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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! (3 Viewers)

A lovely few days in the Lake District... :t:

My garden feeders are now full of House Sparrows my first this year.
Highlight of my trip was seeing an Osprey catching a fish at Bassenthwaite.
I only got a record shot after viewing the action through my bins but a lovely moment.
The image is at the end of this blog post.... please click on the link below to view. t::t:
http://rambleswithacamera.blogspot.com/2011/05/beautiful-scenery-and-lovely-bird.html
 
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:t:They are all coming back now. I was especially glad to see the pair of siskins back on the feeders. I spotted 1 robin this morning. I am worried about a sparrow and a blackbird though. They both have 1 gammy leg and especially the blackbird are really hobbling. I thought it might have been an unsuccessful attack by the sparrowhawk when I first saw the sparrow but it seems strange to think a blackbird cold have been a victim too.
We have swallows but no swifts yet. On our recent trip to the Preseli hills we heard a cuckoo, I forgot to mention.:t:
 
My Redpoll count has gone up to 5 now. Still 2 Nuthatches, Female GSW has paid a visit as well. My peanuts are hardley being touched, same with suet pellets but Sunflower hearts are going like mad. The Blackbirds are really active taking food in to the Conifers where they usually nest.

The Great, Blue and Coal tits are pretty busy as are Gold, Green and Chaffinches.
Long Tailed Tits are a bit hit and miss. Both House Sparrows and Dunnocks too.

Robins doo seem to have disappeared a bit though.

Forgot to mention whilst we were in the Elan Valley on 24th April heard a Cuckoo, but not heard it at home yet.
 
Congrats CC. Only been to Titchwell once. An amazing reserve!!

CB

cheers CB it is a brilliant place.

on the subject of cuckoos.

one heard on friday already mentioned.
one flying alongside the car on saturday morning for about 150 yards again close to titchwell.

plus one distant one heard as i got out of the car at home yesterday evening
 
we have a tawny owl somewhere close by,it as been calling the past few nights at about 10.00pm,would love to see it,some latest garden bird pics.
 

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we have a tawny owl somewhere close by,it as been calling the past few nights at about 10.00pm,would love to see it,some latest garden bird pics.

good luck with the Owl Roger, your images just reminded me how long it is since I have had a Bullfinch visit.... no 2011 garden tick yet
 
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Witnessed an amusing little chase today in my back garden. After the 'madding crowd' of Pigeons had departed, a cheeky little Sparrow hopped in for one of the remaining morsels of fresh bread, but his impudence had not gone unnoticed. A waiting Blackbird took umbrage at the interloper's audacity and, not to be denied his rightful repast, made his territorial claims very clear by fluttering down from the fence and chasing the Sparrow through the border plants. But the smaller bird was more nimble, playing "catch me if you can" and "now you see me, now you don't" (or "here we go round the Mulberry bush"?).
A few times the bread was dropped, but was promptly retrieved by the Sparrow despite the Blackbird literally being on his tail. Usually, in these circumstances, the Sparrow calls it a day and leaves the spoils to the larger bird, but not this time: that Sparrow had his bread and he was determined he was going to eat it; at the end of the garden he made a 'home run', leaving the Blackbird frustrated, so I threw out some dried mixed fruit and he was thus appeased...
 
Daddy Blackbird and 3 of his babies were a joy to watch this morning, didn't see mum though?????
But I do seem to have a rather large problem in that a blimmin' great crow has taken a shine to the feeding station. He/she (is there a way of telling them apart?) lands right on top, then it sticks it's beak into one of the feeders and literally empties it, eating some but generally spraying the rest about. The smaller birds are a bit wary of this monster but don't stay away for long. I chased it off at first but now realise that he/she needs feeding too so just go out three or four times a day and straighten the station up. It is rather partial to fat balls, it has flown off with 3 whole ones in the last couple of days!!!!!
o:D
 
Finally...

Been waiting for these to show up...now we are swamped! :t:
 

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just a few shots taken through the patio window
 

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got our first 2 fledglings in the garden yesterday.

2 house sparrows fluttering their wings while parents shovelled sunflower hearts out of the feeder into their beaks
 
We've been seeing a lot of fledglings here, too. Our House Finch family seems to have added a lot of young and our two Carolina Wren fledglings are now quite big and independent. At the college one of our many pairs of Northern Mockingbirds has had three young, who hop around without worrying about the thousands of students walking by them.

We'll see a lot of young wading birds this weekend as we'll be visiting the rookery at High Island - Great and Snowy Egrets, Anhingas, Double-crested Cormorants, Roseate Spoonbills etc. We're hoping for some migrant songbirds as well, though spring migration is almost over.

We've had no migrants visit our yards this year and comparatively few at the college - yesterday I saw only a Hooded Warbler and an Indigo Bunting (photo).

I had a long weekend - partly work - in Guadalajara, Mexico. Saw a lot of very cool birds, including the impressive Russet-crowned Motmot. If you're interested, I put photos on my blog.

Got to go and wake the wife up for our drive to the coast!

Chers,

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com
 

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Two yearticks this morning - Rook and House Martin.

Several male Blackbirds fighting, small group of Starlings and a few House Sparrows all feeding young nearby.

CB
 
No fledglings here yet, very very quiet overall the last few days.

Except for the squirrel chewing through yet another feeder, new one up this morning !
 
The garden is really quiet at the moment. Starlings continue to invade within seconds of me putting peanut cake out and the pair of GSWs visit once the Starlings disappear. I don't think the woodies have laid eggs yet as the female is still visiting and I haven't noticed the male disappear with food in its mouth like it did last year.

A couple of goldfinches pop in now and again, along with a pair of bullfinches.

In the nestbox, the female Blue Tit is into her 11th day of incubating the 7 eggs, so within a few days, I'm hoping the first will hatch. The male seems to be doing a pretty good job of feeding her, although she does pop out by herself occasionally for food.
 

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