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March 28, 2024, 11:33:12 AM

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Wildlife spotting

Started by Twit 2, August 06, 2018, 12:59:58 PM

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Spoon of Ploff

The skylarks are back.. lovely to see them hover and sing their little hearts out, but here they are kicking off like some drunken yobs at closing time.




Endicott

Swifts above my housing estate. Devilishly hard to photograph, these are sort of half decent attempts.




purlieu

Quote from: shoulders on May 16, 2022, 04:33:41 PMI saw a grey wagtail then. Seems so disappointing as it was very yellow and have noticed seeing a bird like that maybe 3 times ever. But it was beautiful and charismatic. Being on their own rather than flocking seems to emphasise all birds' nicest aspects. Free, so vividly alive. Two thumbs up. Would have for dinner (jk).
Lovely things, and a species that seems to be very gradually expanding its range. When I was a kid I associated them with upland rivers and such, but we have a pair breeding near the duck pond in the park here now.

Gorgeous swift shots, Endicott.

Gurke and Hare

Saw my first fledgling of the year earlier, a robin.

Plenty of birdsong yesterday when I grabbed the chance to go out for a walk - not least from this character. Applying my questionable bird ID skills again, I think it might be a stonechat.


Des Wigwam

Yes I would say a juvenile male (aren't we all). Someone like @purlieu can pop in later though and tell us exactly what sort of swan it is ....

Brian Freeze

More eggs!



Extremely pleased we didn't disturb them too much while we stacked the wood. We now reckon on them being Blackbird eggs.

Epic Bisto

New home is near a park, so am always greeted by wrens and chiffchaffs wishing me well on the way to work.  It's quite lovely and magical to open the curtains and sometimes be greeted by jays and magpies and occasionally spot the very floofy resident fox.  At the new workplace, there's a stream (or a river that thinks it's summat) round the back of the car park so you can always guarantee that you'll bump into Mr and Mrs Duck waddling around or chilling on the wall, a few coots and the obligatory seagulls.  But one afternoon I saw this handsome little fella:



I happened to spot him standing on tiptoes looking at me glugging my coffee.  He was so cute and had a fluffy white tummy but he was quite shy so this is the best picture I was able to take.  I keep trying to spot him again every day but no luck so far.  On the plus side the ducks seem to be locals so there may be a nest nearby which means a flurry of adorable little mini-quacks might be arriving.

purlieu

Quote from: Clatty McCutcheon on May 20, 2022, 03:19:46 PMApplying my questionable bird ID skills again, I think it might be a stonechat.
It is indeed, although looks like a female. Probably too well marked to be a juvenile at this time of year, not sure if they'd have fledged yet, but they're generally just brown speckled things for a month or two after leaving the nest.

Quote from: purlieu on May 20, 2022, 09:01:36 PMIt is indeed, although looks like a female. Probably too well marked to be a juvenile at this time of year, not sure if they'd have fledged yet, but they're generally just brown speckled things for a month or two after leaving the nest.

Excellent, thanks. Pleased to have managed to correctly identify something that isn't ridiculously obvious. Impressive balancing skills (the stonechat, not me), being able to perch on a thin stem like that.

Twit 2

Walking around the Norfolk Broads, shit loads of marsh harriers. Watched a tern attacking one relentlessly as it was getting too near its nest. Swallowtail butterflies, coupla heron, avocets, swifts, cormorants and grebes, the usual. Best spot was a big grass snake crawling under the boardwalk. Camouflaged to fuck, but you can sort of make it out:





Marsh harrier:

https://streamable.com/b5qlxx

 

Endicott

I was trying to take pics of flowers and this chap started hovering about. I thought it was a rare bee but it's not, it's a fly. Called a bee-fly FFS. It's hovering with its snoz down that flower.




Then on Saturday my bush was overrun by bees. Stopit! No really https://streamable.com/qsajwl

Here's a bee (I think this is a bee) backlight with the light shining through it.



Brian Freeze

Those are fantastic. More please thankyou.


