My mum recently bought a slice of coconut with fat on it (something like that anyway) to put on the bird feeding table. It's attracted bigger birds than we're used to - starlings, my mum said. She's not so keen, and I sort of feel like that too, but perversely I also quite like how unsettled I can be by these things. It's novel, anyway.
What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?
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Originally posted by Joseph K View PostMy mum recently bought a slice of coconut with fat on it (something like that anyway) to put on the bird feeding table. It's attracted bigger birds than we're used to - starlings, my mum said. She's not so keen, and I sort of feel like that too, but perversely I also quite like how unsettled I can be by these things. It's novel, anyway.
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Originally posted by Vox Humana View PostStarlings are greedy things and will clear a bird table in no time. They are very characterful birds, though, and it's quite fun to watch them squabbling. Plus your mum is doing them a good turn as Starlings are declining and need all the help they can get.
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Originally posted by Mal View PostA large flock of starlings descended on my cul de sac a few days ago; the neighbours cat did a really bad job of stalking them, they were on the roof tops before it started its charge! Me and the starlings were laughing at it as it walked away in a huff...
On nightjars -as a child, probably because of the not very good picture in my bird book I grew up thinking nightjar to be a very ugly bird! Only recently did I realise that the ‘whip-poor-will’ in such songs as ‘My blue heaven’ and ‘I’m so lonesome I could cry’ is in fact an American Nightjar.
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Richard Tarleton
Red kite males have a weight of 800–1200 g, and females 1000–1300 g. A newborn lamb is likely to be at least twice the bodyweight of a kite.... Feeding on a dead or stillborn one, possibly.
I'm sceptical about that video......
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Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostRed kite males have a weight of 800–1200 g, and females 1000–1300 g. A newborn lamb is likely to be at least twice the bodyweight of a kite.... Feeding on a dead or stillborn one, possibly.
I'm sceptical about that video......
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Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostI'm sceptical about that video......
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Richard Tarleton
Originally posted by Bryn View Post
I heard the interview on "Today" this morning.
I think it's likely that gulls are likely to judge their prey on grounds of size, rather than distinguishing between "small wild mammal" and "pet, to be avoided"...... Just as long as nobody is advocating a cull on the strength of this (likewise the, rare, kite story). Unfortunately in this overcrowded country there's just so little space for wildlife, we force it into our surroundings by our actions (gulls forage in towns partly as a result of declining fish stocks, and partly because we leave so much food for them - and foxes - lying about)
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Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostWell...er...how about it?
I heard the interview on "Today" this morning.
I think it's likely that gulls are likely to judge their prey on grounds of size, rather than distinguishing between "small wild mammal" and "pet, to be avoided"...... Just as long as nobody is advocating a cull on the strength of this (likewise the, rare, kite story). Unfortunately in this overcrowded country there's just so little space for wildlife, we force it into our surroundings by our actions (gulls forage in towns partly as a result of declining fish stocks, and partly because we leave so much food for them - and foxes - lying about)
https://www.bto.org/understanding-bi...ck-backed-gull
(Perhaps my position on such matters might be somewhat clarified if I mention that I'm an RSPB Life Fellow.)
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