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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Birds in strange locations! (1 Viewer)

Cyclops

1 eyed tree hugging nature nut!
Well, a few months ago I saw what i thought was a large magpie ina farmer's field. Luckily I had my binos with me (Wish I had my new camera back then!)and I saw it had a bright red beak-it was an Oystercatcher,love these birds!
Nothing strange about that I suppose, but I live in County Durham, near a town, with no sea for miles!
Being one who doesn't get a chance to visit the coast that often it was nice to see-last time I saw them was over 10 years ago, on a coastal trip with the RSPB.

So what are others experiences with strangers in strange lands?
 
You can get them inland but they are localised. Saw one this morning funnily enough, not far from Birmingham city centre.
 
Sedgley said:
You can get them inland but they are localised. Saw one this morning funnily enough, not far from Birmingham city centre.

Hey Sedgely I used to work up there, near Sedgely Beacon! (I also found my first fossil up there!) Well when I say 'work' I mean sit around and make tea all day, well it was thirsty work!
(I was actually on a crappy training course thast somehow managed to get me a NVQ!)
 
Eye, Eye, Cyclops. Or should that just be eye. :hi:

Sedgley Beacon is about 5 minutes walk from where I live. In fact, have a look in the 'Local patch' forum on the site and check out 'In and around South Staffordshire' as you will recognise a lot of the places I am sure.
 
On a saturday night a few years back after the festivities ended I crashed on the easy chair. I awoke at about 4:00 a.m to see what appeared to be a sparrow floating in midair in my apartment. After i shook off the cobwebs I realized that it was on the sceen door on the inside! I stood up and my housemate at the time happened to wake up as we stood in amazement it slowly fluttered around the apartment. I then opened the door and in slow motion it flew off into the night. Strange days indeed.
 
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In a very residential section of Saint Joseph, Missouri, we had a Wild Turkey go walking down the street on which we live. These are normally birds found in the wooded hills and hollows in rural areas!
 
The Turkey vulture that my dad saw flying down the street of my suburban neighborhood two months ago was certainly odd. We never get TVs on Long Island, let alone in winter! Fulvous whistling-ducks are certainly out of place here, let alone three!(Last June) The Peregrine falcon that attacked my birdfeeder surprised me the first time, and the second, and even the third, but now he stops he stops by every once in a while during winter.
 
OwlTalon said:
The Turkey vulture that my dad saw flying down the street of my suburban neighborhood two months ago was certainly odd. We never get TVs on Long Island, let alone in winter! Fulvous whistling-ducks are certainly out of place here, let alone three!(Last June) The Peregrine falcon that attacked my birdfeeder surprised me the first time, and the second, and even the third, but now he stops he stops by every once in a while during winter.
I just happened to be back to New York in June of last year and went to Jamaica Bay on Long Island to bird. I was quite surprised to see one of the Fulvous Whistling-Ducks while I was there. Certainly an unexpected sighting!
 
We had a ruffed grouse in a tree in our front yard a few years ago. At the time, we were living in a very residential area of the city, quite far from any wooded areas.
 
I also saw an immature Golden eagle on Nova Scotia once. According to the field guides, quite out of range, but there was no mistaking the white wing patches and the gold sheen to the crown and nape feathers. Also had TWO Painted redstarts in Zion National Park in Utah. Very distinctive bird, but exactly how rare are they there?
 
Had a Eurasian Woodcock roding past a travel agent in a very suburban area of Sheffield..called ..wait for it yes Woodcock travel!

On the Outer Hebridies also has a Eurasian Robin take a shine to the steering wheel of our rental car and feed on biscuit crumbs on the dashboard, as well as on our scopes.

Also had a Common Kestrel land on my head once in Rother Valley Country Park...the same place..70 miles inland where I saw a Northern Fulmar gliding down the main lake..still got rejected by the Sheffield Bird Study Group for not a good enough description I giess..but what else can you say?

Could go on..but maybe save em for another time..did get dive-bombed by a Eurasian Oystercatcher at Blakeney many years ago too...nearly laanded on my head!

Sean
Hiroshima
 
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