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

[Sir Velo]

Sadly, apart from ubiquitous wood pigeons who rule the garden, .

Regular, repeated blasts from the garden hose will deal with that nuisance! One thing about pigeons is that, whatever else they may be, they have some semblance of intelligence. Once they associate the sound of a hose being turned on with being drenched they tend to get the message and retreat to safer havens.

[oddoneout]

Regular, repeated blasts from the garden hose will deal with that nuisance! One thing about pigeons is that, whatever else they may be, they have some semblance of intelligence. Once they associate the sound of a hose being turned on with being drenched they tend to get the message and retreat to safer havens.

The sound of the back door used to be a cue for departing regardless of whether anything further happened, but the time elapsed before return got shorter and shorter, and got to the stage where I actually had to go out, walk up to them and shoo - or attempt a boot up the rear - before they'd lumber off. Sometimes they'd stay away for a while but too often not. This year has been different. There are far fewer in the first place and those that appear in the garden will often depart if I just open a window - no shout or clapping hands needed. The damage has been minimal to non-existent; all welcome in terms of work in the garden but rather odd after decades of marauding.
The "town" pigeons on the other hand are increasingly in evidence both in town proper and on the houses opposite mine. Their breeding under the new PV array seems to have been at least partly successful, possibly because they are smaller, especially in the girth department, so find it easy to get under the panels unlike the wood pigeons which have much less room to manoeuvre once they get under. Adult "townies" have joined the flock from elsewhere, including several that I would call doves, being white and of slightly different shape and rather gormless behaviour on occasion, and the wood pigeons seem to have mostly given up trying to be part of the flock. The townies don't seem interested in getting sustenance from the garden, indeed so far I haven't seen them in the garden at all. Long may that continue!

[JasonPalmer]

My five year old, his grandma and i recently fed some ducks and pidgeons, different food for each. Son enjoyed chasing pigeons to watch them take off.

[johncorrigan]

The wonderful Karine Polwart takes us to the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth to seek out the Arctic Tern aka the Sea Swallow on Radio Four's 'Seek the Light'.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001q679

[ardcarp]

ubiquitous wood pigeons who rule the garden,

Pigeons wrecked our runner bean plants this year.....pecking at the foliage. Why this year and not before?

[Serial_Apologist]

While out on my walk this afternoon I witnessed a number of crows forlornly strutting about with their bills open - one of them ostensibly too heat exhausted to move away when I stopped by to address my sympathies. One of the TV presenters a few weeks back - it might have been on Countryfile - was reminding people to put bowls of water out during hot dry conditions - something I shall do right away.

[johncorrigan]

The swallows and martins have been gathering this morning, working hard in their preparation for the trip south.

[ardcarp]

Yes, here too. And talking of preparation for migrating, an osprey or two are spotted each year in East Devon (and probably elsewhere on the South Coast). They tend to linger for a few days near the coast, obviously waiting for the right conditions for their onward journey. They usually do a bit of their spectacular fishing, which if you're lucky you can see.

https://www.wildlifeindevon.org.uk/currentsightings

[gradus]

Great Egret and Spoonbill at Orford Ness. An Osprey put in an appearance a day or two ago but I haven't seen it.

[Serial_Apologist]

Great Egret and Spoonbill at Orford Ness. An Osprey put in an appearance a day or two ago but I haven't seen it.

It was mentioned on last week's Countryfile that Spoonbills have been making something of a comeback lately.

[oddoneout]

It was mentioned on last week's Countryfile that Spoonbills have been making something of a comeback lately.

A success story in North Norfolk, and not the result of conservation introductions I believe - the birds got there under their own steam and decided to stay and breed, and 2 additional smaller groups have now set up near by.

[gradus]

A blue and yellow Macaw settled in a neighbours Poplar tree flew on to another and then flew away. It attracted the attention of scouting rooks but they didn't take much interest. Presumably the Macaw is an escaped pet or are there some out there now?

[Padraig]

A blue and yellow Macaw . . .

The other day, on a warm early evening, a sparrowhawk was on the grass below the bird food as if waiting. I enjoyed a good look, admiring her plumage and feeling something similar to the pride of DH Lawrence when a snake deigned to drink at his fountain. She turned her head and looked straight at me through the kitchen window. Those eyes! But she's welcome any time.

[Pulcinella]

Sad news for birds in Chicago:

At least 1,000 birds died from colliding with one Chicago building in one day

McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America, is largely covered with glass, making it a lethal obstacle for birds

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/07/chicago-mccormick-place-building-bird-deaths-windows

[gradus]

On Orford Ness today, Spoonbills, Great and Little Egrets, Marsh Harrier and Kestrels and a Buzzard with two chicks. In one of the buildings a Goldcrest and in another a Greenfinch as the windows had been inadvertently left open. Someone saw a Kingfisher and a seal popped up its head just off the Quay.