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

Garden / Yard List 2017 (2 Viewers)

About nine of those would be megas for me, Ryan!

A lovely mild morning here - so I stood outside for an hour listening to birdsong - & actually saw one of the Song Thrushes!

Highlight was undoubtedly the skein of about sixty

48: Pink-footed Geese

flying c. North in a V.

And - as I had suspected a couple of times - just as I was going back in - a

49: Nuthatch

rang out faintly across the valley.
 
Richard Prior . Do you think because of the very recent severe weather in several parts of France and Europe its delayed some migrating birds from coming through this way? Will they still come or will they stay where they have got to ?
Stayed mild here until begining of december and as you will know there was almost no snow on the Pyrenees but thats all changed in the last week and more today .Luckily not here where I live its just very cold some days and wet today but need that been very dry.

I could be wrong Brenda, but I think that the past few years the snow and freezing conditions have been slow in arriving so some species have been heading south later, for example, the past 10 days have seen Red Kites and White Storks heading south out of Switzerland and going down the Rhône valley.Up here there were still Citril Finches on New Year's day, they should have gone in early November. Perhaps the lack of some of the finches in your garden currently is because they've gone straight past you to get away from the freeze? They'll no doubt call in on you in a few weeks when they start going north again!
 
Another Goosander pair past and

25 WAXWINGS just flew north !!

Crikey, H, slow down will ya ?
A nice female Sparrowhawk caused a mass desertion of the feeders this afternoon, no attack despite the scores of birds present. Made me realise that I'd forgotten to add the species 10 days ago when a male flew past.

34 Sparrowhawk

Picture taken through the kitchen window, do you think she spotted me?
 

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Not much progress in the last week or so, but then today.... a garden lifer!

18. Waxwing

A long-awaited garden tick, finally seen this morning as I left the house to take my kids to school. Six of them, sitting in a neighbour's tree, and then flew off over our house :) woohoo!
 
Just wait until the Spring.....you'll soon be ahead then jasperpatch. :t:

Thanks Ken. Til then the squirrels are keeping me busy, outsmarting me at every opportunity!

Just added 11. American Crow with five flying over, closely followed by the squawks of two Northern Shrikes, arguing over who gets to stay and stalk the feeders - not many species, but plenty of drama!
 
At least 35 species here today - with Pink feet, Bramblings and Waxwings the highlights. Again c.100 Bramblings heading to roost this evening, & either a second flock of geese - or the same skein repeating.
And not a predator all day.
 
Thanks Ken. Til then the squirrels are keeping me busy, outsmarting me at every opportunity!

Just added 11. American Crow with five flying over, closely followed by the squawks of two Northern Shrikes, arguing over who gets to stay and stalk the feeders - not many species, but plenty of drama!

Yes Jasper the (your ;) squirrels are a perennial problem over here, not many effective predators, save the Goshawk (not often) and fast cars!) I have to employ a live, and let live policy,....until they transgress too often. :eek!:
 
At least 35 species here today - with Pink feet, Bramblings and Waxwings the highlights. Again c.100 Bramblings heading to roost this evening, & either a second flock of geese - or the same skein repeating.
And not a predator all day.

Have been bereft of some of my regulars so far, Grey Wag, and Wren and a complete downturn in Redwings! this month....totally unprecedented and unknown. :eek!:
It's mainly Legrets, RNP's, Siskin and now more Chaffinch that's keeping the ball rolling, along with the Poeciles and Nuthatch that are providing the entertainment. As for Passer domesticus....I've got no chance this side of October.
 
You have so much more birds than here that I'm considering to move UK (actually wherever little bit more southward). And fast before Brexit comes true...

Edit: Do you know any easy and good jobs there..?
 
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Job prospects in the UK for Wari, hmmm...........I think they're looking for lots of people that know how to negotiate trade agreements and they''ll probably soon be needing more customs/passport control personnel too. ;)

A crisp -13.5°C this morning, but the sunshine has encouraged three Buzzards to circle around 'mewing' away.
Shopping in Annecy tomorrow so I suppose I'll just have to go and see the Wallcreeper that is back on the chateau tower for another winter 8-P
 
As for Passer domesticus....I've got no chance this side of October.

.......many a true word etc.....This am after traipsing the woods on a heavy frosted day with wall to wall blue, came back for a cuppa (pleased with finding a solitary Redwing, Song Thrush and Treeper), and found a female Blackcap on my recently 'spiked' apples on my Sycamore tree, then suddenly morphing into view behind and above the latter....a male House Sparrow!! no.46.
 
Lots of birds singing this morning - including a mellifluous Mistle and a Song Thrush - & the Rooks have returned to the rookery too.

Just got back home to hear another lovely songster - this time a querulous hooting of a

50: Tawny Owl.

No sign of any Woodcock though.
 
An absolutely incredible heavy frosted wall to wall blue day, highlighting....a flyover Grey Wagtail no.47.
 
Well done Lazza and H2 on your Waxwings :t:, hoping to see some when we visit England next week!
At least 4 different Tawny Owls audible before dawn today and some entertaining squabbles breaking out between the Goldfinches, around 30 of them here now, very messy eaters which suits the Yellowhammers as they're hoovering up what the Goldies drop. Three cracking Bullfinches paid an early visit, as did three

35 Long-tailed Tit

Still waiting for Willow Tit (which should turn up at some stage as they're resident just over a kilometre away) and Crossbill of the 'local' winterers.
 
Just ticking away at my usual mid-winter pace ...

Flock of 7 or 8 Fieldfares added today. Flock of 11 Bullfinches too, quite nice against the snow.

19. Fieldfare
 
Hoorah. My Barred owl friend has returned to watch the feeders with me. Haven't heard/seen one since mid November, this one has been sat outside the dining room window for upwards of 3 hours now.

Witnessed my first successful pounce. Can't quite decide if this is a shrew or a mole from the photos, looks pretty large. Lots of tunnels under the snow so who knows what tasty treats are scurrying about down there.

Number 12 for me. Not far off my January total of 15 last year, no finch invasion thus far this year, so we'll see what the last 10 days holds.
 

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Hoorah. My Barred owl friend has returned to watch the feeders with me. Haven't heard/seen one since mid November, this one has been sat outside the dining room window for upwards of 3 hours now.

Witnessed my first successful pounce. Can't quite decide if this is a shrew or a mole from the photos, looks pretty large. Lots of tunnels under the snow so who knows what tasty treats are scurrying about down there.

Number 12 for me. Not far off my January total of 15 last year, no finch invasion thus far this year, so we'll see what the last 10 days holds.

Definately not a mole and the short tail and slender build look good for a shrew, and I now see the head, which makes it surely a shrew.
 
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Definately not a mole and the short tail and slender build look good for a shrew, and I now see the head, which makes it surely a shrew.
Thanks TO. I have frequently seen shrews dashing between holes under the feeder in previous years, but am unfamiliar with North American moles so wasn't sure. Not a star-nosed for sure (found a deceased one once, amazing creature).
Barred has moved trees but is still on the hunt out the window.
Also spotted number 13. Brown Creeper. A good day of window watching.
 
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