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

What did you see in your binoculars today? (1 Viewer)

The long-tailed tit is such a pretty little bird, I love it every time when I see them.

This species is one of our all-time favourites too and we are lucky enough to have them visit our garden and feeders quite regularly.

We have allowed an old Hawthorn hedge to grow into a row of trees now and the branches now reach out fairly close to the window of the upstairs room that is our main room. Yesterday me and Troubadoris took a break from from tasks to look from the window of the room down at our two ponds but what caught our attention was a single Long-tail that landed on the tips of the branch close to the window. We have seen this species hundreds of times but every new time we see it we just can't help but fall for it all over again.

Last year we had what must have been a family group on one of our feeders: there were 8 of them and how none of them got face-swiped by another's tail was a miracle but they get plenty of practice in their nest which has a closed top! How do they manage all those tails inside an enclosed space like that?

Beautiful birds.

Lee
 
Thirteen adults and 7 juveniles in just half of the tree.
Alaska must be amazing. (Actually this looks like the same photo you must have posted last March, which I liked so much I saved it!) We saw two bald eagles near a local pond a couple of weeks ago, which someone said had just mated briefly, though we missed that. But they're just not as photogenic on a big power pole.

Walking the neighborhood yesterday after the snow I saw robins, magpies, chickadees, and Stellar jays as usual, juncos, a group of starlings (less usual), and a flicker preening on a treetrunk, much closer than I normally get (and he didn't fly off), really lovely in my 10x32 UVHD+. Feathers fluffed out in the cold (~15*F), amazing detail on the spotted feathers of the belly. Now I should start carrying a camera as well?
 
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Amazing to see such potential for resurgence of the Bald Eagle. In Uk I guess the Red Kite fills a similar slot and since its reintroduction outside Wales it has spread very quickly.

Here the Chough is my favourite bird and, next to the Raven, it is also most easily seen in Wales and the margins of human habitation. Apparently it also used to be widespread, but perhaps it needs conditions which are unlikely ever to be brought back more generally to provide it's specialised diet.

Since the kite has done so well it might not take too much to bring back the Raven too. Its reputation has not been helped by the Tower of London, but it is said to be omnivorous and the kite has shown that it can coexist with buzzards. Perhaps this demonstrates how street cred. rules our environment too...
 

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Robin nest site prospecting in the Ivy growing up the garage, they nested in the garden last year and fledged three, fingers crossed more success this year.
 
The first swallow of the season (hooray!). Few things mark the seasons in a more visual way than the first swallow or the last swift. I think this is one of the reasons why we watch birds, ultimately to feel we are alive and move together with the seasons and the years.
 
Yesterday a male and female Siskin visited our feeders. These little finches are just delightful and pretty spunky too. The male arrived first on the feeder where a male Bullfinch was already feeding perched on the opposite side. The Bullfinch leaned around the feeder and opened its beak in a threat display. I have seen Greenfinch and Chaffinch flee from this threat but the little Siskin just leaned over and responded with its own open beak then continued feeding. The Bullfinch fed for another minute or so then flew off to bathe in our pond and thats when the female Siskin joined the male on the feeder.

Lee
 
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A couple of gray squirrels running around the branches of our Silver Maple trees feasting on the new buds popping out on them! The weather belies it but this is proof that spring is just around the corner!:king:

Bob
 
hvidklire, we had 5 common cranes in Ibiza, a pretty rare sight around here: we're sending them all the way to you! ;)
Besides the cranes, I had most pleasant time watching the plummage of an Audouin gull (this is a far more common species). It was around noon and the gull was peacefully standing on a rock directly on the sea; the light came to the bird from all directions (heaven, sea, etc.) and the features of the beak and feathers were really catchy. I had the EII 8x30 and the experience was phenomenal. A pic through the scope at 32x)
 

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A common kestrel just stopped for check on an almond tree outside of the window: Oil temperature OK; Water level OK, Fuel level OK, Tyre pressure OK; Filters OK. And he resumed flight ;) It was such a pleasure observing how it took care of almost each and every feather on its striking plummage.
 

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Hello all,

Today, I saw my first brown thrasher of the season. Unlike most of my sightings, I actually needed a binocular to see and identify it, as it was behind a fence in some bushes. Someone did point me in the right direction but it took a while to see it in my 8x32.

Happy bird watching,
Arthur Pinewood :hi:
Arthur
 

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