RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) Saw my first Martins at Ross on Wye on Saturday afternoon; fairly sure they were House. Not my back garden, but No 2 son's! I'm expecting 'our' House Martins any time now as they arrive about the same day every year; maybe not today though as it is absolutely peeing down here in 36E. Also saw a Crow and Gull mobbing a Buzzard whilst at the Perrygrove Railway (Forest of Dean/Coleford). Crow gave up as the Buzzard moved away from its territory but the Gull was having a right go and actually pecking at the poor old thing! Eventually the Buzzard got annoyed (do they get annoyed?) and attacked the Gull, that then zoomed off at a VERY fast pace. P Edited April 22, 2014 by Mallard60022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 Buzzards are usually able to ignore the mobbing fraternity - I always wonder why. On occasion I've seen them flip over and show their talons to a Crow or similar large bird. One would think that, in a serious confrontation, the 'mobee' would be viewed as lunch. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 Seen some more new birds around the garden. Robin size, sort of orangey on breast with black and white head (Redstart?) Also some other small black and white birds (not tits or wagtails!) about the same size. Both were flitting around quite quickly preventing a good look. I wish I could recognize some more of them! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I actually saw a House Sparrow in the front garden today, not seen many of those recently. The cat was enjoying watching it from the front window! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 Seen some more new birds around the garden. Robin size, sort of orangey on breast with black and white head (Redstart?) Also some other small black and white birds (not tits or wagtails!) about the same size. Both were flitting around quite quickly preventing a good look. I wish I could recognize some more of them! Keith They do sound like common redstarts and pied flycatchers, either of which would be a great garden tick for most of us. Do you have mature woods nearby? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 'Our' House Martins have arrived this afternoon (well one anyway) For 7 years since I started recording they have arrived on almost the same day every year; amazing. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 22, 2014 Just had a Barn owl fly over the cottage and is circling around outside now gently calling in flight! Amazing stuff, must be nesting nearby. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 They do sound like common redstarts and pied flycatchers, either of which would be a great garden tick for most of us. Do you have mature woods nearby? Although built up, we are semi-rural with plenty of mature trees around, left from when it was farmland 50 years ago. We even have a multi species (Hawthorn, beech, privet, honeysuckle and others) hedge on the one side of the back garden. The birds love it. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Flying Pig Posted April 22, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2014 Fortunately both species are pretty distinctive, so you should be able to resolve the question with some decent views. BTW, one of the birds on the Google search for pie fly that I linked is an interloper that you definitely won't see in Worcestershire! The male common redstart is a lovely bird - I stumbled across one on the Marlborough Downs last year which had stopped off on migration and was singing on the edge of a small wood. That pretty much made my spring! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 23, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2014 I thought that Barn Owls screeched and it was Tawny Owls that had the beautiful whoo sounds? However, the Barn Owl is unmistakable in it's whiteness so I'm not saying the above wasn't a barny. Anyhow, we have a Tawny Owl that has taken up residence in the 'wild place' down the road from us and I am now hearing him most nights (I say him as it is the male that has the louder, familiar hooting call; the female call is a 'hoarse' version of the hoot). According to my references they also have a sharp "kee-wick" call. The weather here today is superb and so I am expecting more Martins. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted April 23, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 23, 2014 There's plenty of Tawnys here too, trust me it's definitely a Barn, it's in flight call is different to the screech, (more like a wheeze) which is heard from the woods opposite too. Will be looking out for it later after dark this evening. Tawnys are very distinctive I agree. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Blackbirds, crows and seagulls are back, well seagulls and crows are always back! Bees are back as are wasps and we found both nests today while renewing facias and guttering. Left to muggins here to spray the nests seeing as I'm not one for diving off scaffolding like some folk.... Job done and they won't get back. Edited April 23, 2014 by coachmann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium The White Rabbit Posted April 23, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2014 We're redoing the back garden and so there's lots of bare and turned soil everywhere. The resident blackbird and his mate have been gorging themselves silly for the last few days on worms, grubs etc. They have at least two fledglings (who have also been indulging), so maybe the adults need feeding up a bit after bringing up their brood. We've also seen a thrush as well as the usual sparrows, woodpigeons and doves. The latter have been flying off with some of the fine roots we've been unearthing, though not enough to avoid having to bribe the binmen to take the rest away. I've seen very few starlings this year, a few years ago there were dozens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 23, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2014 This is why my bird feeders have to be on poles and caged! