P&B Bird Watch

[The Mantis]

On 18/02/2017 at 21:07, The DA said:

BTW if anyone has the slightest interest in Scotland's (OK, Britain's) raptors, this book is a must read.  If you can't afford it, I'll pass on my copy (not really, it's my book of the year) - everyone has to read it.

 

On 21/02/2017 at 16:32, The Mantis said:

Probably end up buying this. Trouble is, my missus and I have a policy of buying ebooks these days, or if we buy a real book we're supposed to give one away 

The house is full of books.

Anyway I looked up amazon and the preview is useless. It must have a few blank pages at the start so there's nothing to read except the cover. More interesting is the price - the paperback is only £7.49 but it's a preorder (March 23rd). Strange the kindle version is £12.49, only a pound cheaper than the hardback. Maybe come down after the paperback comes out.

Just downloaded the eBook as the price has dropped from £12.49 to £5.49.

[Hedgecutter]

A group of Oystercatchers has evidently decided to make the playing fields outside of my office window their new home.

I quite possibly detest these squeaky f***ers more than any other animal in the world, particularly when they invade inland areas.

[The DA]

7 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

A group of Oystercatchers has evidently decided to make the playing fields outside of my office window their new home.

I quite possibly detest these squeaky f***ers more than any other animal in the world, particularly when they invade inland areas.

Could be worse.  Imagine if you had a corncrake sitting under your bedroom window RIGHT THROUGH YOUR FUCKING HOLIDAY FORTNIGHT ON TIREE.

It does nothing for your hangovers.

[stevieKTID]

On 5/24/2017 at 00:05, Hedgecutter said:

A group of Oystercatchers has evidently decided to make the playing fields outside of my office window their new home.

I quite possibly detest these squeaky f***ers more than any other animal in the world, particularly when they invade inland areas.

I just saw one wandering the streets of west amsterdam

[The Mantis]

Buzzard nearby a couple of weeks ago...

[Hedgecutter]

Got a case of mystery bird on the go here. Was at the big Red Head cliffs between Arbroath and Lunan Bay earlier today and saw 6 or so small birds continually flying along / over / below the cliffs, checking us out to the point a couple were zooming past just a few metres away from us sitting down at the cliff top. Small things (larger than a tit but probably smaller than a starling), white underneath and entirely black on top. Really fast and mobile little f***ers too, like fighter jets around the cliffs.

 

Closest thing I can find on the RSPB website is a House Martin (not exactly a bird I expected to love the cliffs), although the birds we saw definitely never had a large white spot on their backs, plus they looked a bit 'stumpier' with a shorter wingspan. Thought they had an auk type look to them, but only thing along those lines is the little auk which shouldn't be around at this time of year, plus those don't look nearly as mobile. Looked like a house martin shagged a puffin and the chick missed out on the comedy beak basically.

 

Also saw another big grey thing thing in the distance at the same cliff lined bay (real pain in the arse bit to get to though well off the beaten track). Rather big wingspan (like a very large gull) but with a patterned grey (maybe grey-brown) upper plummage. Maybe some form of shearwater but struggling to find a match again. Thought it may be a juvenile gull but it was a big b*****d thing that was all on its lonesome. Not a heron or anything that large either .

 

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

 

 

 

[Hillonearth]

22 minutes ago, Hedgecutter said:

Got a case of mystery bird on the go here. Was at the big Red Head cliffs between Arbroath and Lunan Bay earlier today and saw 6 or so small birds continually flying along / over / below the cliffs, checking us out to the point a couple were zooming past just a few metres away from us sitting down at the cliff top. Small things (larger than a tit but probably smaller than a starling), white underneath and entirely black on top. Really fast and mobile little f***ers too, like fighter jets around the cliffs.

 

Closest thing I can find on the RSPB website is a House Martin (not exactly a bird I expected to love the cliffs), although the birds we saw definitely never had a large white spot on their backs, plus they looked a bit 'stumpier' with a shorter wingspan. Thought they had an auk type look to them, but only thing along those lines is the little auk which shouldn't be around at this time of year, plus those don't look nearly as mobile. Looked like a house martin shagged a puffin and the chick missed out on the comedy beak basically.

 

Also saw another big grey thing thing in the distance at the same cliff lined bay (real pain in the arse bit to get to though well off the beaten track). Rather big wingspan (like a very large gull) but with a patterned grey (maybe grey-brown) upper plummage. Maybe some form of shearwater but struggling to find a match again. Thought it may be a juvenile gull but it was a big b*****d thing that was all on its lonesome. Not a heron or anything that large either .

