Fetch Birdwatchers
2 lurkers |
165 watchers
28 Jul
8:31pm, 28 Jul 2024
8,716 posts
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um
I'd count kites and buzzards. And mertins and bats, None of which have actually 'landed', but all seen. I assume Chris P has to have seen them from his house/garden. Not just 'seen anywhere in the New Forest' * *yes, the New Forest is quite large (compared to almost anyone's) garden *and yes, after the release of WTE's on IoW, there are regular sightings in the 220 sq miles, 566 sq km of NF |
28 Jul
9:31pm, 28 Jul 2024
5,552 posts
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J2R
Yes, it's sightings from the garden. OK, I'll think to extend my definition. Had an oystercatcher fly over yesterday (not for the first time) so I suppose I can count this as one of my garden birds now, along with cormorants, herons, greylag and pink-footed geese, red kites, buzzards. The mention of swifts by DT focuses my thinking a little, as unless they were nesting on my house I could never count a swift as a garden tick, as they never otherwise land.
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28 Jul
9:43pm, 28 Jul 2024
5,976 posts
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paulcook
I think the RSPB Bird Garden Birdwatch theoretically is only birds that land in your garden. Not that you'll ever have a swift for that given it's January or so when it's done. And whether everyone follows the same rules is another thing. Too grey an area for me though, like do you count a sparrowhawk whose talons probably won't touch the ground. |
28 Jul
9:59pm, 28 Jul 2024
63,904 posts
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alpenrose
I beg to differ @paulcook I had a sparrowhawk on the ground once, it was there for ages plucking and ripping apart a pigeon it had caught. It was quite fascinating to watch from my bedroom window.
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28 Jul
10:09pm, 28 Jul 2024
5,977 posts
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paulcook
You're right there, and I did pause before I typed for that reason. I haven't studied sparrowhawks enough, depends if they pluck where they kill!
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28 Jul
10:58pm, 28 Jul 2024
5,553 posts
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J2R
My question was prompted by seeing a pair of pied wagtails flying over. I've seen them 100 or so metres away from the house on a number of occasions but never actually seen one in the garden or on the house as such.
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29 Jul
7:58am, 29 Jul 2024
2,974 posts
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Surelynot
I once had a sparrowhawk sitting on a branch of a tree in my front garden. I have been seeing a lot of black headed gulls in the last week. |
29 Jul
9:17am, 29 Jul 2024
5,780 posts
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icemaiden
We get sparrowhawks in and around the garden. They perch on the pergola sometimes and give the hedge birds a fright. I watched one kill, pluck and prepare a starling a couple of years ago, it was perched on next door's dead apple tree and it was fascinating. It pulled the feathers and beak off, and ate the legs, then flew off with it to finish the meal. I saw one on someone's gutter a few weeks ago one morning, it was just eyeballing the bushes opposite.
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29 Jul
9:30am, 29 Jul 2024
2,975 posts
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Surelynot
That sounds fascinating @icemaiden It would be great to get a close up view like that. I have an LBB gull chick in my garden. I think it fell out of the nest and is still relatively immature. It seems to be a safe space for it, as so many get hit by cars around town. I am on the 'let nature take its course' side of things, but my wife has been feeding it small amounts of food and putting water out for it. It seemed very weak a week ago but appears to be thriving now. Its parents are still around but I don't think they are feeding it. Interestingly, they don't see my wife as a threat. They no longer dive-bomb her when she's out in the garden. |
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29 Jul
10:44am, 29 Jul 2024
5,978 posts
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paulcook
Trying to count the number of swifts as they do laps between the houses opposite work is something of an impossible task. 18 I think. They've now dispersed upwards and more difficult to pinpoint.
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