-
Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.
Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
Today's Visitors (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Kits
- Start date
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Hi Stewart, good to see you here again.
What a wonderful sight, all those Goldies! I thought I was doing well with 15 earlier in the winter.
What a wonderful sight, all those Goldies! I thought I was doing well with 15 earlier in the winter.
Stewart J.
Well-known member
Thank you ladies good to be back
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
That seems very early for a youngster to appear, Paul. A wonderful experience for you though.
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
I actually saw a young Collared Dove in the local park a week or so back Wendy so this one is a bit of a laggard! 
I was a bit concerned about it sitting out in the open so much as we get regular visits from the local Sparrowhawks and just a few moments ago 'a' Collared Dove was being plucked on the back step. I could see something brown fluttering about through the frosted glass and when I slowly opened the door I could see the female Sparrowhawk plucking the feathers from a Collared Dove that was struggling madly with it. The hawk saw me (well I was no more than two feet from it!!) and flew off, the dove took off, bumped into the door and went zooming off out of sight, leaving quite a lot of breast feathers behind. I don't know if it was the youngster or the adult female I'd seen in the garden just a little earlier (or the male I hand-feed or one of the many other doves in the neighbourhood), I had a good look around and couldn't see it or any other birds about. I'll report back if I work out if it's one of my two hand-feeding regulars or the youngster missing. Hopefully the bird wasn't too injured to recover but shock may take it as it would have been pretty traumatic. Feel really torn about it - sorry for both the Dove and the hawk as I really like the doves but the hawk needs to feed and may be raising a brood too.
One thing about living where I do, you do get to see a lot of Sparrowhawk attacks! Chris Packham would love it here.
I was a bit concerned about it sitting out in the open so much as we get regular visits from the local Sparrowhawks and just a few moments ago 'a' Collared Dove was being plucked on the back step. I could see something brown fluttering about through the frosted glass and when I slowly opened the door I could see the female Sparrowhawk plucking the feathers from a Collared Dove that was struggling madly with it. The hawk saw me (well I was no more than two feet from it!!) and flew off, the dove took off, bumped into the door and went zooming off out of sight, leaving quite a lot of breast feathers behind. I don't know if it was the youngster or the adult female I'd seen in the garden just a little earlier (or the male I hand-feed or one of the many other doves in the neighbourhood), I had a good look around and couldn't see it or any other birds about. I'll report back if I work out if it's one of my two hand-feeding regulars or the youngster missing. Hopefully the bird wasn't too injured to recover but shock may take it as it would have been pretty traumatic. Feel really torn about it - sorry for both the Dove and the hawk as I really like the doves but the hawk needs to feed and may be raising a brood too.
One thing about living where I do, you do get to see a lot of Sparrowhawk attacks! Chris Packham would love it here.
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Full of excitement in your garden, Paul!
I saw a Spawk take a CD last year. It dropped on it in the middle of the road by our church and managed to fly with it in it's claws, up and over a 3` wall. I was amazed at that, as was a driver in a passing car who stopped to ask me what we had witnessed!
I saw a Spawk take a CD last year. It dropped on it in the middle of the road by our church and managed to fly with it in it's claws, up and over a 3` wall. I was amazed at that, as was a driver in a passing car who stopped to ask me what we had witnessed!
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
Yes, I've seen one taken before too, that one was taken at high speed by a Sparrowhawk when I was just a few feet away and it's quite shocking and unexpected. She managed to carry the strike through and flew on with the dove in her talons, dropping into a nearby garden - I was left surrounded by floating feathers with my mouth gaping!
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
Have just seen a VERY scruffy Collared Dove in the garden, looking really rough and its tail was in really bad shape. It got chased off by the bossy male so I think that it's the timid solitary dove and given it's very dishevelled appearance it is likely that is the one that got clobbered by the Sparrowhawk yesterday. I often see it getting chased away by the resident pair but it was looking very sleek last time I saw it. Have also just seen the resident female... not seen the youngster since yesterday morning though but it 'could' be hiding away after the appearance of the hawk yesterday.
