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

[Serial_Apologist]

House Martins sound a possibility, Dave - although the "fairly long tail" might suggest a Swift or Swallow. Details and recordings here:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/h/housemartin/

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swift/index.aspx

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/swallow/index.aspx

... if so, unlikely to cause actual damage (but if they are inside the roof as opposed to nesting in the eaves, you might want somebody to have a look at how they got in - there may be a hole that they've used [not caused] that needs attention). I had House Martins nesting on the side of my study a couple of years ago - Sparrows got in and "squatted" since then. No damage - and the sound of chirrupping chicks and fledglings being fed was quite charming. It's illegal to destroy a House Martin nest whilst it is still being used - but advice about preventing them returning once you've cleared a redundant nest away later in the Summer here:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoveranden...m_nesting.aspx

It was being said on the radio this morning that the cold, wet spring had dislodged a large percentage of the caterpillars from leaves and branches that would otherwise have provided birds' food; but I would imagine the plentiful supply of slugs and snails associated with the recent rain and humidity would have helped make up for that shortage.

[Bryn]

It was being said on the radio this morning that the cold, wet spring had dislodged a large percentage of the caterpillars from leaves and branches that would otherwise have provided birds' food; but I would imagine the plentiful supply of slugs and snails associated with the recent rain and humidity would have helped make up for that shortage.

The RSPB has reported many members and others writing in to advise of cases of tits being found dead in their nest boxes. Such small insectivores need a copious supply of small insects (mainly in their larval stage). Slugs and snails will not do the trick.

[jayne lee wilson]

Thankfully the usual summer indie-creches of this year's Blue, Longtailed and Great Tits are as populous as ever here, rampaging through dispensers of seed, suet and nibbles, sometimes getting muscled out by wildly noisy Jackdaws.... time to deal with those big RSPB boxes on the step again now... so heavy I have to cut them open in situ and drag the bags through.

As for mess from the Martins, I wish! Try living with resident Ferals... real bucket-water-shovel job that one, several times a year (at least it should be...). But I know them individually & wouldn't want to lose the friendly things. If I'm late with their grain they come and peer in at the kitchen.

[Vox Humana]

I can't think why anybody would want to destroy a house martin nest, as they're on the outside of the house??

Me neither, but there are people who dislike the mess and don't care a fig about the birds. A colony of 14 nests was illegally destroyed near here this spring. It was reported to the police.

[Dave2002]

fhg

Thanks for the audio links. Those swifts are really quite unpleasant to listen to - very high pitched, and really rather loud. Do not listen on headphones with the volume turned up!

The others are not great either.Not particularly tuneful any of them. Mostly I think we hear the chattering sound of magpies round here, and the occasional blackbird. I've not heard the roof birds for a day or two. It didn't seem to me that any of the sound files matched the birds I could hear. If they come back I'll try to grab a recording.

[Richard Tarleton]

fhg

Those swifts are really quite unpleasant to listen to - very high pitched, and really rather loud.

Screaming swifts a marvellous sound - coupled with their dramatic "screaming party" behaviour as they whoosh around the buildings where they nest. They live such extraordinary lives, and are with us for such a short time - spending 80% of their lives on the wing....

The subjects of one of the classics of ornithological literature, David Lack's Swifts in a Tower (1956), about the swifts in the Natural History Museum in Oxford....

[Bryn]

Screaming swifts a marvellous sound - coupled with their dramatic "screaming party" behaviour as they whoosh around the buildings where they nest. They live such extraordinary lives, and are with us for such a short time - spending 80% of their lives on the wing....

The subjects of one of the classics of ornithological literature, David Lack's Swifts in a Tower (1956), about the swifts in the Natural History Museum in Oxford....

Indeed. Before they were cleaned up a few years ago, there were many swift nests in the eaves of Eton College's School Hall and library. It was one of the great pleasures of the day to see and hear them as I stopped along side. I've been on holiday for the past couple of weeks but will check to see what this year's situation is tomorrow.

[Vox Humana]

Screaming swifts a marvellous sound - coupled with their dramatic "screaming party" behaviour as they whoosh around the buildings where they nest. They live such extraordinary lives, and are with us for such a short time - spending 80% of their lives on the wing....

I couldn't agree more. Possibly my favourite species after Red Kite.

[Padraig]

Garden very quiet currently. Over the last month or so a dwindle of bird activity, though all my usual visitors have made an occasional appearance. Regular patrols by the sparrowhawk, and two bundles of feathers - magpie and blackbird - discovered. My two squirrels are still active, a hedgehog was spotted once and a fox poked his head through the trees one evening in June. Various cats are chased when seen.

