for the leo's this weekend.

Can't beleive there hasn't been a mega now for nearly a month. Check those fields for desert wheatears.
 
Thanks for the info this morning Keith. Did you get any decent photos, they were showing ok but the face was slightly obscured by a branch but you could see it's tufts
 
Just got back from the LEO's. Guess they hadn't moved much since John's visit earlier in the day. Still very happy, especially as they are a lifer and my 200th UK bird species. Only 200 more and I might retire.

Just want to say cheers for the directions guys. Also thanks again Keith for the text. Was able to go direct from work knowing the birds were still about.
 
No photos, the wind was moving the conifer a bit so couldn't get a fast enough shutter speed with the available light. Aperture priority gave me a 2 second exposure, whilst shutter priority just gave me a black screen. I'll have another bash maybe tomorrow or Monday
 
Had a family day out at Ravenscar looking for fossils, not much to report down there - very windy so a few gulls, rock pipit and oystercatcher.

Called in at Scarborough though and found a Great Northern Diver in the harbour happily fishing just below me. Having only ever seen them wave dodging I got excellent views, it was showing signs of moulting into summer uniform with some lovely spangling on its back.

Alsofound Turnstones on the wall behaving like pigeons! When I sat down to watch the GND, two flew up and sat in front of me only 6' away. Didn't have any food on me to see if they are after scraps (fish?) but has anyone else seen this?
 
jtw521 said:
Alsofound Turnstones on the wall behaving like pigeons! When I sat down to watch the GND, two flew up and sat in front of me only 6' away. Didn't have any food on me to see if they are after scraps (fish?) but has anyone else seen this?
I saw similar behaviour in Aberdeen in January. Very tame and walking amongst people along the road that runs by the beach.
 
Keith Dickinson said:
Was it not turnstones that made the papers the other month by using the ferry somewhere on the south coast?

It was, Keith. And the ones at Scarborough are incredibly tame. I've seen them fighting for chips with the gulls.

Watched the Long-eared owls fly from roost tonight at Fairburn. Superb. It is such a shame that the one branch obscures the view of them roosting but the views as they woke up, strecthed, wandered out on the branches and flew were great, even in the half-light. Also loads of passerines around and many now in song. But the smew seems to have gone?
 
What time were the owls flying then Graham? I might just hang behind after work tomorrow.
Had a couple of hours down at Rodley this morning, not a lot around but watching a female goosander fly down river was pleasant. The feeding area was very quiet, I hope that trich hasn't been affecting the finch flocks at the reserve.
 
Had a trip down to Potteric today after Lesser Spotted Woodpecker but didn't have any luck but did get Willow Tit.Called in at Fairburn on the way home and got the Leo's.Managed a few photos but the branches were in the way.
 

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Nice one Geoff, The bird is in exactly the same place as it was yesterday. Was there only the one, yesterday the other was just behind it with its back to us. Can't someone go and cut that bloody branch while they are out hunting
 
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Keith Dickinson said:
What time were the owls flying then Graham? I might just hang behind after work tomorrow.

First bird woke up and stretched around 6 and was calling soon after but probably flew only around 6.30. 2nd bird followed perhaps five-ten minutes later. (The first had waited nearby)

Do both male and female have the same low cooing call? I know the male does but both birds gave that call.
 
Here's the entry from the Concise BWP, Graham
Voice
Advertising-call of ♂ a slow, evenly-spaced series of long-drawn, low cooing ‘oo’ or ‘hu’ sounds, quiet but penetrating, and audible up to 1 km or more. Calls delivered at intervals of c. 2.5 s, the first few in series usually of lower pitch and volume than the rest. Commonest call of ♀ a nasal buzzing sound; difficult to render and variable between individuals, but aptly likened to sound produced by blowing through paper-covered comb. Given almost exclusively when perched—typically from nest, serving to attract ♂; often then alternating with advertising-call of distant or approaching ♂. Contact-alarm call a descending, long-drawn harsh wheezing sound. Full repertoire complex; includes a variety of other mewing, twittering, yelping, and barking calls.
 
Blimey! I was going to say paper-comb to describe what I heard! That's what me and my dad thought immediately, but I assumed it was the cooing 'oo' sound described in Collins. So they are both females. Shame. No little baby owls from these two, then.
 
birdieboy123 said:
Nice one Geoff, The bird is in exactly the same place as it was yesterday. Was there only the one, yesterday the other was just behind it with its back to us. Can't someone go and cut that bloody branch while they are out hunting


The other one was lower down and to the back of the tree,not as good a view.
 

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