Very busy at the bird feeder today! (15 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

Went to Ham Wall on the Somerset levels Sunday and saw a Black Backed Gull eat a Coot chick whole :eek

At Leighton Moss rspb a few years ago I captured this GBB gull drowning this coot chick - this fella then fed it to its own Chick (in smaller pieces)

well done with the Marsh Harrier :t:

 

[Bananafishbones]

Mute Swans yesterday, and Cormorant today - just watched it glide, flap, glide across the airspace over the garden

I obviously havent been looking up enough over the last few months

 

[earleybird]

At Leighton Moss rspb a few years ago I captured this GBB gull drowning this coot chick - this fella then fed it to its own Chick (in smaller pieces)

well done with the Marsh Harrier :t:

cracking capture bfb Its one thing reading about it in a book but quite another actually witnessing it in the wild. Caused a lot of consternation amongst all the elderly ladies there . I was over the moon about the capture soit didn't hit me for a while.

I managed 3x quick images in sequence showing the gull picking it up moving it around until the coots head was in his beak then swallowing whole. The last image just has the poor unfortunate coot's feet sticking out of the gull's beak :eek!:

 

[bongofury]

Mute Swans yesterday, and Cormorant today -

Any buses up there:t:

Quite a lot of activity this evening. Couple of Dunnocks, family of Great and Blue Tits, GSW, pair of Goldfinches, 5 Siskins and most surprisingly a pair of LTTs.

 

[roger1234]

Interesting article about the decline in starlings in the UK by 80% since 1979, and by nearly a 1/3 rd in the past 10 years,I have never seen as many starlings in my garden this year compared to previous years, as I said the other day I counted 32 of them on the lawn,anybody else seen a decline or increase?

 

[earleybird]

yes I read that report with interest this morning too.

like you I think this year and last year we have seen our greatest numbers too. last year 30+ at one time and this year I think 19 from memory at one time all captured on video .

Its difficult to know just how far they will travel for food . I was going to ask this a couple of weeks go and didn't get around to it.

How far do your starlings come for food? I can see that ours travel to and from sites over 100 mts away which really surprised me I don't know why .


If they nest that sort of distance away from their regular food source and travel that far at meal times from where they spend most of their time during the day then it might make nonsense of the annual estimated populations ?

There was someone on this forum who wrote a scientific paper on House sparrow decline and put it all down to the increase of Sparrowhawks ! maybe they are also responsible for the decline in Starlings lol

 

[roger1234]

3 juvenile starlings just banged into the patio window, fortunately 2 made it unfortunately 1 didn't.

 

[bongofury]

A juvenile / female Blackcap this evening.

 

[earleybird]

3 juvenile starlings just banged into the patio window, fortunately 2 made it unfortunately 1 didn't.

thats a great shame . I know they are bloomin noisy and bolshey but they are such characters. I dread looking outside when I hear a crash in one of our windows.

 

[earleybird]

A juvenile / female Blackcap this evening.

nice one bongo. I haven't seen a Blackcap in our garden for over 2 years . luckily I managed to get a few pics

 

[captaincarot]

There was someone on this forum who wrote a scientific paper on House sparrow decline and put it all down to the increase of Sparrowhawks ! maybe they are also responsible for the decline in Starlings lol

the paper you mention would have more scientific merit were it used as toilet paper. it has equivalent scientific foundation as meink kampf does on judaism.

well after another impromptu week in the hospital got out last night and had a juvenile willow warbler in the garden today. :t:

 

[earleybird]

the paper you mention would have more scientific merit were it used as toilet paper. it has equivalent scientific foundation as meink kampf does on judaism.
:t:

:-O don't sugar coat it CC tell it how it is lol:-O

sorry to hear you've been in hospital.... glad to hear that you are out again . Horrible places to be cooped up in I should imagine. Willow Warbler sighting is almost worth it ..nice one

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Mute Swans yesterday, and Cormorant today - just watched it glide, flap, glide across the airspace over the garden

I obviously havent been looking up enough over the last few months

How many Swans Dave? There were 3 at the Lake the other day but 2 disappeared. Don't ever recall seeing Cormorant in Juily locally either.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Cracking morning today - Buzzard being mobbed by every small bird around including male Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats (breeding nearby?), juv Bullfinch and 2 Collared Doves. Also singing Chiffchaff and Song Thrush this morning.

CB

 

[Bananafishbones]

Cracking morning today - Buzzard being mobbed by every small bird around including male Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats (breeding nearby?), juv Bullfinch and 2 Collared Doves. Also singing Chiffchaff and Song Thrush this morning.

CB

Very nice selection :t:

 

[Bananafishbones]

I fly off to Turkey shortly so will try and put up a few updates of what is seen in and around my apartment garden and olive groves.

Guaranteed are Jay, Syrian Woodpecker, Collared Dove, Lesser Whitethroat, House Sparrow, Redbacked Shrike, House Martrin, Black Eared Wheatear and Crested Lark

Just 400yrds away in the pine forest Kruipers Nuthatch and LTT (alpinus race) are guaranteed with fleeting glimpses of Levant Sparrowhawk with a bit o luck

Catch you soon and well done to all for hitting the 10,000 posts (in a day or so)

 

[earleybird]

safe trip , hope you get to see and capture all you wish for. :t:

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Cracking morning today - Buzzard being mobbed by every small bird around including male Blackcap, 2 Whitethroats (breeding nearby?), juv Bullfinch and 2 Collared Doves. Also singing Chiffchaff and Song Thrush this morning.

CB

Forgot to mention family of 10 Long-tailed Tits this morning. Now juv Goldfinch and 5 LBBGs.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

I fly off to Turkey shortly so will try and put up a few updates of what is seen in and around my apartment garden and olive groves.

Guaranteed are Jay, Syrian Woodpecker, Collared Dove, Lesser Whitethroat, House Sparrow, Redbacked Shrike, House Martrin, Black Eared Wheatear and Crested Lark

Just 400yrds away in the pine forest Kruipers Nuthatch and LTT (alpinus race) are guaranteed with fleeting glimpses of Levant Sparrowhawk with a bit o luck

Catch you soon and well done to all for hitting the 10,000 posts (in a day or so)

Have a good trip Dave.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Just added Sparrowhawk to todays list

CB