[Misc] The Official NSC Bird Spotting Thread.

[Si Gull]

It's a sad day at Wz Towers.

I got up this morning to see a few feathers on the lawn outside the bedroom window and figured that our regular sparrow hawk had taken another pigeon. Miss Wz (who is on a visit from Oz) was out in the garden this morning and found the remains, coming back to tell me she thought it was Mrs Wz's favourite bird, a very pale cross between either a ring necked dove or, as Mrs Wz insists, a turtle dove which she had been trying to hand tame with various seeds.

I'm sure the foxes will see off any remains tonight, but what should I tell Mrs Wz, it's like the Serengeti out there in darkest Westdene

You can break it to her gently...."You know that bird in the garden, your favourite? Well, it turns out it's not a Turtle Dove. Oh yeah, it's also dead".

 

[1066familyman]

Yep, Tree Pipit. Nice photo!

Thanks. Aside from location, the Pipits are very hard to tell apart for me. I have seen Meadow Pipits before, but only assuming that on their location.

 

[1066familyman]

Seeing more Cormorants than I can shake a stick at down where I live, it was nice to finally get some Shags.....Ooh er Missus!

Farne Islands. Again, the other week.

 

[Wardy's twin]

Seeing more Cormorants than I can shake a stick at down where I live, it was nice to finally get some Shags.....Ooh er Missus!

Farne Islands. Again, the other week.

View attachment 161513
View attachment 161514

are these with the TZ200?

 

[dazzer6666]

Seeing more Cormorants than I can shake a stick at down where I live, it was nice to finally get some Shags.....Ooh er Missus!

Farne Islands. Again, the other week.

View attachment 161513
View attachment 161514

Fish-gorging bastards

 

[1066familyman]

Fish-gorging bastards

They've got to live too

 

[1066familyman]

are these with the TZ200?

No, the Nikon P950 from a boat.
Farne Islands are still shut to visitors for now, to help prevent further spread of Avian Flu.

 

[1066familyman]

Wasdale, Lake District, last week.

Meadow Pipit, rather than Tree Pipit?

 

[Red Squirrel]

they're Shags, in breeding plumage.

Seeing more Cormorants than I can shake a stick at down where I live, it was nice to finally get some Shags.....Ooh er Missus!

Farne Islands. Again, the other week.

View attachment 161513

 

[1066familyman]

they're Shags, in breeding plumage.

Yep, first time seeing them for me. I've only ever seen Cormorants before.

It was also my first time seeing Eider Ducks, Kitiwakes, Guillemots, Razor Bills and Puffins too!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yep, first time seeing them for me. I've only ever seen Cormorants before.

It was also my first time seeing Eider Ducks, Kitiwakes, Guillemots, Razor Bills and Puffins too!

nice selection! there are hundreds of them up here on the north coast. I wouldn't be surprised if you have Fulmars and Scoters too. Beautiful photos btw.

 

[Si Gull]

Wasdale, Lake District, last week.

Meadow Pipit, rather than Tree Pipit?

I would say Meadow. Thinner bill and pale eye ring isn't present on Tree Pipit. Can't see on this photo but Meadow has bolder streaks extending down the flanks, Tree has finer streaks confined to upper breast. Best way to tell is call or song.....but tricky from a photo

 

[1066familyman]

Not the greatest angle, but it's all I could get.

Whitethroat?

On the Monsal Trail, Derbyshire. Last week.

Further down, by the river at Chee Dale, I saw my first ever Dippers and Mandarin Ducks. Plenty of Grey Wagtails down there too. Wildlife heaven down in that Limestone Gorge!

 

[Si Gull]

Not the greatest angle, but it's all I could get.

Whitethroat?

On the Monsal Trail, Derbyshire. Last week.

View attachment 161562

Further down, by the river at Chee Dale, I saw my first ever Dippers and Mandarin Ducks. Plenty of Grey Wagtails down there too. Wildlife heaven down in that Limestone Gorge!

Spotted Flycatcher?

 

[1066familyman]

Spotted Flycatcher?

Ooh, good shout! They are certainly seen in that area apparently. Thanks.

I've always loved nature and wildlife, but only recently got more seriously into birdwatching, so very much on a steep learning curve with the less common species.

 

[Si Gull]

Ooh, good shout! They are certainly seen in that area apparently. Thanks.

I've always loved nature and wildlife, but only recently got more seriously into birdwatching, so very much on a steep learning curve with the less common species.

It can be difficult to id birds from photos. Often much of what is diagnostic is behaviour, calls, songs so that's all worth studying in the field if you have time. I've been at it for decades and still get it wrong! Great hobby, can't beat it (unless it's wet and cold ).

 

[MJsGhost]

It's a real sign that summer's coming - I'm walking the dog and can currently hear a nightingale in full song.

 

[dazzer6666]

Interesting shift in garden species over the last couple of years....still have multitudes of Blue, Great and long-tailed tits, robins, nuthatches, blackbirds, GSWs, a wren and suchlike but now have multiple daily visits from several Goldfinches (a pair we were seeing occasionally presumably bred nearby last spring, now seeing loads on a daily basis) and now have two pairs of Greenfinches visiting a few times a day - my neighbour said the woods behind our houses (Bedelands if you know B Hill) used to be full of them but he's not seen any for 25 years or more in the gardens. I'm getting through about 15kg of sunflower hearts a month.

Oh, and a ****ing pigeon has managed to get under the solar panels and has young in a nest there

 

[Si Gull]

It's a real sign that summer's coming - I'm walking the dog and can currently hear a nightingale in full song.

Lovely. Two Song Thrushes having a sing-off near us; impressive volume levels!

 

[MJsGhost]

Lovely. Two Song Thrushes having a sing-off near us; impressive volume levels!

I've noticed a lot more thrushes this year (which is lovely). Still hardly any chaffinches in my garden though (used to be loads).
There's at least 2 nightingales within a hundred yards of me right now. I'm trying to tempt them out by playing their song back to them - they will often pop out from their cover to get closer to the 'rival' they can hear.
It's an amazing song for a pretty drab little bird.