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I must be in the minority. I like to see the odd squirrel in our garden! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 23, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 23, 2014 I must be in the minority. I like to see the odd squirrel in our garden! He (she) did pose for the camera! It had a nut or something in it's front paws. They are fine except when passing on parapox virus to reds and when they steal all the bird food! The ones in the garden live in next door's very mature and large ash tree. At one point a couple of months ago there were 5 around! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2014 (edited) Cuckoo at 36E this morning; heard tracked, but not seen sadly. I didn't hear it last year but when it arrives it always goes to the same trees; amazing. OK so it's not my garden but it is just down the road about 200m. There were loads of Willow Warbler as well +, Chaffinch, Great Tit, Dunnock, Sparrow, Blackbird, Starling, a solitary (I think) Coal Tit, Pigirons as always, Male Pheasant, Mallard (two males and a female) and family, Kestral (local and been around for years) and more H Martins. Many Peacock butterflies as well. This lovely weather has brought a sudden burst of the most beautiful natural events. P Edited April 24, 2014 by Mallard60022 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 I haven't heard a cuckoo for years and years now. It's funny how you think back and realise the wildlife has changed. When I was a kid we used to get loads of Peewits (Kentish plover IIRC) in the fields near home; now when I visit my parents I never see them. Gulls are more likely. They also get far less starlings and I've not seen a robin there for years but more goldfinches - never saw those as a kid! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2014 I haven't heard a cuckoo for years and years now. It's funny how you think back and realise the wildlife has changed. When I was a kid we used to get loads of Peewits (Kentish plover IIRC) in the fields near home; now when I visit my parents I never see them. Gulls are more likely. They also get far less starlings and I've not seen a robin there for years but more goldfinches - never saw those as a kid! Lapwings. Yes, the Cuckoo has declined as has the Starling. Not sure about Robins. It is more habitat change with a lot of birds and we are lucky around here as we have loads of varied habitats and mostly 'considerate' farmers; hence our large Skylark populations. Having the A1, ECML and Sheffield Gainsborough line may provide corridors, however the proximity of Clumber Park and the Sherwoods + Dukeries Estates must help. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Lapwings have declined due to changes in farming practice. Whether improved environmentally friendly practices will make for a turnround we will have to see, but they were a feature of travelling around when I was a child, now to see a flock is a rarity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted April 24, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2014 Lapwings and Plovers used to 'graze' together locally but intensive field use has put an end to that around here despite my comment earlier. P Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merc435 Posted April 24, 2014 Share Posted April 24, 2014 Collected Junior from BB tonight and as we got out of the car he noticed a small bird on the gravel at the front of the house. A robin had hit the window and unfortunately had died. Cue mini funeral for 7year old and 3year old. Had to say a prayer(No Hymns thankfully) and then bury the bird under a bush in the garden. Then explaining burials to a three year old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 Evenin' all, ....Lapwings may not be a daily visitor to Tittesworth reservoir (Staffs Moorlands) but are far from a rarity too. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 Getting a more varied population of visitors now. Siskins most noticable as they are a favourite. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 27, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 27, 2014 Just seen a Wagtail in the garden. (Spotted first by SWMBO!) Was picking about in what passes as a lawn. As usual too quick to get a photo! Couldn't decide whether it was a yellow or grey version. The yellow was quite bright but only on the rear underside. Topside was a sort of greyish brown mixture. Not much in the way of watercourses around here, so a bit out of habitat I think. We seem to be getting far more varieties of visitors to the garden this year than before. Was the mild winter helpful, I wonder? The one that could have been a redstart was around for several days, but has now gone. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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