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Aug 2020
2:03pm, 18 Aug 2020
2,917 posts
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J2R
Surelynot, I don't want to hear another word about your Mull trip, please, or I will burn up with envy. 
I spoke too soon about the swifts - still here in small numbers. While observing them, I realised that my definition of a garden 'tick' (bird sighting, not nasty blood-sucking arachnid) is a rather vague one. I had had swifts down as one of my sightings. But I have 3 categories of sighting, of which only the first goes on my list:
1. Birds seen on land or vegetation in the garden.
2. Birds seen flying over the garden.
3. Birds seen from the garden, either in the sky or perched in neighbouring gardens.
And swifts never make it into category 1, because they simply never land, except when nesting (which they don't do on my house). So in fact they're really no more of a garden tick than red kite, oystercatcher, cormorant or greylag goose, all of which I've seen flying over my garden!
Am I being too harsh in my classification? Or should I perhaps, say, not worry, maybe get out more, meet people?
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Aug 2020
2:39pm, 18 Aug 2020
1,795 posts
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Surelynot
I reserve the right to mention my Mull trip - on the odd occasion.
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Aug 2020
2:43pm, 18 Aug 2020
45,271 posts
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Derby Tup
I reserve the right to a) be jealous and b) ignore any reference to your trip
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Aug 2020
3:55pm, 18 Aug 2020
1,796 posts
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Surelynot
Full itinerary will follow...
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Aug 2020
4:08pm, 18 Aug 2020
19,371 posts
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flanker
Had a family of possible chiff warblers on last night's walk. They were annoyingly quiet and hiding their legs, so might have been willow chaffs.
Not seen our house martins for over a day now, so I think it's a case of bon voyage, travel safely, and come back next year.
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Aug 2020
4:16pm, 18 Aug 2020
2,918 posts
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J2R
flanker, yes, it's easy to forget that these warblers are still around, it's just that they're not singing. They still do the contact calls, though.
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Aug 2020
4:28pm, 18 Aug 2020
4,082 posts
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steve45
J2R--seems a good way to classify your garden list although the BTO Garden Bird Watch ( on going survey as you know?) insists on birds being in/on your property. Flyovers are included only if they are positively using your property's air space. Maybe you already do the survey? Join.. it's basic but useful for BTO keeping an eye on status of birds.
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Aug 2020
4:41pm, 18 Aug 2020
2,920 posts
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J2R
Interesting distinction - "positively using your property's air space". I wonder what that is, in fact? Won't be in the deeds!
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Aug 2020
7:43pm, 18 Aug 2020
3,454 posts
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12barDavid
As I was running 🏃🏼♂️ over Highdown Hill this morning, I spotted a Sparrowhawk “ hanging” in the sky. I stopped my Garmin & watched the hawk for a good 5 minutes.
It never ceases to amaze me how they just hang in the air with just the occasional flap of their wings.
No sight of the buzzards I usually see on the other side of the hill.
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Aug 2020
7:52pm, 18 Aug 2020
45,284 posts
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Derby Tup
Sounds like a kestrel 12bar
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