Bird of the day!

[RAINBOWRUSSELL]

Thanks Tich!
I think the LTTs are nesting in the hedge here -this morning they are collecting cobwebs & any bits of fluff I put out from the tumble dryer!I'm very excited about it !Will try to get a picture - but all the creatures around here are way too quick for me!!



Rainbow

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This world would be a sad & lonely place without nature !

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

2 garden firsts in 2 days for me!!! (pair of Blackcaps yesterday) and this morning....i caught this in the trees next to the house headed for my feeders....so for once i grabbed my camera!!...all shot through the window and cropped hence quality but im chuffed to bits and happy to join the girls in the recent first garden Brambling society!

...

Dan

Well spotted Dan! Not bad photos at all, considering they were taken through glass!

On Wednesday morning I saw three Bramblings here in my parent's garden (my photos taken through glass are nowhere near as good as yours!). This is the first winter that we've seen them here, and previously there'd only been a pair or a male on its own. At one point, there was a Brambling on a feeder with one of the regular Greenfinches, with a Siskin perched immediately above the feeder! Yesterday there were two Siskins in the bird bath, the first time this winter we've had more than one of them in the garden.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Pete Collins

Well spotted Dan! Not bad photos at all, considering they were taken through glass!

On Wednesday morning I saw three Bramblings here in my parent's garden (my photos taken through glass are nowhere near as good as yours!). This is the first winter that we've seen them here, and previously there'd only been a pair or a male on its own. At one point, there was a Brambling on a feeder with one of the regular Greenfinches, with a Siskin perched immediately above the feeder! Yesterday there were two Siskins in the bird bath, the first time this winter we've had more than one of them in the garden.

Thanks Pete...im curious about the term "winter" for brambling and other birds...they are apparently here for the "winter" and just this last week seem to be appearing in lots of WAB'ers gardens...but are we still in winter?...when does winter stop in bird terms...i thought this was well into spring now?...when will the bramblings dissapear. Dan

[NickCantle]

My Bird of the day is this fella. Nice light in the morning, and pleased with the image



Much sharper if you click the image to enlarge.

Nick

[diapasonbill]

Hi Nick & everone,

That looks nice - here is mine - it was on wednesday and is not a strictly a british bird but I saw these Egyptian Goose earlier in the week & wednesday I was trying to photograph them and this is what happened.











It was amazing to be just in the right place, at the right time to observe it.

Wish you all a pleasant weekend.
Off home now, so will be away from the computer until next week.

Bill

[John]

I was watching two of the Bramblings that have been visiting my garden for a month now when two new ones arrived. That brings the total up to 7 I have had in the garden this year. 6 male & 1 female.

Here are photos of the two new ones. They are shot through my bedroom window and have not been cropped only resized. That's how close to the bedroom they are. (about ten feet away).









John

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by John

I was watching two of the Bramblings that have been visiting my garden for a month now when two new ones arrived. That brings the total up to 7 I have had in the garden this year. 6 male & 1 female.

Here are photos of the two new ones. They are shot through my bedroom window and have not been cropped only resized. That's how close to the bedroom they are. (about ten feet away).











John

Great pics John! it seems to be Brambling week right now?, Looking at your male, does that make mine on the previous page a male or female? or is your just further into summer plume or something?

[John]

Hi Dan

Yours is definitely a male as well. They are slowly coming into summer plumage. It's a shame that by the time they reach summer plumage they will have been long gone from these shores.

John

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Great pics John! it seems to be Brambling week right now?, Looking at your male, does that make mine on the previous page a male or female? or is your just further into summer plume or something?

[Deer Stalker]

Out on the Forest this morning I had my first Redstart, Blackcap & Willow Warblers singing. Also around were Hawfinch, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker & a pair of Kingfishers.

[NickCantle]

Sounds good Si. I'm still waiting to see my first Nuthatch at the moment but I've been out snapping the long tailed tits this morning and afternoon

[Deer Stalker]

Cheers Nick.

Just seen your pics in the Gallery. Nice shots mate.

[Harold Smith]

My bird of the day is a pair of Carrion Crows. A pair nest every year in an large oak tree across the road from me. They visit my garden frequently and get up to all sorts of mischief. Last year they pulled out all my onion sets; much to my annoyance. This year the onions are netted.

Anyway, they now have a new trick. On my lawn I have placed a large clear plastic pot stand as a bird bath. It is used frequently by most of the birds, including the crows, for drinking and bathing. I clean the bath frequently and add fresh water. Recently, after each cleaning, the crows have come along with large pieces of sliced bread, some of it toasted, and drop it in the bath and then fly of. Goodness knows where they get the bread from. A little while later they come and back and try and drag it out of the bath. The bread is so saturated it breaks up. They pick up some of the pieces and places them at the base of a raised flower bed and try to cover them with the Saxifrage that surrounds the bed. They then eat some of what's left in the bird bath. After a day or so I have to, once again, clean out the bird bath as the remains are fouling the water. I'm not sure if they are hiding food for a later time, but, I have never seen them come back for the what they have hidden. After a few days I have to remove it as the bread is turning rotten and looks unsitely. It's strange, none of the other birds, particularly the Sparrows, ever touch it.

