What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?

[ardcarp]

Lovely. I've only knowingly seen one once...pointed out to me by Mrs A...when we were visiting friends in Stoke by Nayland (Constable country). I've been reading that they were introduced in the 19th century. Does anyone know where from?

We've never seen one here in the West Country.

[Vox Humana]

Lovely. I've only knowingly seen one once...pointed out to me by Mrs A...when we were visiting friends in Stoke by Nayland (Constable country). I've been reading that they were introduced in the 19th century. Does anyone know where from?

I'm not sure anyone really knows. They were always an occasional, natural visitor to Britain, but for some reason lots of different people started to introduce them, possibly for ornamental reasons, in the nineteenth century. One of the earliest attempts was by a Charles Waterton in 1843, who released five birds, imported from Rome, in Walton Park Yorks, but these did not survive. The second half of the nineteenth century saw repeated releases in Yorks, Hants and Herts, but with indifferent success. Two concerted efforts at naturalising the species were made in Kent in the 1870s and Northants in the 1880s and these are believed to have resulted in successful colonisation.

All the above is from the Historical Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland, 1875-1900, which adds that during the 1880s Little Owls were commonly sold as pets by London dealers as they were renowned cockroach killers when kept in the house.

[HighlandDougie]

Not a subject I know much about - HighlandDougie perhaps? - but there are several vernacular names for birds in Scotland ending in -ie. My favourite, not on this list, is bonxie, the Scottish name for great skua and a very appropriate one for this brute of a bird.

Not very up on Norse etymology, alas, but the name ("Tystie", or , "Taiste") seems to originate from Shetland and probably has its origin in that language. The diminutive, " ...ie", ending is common here in Scoterland for the names of birds. It also applies to wood pigeons (I call them "cushies") and various other common birds ("blackies" etc). I agree, though that, "bonxie", seems entirely appropriate for the most thuggish seabird I know. "Athene Noctua", not, AFAIK, known as "owlies" - at least not yet.

[jayne lee wilson]

"Thuggish" and "brutal" Bonxies...? Anthropomorphism Alert!

Long long ago in a Galaxy far away I was dive bombed by Bonxies near the nest site...(don't worry, it was just after fledging...). I wasn't hit but a woman who was said it "felt like a rubber bullet"**.... grinning broadly as she said so.
We both felt honoured to be the targets of such a wild, magnificent and beautiful creature. (Drogon, Viserion, Rhaegal...!)...

(**I wish I'd thought to ask "how do you know...?")

Seeing them close in, even overhead, off the coasts in westerly gales, sometime over dockland pools with Leach's Petrels below; or flashing through flocks of Terns over the estuary, were always hugely exciting moments.

[Richard Tarleton]

"Thuggish" and "brutal" Bonxies...? Anthropomorphism Alert!

Long long ago in a Galaxy far away I was dive bombed by Bonxies near the nest site...(don't worry, it was just after fledging...). I wasn't hit but a woman who was said it "felt like a rubber bullet"**.... grinning broadly as she said so.
We both felt honoured to be the targets of such a wild, magnificent and beautiful creature. (Drogon, Viserion, Rhaegal...!)...

(**I wish I'd thought to ask "how do you know...?")

Seeing them close in, even overhead, off the coasts in westerly gales, sometime over dockland pools with Leach's Petrels below; or flashing through flocks of Terns over the estuary, were always hugely exciting moments.

I love them too - first encountered on Handa Island, off the Co. Sutherland coast, seen many times since while seawatching. Where were your sightings jayne (can you be more specific about which galaxy ) ?

[jayne lee wilson]

I love them too - first encountered on Handa Island, off the Co. Sutherland coast, seen many times since while seawatching. Where were your sightings jayne (can you be more specific about which galaxy ) ?

Close Encounters on Fair Isle in the early 70s; Hilbre Island (fondest recall, even longer ago...
... later off (or over) the Mersey, and the Lancashire and Wirral Coasts...

[AmpH]

Passing through Leighton Moss in the north west again last weekend, I was pleased to see a couple of adult Mediterranean Gulls among the Black ( actually dark brown ) Headed Gulls from the Sea Hides. A Bittern briefly in flight from the Lower Hide was a very welcome sight indeed, as were four Marsh Harriers around the reserve and a handsome Whinchat on a fence post.

[Vox Humana]

adult Mediterranean Gulls

Lovely! My favourite gull (after Ross's and Sabine's, but they're both rare). Alas I hardly ever get to see them in breeding plumage. Not seen one at all this year, yet. They are definitely becoming commoner in the UK.

[gradus]

Sitting in the garden yesterday I watched the Swifts beating against and then flying down the wind, a lovely sight against a blue sky.

[Serial_Apologist]

Amazing choruses of birdsong of ever type early this evening wafting through the close atmosphere between downpours.

[ardcarp]

It would be quite interesting to hear from forumistas+family+friends about any cuckoos they have heard this year, and the approx location. Also where they haven't heard cuckoos but did in previous yearss.

I can start off with me: Montsurs (about 25km west of Le Mans), Mrs A, near Llandrindod Wells, and friend (walking on Exmoor)
None heard in my part of E. Devon for at least 5 years.
Haven't visited Isles of Scilly yet, but the larger islands usually have a pair.

[Serial_Apologist]

It would be quite interesting to hear from forumistas+family+friends about any cuckoos they have heard this year, and the approx location. Also where they haven't heard cuckoos but did in previous yearss.

I can start off with me: Montsurs (about 25km west of Le Mans), Mrs A, near Llandrindod Wells, and friend (walking on Exmoor)
None heard in my part of E. Devon for at least 5 years.
Haven't visited Isles of Scilly yet, but the larger islands usually have a pair.

I've only heard cuckoos once since moving to this wooded part of S London, 7 years ago - and that was because my neighbour stopped me to point it out, otherwise I don't think I would have noticed, tbh, it not being the kind of thing you might expect hereabouts, with the constant background hum of traffic etc, although species other than birds not commonly found, eg stag beetles, are quite common.

[HighlandDougie]

Last week, here in Perthshire, while walking downstream from Aberfeldy along the River Tay - in a tree above me, so it was pretty loud (none of your dreamy Delius-like calls for it). They have been appearing pretty regularly every year since I've lived here (26th summer), usually starting in mid-May, although I saw/heard them in Harris in early May three years ago. In the Mercantour, every day from late April until mid-May then right at the end of May until coming back to Scotland in early June (some days two - or even three - could be differentiated). And in the middle of Seoul in late May (but that probably doesn't count, although, having seen as well as heard it, I'm pretty sure that it was a Common Cuckoo).

[alycidon]

We have heard a cuckoo in Drumnadrochit - which is sixteen miles south west of Inverness.

[Vox Humana]

Just back from a pleasant stroll in our local woods with Mrs H, during which we had the pleasure of watching four young peregrines in and near their eyrie (three just loafing about and one chomping the remains of a Blackbird) and, nearby, an adult Dipper busily feeding three young who seemed to be perfectly capable of feeding themselves, but who still presumably needed some supplementary sustenance. Pair of equally busy Grey Wagtails there too - always delightful birds to see. About a mile downstream was another Dipper, just loafing on a fallen branch in the middle of the river - until two passing dogs decided to go for a splash.