Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
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Eastern Europe ...Lithuania, a birder's tale. (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jos Stratford
- Start date
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Okay, since there are hints on my website and its way time I went to bed, a final clue ..the picture! Forget to mention, I once again sneaked across the border and headed to rather remote areas - found the pair nesting in this toilet, surely the best birds ever in a toilet!
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colonelboris
Right way up again
My first thought was 'funnel web spiders'. Oh, how I long for excitement...
StuartReeves
Local rarity
Surely there's a classic BF thread in the making there?
Upland Birder
Birding On The Edge
Hi Jos,
I love the Owl photograph. A really good shot of a magnificant looking individual.
Dean
Cheadle Birder
I love the Owl photograph. A really good shot of a magnificant looking individual.
Dean
Cheadle Birder
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
I eat my words! Arriving late Friday night at the cottage, I was pleased to see the two adults roosting on the nest, a full four days after losing their chicks. Next morning, I suspected they would simply fly off for the day and that would be it ...way too late in the season, so I thought, for a replacement clutch. A little after 4 a.m., the storks did indeed leave the nest, but not for long - the male returned with fresh nesting material, the female then arriving to engage in display and nest building. So continued much of the morning, full courtship rituals and a lot of activity on the nest. Mating occurred late morning. So the signs are there, perhaps a new clutch will be laid ...but they are cutting it fine, they'll be a full six to eight weeks behind neighbouring storks and it'll be September before the young will fledge. Anyhow, for now, instead of the empty nest I expected, I have a family still!
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Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Storks aside, I didn't leave the garden and adjacent land all weekend, all birding done from home - two Golden Orioles appeared by the kitchen window on Saturday, the Common Rosefinch continues to sing, both pairs of Wrynecks still going strong too. Most of the weekend though, I was trying to sort out the umpteen dragonflies and damselflies ...boy are some of them tricky! Photographed and identified about 20 species so far, still two totally stumping me!
But for a certain BF member due in this week, I'm sure the news they'll be most happy to hear is that raptor watching is getting into fulll swing - time to start sunbathing on the raptor viewpoint again ...one Osprey, three Honey Buzzard, two Lesser Spotted Eagles, a couple of Black Kites and several Marsh Harriers for my efforts this weekend!
But for a certain BF member due in this week, I'm sure the news they'll be most happy to hear is that raptor watching is getting into fulll swing - time to start sunbathing on the raptor viewpoint again ...one Osprey, three Honey Buzzard, two Lesser Spotted Eagles, a couple of Black Kites and several Marsh Harriers for my efforts this weekend!
deborah4
Well-known member
That really is excellent news ... hopefully, they won't represent so much competition if they are late breeders, so B
to the resilient couple.
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Why on earth did I get bees? Darn things sting me, it's right hard work extracting the honey and I don't even eat the stuff very much! For sale, top quality homemade honey from genuine Corncrake meadows ...guaranteed 'bits of bee'-free ...£2 per jar, plus £50 post and packing, £100 fuel surcharge. All sums strictly payable in advance.
Discount for collectors, three Corncrakes and two Quails calling as added bonus. Hawfinch at the feeders in Vilnius.
Discount for collectors, three Corncrakes and two Quails calling as added bonus. Hawfinch at the feeders in Vilnius.
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Atricapilla
Still Wandering
Great news with the Storks Jos,
how are the beavers,any young one's yet,do you ever get to see any young elk??
how are the beavers,any young one's yet,do you ever get to see any young elk??
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
The Beavers are little gits - they have raised the water levels in my forest by a good half metre and I spent a 'most enjoyable' hour or two last weekend cutting new pathways to replace those now under water (previously on nice dry land). Elks I see very rarely, one is hanging out in the wood at the moment, I see the tracks each day, but I think he's wise enough to spend the days in the seclusion of the islands, almost impossible to get to (even more so due to the Beavers!). Last Elk I saw was about three weeks back with one that threatened to commit suicide in front of my car late one evening.
Atricapilla
Still Wandering
BRILLIANT!! you had better change those wellies for waders Jos if they keep building!!
Just lots of Wild boar here but signs of Golden Jackal higher up in the hills .
Keep it going with the bees Jos,you know you love it really!!
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Ditto with the Wild Boars - they are little gits too, dig up my meadows each evening, leave their dirty great footprints down my paths, yet don't have the common decency to ever show themselves ...I have never seen one on my land!!!
Atricapilla
Still Wandering
Yeah!,they are raiding the vegetable fields here at the moment with their young ones,fences don't seem to hold them back.
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
Why on earth did I get bees? Darn things sting me, it's right hard work extracting the honey and I don't even eat the stuff very much! For sale, top quality homemade honey from genuine Corncrake meadows ...guaranteed 'bits of bee'-free ...£2 per jar, plus £50 post and packing, £100 fuel surcharge. All sums strictly payable in advance.
Discount for collectors, three Corncrakes and two Quails calling as added bonus. Hawfinch at the feeders in Vilnius.
Surely there would be a discounted price for me. I love honey.
*smiles sweetly
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Helenelizabeth2
What?!?
Ah, for you, free if collected in person
As if I needed another incentive to visit. You know my flight will be booked just as soon as Laura says it's ok.
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
You know my flight will be booked just as soon as Laura says it's ok.
You'll be a pensioner way before she'll get her act together with regards planes, I think the honey might be finished