 

Any thoughts appreciated!

 

 

 

 

Wee ones sound a bit like sand martins - you'd normally see them on riverbanks rather than cliffs, but given I mentioned a couple of pages back they were checking out nesting sites on the embankment of a railway station, you never know.

The big thing sounds a lot like a juvenile gannet:

[Hedgecutter]

Wee ones sound a bit like sand martins - you'd normally see them on riverbanks rather than cliffs, but given I mentioned a couple of pages back they were checking out nesting sites on the embankment of a railway station, you never know. The big thing sounds a lot like a juvenile gannet

 

 

Cheers. Thing is, I did look up sand martins but they seem to be have a lot of brown-grey through their plumage. The things I saw seemed very distinctly black and white with nothing else in between. Pretty cool whatever they are.

 

The gannet looks like an excellent shout though, had that mottled pattern going on over its back. Didn't see any adults around, although saw a large group of cormorants that had decided to make one small (now shit stained) islet their home.

[Dee Man]

On 2017-5-23 at 00:07, KnightswoodBear said:

Swallow Tailed Kite taken out on the golf course this morning.

Bang out of order. Surprised you're allowed firearms on the golf course.

[The DA]

32 minutes ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

 

I'd happily take a firearm onto a golf course, to sort out the plus four wearing pimps.

(if MI5 are reading this, it's a joke btw. I'd just batter the golfers with my wood)

 

Insert outraged Kenneth Williams gif here.

[Hillonearth]

4 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

 

 

Cheers. Thing is, I did look up sand martins but they seem to be have a lot of brown-grey through their plumage. The things I saw seemed very distinctly black and white with nothing else in between. Pretty cool whatever they are.

 

The gannet looks like an excellent shout though, had that mottled pattern going on over its back. Didn't see any adults around, although saw a large group of cormorants that had decided to make one small (now shit stained) islet their home.

Wasn't sure about the sand martins - the habitat seems a bit wrong, but although they look a lot different to house martins in field guides they can easily look a lot darker in poor light IRL - although always slightly stubbier with a neck ring and no white rump.

Pretty sure about the gannet though...when I say juvenile it could be a couple of years old, hence no adults about - they live for 30-40 years and take a few years to develop the adult white, black'n'yellow adult look, much like gulls.

[Fony Titz]

What a great thread. Was into birdwatching when I was younger but had forgotten about caring up until my wee nephew started telling me that he was into it and I've tried to show an interest.

However I saw a wee greenfinch yesterday afternoon when I was visiting my parents house. Cracking wee bird.

[The Mantis]

A bit of a long day yesterday after getting up at 5am and driving up to Speyside. Hit the jackpot a wee bit though.

[KnightswoodBear]

5 minutes ago, The Mantis said:

A bit of a long day yesterday after getting up at 5am and driving up to Speyside. Hit the jackpot a wee bit though.

They're superb mate. 

Edit. Seriously, can I use that bottom one as my new background at work? 

Edited July 2, 2017 by KnightswoodBear

[jamamafegan]

They are quality, great work.

[The Mantis]

1 hour ago, KnightswoodBear said:

They're superb mate. 

Edit. Seriously, can I use that bottom one as my new background at work? 

Aye sure mate although there's better ones online without the wings cut off 

[Hedgecutter]

I've got a blackbird that'll regularly come into the garden and just stare at me through the window. He'll hold a stationary position for a couple of minutes and then take a couple of bounces forward. This'll go on a repetitive cycle for a good 10 mins. His name is Shifty despite being initially named Creepy b*****d.

I once worked in a cave where I'd give a blackbird bits of my lunch most days (not bread). Over the course of a few months I got to the point where it would come up onto my lap and take the food out my hand. I started off leaving the food slightly closer to me each time, eventually letting it eat off my boot for a week or two. Then held it on my boot with my fingers and once that great obstacle of trust was eventually past, he had no bother taking from my hand without the boot there. Tourists found it cool as f***.

[supermik]

I used to keep homing pigeons but then I sold them, then sold them, then sold them again. Then I got caught.

[Rizzo]

We seem to be getting a lot of goldfinches and siskins recently. Lovely wee things and a nice change from the usual sparrows and starlings. 

[Eednud]

Not the best photos, iPhone in bad light but some Rainbow Lorikeets near home. Usually in a much larger flock but great to see although very noisy.