Wild Birds

[alsagerstokie]

No luck again tonight. I caught a hawk sitting on a fence in a field but before i cud get Camera ready. It flew off 😩

[marylandstoke]

Mar 17, 2021 8:05:24 GMT dave1 said:

Mar 17, 2021 7:27:41 GMT alsagerstokie said:

A shot i took last year.

Yeah that's the one- I took a pic on the phone but don't know how to post it. They love them sun flower seeds

Niger seed is the trick.

[lurcherman]

Another one of the little owl taken a couple of years ago.
Not seen them yet this year, hopefully as the nights draw out our more nocturnal creatures will give us a sporting chance of a few pics.

Attachment Deleted

[alsagerstokie]

Mar 17, 2021 21:07:14 GMT lurcherman said:

Another one of the little owl taken a couple of years ago.
Not seen them yet this year, hopefully as the nights draw out our more nocturnal creatures will give us a sporting chance of a few pics.

View Attachment

You seem a man in the know. I feel like im asking lots of people. I go out after work to the Salt Line. I venture next to several fields.

Tonight i was out til dusk. Just cant seem to see where the Owls are going to be. There is a couple of old farm structures id wonder if they perch in them but no luck seeing anything. I appreciate sometimes its early morning they are seen or they are most active at hight of summer.

I just want to capture one on film. I suppose alot of luck is involved.

Heard reports a barn owl has been seen at Brearton Heath.

[lurcherman]

Mar 17, 2021 21:33:35 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Mar 17, 2021 21:07:14 GMT lurcherman said:

Another one of the little owl taken a couple of years ago.
Not seen them yet this year, hopefully as the nights draw out our more nocturnal creatures will give us a sporting chance of a few pics.

View Attachment

You seem a man in the know. I feel like im asking lots of people. I go out after work to the Salt Line. I venture next to several fields.

Tonight i was out til dusk. Just cant seem to see where the Owls are going to be. There is a couple of old farm structures id wonder if they perch in them but no luck seeing anything. I appreciate sometimes its early morning they are seen or they are most active at hight of summer.

I just want to capture one on film. I suppose alot of luck is involved.

Heard reports a barn owl has been seen at Brearton Heath.

These past two weeks sightings have been really thin on the ground, I honestly think their hunting habits have changed now
and their thoughts are on nesting. We set four trail cams out every night on fence lines and gate posts that they regularly use.
Over winter you can probably count on one hand the times we have failed to capture them but this past fortnight I think we have
only caught them once or twice. On windy evenings they tend to hunt in areas out of the wind, they also like to perch on the posts around the fence line.
Try and find the footpaths that go through some fields, these normally run down the edges of them and may allow you to inspect the base of the posts for pellets.
The best advice I can give you is use the next few months to try and locate the barn owls near you, remember what I said about hayfields.
By mid to late June these should be clearly visible as it's probably the earliest they are cut depending on the weather.
Get yourself a good pair of binoculars they are invaluable for scanning fields and fence lines. Depending on how early or late they are at breeding
by August, September time, the young should be out with the parents and this is the best time to spot them.
Remember crop fields and heavily grazed cattle fields are usually crap for voles, hayfields, scrubland, good hedgerows and woodland edges
offer the best chance for the voles.
Good luck.

[dave1]

Mar 17, 2021 21:06:29 GMT marylandstoke said:

Mar 17, 2021 8:05:24 GMT dave1 said:

Yeah that's the one- I took a pic on the phone but don't know how to post it. They love them sun flower seeds

Niger seed is the trick.

I've had that- the birds round here don't like it

[alsagerstokie]

Mar 18, 2021 19:54:51 GMT lurcherman said:

Mar 17, 2021 21:33:35 GMT alsagerstokie said:

You seem a man in the know. I feel like im asking lots of people. I go out after work to the Salt Line. I venture next to several fields.

Tonight i was out til dusk. Just cant seem to see where the Owls are going to be. There is a couple of old farm structures id wonder if they perch in them but no luck seeing anything. I appreciate sometimes its early morning they are seen or they are most active at hight of summer.

I just want to capture one on film. I suppose alot of luck is involved.

