spuggies and jackdaws and hedgehogs and frogs

[Leeds Wire]

.

Edited March 18, 2021 by Leeds Wire

[Leeds Wire]

3rd time lucky:

There's an Osprey visitor centre near Porthmadog, in the Glaslyn estuary on the edge of Snowdonia. We visited and saw the male bring a fish back for its family. A lovely thing to see such a magnificent bird thriving. 

It's a long way from 'Ull but it is a great place.

Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife – Home of the Glaslyn Ospreys

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Another osprey in Hampshire today, and the first couple of sand martin reports - just one or two birds in each.  The wind has been gentle, warm and from the SSW down here today, so these reports are not surprising.  I expect the first sighting of a flock of sand martins numbering in double figures is probably only a few days away now.

[Leeds Wire]

I was kept awake for ages last night by two tawny owls calling out to each other. One of them sounded incredibly close to our garden.

Just looked into it and it would seem that they were both male, so maybe it was a territorial stand off.

Not a bad way to be woken up in the night, to be fair. Makes a change from shrieking cats and foxes.

Edited March 23, 2021 by Leeds Wire

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

Just been for a bike ride and spent a pleasant 15mins watching 2 sparrowhawks patrolling the skies. 

[Futtocks]

3 hours ago, Leeds Wire said:

I was kept awake for ages last night by two tawny owls calling out to each other. One of them sounded incredibly close to our garden.

Just looked into it and it would seem that they were both male, so maybe it was a territorial stand off.

Not a bad way to be woken up in the night, to be fair. Makes a change from shrieking cats and foxes.

[ivans82]

Out for a walk the other day and saw a grey wagtail , robin and long tailed ###### all building nests , and over the bridge wall where the wagtails were nesting a male sparrowhawk shot right past  where i was standing .

[Leeds Wire]

On 24/03/2021 at 13:46, ivans82 said:

Out for a walk the other day and saw a grey wagtail , robin and long tailed ###### all building nests , and over the bridge wall where the wagtails were nesting a male sparrowhawk shot right past  where i was standing .

I love seeing grey wagtails, as well as dippers usually sharing the same space. We were always guaranteed a close up sighting along the rivers of Snowdonia, especially the Colwyn river walk down the valley in Beddgelert (oh how I miss North Wales )

[Leeds Wire]

edit - fat fingers

Edited March 25, 2021 by Leeds Wire

[Leeds Wire]

Today I replaced a few of my old hanging feeders that the squirrels and magpies had pecked and clawed at. You have to admire their determination. I scrubbed and disinfected the feeders that are ok and scrubbed the bird bath clean of their poo.

Just before dusk a procession suddenly began, with the natural pecking order taking over. Robins, t i t s, finches.. It's as though they were waiting for me to clean everything up! 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On 21/03/2021 at 18:59, Wiltshire Warrior Dragon said:

Another osprey in Hampshire today, and the first couple of sand martin reports - just one or two birds in each.  The wind has been gentle, warm and from the SSW down here today, so these reports are not surprising.  I expect the first sighting of a flock of sand martins numbering in double figures is probably only a few days away now.

Sure enough!  A flock of over 70 sand martins at the water meadows on the northern edge of Romsey, with, apparently, one house martin amongst them!

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Cue the Delius!  Mrs WWD and I heard a cuckoo yesterday in the New Forest.  Another dog walker had told us that he had heard it, so we were half listening out.  It just called the once, but was quite unmistakable.

This is ludicrously early.  I cannot recall hearing one in March before.  That said, the weather yesterday was very conducive for it during its trip north from Africa, with a warm following breeze.  The wind is now making its way round to a northerly direction, so I hope it is OK.

[Old Frightful]

I've had the odd sparrowhawk in my garden but I was astounded to see a kestrel chasing a sparrow the other day until it escaped by darting into my hedge. I thought kestrels only hunted small mammals on the ground not birds on the wing.

[Moose]

A real surprise today. Had to look twice to make sure it was real. 
A Red Legged Partridge in our garden. Although we’re surrounded by fields it’s the first time in 30 odd years I’ve seen one in this area.

I’ve put some seed down hoping it comes back. Unfortunately the photo’s not too clear, I zoomed it.

[Futtocks]

5 hours ago, Moose said:

A real surprise today. Had to look twice to make sure it was real. 
A Red Legged Partridge in our garden. Although we’re surrounded by fields it’s the first time in 30 odd years I’ve seen one in this area.

I’ve put some seed down hoping it comes back. Unfortunately the photo’s not too clear, I zoomed it.

There's a section of road up a valley near where my mum lives that can, at the right time of year, can be swarmed with loads of partridges. Unlike pheasant, they're smart enough to move out of the way of vehicles.

[CanaBull]

Was out at a local conservation area here just on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment and got as close to one of these turkey vultures as I've been up to now, was soaring over the cliff edges and landed in a cedar about 15 feet away.  You'll see occasional ones in town hanging around road kill, they're not uncommon, but still impressive when in the woods.

[Padge]

Started seeing first butterflies of the season over last few days, all red admirals so far.

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On 02/04/2021 at 18:03, Padge said:

Started seeing first butterflies of the season over last few days, all red admirals so far.

 

I've noticed a sudden increase in butterfly numbers too, Padge.  Down here, it has mostly been brimstones, but with one or two darker ones too.

[Futtocks]

I don't get to see much wildlife from my window, but the birdcalls I hear have been much more varied than usual this year.

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

On 01/04/2021 at 16:54, Moose said:

A real surprise today. Had to look twice to make sure it was real. 
A Red Legged Partridge in our garden. Although we’re surrounded by fields it’s the first time in 30 odd years I’ve seen one in this area.

I’ve put some seed down hoping it comes back. Unfortunately the photo’s not too clear, I zoomed it.

A curious thing seems to have happened with partridges, Moose, over the last thirty to forty years.

The native one, the grey partridge, has sadly experienced a huge decline in numbers.  I have seen one figure of a European-wide decline of 94% over the last forty years.

Meanwhile the red legged variety, has expanded its British range dramatically, including now your garden, Moose!

I am not suggesting their is a correlation between the trends in the two species.  I just don't know whether there is.

On holiday in Norfolk about thirty years ago, we awoke one morning to hear the quiet of the countryside outside disturbed by an irregular tap-tap-tapping.  I looked out and saw the explanation.  A red legged partridge ambling passed my car had spotted a reflection of itself on my wheel hub and was aggressively attacking this 'intruder'!

[Moose]

After seeing and snapping it through the kitchen window I went outside to try for a close up, spooked it and off it flew. They can’t half shift for a fat bird

 

[Futtocks]

Spotted this on Twitter.

 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

21 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Spotted this on Twitter.

 

I suppose this is the peregrine equivalent of our having an exotic takeaway - Chinese, Indian, that sort of thing.

[Ullman]

On 01/04/2021 at 15:51, Old Frightful said:

I've had the odd sparrowhawk in my garden but I was astounded to see a kestrel chasing a sparrow the other day until it escaped by darting into my hedge. I thought kestrels only hunted small mammals on the ground not birds on the wing.

I think female kestrels are more adventurous hunters than the males and are more likely to take birds on the wing.

Seen a lot of kestrels, buzzards and red kites in the last couple of weeks. Saw a red kite at Eppleworth. They seem to be getting closer and closer to Hull's suburban fringes. 

[Wiltshire Warrior Dragon]

Mrs WWD and I got an excellent view of two peregrine falcons in the New Forest this afternoon, when we went there to walk the dog.  It was a good reminder that not all members of this species are to be found hanging around churches and cathedrals!