On the news today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-36737543

Afterthought:

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=j0ReAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT57&lpg=PT57&dq=tom+paulin+of+difference+does+it+make&source=bl&ots=LLVwGf69yQ&sig=zrMd7WiQrVA_f85iUY4FaugfM3o&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj9_rashuTNAhVIvhQKHa31CVUQ6AEIKTAC#v=onepage&q=tom%20paulin%20of%20difference%20does%20it%20make&f=false

[greenilex]

Still having alarms and excursions with unfledged blackbirds and our sixteen-month whopper of a bitch puppy.

She will succeed in loving one to death soon, I fear.

[Vox Humana]

I had a new garden tick the other day, a Willow Warbler in our apple tree. It was really reluctant to show itself and I had to take some photos to be absolutely sure it wasn't a Chiffchaff, a species that we do see here from time to time. Our female Blackbird still appears occasionally and is growing a new tail, having lost her previous one at the beginning in May, probably due to some feather condition. She still has a slimy looking head though.

I've recently bought a copy of this new book and am quite impressed. I don't normally like photographic guides, but this one really works owing to the care that has been taken over the sourcing of photos to ensure that birds are compared in similar poses and lighting. I think the book could be a bit confusing for an absolute beginner, but for someone who knows their basic birds and wants to develop more critical faculties it ought to be very helpful. I certainly learnt new things.

[Richard Tarleton]

I've recently bought a copy of this new book and am quite impressed. I don't normally like photographic guides, but this one really works owing to the care that has been taken over the sourcing of photos to ensure that birds are compared in similar poses and lighting. I think the book could be a bit confusing for an absolute beginner, but for someone who knows their basic birds and wants to develop more critical faculties it ought to be very helpful. I certainly learnt new things.

Good to hear your endorsement - I heard Rob Hume and a bird artist (can't remember who) being interviewed on the Today programme this morning at about 8.20 - the gist of Rob Hume's contribution being that the photos in the book do what the bird artist was saying only artist-drawn illustrations could do.....Sounds a useful complement to the Collins Bird Guide, with illustrations by Dan Zetterstrom and Killian Mullarney, currently the last word in field guides.

[Vox Humana]

Good to hear your endorsement - I heard Rob Hume and a bird artist (can't remember who) being interviewed on the Today programme this morning at about 8.20 - the gist of Rob Hume's contribution being that the photos in the book do what the bird artist was saying only artist-drawn illustrations could do.....Sounds a useful complement to the Collins Bird Guide, with illustrations by Dan Zetterstrom and Killian Mullarney, currently the last word in field guides.

Yes, I think it is. The text is less detailed than the Collins but nevertheless has quite a lot of practical tips that I've not seen elsewhere and the usually side-by-side comparison of similar species is very helpful. That said, it didn't help me sort out the warbler in our apple tree. I was surprised that it doesn't mention the primary length difference between Willow Warbler and Chiffchaff at all. Perhaps Rob Hume judged this generally too hard to see in the field. The link I posted has a quite generous sample of pages in the "look inside" option and these give a very good feel for the book.

Thanks for the link to the Today programme. If you haven't heard it already, there's an interesting, hour-long podcast here (second item down) where Rob Hume and Andy Swash talk about the book.

Edit: I have to add that, considering that the book is too thick and hefty to be called a field guide - it's more of a glove compartment guide - I think it's brilliant value for money, particularly at the current going price (the RRP is £19.95 and even that is a bargain).

[gradus]

Buzzards much in evidence - lazy circles in the sky and mewing.

[oddoneout]

Interesting incident while I was doing my voluntary gardening stint today. A rumpus in a flowerbed 3 ft away from me erupted into a small(last year's hatch I would guess) frog hopping at speed across the path, squealing loudly, and pursued by a teenage blackbird determined to catch it. Rightly or wrongly I decided to intervene as there was plenty of food available for the blackbird due to the gardening activities, and frogs are relatively scarce in the gardens - lots of newts and toads but not frogs - so the blackbird was directed away while the frog buried itself in the box hedging to catch its breath. The other gardener with me was gobsmacked by the noise the frog made, not having known they could, but I was intrigued by the determination of the bird and wondered if it was opportunism or if it had already sampled frog's legs(!). Sadly I knew about screaming frogs and toads from a previous garden and neighbour's cats.