Heard reports a barn owl has been seen at Brearton Heath.

These past two weeks sightings have been really thin on the ground, I honestly think their hunting habits have changed now
and their thoughts are on nesting. We set four trail cams out every night on fence lines and gate posts that they regularly use.
Over winter you can probably count on one hand the times we have failed to capture them but this past fortnight I think we have
only caught them once or twice. On windy evenings they tend to hunt in areas out of the wind, they also like to perch on the posts around the fence line.
Try and find the footpaths that go through some fields, these normally run down the edges of them and may allow you to inspect the base of the posts for pellets.
The best advice I can give you is use the next few months to try and locate the barn owls near you, remember what I said about hayfields.
By mid to late June these should be clearly visible as it's probably the earliest they are cut depending on the weather.
Get yourself a good pair of binoculars they are invaluable for scanning fields and fence lines. Depending on how early or late they are at breeding
by August, September time, the young should be out with the parents and this is the best time to spot them.
Remember crop fields and heavily grazed cattle fields are usually crap for voles, hayfields, scrubland, good hedgerows and woodland edges
offer the best chance for the voles.
Good luck.

Cheers. I bow to your knowledge and will try all tricks.

May also visit Brearton to spot that Barn Owl 👍

A gift tonights finds whilst out on my walk.
A Male and Female Goosander. A River diving duck that is rare round these parts.
Male Bottom one.


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[dirtclod]

I probably need to snap a picture, but I've got bunches of these little brown fat f**ks that fly into the windows of my house multiple times a day. I kept hearing these thuds, thinking someone was knocking on my windows until one day I saw them actually fly into a window, stumble around, then fly off then rinse/repeat a few minutes later. At any given time there's 10-20 of them milling about my yard and flower beds.

I have christened them the Smurthwaite Sparrows (My wife thinks that's their real name - doesn't know her birds) We've lived here 11 years and they have done it since I've lived here. I was watching 2 of them yesterday, flying around "play-fighting" and truly think they get distracted and don't pay attention to where they are going. It's not like my house is invisible. Gotta love the little farts, at least they're gracing me with their presence.

Edit: Oh and the collisions with the windows don't seem to harm them at all. 

[murphthesurf]

Mar 18, 2021 22:48:57 GMT dirtclod said:

I probably need to snap a picture, but I've got bunches of these little brown fat f**ks that fly into the windows of my house multiple times a day. I kept hearing these thuds, thinking someone was knocking on my windows until one day I saw them actually fly into a window, stumble around, then fly off then rinse/repeat a few minutes later. At any given time there's 10-20 of them milling about my yard and flower beds.

I have christened them the Smurthwaite Sparrows (My wife thinks that's their real name - doesn't know her birds) We've lived here 11 years and they have done it since I've lived here. I was watching 2 of them yesterday, flying around "play-fighting" and truly think they get distracted and don't pay attention to where they are going. It's not like my house is invisible. Gotta love the little farts, at least they're gracing me with their presence.

Edit: Oh and the collisions with the windows don't seem to harm them at all. 

     That's terrible!   Do they do this with all your windows, Clodsy, or just one in particular???

[chuffedstokie]

While out yesterday looking for the common kite and buzzards this guy was on a feeding frenzy just offshore. There's a SSSI here called Bird Rock, his home along with two types of owl and nesting Peregrine Falcons plus others, worth a quick Google if anyone wants to.

[questionable]

Mar 20, 2021 10:14:52 GMT chuffedstokie said:

While out yesterday looking for the common kite and buzzards this guy was on a feeding frenzy just offshore. There's a SSSI here called Bird Rock, his home along with two types of owl and nesting Peregrine Falcons plus others, worth a quick Google if anyone wants to.View Attachment

Did you see any kites/buzzards??

If not try Audlem/Buerton loads of them about. Woodpeckers and I’ve been told Tree Creepers.

