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

[Oakapple]

There was a pheasant in my back garden yesterday. I live in a town and that has never happened before in the 30 years I have lived at this address.

[Padraig]

New arrival yesterday - Wagtail. Never had one before.

[Bryn]

New arrival yesterday - Wagtail. Never had one before.

Wow! Do you live that far from human habitation? There again, are you referring to wagtails in general, or the less common Grey Wagtail, or perhaps even https://www.wagtailuk.com/ [arf, arf].

[Serial_Apologist]

There was a pheasant in my back garden yesterday. I live in a town and that has never happened before in the 30 years I have lived at this address.

There probably hasn't been a wild one seen in London since the days of the Pheasants' Revolt.

[gradus]

Am I picking up the vision of a figure in waders with net and bag, carrying a light fly rod and trudging the half mile to catch the evening rise and perhaps a brace of lusty trout?

The half-mile is about right but I was strictly coarse (!), fly-fishing is/was for the toffs in these parts.

[Padraig]

Wow! Do you live that far from human habitation? There again, are you referring to wagtails in general, or the less common Grey Wagtail, or perhaps even https://www.wagtailuk.com/ [arf, arf].

It's just that it's such a common bird that the surprise is in its absence. I pass pied wagtails all the time when walking in the town, and now he has become a rarity in the garden. I hope he stays - I have not seen him today yet.

[jayne lee wilson]

It's just that it's such a common bird that the surprise is in its absence. I pass pied wagtails all the time when walking in the town, and now he has become a rarity in the garden. I hope he stays - I have not seen him today yet.

Well if they're all males, they haven't much of a future.....

[Bryn]

Well if they're all males, they haven't much of a future.....

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/birds/pied_wagtail.html

[oddoneout]

Petroc mentioned the Norwich Cathedral peregrines this morning. Here is a link to follow them

https://hawkandowltrust.org/index.php/web-cam-live/norwich-cathedral-side

[oddoneout]

An interesting and positive article

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/25/birdwatching-from-your-garden-the-wildlife-travel-drama-on-your-doorstep

Citizen science could be the big winner in the current difficult times

[Bryn]

Not birds...but they do fly!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/23/warm-summer-of-2019-gives-flight-to-butterfly-numbers?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

We need some good news...and I've posted this also on the Good News thread.

At my favoured secluded sunbathing spot in the local woodlad, plerty of butterflies today. Peacock, Commas (including incoutship pairs,and large whites. Quite like spring, in fact.

[oddoneout]

I was reminded this morning that brimstones are big, visible butterflies - as I looked out of the bedroom window I could see one flapping along the boundary of a garden two houses away.

[ardcarp]

Odders, it seems a great day for butterflies. We saw a brimstone too, and a peacock. Mrs A was excited to see a holly blue, a female she thinks. It was confusingly flitting around the ivy on the walls.

[Serial_Apologist]

An interesting and positive article

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/25/birdwatching-from-your-garden-the-wildlife-travel-drama-on-your-doorstep

Citizen science could be the big winner in the current difficult times

That bears out an article of a few years ago that cites south London as playing host to bird species which, only 20 years ago, one would have to travel 30 or 40 miles into the surrounding countryside to witness. Here, as an example, I regularly see both types of Woodpecker in the garden. I have started hearing the song thrush too in the past two years, after a gap of several years. House sparrows and starlings have yet to make any kind of return. Starlings, which used to congregate in the large Sainsburys car park in lower Sydenham, were deliberately scared away by broadcasting distress signals through the outside PA.

[gradus]

That bears out an article of a few years ago that cites south London as playing host to bird species which, only 20 years ago, one would have to travel 30 or 40 miles into the surrounding countryside to witness. Here, as an example, I regularly see both types of Woodpecker in the garden. I have started hearing the song thrush too in the past two years, after a gap of several years. House sparrows and starlings have yet to make any kind of return. Starlings, which used to congregate in the large Sainsburys car park in lower Sydenham, were deliberately scared away by broadcasting distress signals through the outside PA.

I wish thrushes or even blackbirds would re-appear in the garden although sparrows, and Blue/Great Tits are hereabouts. Woodpeckers yet to appear but loads of gulls following late ploughing tractors.
Out this afternoon and saw a couple of butterflies next to a field of emerging Rape, a peacock and something I couldn't make out clearly enough. Meanwhile the skylarks were out in force.