Your day's wildlife

[Gillstay]

Crows, not got the bare beak.

 

[Gillstay]

Crows, not got the bare beak.

 

[Poacher]

First garden Blackcap of the winter today, a male.
Attempted photo was too poor to post here, but I'm sure there'll be more opportunities.

 

[slowmotion]

A fat squirrel visits our garden to pillage the bird feeders. He's learned to lift up the latch that closes the seed/nut containers. He's having a frustrating day because we've just replaced the latch with a mini padlock.

 

[Dave 123]

I went to South Efford marsh nature reserve this afternoon. It’s on the river Avon at Aveton Gifford. The first good sighting was a kingfisher sat on the estuary mud…. As I reached for the camera it took off, flew away a little, then did its best humming bird impression, moved further away, hovered again and then buggered off.

Walking around the reserve a f***ing big white job took off…. I knew instantly that it was a great white egret. I’ve not seen one for 30 years.

There were also lots of Teal, Wigeon, Curlew, a single Redshank, a single little grebe, and other bits and bobs like pied wagtail, blue tit, great tit and mallard.

These photos have been tweaked as it was dull and dark.

 

[Dave 123]

 

[biggs682]

This moth came into the kitchen when I opened the back door tonight

 

[Dave 123]

This moth came into the kitchen when I opened the back door tonight

View attachment 754354

Looks like Winter Moth. I hope he knocked, then wiped his feet before he came in?
Rude otherwise.

 

[Marchrider]

First garden Blackcap of the winter today, a male.
Attempted photo was too poor to post here, but I'm sure there'll be more opportunities.

you make it sound like a winter visitor? it is summer visitor and should in Africa for the winter months (although I have heard in recent years some are not migrating becoming resident) but do you only see them in the winter?

 

[biggs682]

Looks like Winter Moth. I hope he knocked, then wiped his feet before he came in?
Rude otherwise.

Thanks @Dave 123 , no knocking it just fluttered in when i opened the door

 

[Gillstay]

First garden Blackcap of the winter today, a male.
Attempted photo was too poor to post here, but I'm sure there'll be more opportunities.

Saw my first one yesterday. Super to see and then spotted 8 Bullfinches together. Never seen that before.

 

[Poacher]

you make it sound like a winter visitor? it is summer visitor and should in Africa for the winter months (although I have heard in recent years some are not migrating becoming resident) but do you only see them in the winter?

I'm well aware that it's a migrant, but one or more chooses our garden to spend the winter in about every other year; do a search of this thread for posts containing blackcap, posted by me; there'll be quite a few! Here are some fuzzy pics from this morning, taken through a dirty window.

 

[Marchrider]

I'm well aware that it's a migrant, but one or more chooses our garden to spend the winter in about every other year; do a search of this thread for posts containing blackcap, posted by me; there'll be quite a few! Here are some fuzzy pics from this morning, taken through a dirty window.
View attachment 754410

View attachment 754411

View attachment 754409

I wasn't doubting you in the slightest - over wintering Blackcaps seems to be a growing phenomena
have also heard they get very territorial around the bird feeders, as the bird feeders are their only food source for the winter months

I wonder if the ones you are seeing now have been in your area all year, or are they mini migrants in that they were in scotland for the summer and the decide southern england is far enough?

they still arrive in the spring for us and will be gone by autumn

 

[Poacher]

I wasn't doubting you in the slightest - over wintering Blackcaps seems to be a growing phenomena
have also heard they get very territorial around the bird feeders, as the bird feeders are their only food source for the winter months

I wonder if the ones you are seeing now have been in your area all year, or are they mini migrants in that they were in scotland for the summer and the decide southern england is far enough?

they still arrive in the spring for us and will be gone by autumn

Could be local, could be mini-migrants (like that term!), it's a mystery! They can be quite tenacious standing their ground at a feeder, although my current visitor was ousted by a female Blackbird. I'm sure that one attractor in our garden is a large Mahonia, which offers another possible food source - see this post: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-days-wildlife.174739/post-7132403

 

[Poacher]

Could be local, could be mini-migrants (like that term!), it's a mystery! They can be quite tenacious standing their ground at a feeder, although my current visitor was ousted by a female Blackbird. I'm sure that one attractor in our garden is a large Mahonia, which offers another possible food source - see this post: https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/your-days-wildlife.174739/post-7132403

... and as if by magic, Mr Blackcap demonstrates his affinity with the mahonia flowers!