[lurcherman]

A still from the trail cam, a tawny owl with a vole. We caught them every night for over a week on the same post
and then nothing since. We did manage to catch the female ? barn owl last night, that's the first time for over a week as well.
Think they're becoming camera shy

Attachment Deleted

[alsagerstokie]

Mar 20, 2021 19:28:44 GMT lurcherman said:

A still from the trail cam, a tawny owl with a vole. We caught them every night for over a week on the same post
and then nothing since. We did manage to catch the female ? barn owl last night, that's the first time for over a week as well.
Think they're becoming camera shy

View Attachment

Lovely. Not for the poor Vole obviously.

Any tips on getting closer to Birds of Prey without scaring them off. Or is it a case of you need a lens upgrade on camera 😂

Best i could do today when i saw it land.



upgrade?

[dirtclod]

Mar 19, 2021 21:46:44 GMT murphthesurf said:

Mar 18, 2021 22:48:57 GMT dirtclod said:

I probably need to snap a picture, but I've got bunches of these little brown fat f**ks that fly into the windows of my house multiple times a day. I kept hearing these thuds, thinking someone was knocking on my windows until one day I saw them actually fly into a window, stumble around, then fly off then rinse/repeat a few minutes later. At any given time there's 10-20 of them milling about my yard and flower beds.

I have christened them the Smurthwaite Sparrows (My wife thinks that's their real name - doesn't know her birds) We've lived here 11 years and they have done it since I've lived here. I was watching 2 of them yesterday, flying around "play-fighting" and truly think they get distracted and don't pay attention to where they are going. It's not like my house is invisible. Gotta love the little farts, at least they're gracing me with their presence.

Edit: Oh and the collisions with the windows don't seem to harm them at all. 

     That's terrible!   Do they do this with all your windows, Clodsy, or just one in particular???

All my windows and doors - and it's been going on for years.  They appear to be in great health, just clueless about where they are going....kind of like Norman was at Vale. 

[questionable]

Mar 20, 2021 20:22:52 GMT dirtclod said:

Mar 19, 2021 21:46:44 GMT murphthesurf said:

     That's terrible!   Do they do this with all your windows, Clodsy, or just one in particular???

All my windows and doors - and it's been going on for years.  They appear to be in great health, just clueless about where they are going....kind of like Norman was at Vale. 

I was cleaning the windows a few weeks ago and there was a perfect impression of what i presume was a wood pigeon on a bedroom window, it was extremely detailed so presumably he hit the window at some force.

[lurcherman]

Mar 20, 2021 19:42:54 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Mar 20, 2021 19:28:44 GMT lurcherman said:

A still from the trail cam, a tawny owl with a vole. We caught them every night for over a week on the same post
and then nothing since. We did manage to catch the female ? barn owl last night, that's the first time for over a week as well.
Think they're becoming camera shy

View Attachment

Lovely. Not for the poor Vole obviously.

Any tips on getting closer to Birds of Prey without scaring them off. Or is it a case of you need a lens upgrade on camera 😂

Best i could do today when i saw it land.



upgrade?

Nothing wrong with that photo apart from the weather, dull, cloudy and dreary. Not the best conditions for a camera to
gather colour and detail unless you've got deep pockets. The birds of prey up our place do tend to sit in certain places
more often than not. The buzzard tends to sit in the same half a dozen trees plus the two telegraph poles. The kestrel likes
the same telegraph poles and also the wires plus a couple of small hawthorns.
As for getting closer, that's a tricky one, walk slow, wear dull/cammo clothing, become luckier
If you know a regular perching tree/ branch you could get tucked in somewhere and wait in hope.
Being honest the buzzard up ours does seem to take the p$$$ out of me when I've got the camera
Most of the time it's pure luck, being in the right place at the right time.
Think I've only got got a couple of half decent ones meself.


Attachment Deleted

[chuffedstokie]

Mar 20, 2021 15:43:00 GMT questionable said:

Mar 20, 2021 10:14:52 GMT chuffedstokie said:

While out yesterday looking for the common kite and buzzards this guy was on a feeding frenzy just offshore. There's a SSSI here called Bird Rock, his home along with two types of owl and nesting Peregrine Falcons plus others, worth a quick Google if anyone wants to.View Attachment

Did you see any kites/buzzards??

If not try Audlem/Buerton loads of them about. Woodpeckers and I’ve been told Tree Creepers.

