Bird of the day!

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by pressld2

Sand martin today, even though I didn't see one!

Spent the day at Crossness Nature Reserve making modifications to the sand martin wall. It was built 5 or 6 years ago but has never been used and the thinking is that this is because the holes were too big and too empty. So today we packed them all full of soft sand so the birds can dig their own tunnels and we also made smaller openings on most of them. There is now a choice of 40mm, 60mm or three holes that are still the original 100mm. If we're lucky enough to have any birds use them (they've been seen on the reserve but haven't nested) then we'll watch to see which hole size seems most popular and make them all that size.

The irony is that if we are successful in getting them to nest I won't be able to take any pictures as they are a schedule 1 species and I don't have a licence.

Dave P.

No they're not, Kingfishers are but not sand martins - obviously you should still take great care not to disturb them when photographing though....

[pressld2]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

No they're not, Kingfishers are but not sand martins - obviously you should still take great care not to disturb them when photographing though....

Quite right Gill - I've just be on the English Nature site and checked. Admittedly, when talking to the reserve manager yesterday she only said she thought they might be on the scedule 1 list. I should have checked before posting!

There is a proper hide just about 40 or fifty feet from the wall so if we're lucky enough to get any nesting it should be fairly easy to photograph them without disturbing them. And the wall itself is East facing so will get beautiful light at dawn. Fingers crossed!

Dave P.

[GuyF]

My birds of the day today are Ravens. Yesterday I had one flying over the garden for the first time, today there have been 3! One was even carrying sticks in it's mouth, so I'm really hoping they might be breeding locally.
The local Buzzards weren't as pleased to see the Ravens as I was though!

Guy

[John]

I didn't do much birding today as I stayed in one spot hoping that an Iceland Gull would appear.

I was at a pool known as Stubbers Green, just outside of Walsall. The Iceland Gull has been putting in an appearance most days but today it decided to stay away.

Still it gave an opportunity to study a bird that is very hard to ID when amongst loads of other gulls. Mind you it would be hard to suss out if it was on its own.

The bird in question is a Caspian Gull and this one is a 2nd winter. Definitely my bird of the day and below are links to three of the Digiscoped images I took. Unfortunately it was blowing a gale and my scope and camera were vibrating badly so I am pleased these photos turned out at all, especially as the bird was about two hundred yards away.






What you are looking for a flat head, a small black eye and a bill that is fairly thin and straight (lacking a strong gonydeal angle) that means the bump at the bottom of the bill towards the tip which Herring Gulls and Yellow-legged Gull have.

John

[sleipnerofasgard]

I have had a rookery outside the front of my house for as long as i can remember but have never managed to get a decent pic till today and even then it was when i was out on my bike i passed a field bestrewn with them so i stopped and snapped a few and was quite pleased with the results
made up

[Peduk]

Mine was two Barn owls in space of ten minutes quartering the fen fields in cambridgeshire, first time i see them outside a falconary.

[James M]

Well about an hour ago I saw my first Treecreeper! It was in a suprisingly public place near and playground and a library, but there are lots of trees. At first I thought it was a mouse or something climbing up a tree but as I got closer I realised what it was. It just stayed in the same spot for a while and I was able to get within arms length of it, so I suppose it must have been cold as it seemed to be sunning itself.

[jennyb]

I was sitting in the kitchen eating lunch and watching the bird feeders as I usually do. I was particularly pleased because the siskin had reappeared and the long-tailed tits are now making regular appearances. Then, there was an almighty kerfuffle - big bang on the window and birds scattering everywhere.

I grabbed the camera and spotted the culprit, but I knew I did not have much time before he flew off. So, I just snapped a couple of shots with no idea what my camera settings currently were.

Lo and behold I got the best sparrowhawk shot that I have ever managed!

Here he is sitting on my garden chair....



Jenny

PS: He did not manage to get any of my little ones on this occasion!

[mrs fish]

That is a fantastic shot jennyb

That truly has the wow factor , well done

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by jennyb

I was sitting in the kitchen eating lunch and watching the bird feeders as I usually do. I was particularly pleased because the siskin had reappeared and the long-tailed tits are now making regular appearances. Then, there was an almighty kerfuffle - big bang on the window and birds scattering everywhere.

I grabbed the camera and spotted the culprit, but I knew I did not have much time before he flew off. So, I just snapped a couple of shots with no idea what my camera settings currently were.

Lo and behold I got the best sparrowhawk shot that I have ever managed!

Here he is sitting on my garden chair....



Jenny

PS: He did not manage to get any of my little ones on this occasion!

Wow, beautiful bird and what a great photo..