The Bird Thread

I've just seen a red kite making a right meal out of flying in a not particularly high wind. As it went over the car I was driving I could see it only had one tail feather.

Pigeon attacked by a hawk (?) this morning. The seagulls overhead were going mental.

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Cool vid. Looks like a sparrowhawk

https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/18864449.rare-sighting-red-kite-without-tail-marlow-leaves-experts-baffled/

I work across the road from Reading Festival site in Caversham/ Reading. There are thousands of herring gulls around and I saw six chasing off a red kite so maybe they're pulling feathers out if they get near enough.

Kites are pairing up

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Take 11 minutes that you should be spending on something productive and use them to listen to the birds instead:
Woodpeckers

#rep

this is great

Leucistic goosery

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Chiffchaffs have arrived

Sand Martins too.

I had a short walk at sunset and saw reed buntings, yellowhammers, skylarks and, when I got home, a few starlings.

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On the Ashton canal towpath yesterday morning.

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Mad collection of buzzards and kites overhead earlier. Buzzard says “Look at my legs, just look at them!”

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So many chiffchaffs today, walk was alive with them

Carrion fight club

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Nice bird week, this. Mid-week dawn walk, Barn Owl, Little Owl, Marsh Harrier, Bullfinch, Chiffchaff, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Little Grebe and various ducks - Tufted, Widgeon, Pochard, Gadwall, Teal. While on the bike got followed and buzzed by a frisky trio of Red Kites about 2 metres above my head. And dawn walk today, a pair of Cranes bugling at the sunrise.

Vote blue, act green

is a strange thing to read in the Guardian, took me a while to figure it out.

Bad news all, apparently bird watchers are more boring that stamp collectors
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/mar/19/if-you-find-everyone-else-boring-you-only-have-yourself-to-blame

Off to listen to a song thrush to console myself

Nuthatch trilling in the trees this morning, isn’t spring brilliant?

There's a man patrolling the old timber yard building site on the surrey canal path in Peckham with a hen harrier. Beautiful bird.

I think there's a difference between those who enjoy being outdoors and are fascinated by avian life and 'birdwatchers'. Although I admit to being boring in general.

I had to show a new colleague an outdoor space we use yesterday. Saw a treecreeper. They didn't share my enthusiasm. Didn't get pic either.

Big fire down at parkgate and neston marsh . Wirral
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-60809416

Cormorants and a hummingbird today. Cormorants are so reptilian.

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