AzureSky

Quote from: Twit 2 on May 23, 2022, 04:49:33 PMWalking around the Norfolk Broads, shit loads of marsh harriers. Watched a tern attacking one relentlessly as it was getting too near its nest. Swallowtail butterflies, coupla heron, avocets, swifts, cormorants and grebes, the usual. Best spot was a big grass snake crawling under the boardwalk. Camouflaged to fuck, but you can sort of make it out:





Marsh harrier:

https://streamable.com/b5qlxx

 

I'm off to Norfolk next week and have never seen a Marsh Harrier before, where was this, if you don't mind me asking?

I briefly saw a Bittern flying into a reed bed at Langford Lowfields yesterday morning, well chuffed with that. Guy I spoke to said he's been trying to photograph one for 5 years there and never managed it. Also saw a pair of Linnets, a Sedge Warbler and a Reed Bunting all on the same bush at once. Nice view of a Whitethroat singing and heard a Cuckoo. Also 2 deer and 2 hares, or the same once twice in a different place, not sure.

Twit 2

That was Hickling Broad. Guaranteed sightings there. Marsh Harriers, though rare in the UK, are common in Norfolk. Anywhere in the broads or along the Yare, you'll see them. Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve is probably the closest places to Norwich you'll easily see them.

AzureSky

Quote from: Twit 2 on May 23, 2022, 09:56:13 PMThat was Hickling Broad. Guaranteed sightings there. Marsh Harriers, though rare in the UK, are common in Norfolk. Anywhere in the broads or along the Yare, you'll see them. Strumpshaw Fen RSPB reserve is probably the closest places to Norwich you'll easily see them.

Thanks, been there once before, last August and saw 3 Kingfishers! Will be near Blakeney this time, so might try Titchwell Marsh also.

Twit 2

Quote from: Dineen on May 25, 2022, 06:45:55 PMThanks, been there once before, last August and saw 3 Kingfishers! Will be near Blakeney this time, so might try Titchwell Marsh also.

Nice. Gorgeous bit of coast you'll be on. I've been walking Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast Path. Currently up to Stiffkey. Next leg is between there and Weybourne, passing through Blakeney and Cley (I got married at Cley Windmill). The section of coast path between Holme and Burnham Overy Staithe is utterly glorious. Hope you have a great time.

Gurke and Hare

Well worth going on one of the seal spotting boat trips from Blakeney.

Fishfinger

Lots of starling fledges (appeared a week ago but I went away, they're maturing). Adult robin still grabbing food for a nest or fledge(s), somewhere. Dunnock nest in the vegetation.

Spoon of Ploff

Robin Update. The two robins are still visiting the 'feeding post' grabbing mouthfuls of meal worms and porridge oats and flying off in different directions. Can hear the fledglings squawking from their hideouts in the undergrowth/brambles but have yet to see them.

Fascinating to hear the different clucks, meeps and songs these birdies make.

Not far away sighted a group (familly?) of nuthatches climbing up and down a mostly dead oak tree. Picked the wrong day to leave m' camera at home.

purlieu

Quote from: Endicott on May 23, 2022, 06:41:46 PM
I absolutely love bee-flies. Something about them always makes me smile. Great shot!

Quote from: purlieu on May 26, 2022, 11:42:14 AMI absolutely love bee-flies.

Conversely, I'm indifferent to Flybe, the independent regional airline. Shit joke fuckit post.

Spoon of Ploff

The nuthatches were back on the oak today. Here's two of them having a chat:


Twonty Gostelow

Quote from: Spoon of Ploff on May 27, 2022, 12:29:15 PMThe nuthatches were back on the oak today. Here's two of them having a chat:
Can't see the chat in that photo, must have flown off, I am funny

The nuthatch on the left looks like it's a juvenile maybe.

Brian Freeze

Had some fantastic Buzzarding lately. Two next to the motorway and one of them on the tops. All soaring just there like that for a really good close up viewing.

Spoon of Ploff

Quote from: Twonty Gostelow on May 27, 2022, 01:16:48 PMThe nuthatch on the left looks like it's a juvenile maybe.

I think you're right... it was making those 'give me food now' gestures and noises

Pdine




A couple from recently...

Endicott

Mooned by a chick!

Nice shots Pdine.

Dex Sawash