The Bird Thread

Collared doves are one of the few avian success stories of recent times, a species whose numbers have expanded vastly. Be careful about 'our estate' the Golf Club Bar beckons!

Red Kite, taken using an old Canon 1000d with an even older entry level 75-300 lens.

Edit: Cropping for all, some basic contrast adjustment for the last one as the underwing was very dark.

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There's red kites all the way down in Brighton now, saw one of them end of last year just off the SDW.
Had one of the local peregrines roar over me and the kids on Brighton seafront boxing day.

They're one of the success stories for rescuing a population. There were flocks at times where we were (mid-Ceredigion).

Beautiful birds. I didn't manage a photo on a par with yours 😉

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Indeed amazing creatures. I got very lucky with location & light & rare carrying of dslr this weekend, I still have many photos similar to yours too.

Went to see the starling murmuration near Foolow in the Peaks on Xmas Eve. No big display just groups flying over and dropping in but there were a lot.
Bit of excitement as a bird of prey was swooping around. Maybe a peregrine but I didn't have any binoculars and it was getting dark.

I've missed murmurations this year.

Here're some other birds from the weekend gone.

The camera (operator) was at it's limit I felt and there were lots of blur/dark shots.

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Oh interesting, where did you go? When we moved up here we heard the starling murmurations were great, but 2 years ago went up to the marsh just north of the British Flurospar quarry and saw absolute diddly squat around Christmas time

That's the place. We went there xmas 2019 too and saw nothing much but it was OK this time.
I think you mean just south of the quarry though - we parked on Thunderpit Lane and then went through the gate on the south side of the road.

Sad to read:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/04/farne-islands-bird-flu-i-was-one-in-hazmat-suit-we-picked-up-6000-dead-birds-aoe

Yeah sorry you're right. I don't know why I was disoriented in my head. I'll try and get some time off work and get up there before sunset in the next few weeks in that case. It must be such a lovely sight to see!

Not only see - the sound is quite something too.

Following on from bird flu if that wasn't bad enough there are people out there determined to undermine the work done such as the re-introduction of eagles.
Not suitable for children
https://raptorpersecutionuk.org/2023/01/04/the-estate-that-dorset-police-refused-to-search-after-discovery-of-poisoned-eagle-is-the-same-location-where-gamekeeper-was-today-convicted-of-multiple-raptor-persecution-crimes/

Someone reported c.30k in to roost at Cavendish Mill the other night

I’ve been interested in garden visitors but I’m new to the ‘going out to bird-spot’ thing.
I took my daughter to Hayle estuary this week and this is what we saw:
Little egret
Curlew
Redshank
Eurasian Wigeon
Dunlin
Green winged Teal
Kingfisher
Lapwings
Cormorant
Heron

While that’s not a particularly outstanding list I was surprised to see a kingfisher. I believe the location is tidal and I wasn’t expecting to see a bird that is normally associated with freshwater streams and rivers.
Please enlighten me.

Might be due to the time of year. From the RSPB website:

Kingfishers are widespread, especially in central and southern England, becoming less common further north but following some declines last century, they are currently increasing in their range in Scotland. They are found by still or slow flowing water such as lakes, canals and rivers in lowland areas. In winter, some individuals move to estuaries and the coast. Occasionally they may visit garden ponds if of a suitable size.

Thanks for that.
There was a fab minute or so when it moved from the overhead cable to the mud bank and it’s position was perfect to catch the sunlight on its blue plumage. Truly stunning.

I think kingfishers will move downstream when their local river(s) are flowing fast, after high rainfall as the water can be very coloured due to the silt washed in making dinner harder to spot.

My day started being woken by a song thrush and ended watching a goldcrest in the hedge on the street, good birds

Amongst the very best.

New pocket bins for me today, never an excuse not to have some on a walk now

now to decide the best sock to keep them in

^what a lovely new toy!

Mrs Ludd wanted to see an otter this morning so we tried Otmoor. Alas no otters in the short time we were there, but thousands of lapwings and golden plovers, a kingfisher, some Cetti’s warblers, bullfinches, snipe, little egrets and stuff

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Those look neat :)

Reminded me to set about looking for a new pair for myself as a treat. I think the ones I have are Halina and Sunagor and are not that good.