Your day's wildlife

[Mrs M]

My little robin never returned to her babies and they have all died I didn't take a peek for a couple of days so as not to disturb her but could tell she had never been back as they hadn't moved or changed.

Aw, sorry to hear, poor little ones.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

An identification question here: I was down on the Southsea seafront this morning when I heard a melodic piccolo-like song - short repetitive motif, rather like a broken chord, and with a clear tone - coming from a nearby tree. The bird itself, taken overall ,looked rather like a female sparrow in size but had a rosy hue to its feathers to the side of its breast. Any ideas? I just had a look on the RSPB identifier and the nearest suggestion was a red-backed shrike, which doesn't fit.

 

[biggs682]

Saw loads of these big ants at the Blue Pool Near Wareham

 

[nickyboy]

An identification question here: I was down on the Southsea seafront this morning when I heard a melodic piccolo-like song - short repetitive motif, rather like a broken chord, and with a clear tone - coming from a nearby tree. The bird itself, taken overall ,looked rather like a female sparrow in size but had a rosy hue to its feathers to the side of its breast. Any ideas? I just had a look on the RSPB identifier and the nearest suggestion was a red-backed shrike, which doesn't fit.

Based on your description the most likely suspects are Lesser Redpoll and Common Linnet. Both of these are sparrow sized, streaky brown and the males have a pinkish breast, particularly in spring. Your call description doesn't fit very well but these species do quite a wide variety. They are also common birds and are migrating at the moment so can be expected to be passing through your area. If I was betting, I'd go for linnet. They're commoner

Here's the linnet


and here's the Redpoll

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Based on your description the most likely suspects are Lesser Redpoll and Common Linnet. Both of these are sparrow sized, streaky brown and the males have a pinkish breast, particularly in spring. Your call description doesn't fit very well but these species do quite a wide variety. They are also common birds and are migrating at the moment so can be expected to be passing through your area. If I was betting, I'd go for linnet. They're commoner

Here's the linnet


and here's the Redpoll

Excellent, it was a linnet. It's odd because I thought I'd seen them before but it seems not. Thanks for that.

 

[luckyfox]

Bunnies... lots of them, scampered pretty quick listening to me wail out to various tunage on the way to work.

 

[Glow worm]

[QUOTE 3615274, member: 9609"]here's my list (I claimed 1st of April as earliest before - its actually the 4th)

2014 - 09 April
2013 - 13 April
2012 - 12 April
2011 - 14 April
2010 - 10 April
2009 - 11 April
2008 - 10 April
2007 - 04 April
2006 - 13 April
2005 - 18 April
2004 - 21 April
2003 - 14 April
2002 - 09 April
2001 - 10 April[/QUOTE]

The first swallows have begun trickling past here. The first over my house yesterday afternoon followed by a few more. That's one day earlier than the 11 year average of April 8th. Hard to credit that a few short weeks ago the same birds were passing over elephants and giraffes in S. Africa!

 

[Glow worm]

Some of you may be interested in this remarkable short vid, which captures the moment of return of ospreys to the Dyfi Estuary near Machynlleth, ending their migration from W. Africa. They arrived back safely yesterday. One, Monty, at 2-19pm looking as if he'd just been for a quick spin round the block rather than thousands of miles! More Here

 

[gbb]

As reported in my ride today...
Marsh Harrier (almost certainly)...not a buzzard, too lean, long slim wings, not a Red Kite, no forked tail, plus there is / was a colony of Marsh Harrier at Eldernell...only circa 5 miles away as the crow flys.
Egret on the banks of the North Bank (locally known as the Dog in a Doublet). Quite big...seen quite a few Little Egret, this may have been a big one or may be another species.
Lots of waterfowl.
Lots of swans, Mutes particually, too far to see if there were any Whoopers or Berwicks.
Lots of LBJs, chaffinch etc etc, lots of song from all of them.

Did I catch the sound of a cuckoo ?...probably not although its high time surely.

 

[biggs682]

Got close to this bull at Cranbourne Manor, good Job it was a statue

 

[Supersuperleeds]

A few birds of prey out Rutland and Lincolnshire way today, some flying pretty low and close to me, no idea what they were, unless it's an owl or a robin I haven't got a scooby.

 

[KneesUp]

Quick question for all you wildlife experts: I've just come back from a long weekend in Norfolk, and was struck by just how many rooks there were about. It seemed like every other stand of trees had a few nests in, and the were rooks all over the place. Is this 'normal for Norfolk' or have they had a very successful few years? The rookeries were each only a few nests, suggesting they were newly established, but it's not a part of the country I'm very familiar with.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Spotted my first Swallows this morning. A pair of them who stayed on the power lines they were on whilst I cycled underneath them. Made my day.

 

[Alex H]

A heron, smugly standing in a field, daring me to stop and try to photograph it - I didn't bother. I have more photos of the *rse ends of herons then I know what to do with

Anyway, why do they stand in fields (usually ones with cows in)? I thought they were water birds

 

[annedonnelly]

[QUOTE 3633482, member: 9609"]This spring tracker on the Natural Trust website is quite interesting -
http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/
Interesting to see how the swallow sightings is moving north - (non here yet) getting excited now though, me and the wife are taking turns to sit in the garden, just in case.[/QUOTE]
Spotted my first swallow in Newcastle yesterday @User9609 so they're heading your way.

Incidentally you seem to keep detailed records of your sightings. Do you share them with anyone? My bird sightings go to the BTO via Birdtrack and most other stuff to ERIC NE - the recording centre for NE England. It's important to gather as much data as possible to share with researchers and help conservationists. And it's usually fun keeping track of what you've seen