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

[Richard Tarleton]

... it's not quite the Bosphorus, but...

[Padraig]

The regulars now seem to be the finches and the tits. Pleased that the goldfinches have established themselves. The chaffinches are there in numbers - lots of young ones, some of whom are quite unafraid, though I do not feel any Franciscan attributes in myself. Pity. No further sign of the pair of bullfinches, who gave me two days in July; nor of the grey squirrel. I had a crow one day which struggled valiantly but unsuccessfully to get at the seeds hanging from a slender shrub, and the magpies come daily to scavenge the infrequent scraps on the grass. The jackdaws do not come in to this back garden, but poke around the lawns of the open-plan fronts.
Local note, RT: The delights of playing golf on the shore of the Swilly near Inch island (I'm sure you know whereI mean) include the sight and sound of the larks that have been a feature there as long as I can remember. This year - no larks. I'm keeping an eye out too for summer visitors like oyster catchers who normally like to graze on the fairways and greens, and so far there is a noticeable lack of sea birds of any kind. Even the crows are absent. I'm wondering why.

[Richard Tarleton]

Local note, RT: The delights of playing golf on the shore of the Swilly near Inch island (I'm sure you know whereI mean) include the sight and sound of the larks that have been a feature there as long as I can remember. This year - no larks. I'm keeping an eye out too for summer visitors like oyster catchers who normally like to graze on the fairways and greens, and so far there is a noticeable lack of sea birds of any kind. Even the crows are absent. I'm wondering why.

I do indeed. July and August definitely the silly season for birds - moulting, feeding up, keeping a low profile....things are about to pick up, however - another hurricane or two, look out for buff-breasted sandpipers from the USA on the golf course...

[Anna]

I have a standard seed feeder hanging in the apple tree and thought a crow was being unbelievably stupid by launching itself and trying to perch on the thin slits at the base. However a couple of days later, when it continued to fly and constantly kick-box the seeder, I went outside and realised that by kicking it the seed was being dislodged from the holes and feeding his gang of five mates on the ground below. So not so stupid after all!

One thing that has been noticeable here is the damage to apples by crows and magpies, a neighbour (who has three young apple trees) told me on Saturday that he’s lost his entire crop to them. No-one can remember seeing such large numbers of them flocking around, good breeding season or just easy pickings (or bid for world domination)? Also, young magpies still trailing around after Ma and Pa begging to be fed although just as big as them, when do they become fully independent and forage for themselves?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Not exactly a bird, but does anyone recognise the moth?

[AmpH]

EA - its an adult ' Magpie '

http://ukmoths.org.uk/show.php?id=5805

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Ah, yes, thank you. So perhaps the bird thread isn't so inappropriate after all.

[Padraig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezt0R12pEQg

Not very like a moth.

[amateur51]

Not exactly a bird, but does anyone recognise the moth?

Beautiful moth ... but what's the fruit, EA?

[Lento]

Fledgling goldfinch fluttering and being fed by parent: seems fairly late, though some go on into Sept, according to BTO.

[Bryn]

It's a Magpie Moth. Their lavae are frequently found on privet hedges. I won a prize for supposedly having one as a pet when at junior school. What I infact had was a Garden Tiger Moth, which is what I told the judges, but they still got it wrong on the certificate.

[Sorry AmpH, I missed your #321.]

[Richard Tarleton]

Yesterday and today, a family of young bullfinches systematically stripping our neighbours' rowan trees. I say systematically because there are several trees and they very tidily finish one before moving on to the next, orange mush smeared round their faces as they nibble the berries.

[Padraig]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezt0R12pEQg

Not very like a moth.

Not much like a thief either, apparently.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-28817645

(no need for the off switch, E A; there's no Rossini)

Star post RT! I must plant a rowan forthwith.

[ardcarp]

Osprey time here. They linger on the south coast, doing a bit of fishing before setting off for their wintering grounds. Just now we've had a bit of a phenomenon. Mackerel have appeared in huge numbers and seem to have stranded heaps of whitebait on the beach..which are now decomposing nicely on the high water line. An osprey or two have been having a field day. Fantastic to see them fishing with their feet.

[Padraig]

ardcarp, you should be down there with your spinning rod. Fresh mackerel for tea- supposed to be the bee's knees.
Furthermore, those sand eels make excellent bait for sea trout, and they're in season.
I wish.