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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2015 3:55:49 GMT
Yes, whenever I walk the dogs by a river or lake up here, I ALWAYS see dippers. My local river (St Johns Beck about 400 yards away) has a pair covering each 400 yard stretch of territory. Like you they are one of my favourites - I love the way they fly level just a few inches from the water surface. Used to see Dippers on the Churnet and in the Peaks on the Dove etc. I worked in Newton Abbott, Devon for a while, and in the town centre, on the River Lemon I'd see them flittering about like aquatic wrens. Close enough to see the bubbles on 'em as they dived. More like flying under water. A great sight. I'm envious of the red squirrels too. I think Preston is my closest stronghold. The only downside to the squirrels is the cost of their food. I buy Italian Hazel Nuts in 10 kg bags which last about a month. Costing me an arm and a leg. EDIT: I've put a short album of birds and squirrels on my next post below. [/quote] You still see Dippers on the Dove in quiet locations like South East staffs ....I've seen a family of Goosanders down there too ! Draycott in the clay to be precise.
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Post by Timmypotter on Jul 9, 2015 5:30:43 GMT
Cycled around Gratton the t'other evening in search of the elusive Flycatcher, to no avail. I did happen upon a large almost cream-coloured Buzzard, on a gate post at the side of the road. I stopped, it checked me out, spooked but flew onto a telegraph pole across the road. As it landed it was divebombed by a Kestrel in vivid summer colours. The Kestrel saw it off, did a 'celebratory' hover then fucked off. Mint. Also saw a small flock of Starlings. Been told there are Flycatchers at Deep Hayes. I'll be heading there. Is this the one ? He's a pied flycatcher. The one at my parents' was a spotted flycatcher (looks a bit like a very small thrush) although they've not seen him the last couple of weekends. I wonder if the cream coloured buzzard or the kestrel know anything about it? Re. Red Kites, we've had a couple around here fairly often (Timbersbrook/Bosley Cloud area). Probably the same as have been spotted in Mow Cop I'd imagine.
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Post by cheeesfreeex on Jul 10, 2015 13:13:23 GMT
Is this the one ? He's a pied flycatcher. The one at my parents' was a spotted flycatcher (looks a bit like a very small thrush) although they've not seen him the last couple of weekends. I wonder if the cream coloured buzzard or the kestrel know anything about it? Re. Red Kites, we've had a couple around here fairly often (Timbersbrook/Bosley Cloud area). Probably the same as have been spotted in Mow Cop I'd imagine. Mmmm or perhaps frightened off by me on the iron horse. Can't imagine a Buzzard having the necessary stealth and agility to snatch a Fly Catcher. Bet a Kestrel could. With many birds once the young have fledged, they'll be in the hedgrows no doubt being fed and taught. Undercover. I'd got it into me head that I was looking for a Pied I need to adjust my methodology. I found a likely looking habitat along the brook next to Cockshutts Lane.
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Post by bathstoke on Jul 11, 2015 14:51:04 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions...
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Post by harryburrows on Jul 11, 2015 16:13:44 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions... That statement makes you officially an old cunt
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Post by bathstoke on Jul 11, 2015 16:18:51 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions... That statement makes you officially an old cunt Yeah, but what bird is it...
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Post by harryburrows on Jul 11, 2015 16:28:04 GMT
That statement makes you officially an old cunt Yeah, but what bird is it... Silly old hector Sounds like a thrush to me
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 16:45:26 GMT
Not particularly rare but we had two lovely little Goldfinches on our patio the other day,I was praying that our cats wouldn't see them,they were right up against our doors for ages.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 17:20:47 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions... A Zsa Zsa perhaps ?
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Post by bathstoke on Jul 11, 2015 17:26:31 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions... A Zsa Zsa perhaps ? I always thought she had a certain frisson. Didn't like that nosey frog mind, who lived next door
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 17:32:10 GMT
I always thought she had a certain frisson. Didn't like that nosey frog mind, who lived next door That was Kiki as I remember ?
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Post by bathstoke on Jul 11, 2015 18:11:54 GMT
I always thought she had a certain frisson. Didn't like that nosey frog mind, who lived next door That was Kiki as I remember ? You some sort of expert
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Post by crapslinger on Jul 11, 2015 18:45:53 GMT
Heard a lovely bird song this morning. Sounded like the bird from the beginning of Hectors House. Any suggestions... A Zsa Zsa perhaps ? Was she Hectors bit of pussy
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Post by Scanner on Jul 11, 2015 19:27:20 GMT
I often walk from home around Tittesworth reservoir in the evenings and many nights I see bird's. Some are small and some big, others dark and others colourful, some sing and most have feathers. There was one the other night I haven't seen before but can't remember what it looked like now. I also see cows and sheep.
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Post by crapslinger on Jul 11, 2015 19:31:23 GMT
I often walk from home around Tittesworth reservoir in the evenings and many nights I see bird's. Some are small and some big, others dark and others colourful, some sing and most have feathers. There was one the other night I haven't seen before but can't remember what it looked like now. I also see cows and sheep. Have you spotted Stan Collymore on your erm strolls.
