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  1. pianoman

    Birding on EastEnders

    Be careful about the background bird sounds you hear in movies or TV shows, the background sounds are added later and they could be recordings from anywhere. When watching the Irish Open golf tournament in Kildare a few years ago I was amazed to hear a Mockingbird in the background - but of...
  2. pianoman

    Do you count heard only birds on your life list?

    An option that isn't exactly on the list is "Yes, but only if I'm absolutely certain about the distinctive song or call". For me that means Corncrake, Quail and Cetti's, The only 3 Irish sound-only personal ticks I've made on my own life list. Seen Cetti's abroad of course.
  3. pianoman

    Waterford Ireland Flock of Birds

    Not a bad call Andrew. If they are indeed waders then the relative lack of markings on the upper side narrows the field, and it is the time of year for mass movements of GP
  4. pianoman

    Waterford Ireland Flock of Birds

    Here is a crop if it can be of any use. I can't figure anything out; think that most of the apparent white markings come from light effects. It would help to know some general impressions from the field - did they look gull sized, swallow sized etc. and did they fly like gulls or something...
  5. pianoman

    Little Bittern? Croatia

    Got to admit it's an entertaining thread, and fair play to Pete for the shift in perspective
  6. pianoman

    Wood Warbler? Barcelona

    Glen of the Downs near me ticks all those boxes so I'll make next year my year for Wood W; thanks all.
  7. pianoman

    Wood Warbler? Barcelona

    Thanks SV. Yes it is a very long PP on Wood, and now that you mention it, it could be the best way. And I see that it is really a yellow throat rather than breast. I also see in just about every picture that the primary tips really are very dark on Wood, almost black. I'll bear all this in...
  8. pianoman

    Wood Warbler? Barcelona

    I'm beginning to think I wouldn't spot a Wood Warbler if it was staring me in the face. Anyone have a top tip for quick ID of Wood W? Assuming that size is not easy to see, I had been relying on clean white belly and yellow, not greenish-yellow breast. But I'm seeing this is not so clear cut
  9. pianoman

    Odd bird call/drumming in Argyll Scotland

    Agree an amphibian sounds more likely, though if happening during the day, another possibility might conceivably be a rook or crow. Aside from the normal cawing sounds they can make some peculiar sounds that are often specific to the individuals
  10. pianoman

    Gull decline

    One thing I have noticed over the last 40 years or so is that the proportion of Black-Headed to Herring gulls is much greater than it used to be. The predominant sound of seaside towns now tends to be mainly the wheedling of BHG rather than the laughing of HG. I've a feeling that the study...
  11. pianoman

    Ringed Black headed Gull

    Can give interesting results. I checked out a Med Gull ring last summer and found it had been flying back and forth between Germany and Ireland several times during the summer. Be interesting to know if BHG stay local or if they do the same thing
  12. pianoman

    New way to clean bird feeders!

    Being lazy, I have double the number of birdfeeders, and while one set is out in the garden, the others are washed in the dishwasher. The temperature and dishwasher detergent sterilizes them thoroughly. They have to be reasonably robust of course.
  13. pianoman

    Pretentious question about "Grey" birds.

    Hooded Crow is called Grey Crow here in Ireland. It is common round here but possibly too good-looking to make this list
  14. pianoman

    Tree Pipit OR Meadow Pipit - Isle of Wight, England

    I must say that the OP has darker streaks overall (I know we can't see the flank streaking clearly) than any Tree Pipit I have seen. Here in Ireland TP is pretty scarce and if I saw a bird like the OP here I'd call it as MP pretty quickly. Maybe I need to rethink.
  15. pianoman

    Hi, and hello to all. I have been reading the messages for a long time.

    I make a seed cake from melted suet and good quality mixed seed. I put it in a wire mesh feeder. It doesn't stop the greedy birds like starlings and house sparrows but it does stop them from emptying the feeder at a sitting and gives the other species a chance
  16. pianoman

    Spotted Flycatcher - Fife

    Certainly a flycatcher - it looks rather unspotted, but that may well be just the photograph.
  17. pianoman

    Tips and tricks for spotting birds in tall/dense forests

    It's got a back and armrests and folds into a "roll" shape. These days I don't hike for miles and I can carry it in one hand when moving from spot to spot. For long hikes it might be a bit inconvenient
  18. pianoman

    Tips and tricks for spotting birds in tall/dense forests

    These days I carry round a small folding camp chair - in addition to being more comfortable, it helps you stay still
  19. pianoman

    Tips and tricks for spotting birds in tall/dense forests

    The only advice I would have is - stay in one place and observe for a while, then move briskly to another likely location and stay still again. In my earlier days I was tempted to creep around the whole time in the mistaken belief that I wasn't spotted - but the birds can actually see you a...
  20. pianoman

    First birdsong!

    Next year, as usual, I will be listening out for the first "spring" song (actually February) which is the heartening jingle of the Dunnock. Then you know the winter won't last forever
  21. pianoman

    From my recent hols - South West England

    Great mementos Julie, the bittern must have been a highlight. No wifi? Now that's what I call wilderness...
  22. pianoman

    Willow or marsh tit? western Henan, China

    I must say I'm not seeing a pale bill spot, more a pale "cutting edge" to both mandibles. Crest is shaggier than I've ever seen on Marsh (limited experience though)
  23. pianoman

    Spotted flycatcher?

    There were four adults that I could see, and an additional 8 birds most or all of which were juveniles - maybe 2 adult pairs and 4 juveniles each pair? My counting wasn't very scientific and they were flitting all over the place, but the numbers aren't that far off. Certainly more than I've...
  24. pianoman

    Spotted flycatcher?

    Lovely. I hadn't seen many this year and then saw 12 together, adults feeding juveniles, in a riverside woodland. So full of character. Congrats on the photos.
  25. pianoman

    What's the sickest/drunkest/sleepiest etc you insisted on going out birding?

    Best not to take any Diclofenac-based pain medication for your joints - just in case you do die in the field and get eaten by a rare bird of prey as in post #7. It is deadly to birds of prey and you could be the first birder to cause a species to go extinct even after death
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