For supposedly intelligent birds they appear stupid or incomprehensible at times.


Harold.

[Fourwings]

I spent the morning at Rutland water with Boddie and Oscar 2006.
We went to see the Ospreys that have returned to breed in Manton bay, pity the weather wasn't better but we got some good views of them. There were also plenty of Spring migrants about, Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, Swallows, House Martins & Sand martins.
My bird of the day has to be the magnificent male Osprey whose close fly-past of the hide allowed me to get these images.

[Reptilian]

Today at Cardigan farm park and nature reserve.

Numerous Wheatear.




Firecrest at the marshes carpark (Pic from older set, same bird same place. The shots i got today were awful.)


Also Skylark, Swallow, Sand Martin, and one unidentified all of which i failed to get decent shots of. I'm out of practice.

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Harold Smith

My bird of the day is a pair of Carrion Crows. A pair nest every year in an large oak tree across the road from me. They visit my garden frequently and get up to all sorts of mischief. Last year they pulled out all my onion sets; much to my annoyance. This year the onions are netted.

Anyway, they now have a new trick. On my lawn I have placed a large clear plastic pot stand as a bird bath. It is used frequently by most of the birds, including the crows, for drinking and bathing. I clean the bath frequently and add fresh water. Recently, after each cleaning, the crows have come along with large pieces of sliced bread, some of it toasted, and drop it in the bath and then fly of. Goodness knows where they get the bread from. A little while later they come and back and try and drag it out of the bath. The bread is so saturated it breaks up. They pick up some of the pieces and places them at the base of a raised flower bed and try to cover them with the Saxifrage that surrounds the bed. They then eat some of what's left in the bird bath. After a day or so I have to, once again, clean out the bird bath as the remains are fouling the water. I'm not sure if they are hiding food for a later time, but, I have never seen them come back for the what they have hidden. After a few days I have to remove it as the bread is turning rotten and looks unsitely. It's strange, none of the other birds, particularly the Sparrows, ever touch it.

For supposedly intelligent birds they appear stupid or incomprehensible at times.


Harold.

great story thanks for the Harold....Corvids are very mischevious but also pretty clever birds...im guessing they have a clever reason for doing what they are doing. The wetting the bread bit is obvious though and whomever is putting out unwetted slices or toast needs advising.

[DavyG]

I spotted two new birds today, both from my study.

We are fortunate to have trees and a large green area behind our garden, today I saw a female Blackcap in the trees and two Linnets feeding at the edge of the grass.

A lone Redwing also showed up, unusual as we normally see them in flocks.

Dave

[monkey]

My bird of the day is the first time I have photographed and had seen a Red Kite. I took the photos in Hampshire and did not realise you got them this far south! They are not the best quality photos but I am pleased to have a momento of a fantastic sight.

Can anyone tell me what the difference is that one had a very reddy/brown chest colouring but the other was much paler colouring?

Linda

[RAINBOWRUSSELL]

I really have had a good 'birdie' week - first there were a pair of red legged partridges - then yesterday after the snow melted a pair of goldfinches - first time spotted on my bird feeding area!After that I was glued to the window looking for anything else that might hop up!!!

[Pete Collins]

Originally Posted by monkey

...
Can anyone tell me what the difference is that one had a very reddy/brown chest colouring but the other was much paler colouring?

Linda

I think the paler Red Kite is a juvenile - this link might help:
redkites.net : Red Kite - Info & Frequently Asked Questions : 2. Taxonomy, Description, Plumage and Moult

[John]

I hate to harp on about the Bramblings that continue to visit my garden but this morning, just before I went to work, one of them landed on my feeder just as a chink of sunlight came out.

I normally wouldn't bother too much of a shot just of the back of the bird but now that I have edited the photo I have to say, "what a handsome bird it is".


I also thought this photo of a Goldfinch was a nice one as well.


John

[monkey]

Thanyou Pete for the link re Red Kite colourings I really appreciated that and it explained alot because the other things evident was that the tail 'v' was not so pronounced and spent ages deciding if the paler one was a Red Kite or not because of that

Think they are wonderful birds and hope to see them again this weekend they always seem to be in the same area and I should have my new camera by then!!!

Thanx again
Linda

[Ollie]

A little late with this one because it was yesterday actually but haven't had time to post before.

it's only a Long-tailed Tit but they are rare visitors to my garden so I was well pleased to get this one
Roger