Young Birder (1 Viewer)

[tjbirdofprey]

no one around.........?

 

[mr.sim]

I dont know what your wierd bird could have been I'm afraid. If it was the size of a pigeon, but you weren't familiar with it, perhaps it was a young bird? Turtle Dove maybe. But this wouldn't fit the description of the longer wings. It could well have been a Cuckoo - they have very long tails, which is also a defining feature in flight, and their wings are very pointed like on a falcon. Did you gt any colour on the bird. Even if it's just basic, like overall pale brown, or dark grey etc.

I went to Welney today where I had good views of Cuckoos, so I was able to study them a bit (lucky me :king. The male frequently sang in flight, and on one occasion came straight past me a few metres away, so I was able to hear it utter a wierd call which I can only describe as a "choking burble"! It made this call a couple of times between the standard "Cu-ckoo", but it was quite faint, and obviously only heard at close range.
Hope this helps with IDing your bird...

 

[mr.sim]

Welney today was good. Heard a male Cuckoo on arrival, which consequently showed very well a few times, chasing a female, which I also heard, and another male! From the main observatory, a male Gargeney showed breifly first thing at 9:30 and the odd Little Egret was about. Went to another hide and noted 33 Redshanks (quite a few!), along with 2 Avocets and 3 Black-tailed Godwits. It then poured with rain for a few minutes and on looking out again, 3 Dunlin had dropped in! Thats migration for you! 2 Common Terns flew past and I got some very nice pics of an obliging Sedge Warbler. Onto the next hide where I found another male Garganey and it stayed throughout the day so obtained some OK pics (I will post pics of the trip later). Then went back to the main observatory where 3 Little Ringed Plover had appeared! (yearer), and also 2 Oystercatchers.
Totals for the day included; 2 Yellow Wagtail, 3 Cuckoo, 4 Little Egret, 6 Black-tailed Godwit, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Oystercatchers, 3 Dunlin, 75 Redshank (!), 2 Avocet, 2 Garganey, and 2 Common Tern.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

I dont know what your wierd bird could have been I'm afraid. If it was the size of a pigeon, but you weren't familiar with it, perhaps it was a young bird? Turtle Dove maybe. But this wouldn't fit the description of the longer wings. It could well have been a Cuckoo - they have very long tails, which is also a defining feature in flight, and their wings are very pointed like on a falcon. Did you gt any colour on the bird. Even if it's just basic, like overall pale brown, or dark grey etc.

it was pale(ish) grey. i only got a brief view off it(on top of a tree not showing its tail) thats why i am not sure about it it, defo had long wings though.....doesnt a female cuk have a differant call? maybe we willl never know.

 

[ColonelBlimp]

I am stuck at home, doing 8 hours a day of revision for my A levels.

My mum is currently in Portugal, next to (I seem to recall) the biggest marshy Mediterranean nature reserve in Europe, and delights in feeding me little titbits of all the amazing birds she's seen.

Aaaargh!!!

 

[MCspudd]

Hi everyone tonight we went to brockholes quarry and saw 2 heron, 6 sand martins, M+F teal, 2 gadwall, 2 l r plover, 1 common sandpiper, 1 ringed plover and 1 dunlin. :t:

 

[mr.sim]

A few of my photos from today are now on my diary; www.freewebs.com/simsdiary

 

[joshjenkinsshaw]

Havnt updated here for a while. Last weekend got the Black-winged pratincole at Stodmarsh NNR, Kent, Cracking with views in flight too. Also a Wood sandpiper there, on same day dipped red rumped swallow at Dungeness, but got sum plum Black tern on the sea and 2 Arctic skua. On study leave now for GCSE's but still birding
Year list is 187, hoping to get 2 yr ticks today.

 

[mr.sim]

Denver Sluice this morning was quite slow. A male Cuckoo sang for ages on top of a Willow, some Great-Crested Grebes had a massive fight (!), 2 Grey Partridge, 2 Common Terns (one of which I got a picture of and it had a ring on it!) and a flock of about 70 Starling (with lots of yuong birds, which is a good sign). Below should eb some of my pics of the tern...

 

[joshjenkinsshaw]

Good stuff Sim.
Went out yesterday for a while, 2 singing Tree pipit but no Redstart at Knowle park. Also 2 Garden warbler and 2 Yellowhammer. On the butterfly front, 2 Painted lady, 6 Small heath and a Mother shipton moth.
Year list is 189 with Tree pipit and Garden warbler. Off out birding again today.

 

[mr.sim]

The pair of Nightingales has returned to my local common, which is quite surprising, considering almost all of the gorse bushes have been cut down. Thankfully, they dont nest in the gorse, so they should be ok. The male sang only occasionally and the pair were very skulky (more than normal) so hopefully this means they might be nesting already! Also got a Bullfinch and a Jay.

 

[Londonbirder]

Hi guys, I've just come back from a School Trip to Whitby (north york moors.) I got 8 lifers, including Dotterel and Quail! It was great, even though I missed the Temmincks Stint by 1 day and I also missed the Spoonbill! Even so I had a fantastic time walking across the sedge and heather in the pouring rain and spotting Turtle Doves high in the trees. Pleased to be back too;

LB

 

[mr.sim]

Nice one Londonbirder. Were your quail (s?) in breeding habitat or on passage?

Are there many Quails about yet do people know? I might go listening for them soon...

I literally just had Spotted Flycatcher in the drive about 3 minutes ago!

 

[MCspudd]

Hi everyone last night i went to brockholes quarry and saw 1 common sandpiper, 2 dunlin, 2 ringed plover, 5 oystercatchers, 2 F teal, 1 hen harrier, 1 buzzard and 2 heron.

Then this morning i went to brockholes and saw 3 sedge warbler, 1 sparrowhawk, 1 jay, 1 shelduck, 10 b h gull, 7 lapwing, 6 oystercatchers, 4 reed buntings, 1 pied wagtail, 1 g b b gull, 8 l b b gull, 10 buzzards, 8 greylag, 1 skylark, 2 heron, 1 ringed plover, 1 grey wagtail, swallows, swifts and 1 reed warbler.

 

[Birding Bob]

Friday night i had a trip to Dersingham Bog for Nightjars, they showed realy well sum flew at least 6ft away from are heads. We also saw Cuckoo, Woodcock and Grey Heron.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

Friday night i had a trip to Dersingham Bog for Nightjars, they showed realy well sum flew at least 6ft away from are heads. We also saw Cuckoo, Woodcock and Grey Heron.

good one Robert i have yet to see Woodcock and Nightjars(i am so lame):-O

 

[Birding Bob]

good one Robert i have yet to see Woodcock and Nightjars(i am so lame):-O

Cheers, well we are all young so we have plenty of time to see them in are lives.

 

[tjbirdofprey]

Cheers, well we are all young so we have plenty of time to see them in are lives.

yea,going to try for them in a few days methinkso

 

[mr.sim]

Pair of Spotted Flycatchers in the garden now, and this morning i say them mating and building a nest! I also saw the males display, which involves flicking the wings quickly and bowing slightly - rather like a Dunnock. It looked really cool :king:

 

[mr.sim]

Bee-Eater reported at Bough Beech today Josh. Did you get it?
I had a go at photographing the Spotted Flycatchers this afternoon. Below are the results....in a couple of the shots the bird is on the car!