I'm out on the coast of mid wales and there's usually more birds of prey than sparrows!. Sometimes I can get lucky and be in the right place at the right time with the camera. One thing that's watchable is the webcam from the Dyfi Osprey project just up the road from here, they're truly spectacular when in town. I don't know how to put a link up but it's easy to find.

[dirtclod]

Mar 20, 2021 20:29:19 GMT questionable said:

Mar 20, 2021 20:22:52 GMT dirtclod said:

All my windows and doors - and it's been going on for years.  They appear to be in great health, just clueless about where they are going....kind of like Norman was at Vale. 

I was cleaning the windows a few weeks ago and there was a perfect impression of what i presume was a wood pigeon on a bedroom window, it was extremely detailed so presumably he hit the window at some force.

Definitely "Left an Impression" then!

[alsagerstokie]

Im nipping back out this afternoon to lawton Woods/Lake to see what i can capture today will report what i find. 👍

[alsagerstokie]

Got him chillin in a tree. I still want better shots though. 😀

[chuffedstokie]

Mar 21, 2021 15:57:18 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Got him chillin in a tree. I still want better shots though. 😀

Absolute belter. 👌👍

[thehartshillbadger]

Mar 21, 2021 15:57:18 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Got him chillin in a tree. I still want better shots though. 😀

That’s a great pic mate👍🏻

[ravey123]

Mar 21, 2021 15:57:18 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Got him chillin in a tree. I still want better shots though. 😀

What a glorious beast - they are so majestic.

I've been wondering how the Buzzards will cope with this very quick spread of Red Kites - aren't they natural competitors for the same food?

[chuffedstokie]

Up close and personal with a cormorant this morning, ugly sod!.

[chuffedstokie]

Reliably informed that these are Turnstones, never heard of them before but quite common around UK coastline!.

[chuffedstokie]

Bog standard in the back garden, haven't seen the woodpecker for a few days now.

[lurcherman]

Mar 21, 2021 19:43:17 GMT ravey123 said:

Mar 21, 2021 15:57:18 GMT alsagerstokie said:

Got him chillin in a tree. I still want better shots though. 😀

What a glorious beast - they are so majestic.

I've been wondering how the Buzzards will cope with this very quick spread of Red Kites - aren't they natural competitors for the same food?

They do have the same feeding habits, carrion, small animals, corvid chicks and lots of worms. Don't think it will be food, more nesting sites that will cause a few disputes, otherwise they're pretty tolerant of each other.

[chuffedstokie]

Mar 21, 2021 20:31:53 GMT lurcherman said:

Mar 21, 2021 19:43:17 GMT ravey123 said:

What a glorious beast - they are so majestic.

I've been wondering how the Buzzards will cope with this very quick spread of Red Kites - aren't they natural competitors for the same food?

They do have the same feeding habits, carrion, small animals, corvid chicks and lots of worms. Don't think it will be food, more nesting sites that will cause a few disputes, otherwise they're pretty tolerant of each other.

They've got it made around here at the moment. Lambing is just starting and those that don't survive on the hillsides aren't cleared up just left for the wildlife to consume. At least nesting is pretty plentiful.

[lurcherman]

Mar 21, 2021 20:44:14 GMT chuffedstokie said:

Mar 21, 2021 20:31:53 GMT lurcherman said:

They do have the same feeding habits, carrion, small animals, corvid chicks and lots of worms. Don't think it will be food, more nesting sites that will cause a few disputes, otherwise they're pretty tolerant of each other.

They've got it made around here at the moment. Lambing is just starting and those that don't survive on the hillsides aren't cleared up just left for the wildlife to consume. At least nesting is pretty plentiful.

Do you ever see them scavenging on the shore line chuffed?

We picked a bit of road kill up this morning and placed it in the field with a camera.
There were about 6 or 7 buzzards circling above the wood close by, should be interesting
if they come down or not.

[alsagerstokie]

Mar 21, 2021 20:16:18 GMT chuffedstokie said:

Up close and personal with a cormorant this morning, ugly sod!.View Attachment

Ill word it this way because im being immature.

Do you get a Shag where you are? 😂

They look very similar but unlike Comorant they do stay by coast.