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Post by ohbottom on Jul 11, 2015 19:40:28 GMT
Well, this makes a change! I'll join in from rural West Berks..
Coal, Long-tailed, Blue & Great tits. We used to get Marsh tits, as many of them as blue tits, but they disappeared about 4-5 years ago. loads of Chaffinches, occasional goldfinches, once or twice bull-finches in early spring (Green finches once common but vanished a while ago) Occasional chiff-chaffs and siskins and other warblers, but I'm not very good at id-ing them. Bramblings and black-caps sometimes stop over for a few days in spring or autumn. Nuthatches by the bucket load, but only seen a tree-creeper once in the 16 years we've lived here. Swallows and House-martins Blackbirds & thrushes Woodpeckers (greater spotted and green) Barn owls Hear tawny owls all the time, and one year we had a little owl who drove us mental Had a female sparrowhawk take a woodpigeon in the garden once, and several times had a male take a blackbird or tit. Wrens, dunnocks & robins Winter we get redwings & fieldfares in the fields around us Magpies, jackdaws, jays, rooks & crows. A pair of ravens nest near us so we often see and hear them fly over. Woodcocks roding in the evening this time of year. A pair of Stock doves showed up a year or so ago and we see them now and then, usually early mornings. Woodpigeons and collared doves. Saw our first red kite overhead in 2001. Now they're taking over from the buzzards and they are a constant sight. If you don't see one for an hour or so you wonder where they are. Egrets inhabit some of the nearby streams but I've not seen one fly over the garden yet so I suppose I can't count that. See herons fly over now and then. NO CUCKOOS THIS YEAR! First year we've not heard a cuckoo anywhere round here, I spend a lot of my time in rural areas with work, and just not heard one. We get pheasants and red-legged partridge on the patio. In our previous house (about 5 mile away), we'd get kestrels, lapwings & skylarks flying over, and yellowhammers were common.
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Post by Scanner on Jul 11, 2015 19:41:27 GMT
By heck,I didn't mean that kind of bird that I hear sometimes frequent the old water sports centre after dark. That's a totally different plumage altogether
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 20:11:58 GMT
Was she Hectors bit of pussy I expect that she was.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 20:13:15 GMT
That was Kiki as I remember ? You some sort of expert No ,just got a good memory .
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Post by bathstoke on Jul 11, 2015 20:18:22 GMT
No ,just got a good memory . Sanatogen
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2015 20:20:07 GMT
No ,just got a good memory . Sanatogen I'll bear that in mind if and when I need a tonic .
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 8:33:36 GMT
When was the last time you heard a cuckoo ?
I heard one this morning for the first time in ages ....
I don't think there's many of these about these days is there ?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 8:41:49 GMT
As of this morning I'm sick to pissing death of pigeons eating the Robin Mix from my feeder. Bastards!!
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Post by wizzardofdribble on Jul 17, 2015 9:09:18 GMT
The Owls are not what they seem ;-)
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Post by Northy on Jul 17, 2015 9:45:25 GMT
When was the last time you heard a cuckoo ? I heard one this morning for the first time in ages .... I don't think there's many of these about these days is there ? Not heard one around here for a long time, I heard one in Essex last year. My lad heard quite a few around the loch ness area in the spring.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 10:53:27 GMT
When was the last time you heard a cuckoo ? I heard one this morning for the first time in ages .... I don't think there's many of these about these days is there ? Well I thought that I'd heard one a week or two ago ......but I was told by someone who is more informed on the subject than i am , that it was more likely to have been a Collared Dove or a Wood Pigeon ? Do they sound similar ......it sounded like a Cuckoo to me ?
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Post by ohbottom on Jul 17, 2015 11:05:20 GMT
When was the last time you heard a cuckoo ? I heard one this morning for the first time in ages .... I don't think there's many of these about these days is there ? For the first time ever I've not heard one at all this year, and no-one I've spoken to down here (West Berks) has either. Bit late in the year for a cuckoo to be calling isn't it?
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Post by Northy on Jul 17, 2015 12:12:37 GMT
When was the last time you heard a cuckoo ? I heard one this morning for the first time in ages .... I don't think there's many of these about these days is there ? Well I thought that I'd heard one a week or two ago ......but I was told by someone who is more informed on the subject than i am , that it was more likely to have been a Collared Dove or a Wood Pigeon ? Do they sound similar ......it sounded like a Cuckoo to me ? A collared dove does sound a bit like one at first, you have to listen to it for a few calls and then you will spot the difference.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2015 12:43:54 GMT
They do sound a bit similar , but this was definitely a cuckoo , I even saw it from a distance away .
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Post by ohbottom on Jul 18, 2015 22:55:07 GMT
I always think a collared dove sounds like a cuckoo who's a heavy smoker, with an extra "cuck"
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