Have seen the pair of Robins in the garden just now too - they've been very quiet recently and I've rarely seen them at all so great to see both out and feeding. One came to feed a few feet from me and one came to pick up suet pellets I'd thrown out on the lawn.
Have seen the pair of Robins in the garden just now too - they've been very quiet recently and I've rarely seen them at all so great to see both out and feeding. One came to feed a few feet from me and one came to pick up suet pellets I'd thrown out on the lawn.
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
The Blackbirds in my garden are a)getting more numerous...seven on the front lawn together this morning and b)getting more trusting of me. They wait on the wall/fence/low branch while I put the food on the tables and, as soon as my back is turned, they are down to eat. There is even one female who watches me from the top of the summerhouse, looking into the garage where I 'prepare' the feast!
One neighbour has a Blackbird sitting on eggs in the Pyracantha outside her back door. She reckons that the male may have lost her partner as she is seen to be going off to feed with no one taking over!
One neighbour has a Blackbird sitting on eggs in the Pyracantha outside her back door. She reckons that the male may have lost her partner as she is seen to be going off to feed with no one taking over!
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
Great that the Blackbirds get more trusting Wendy, I love interacting with the pair here and have always really had a thing for Blackbirds anyway, they're absolutely brilliant birds. Standing in the doorway yesterday throwing out some suet pellets I dropped one and it landed on the door jamb and the Blackbird came right up onto the step and stood on the doorjamb to get it, about an inch from my boot! Last summer I remember they used to run around underneath my garden chair when I was sitting in the garden. :t:
The Robin is becoming very bold indeed and has been coming down to feed right next to me, which is very different to just a few weeks ago but could be I'm seeing the more adventurous mate of the resident robin. I saw two Robins fighting by the fence yesterday evening, really going at it! They were spiralling up into the air around each other but broke away and one left quickly thankfully. Still seeing male Blackbirds trying to come into the garden and getting chased away by the resident pair.
No sign of the Collared Dove youngster - have got a photo of it from Friday morning though. Just hope I'll get more photos (i.e. it's still around!).
The Robin is becoming very bold indeed and has been coming down to feed right next to me, which is very different to just a few weeks ago but could be I'm seeing the more adventurous mate of the resident robin. I saw two Robins fighting by the fence yesterday evening, really going at it! They were spiralling up into the air around each other but broke away and one left quickly thankfully. Still seeing male Blackbirds trying to come into the garden and getting chased away by the resident pair.
No sign of the Collared Dove youngster - have got a photo of it from Friday morning though. Just hope I'll get more photos (i.e. it's still around!).
Attachments
Last edited:
palval147
Well-known member
Some very good sightings by you both, Wendy & Fozzy, since I was here. I've been busy with flea markets this weekend.
Yesterday didn't see much as we were indoors, but today we sold outside at Shepton Mallet & there were several birds around our area. Mallard, there is a small lake in the grounds, Chiffchaff yelling from several trees, Pied Wagtails all over the place & a pair of squabbling Robins in the tree behind our car.
Yesterday didn't see much as we were indoors, but today we sold outside at Shepton Mallet & there were several birds around our area. Mallard, there is a small lake in the grounds, Chiffchaff yelling from several trees, Pied Wagtails all over the place & a pair of squabbling Robins in the tree behind our car.
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
The Robin came to see me when I went out the back this evening and when I held out my hand with some suet pellets it flew over and perched on my hand for a while! Could hardly feel any weight at all, just a slight pressure from its feet. Gorgeous! The one that used to fly to my hand would just dash in, grab a suet pellet and flash away within a second so having this one actually stop and stand on my fingers and look at me with a pellet in its beak was really a rather emotional thing - I was grinning like a fool afterwards.
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Spawk came through this afternoon in pursuit of a CD. It went out empty taloned.
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Two Robins on the front garden table this morning, twice. Guess they must be Mr and Mrs as they were feeding happily together. Maybe we shall get babies.
Similar threads
