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

Very busy at the bird feeder today! (2 Viewers)

Trying to decide whether to put Sparrowhawk in my BTO Garden BirdWatch data for this week. It needs to have been 'using' the garden, i.e. not necessarily landing in it in the case of hunting hawks. It did flush all the finches out of my tree as it shot through, but it was being chased by a Rook at the time so it wasn't technically after them in the first place. It would be only my second record of Sparrowhawk 'in the garden'....
 
LowellMills said:
Trying to decide whether to put Sparrowhawk in my BTO Garden BirdWatch data for this week. It needs to have been 'using' the garden, i.e. not necessarily landing in it in the case of hunting hawks. It did flush all the finches out of my tree as it shot through, but it was being chased by a Rook at the time so it wasn't technically after them in the first place. It would be only my second record of Sparrowhawk 'in the garden'....
Click to expand...

I would put it in, LM. I'm sure it would have taken a bird if the situation was just right, regardless of the Rook.
 
LowellMills said:
Trying to decide whether to put Sparrowhawk in my BTO Garden BirdWatch data for this week. It needs to have been 'using' the garden, i.e. not necessarily landing in it in the case of hunting hawks. It did flush all the finches out of my tree as it shot through, but it was being chased by a Rook at the time so it wasn't technically after them in the first place. It would be only my second record of Sparrowhawk 'in the garden'....
Click to expand...

Sparrowhawks in and around the garden :t: IMO the best UK bird by far, get it counted :t:
 
I was saddened to hear how some are happy to resort to cruelty to eliminate squirrels.

I know they are a absolute pest and can cause untold damage as well as eat all the bird feed but to feed them with something that is likely to cause them untold pain and misery is simply cruel. Besides its impossible to prevent other wildlife from accessing the baited food. I can't bear to think how painful chilli powder would be to an animal or bird that got it into their eyes and nose.

I don't understand how as bird lovers anyone can be prepared to cause harm to any other wildlife or domestic species in order to preserve the birds or their food.

It's not my intention to start a heated debate about this I simply wanted to stand up for what I think is right. After all if 100,000 of us animal lovers didn't stand up and sign the anti badger cull petition then there would currently be 1000's of badgers being slaughtered all over our countryside right now.

There are many clamouring for a Buzzard cull a fox culland a wild boar cull.! I feel its about time we left nature alone and stopped interfering with the natural order of things by culling and introducing non-native species into the UK natural ecology

rant over ;)
 
Amen Earleybird !! Haven't been on here for awhile but I too am appalled at lack of humane feelings for any animal! I judge a person by how they treat animals!
 
earleybird said:
I was saddened to hear how some are happy to resort to cruelty to eliminate squirrels.

I know they are a absolute pest and can cause untold damage as well as eat all the bird feed but to feed them with something that is likely to cause them untold pain and misery is simply cruel. Besides its impossible to prevent other wildlife from accessing the baited food. I can't bear to think how painful chilli powder would be to an animal or bird that got it into their eyes and nose.

I don't understand how as bird lovers anyone can be prepared to cause harm to any other wildlife or domestic species in order to preserve the birds or their food.

It's not my intention to start a heated debate about this I simply wanted to stand up for what I think is right. After all if 100,000 of us animal lovers didn't stand up and sign the anti badger cull petition then there would currently be 1000's of badgers being slaughtered all over our countryside right now.

There are many clamouring for a Buzzard cull a fox culland a wild boar cull.! I feel its about time we left nature alone and stopped interfering with the natural order of things by culling and introducing non-native species into the UK natural ecology

rant over ;)
Click to expand...

EB i don't think that chilli is meant to hurt or eliminate squirrels and don't think anybody wants to elimnate them,i buy fat cake which is squirrel resisitant and contains chilli but is harmfull to them and also it is just distasteful.here is the description:
Description: The Squirrel Resistant Fat Feast is a blend of suet calcium and chillies to provide wild birds with a high energy food source in a handy block. The added chillies help to keep squirrels at bay as it is particularly distasteful to them but has no harmful effect on wild birds. Place on a table, on the ground or ideally hang in a fat cake feeder.
 
While I don't believe in harming them intentionally for no reason, it only goes so far when they are chewing holes in your feeder, dumping all the seed on ground and doing other destructive behaviour. Something has to be done about them, a little peppery taste that last an hour tops is probably the least severe solution. Besides everybody include you do the same thing in our lives, but if the target isn't fluffy and cute nobody complains.

No one is culling anything here, bring that into comparison is just try to rile up misplaced emotion.
 
birdfeeders

while the squirrels were away:-O goldfinches&chaffinches have returned to feeders,plus a willow tit, 2-coal tit, nuthatch, also first visit for ages from 6 -long tail tit to garden but not feeders, also spotted a treecreeper , wouldnt it be good if they took advantage of food we serve, i find squirrel guards on feeders are best bet. good job woodpigeons cant get on feeders talk about greedy:-O
 
andm said:
while the squirrels were away:-O goldfinches&chaffinches have returned to feeders,plus a willow tit, 2-coal tit, nuthatch, also first visit for ages from 6 -long tail tit to garden but not feeders, also spotted a treecreeper , wouldnt it be good if they took advantage of food we serve, i find squirrel guards on feeders are best bet. good job woodpigeons cant get on feeders talk about greedy:-O
Click to expand...

Willow Tit is a nice garden bird :t:, Bloomin rare here in Cheshire
 
For some reason, the roof adjacent to my balcony has been absolutely COVERED with crows, the last few evenings. I don't know if the heavy rains are attracting them, or what, but I just stood and watched about 50 fat crows picking at the coverings on the water pipes, and throwing pieces of plastic everywhere. They've been showing up on my balcony, as well. Most of them don't use the feeder, but they sit and look menacing, and squawk at the other birds.

On the good side, I've had black-capped chickadees around quite a bit, over the past week, and some of the fattest house sparrows ever.
 

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just like London Buses - I wait years for my first Raven over the garden last week then I get them again this afternoon

Camera at the ready.

BTW until they are so close when in flight you dont appreciate how bloomin big they are
 

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