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

[smittims]

We've had entertainment from a large flock of noisy magpies. Two ofthem took a dislike to our cat Billy when he was sitting on the fence. Knowing perhaps that he isn't interested in birds one came right up to him and gave him a load of earache until he tired of it and chased him away.

[vinteuil]

We've had entertainment from a large flock of noisy magpies.

... I find that there are many collective nouns for magpies, including : a conventicle, a gulp, a mischief, a tidings, or a tribe of magpies

.

[smittims]

I think Billy would say a nuisance of magpies . Meeyaouww!

[Globaltruth]

A jay and 2 dippers on the river today. The jay was eating something disgusting in a quiet corner. I didn’t enquire too closely. Must be one of our most exotic birds.

The pair of dippers were working over time and under water. I triangulated the nest - very discrete.
The way they hunt is engrossing; and high energy they’d found a centre of stone creepers or similar. Not mayfly - they’re in short supply so far.

the sole Canadian goose on the island is still sitting on her eggs. Clearly they are infertile. Her partner has left & all the other geese have their goslings. Hunger will drive her off them eventually.

Plenty of ducks using the river as a convenient corridor, as the bats will do later on, apart from the Daubenton’s who hunt across the surface.

most worrying for me was that total swallows on meadow = 1.First spotted April 24.

[johncorrigan]

A jay and 2 dippers on the river today. The jay was eating something disgusting in a quiet corner. I didn’t enquire too closely. Must be one of our most exotic birds.

The pair of dippers were working over time and under water. I triangulated the nest - very discrete.
The way they hunt is engrossing; and high energy they’d found a centre of stone creepers or similar. Not mayfly - they’re in short supply so far.

the sole Canadian goose on the island is still sitting on her eggs. Clearly they are infertile. Her partner has left & all the other geese have their goslings. Hunger will drive her off them eventually.

Plenty of ducks using the river as a convenient corridor, as the bats will do later on, apart from the Daubenton’s who hunt across the surface.

most worrying for me was that total swallows on meadow = 1.First spotted April 24.

Plenty swallows around here, GT. The birds I miss are the curlew - I've probably heard two this year - and the peewits - not a single sight of one this year, even when they do their acrobatics in the early spring.
On a cheerier note, last night on our way home a family of four pine martens were wandering across the road ahead of us- I don't think I ever saw one outside of Springwatch - it was a complete delight to see them all, albeit for less than thirty seconds.

[cloughie]

... I find that there are many collective nouns for magpies, including : a conventicle, a gulp, a mischief, a tidings, or a tribe of magpies

.

Parliament is one - maybe very appropriate, as with magpies habit of stealing shiny things or eggs from smaller birds, are always stealing ideas from the other or else from the electorate by way of stealth taxes!

[HighlandDougie]

Plenty swallows around here, GT. The birds I miss are the curlew - I've probably heard two this year - and the peewits - not a single sight of one this year, even when they do their acrobatics in the early spring.
On a cheerier note, last night on our way home a family of four pine martens were wandering across the road ahead of us- I don't think I ever saw one outside of Springwatch - it was a complete delight to see them all, albeit for less than thirty seconds.

I have some very good friends in Scotland (on the other side of the River Lyon) who have a garden which runs into some well-wooded hillside. Perfect habitat for pine martens. The local mum and dad have produced three kits this year. Their antics are captured on camera (infra red as well as diurnal) which is set up in the garden. The video clips (MP4s) which are then sent would cheer up even the most miserable of miserabilists. Mustelids are not good news for birds, frogs, squirrels (grey more than red - the latter can out climb them on branches which will not support the weight of a marten) but I delight in them. Increasing in numbers, allegedly.

[hmvman]

Lovely to see 4 fledgling Wrens in our garden being fed by a busy parent.

[HighlandDougie]

Lovely to see 4 fledgling Wrens in our garden being fed by a busy parent.

Wonderful birds. Somehow always amazed that such a small bird can produce such a powerful song. Maria Callas in Bellini?

[hmvman]

Wonderful birds. Somehow always amazed that such a small bird can produce such a powerful song. Maria Callas in Bellini?

Yes indeed. We don't see them that often so we're thrilled to see the brood.

[Globaltruth]

A jay and 2 dippers on the river today. The jay was eating something disgusting in a quiet corner. I didn’t enquire too closely. Must be one of our most exotic birds.

The pair of dippers were working over time and under water. I triangulated the nest - very discrete.
The way they hunt is engrossing; and high energy they’d found a centre of stone creepers or similar. Not mayfly - they’re in short supply so far.

the sole Canadian goose on the island is still sitting on her eggs. Clearly they are infertile. Her partner has left & all the other geese have their goslings. Hunger will drive her off them eventually.

Plenty of ducks using the river as a convenient corridor, as the bats will do later on, apart from the Daubenton’s who hunt across the surface.

most worrying for me was that total swallows on meadow = 1.First spotted April 24.

No jay yesterday but one dipper and, best of all, a pair of kingfishers. A jolt of blue that always brightens the day.
The Canadian goose has abandoned her nest. I'll wade out and have a look at the remains at some point. On her island as the waters recede, I spotted some otters tracks in the sand. Their holt is a good mile away down river - and there were only a few tracks

Goodish news - At least 5 swallows over the river today as there was a hatch going on - a small fly hatching, probably the stonecreepers emerging (heptageniidae) who are in abundance throughout the river.
A single wren and a very irritated blackbird who I didn't see because I think she was on a nest somewhere.

On a separate outing recently on another stretch of the river the sky was filled with swifts hunting at all levels - in two different stretches. More swifts than swallows this year.
Also a buzzard up high in the sky.
I know this is meant to be birds (sorry) but I took the dog who has a very good nose - managed to stop her worshipping (she pays homage by rolling in it) some fox poo but wanted to see what badger activity she could detect - we stood next to the sett but she didn't track anything.
The sett - huge and old - has many different exits so maybe they're using another exit currently.
Badgers are still there - fresh earth thrown up by them.

[gradus]

For some reason buzzards aplenty round here today all flying low presumably because of the cloud cover.

[johncorrigan]

This last few days, it's been great watching the spotted woodpecker coming to the feeder and feeding its attendant nipper, all fluffy with its bright red head.

[vinteuil]

.
... little egrets, dartford warbler, many curlews. This was at RSPB Arne last Thursday




.

[Sir Velo]

Mournful cry of the curlew heard over marshes at Y Foryd, as the last glimmer of daylight faded over the Menai Strait.