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

[Richard Tarleton]

Lots of leucistic blackbirds about, apparently. http://www.bto.org/news-events/press...-not-blackbird

[Anna]

I had a pied blackbird (I think maybe I had asked about it here?) It stayed for a couple of years but after the awful Winter of 2012 I didn't see it again. However, I think I've mentioned before we have masses of sparrows and one of them has some white tail feathers, maybe this isn't so unusual, I don't know.
I've been pleased that apart from the blue and great tits during the cold spell there have been long tailed tits visiting, lovely little birds which I normally don't see.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've been pleased that apart from the blue and great tits during the cold spell there have been long tailed tits visiting, lovely little birds which I normally don't see.

Stop me if I've posted this before...



There are 8 long-tailed tits in this picture (as well as 12 blue tits and one chaffinch), the record on the nut feeder at one time is 13 long-tailed tits. Apparently they are come from a different family to the other tits, and the groups you see in winter are family groups, not just feeding flocks.

[mercia]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31711446

!!!

[Vox Humana]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31711446

!!!

I saw that photo yesterday. Quite extraordinary. I am amazed the woodpecker was able to take off.

In other news, I learn that there was a Wheatear at Portland, Dorset, yesterday. Spring's here!

[ardcarp]

I saw that photo yesterday. Quite extraordinary.

It's probably stating the obvious, but the most extraordinary thing is capturing that moment on film..a chance in a million?

[Vox Humana]

It's probably stating the obvious, but the most extraordinary thing is capturing that moment on film..a chance in a million?

Indeed. The shot of a lifetime. It made it to the national BBC news today.

[eighthobstruction]

Someone topically humourous who is on the ball....has photoshopped a swan with a badger riding on it's back....

[Lento]

It seems that the photoshopper was piggy-backing on a current events story.

[eighthobstruction]

It seems that the photoshopper was piggy-backing on a current events story.

yep....

[richardfinegold]

On Florida's Sanibel Island, we saw Bald Eagles nesting, !a lark, Parrots, Owls, Cranes, and I don't know what else.

[cloughie]

yep....

The badger was a Marc Bolan fan maybe!

[greenilex]

Just now I looked through an upstairs window on the street: sitting on the pollard nut-tree was a very reproachful young male wood pigeon..."what have you done with my birthplace?" was the least of it.

He clearly had plans.

[Dave2002]

Lots of leucistic blackbirds about, apparently. http://www.bto.org/news-events/press...-not-blackbird

Reading this reminds me of Kenneth Williams - "Ooh, you are naughty!"

[ardcarp]

Is anyone participating in the vote to choose a National Bird?

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/aug/29/vote-britain-national-bird

Some wag, using the Linnaean binomial system, suggested tika masala.