I wonder how much is known about avian responses to music (other than their own, of course). Not sure what to make of this birds taste, though (not culinary) but he sure can dance:
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A huge flock of geese went over this morning as i was stacking wood.
I wish I knew how to identify them either by call (which I heard ages before they appeared) or when they're just a highly organised flying-V of even smaller V's fast disappearing.
Any tips or clues gratefully received.
In our simple way we always think these migratory flocks mean a change in the season, which may be good news; may also be wrong.
Oh, the jackdaws (see my avatar) are worth a mention too as they are particularly and spectacularly active at this time of year - lots of competitive flying, huge flocks wheeling around, part of the pairing up process.
Though they're known as The Gangsters when divebombing the feeders in our garden, can't help but admire them.Comment
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It would help to know what part of the country you're in, Global, and whether coastal or inland. Feral flocks of Canada or greylags occur all over the place. Still maybe a bit early for migratory geese to be heading north? (e.g. from the Severn, N.Norfolk, Solway, Wexford, Strangford etc. etc.? )
You'll find sound clips here:
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There's a heap of photos of geese in flight on the net, e.g.
...which seem to be mainly Canada geese. Disappointingly, the only RSPB identification site I could find shows them all standing still!Comment
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There was a fascinating observation the other day in a TV clip about birds flying in V-formation, to the effect that the energy-sapping burden of heading up the formation is mitigated by the birds taking turns in leading - the leader dropping to the back to recoup its energy by taking advantage of the slip stream provided by the rest of the formation.Comment
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Greylags, Canadas...Or Pinkfeet of course... anywhere around Lancashire it'll be them, but they tend to be less obvious into the new year - up to December the big skeins regularly decorate the dusk as they head out to the estuary to feed... Very distinctive calls!
The Jackdaws always gather towards winter sunset, wheel around with their raucous cackles. Alight in the biggest trees, take off, sway and swing, alight again. Finally, the decision is made - off they go toward the city to a nice warm rooftop roost. We call it ​The Night Flight...Comment
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thanks Richard/Arcarp, v. useful - I'm in the Derbyshire Peaks.
They were heading due North, and having slightly obsessively spent some time listening to goose sounds from the link you pointed me at they sounded more like greylag or barnacle. Definitely not Canada.
This video has just about convinced me they were greylag:
more from the sound than the picture - as opposed to the few shown in the video, I saw a massive skein, flying v high & in perfect formation and doing some serious call and response. Impressive.
The only other new visitor we recently had was a brambling; we've had one or two hawfinches too this year which are much loved by birders in these parts for their rarety. This seems a tad odd this year as typically they form flocks of up to 20 at this time of year, feeding on the berries from the yews.
I was talking to a birder the other day on the meadows who told me that the goldfinch had now swapped place with the sparrow in these parts - he was much more excited if he saw a house sparrow.
We've only spotted 1 house sparrow in the garden recently, although there was a breeding family last year on my allotment who rewarded my feeding and encouragement by taking all the redcurrants off my only bush. One must be stoic about such things...Comment
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On recent topics;
I've seen two bird strikes lately, a sparrowhawk took a blackbird innocently picking up the fallout from a birdfeeder in Lyme Regis and just below Hengistbury Head we saw a Linnet on a path whooshed away by.. well, kestrels are more frequently seen thereabouts than sparrowhawks so probably that.
We were lucky enough to spot both a singing Cetti's (also heard near the Head) and a Bittern near the same Hide on the Minsmere trail. Equalled in pleasure by the Great Tit with a beak full of wiggly bright-green caterpillar that posed just outside the window of the same hide in full view of a party of schoolchildren. On our most recent visit we came across a telescope trained on an elusive Stone Curlew and were allowed to view.
The sparrows are devouring the Wyevale "8-Seed" bird food at a great rate. The photo we took of 4 at once on the feeder simply showed how filthy our kitchen windows were and the photo of the Jay lifting up the fat ball dangling on a piece of string from the metal clothes line frame by pulling up the string ( birdbrain!) was blurred.Comment
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The Hedge Sparrows around here (NYorks) do exactly what is said on the tin....they stay in or around the hedge and never venture across the road into my hedgeless garden which is less than 50 yards away ....lots of them 50 or so....bong chingComment
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If there's a flock of them, are you sure they're not house sparrows, eighth? Hedge sparrow an old-fashioned name for the (non-gregarious) dunnock or hedge accentor, which isn't actually a sparrow...a pleasing jingle to listen to, and of interest for their reproductive habits that involve threesomesOriginally posted by eighthobstruction View Post
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Aaaah....they are Dunnocks....not a sparrow eh....I'll make a point to tell them as I pass this afternoon....rub it in....though of course they might not care....they might be so used to impersonating sparrows that like some of those Michael Jackson impersonators they may have slipped a gear and believe they actually are ....
ED: No in fact they are House Sparrows....And those Dunnocks in your link look more like rock/meadow pippits to me....but I'm sure the RSPB know what they are doing....bong chingComment
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Came across a ridiculous storyline in the Archers this week....Jim and Robert Snell are getting incredibly petty and competative ref birdwatching and seeing most birds....bong chingComment
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But a dunnock is a hedge sparrow, and they're not sparrows anywayOriginally posted by eighthobstruction View Post
- I think, looking from here, they're house sparrows......Look at the beaks, are they stubby seed-eater beaks (sparrow) or pointy insectivorous beaks (dunnock/hedge sparrow/accentor, and mipits/pipits for that matter)
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If they nest here I'll have to get another car
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And this dropped into my neighbour's garden this morning - a regular visitor. I remember the thrill of seeing my first little egret in Mallorca 33 years ago, little imagining one day I'd be able to see them from my window.
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