Garden Birds and wild birds thread.

[Marklr]

No, just lucky to live where i do ,i have given my massive garden to the foxes , badgers and the rest and my reward is to see them close up , even hand fed zabba the badger when he was a baby up to a year old when he got attacked twice recently ,now he keeps a low profile

I take it you're not in Manchester then?!
Having said that...we do have some decent wildlife reserves around the county. The old Manchester Race course near me has been turned into a flood basin and wetlands. I go most days with my daughter.
The council have made a vid:

 

[bornblueegg]

Saw a red kite yesterday, joyous

 

[kaz7]

I take it you're not in Manchester then?!
Having said that...we do have some decent wildlife reserves around the county. The old Manchester Race course near me has been turned into a flood basin and wetlands. I go most days with my daughter.
The council have made a vid:

I am down on the south coast , semi rural and woods out back , massive garden , i am very lucky

 

[Summerbuzz]

Saw a red kite yesterday, joyous

Do you want some? I could probably get a big net, and catch some for you. Half a dozen or more circle around this housing development every day. Never quite within touching distance of my 1st floor window, but, yeah, I could throw a net over one or two.

Blackbirds have taken over locally. Seemingly working in pairs, one scurrying about in the foilage and grass, another perched someway off keeping watch and staying in communication by singing. Or they just sit in alternating trees, or on the tall roofs, and take it in turns to sing a few seconds to each other, back and forth, back and forth.

Walking back the other day one spotted me an fraction of a second before I noticed him. I wasn't sure what I was looking at. Head side on, one big eye, completely frozen, beek hanging open. Quite comic. For a couple of seconds, I thought I was looking at a child's toy, a wooden statue of a bird. Then it became clear it was actually the real thing. Poor bugger, caught unawares of my approaching, too late to make an unseen getaway, was trying to hide in plain sight. Presumably he caught the recognition in my face, as he buggered off into the bushes quick as a flash.

 

[kaz7]

Mummy and daddy blackbirds and their two babies , what a racket !

 

[splinter]

Wood pigeons great early morning alarm clock...looking forward to the darker mornings for a lie in

 

[Sir peace frog]

Waiting for my taxi on Saturday night, having a smoke whilst waiting, I heard a snuffling sound

 

[Postman Pep]

Mummy and daddy blackbirds and their two babies , what a racket !

Same here got a nest outside our kitchen window in which we've spotted little beaks pop up. Bit unfair to blame the dad and the kids because she's been a noisy fucker for the last few days.

 

[SilverFox2]

Definitely nesting season now.
Our palm trees are female so dates starting to form but each has about 6 nests with hungry chicks and their mums and dads making a background of noise.
Time when young chicks fall from nests (see photo of one the wife saved from our cats and dogs). This one from below an orange tree (oranges still small and green).
Almond nuts maturing should lose their velvety appearance next month with usual nut awaiting harvest.
Still early for our olive trees which start as green but if left become black.
Small birds in palm trees get visits for eggs from magpies but are driven off by all small birds helped by pigeons.

Got photos but getting too large message.

 

[frothy]

Opened the patio doors this morning and there was as a lot of feathers on the patio, went out and there was a a dead Thrush that had its head ripped off, apperenty it was either a Cat, Sparrow Hawk, or a Owl?

 

[yerwot?]

Opened the patio doors this morning and there was as a lot of feathers on the patio, went out and there was a a dead Thrush that had its head ripped off, apperenty it was either a Cat, Sparrow Hawk, or a Owl?

has to be a cat, they are recreation killers, sparrow hawks and owls are sustenance killers, usually go for the chest. Out of left field, a jack russel would
do that....

 

[simmo]

Not in the garden but called at Bempton Cliffs yesterday whilst away a few days.

Car park was really busy and for good reason. Only managed to turn up on the day of an Albotross being sighted which usually not seen in northern hemisphere. Brilliant to see it in flight.

 

[idahoblues]

Not in the garden but called at Bempton Cliffs yesterday whilst away a few days.

Car park was really busy and for good reason. Only managed to turn up on the day of an Albotross being sighted which usually not seen in northern hemisphere. Brilliant to see it in flight.

 

[KS55]

For many years the humble house sparrow was struggling.
When I was growing up sparrows appeared dark and dowdy but that was just the Manchester smoke. Now that pollution has gone, the plumage comes into view and the mixture of browns, fawns, creams and black show how attractive this bird can be.
In the last few years the sparrow has made a comeback in these parts and my garden had been taken over by a sizeable number.
One behavior is fascinating. The birds hunker down in the soil and wriggle and flap about vigorously. This raises a cloud of dust which covers their feathers and protects against parasites and removes any excess oil. Half a dozen will do this together, a charming sight. But BEWARE, my cat is on the lookout.

 

[kaz7]

Zabba has healed up and he has his own little posse now , cute

 

[idahoblues]

For many years the humble house sparrow was struggling.
When I was growing up sparrows appeared dark and dowdy but that was just the Manchester smoke. Now that pollution has gone, the plumage comes into view and the mixture of browns, fawns, creams and black show how attractive this bird can be.
In the last few years the sparrow has made a comeback in these parts and my garden had been taken over by a sizeable number.
One behavior is fascinating. The birds hunker down in the soil and wriggle and flap about vigorously. This raises a cloud of dust which covers their feathers and protects against parasites and removes any excess oil. Half a dozen will do this together, a charming sight. But BEWARE, my cat is on the lookout.

My chickens do the same thing, end up leaving ankle breaking holes everywhere

 

[give it to gordon]

Havent seen any hedgehogs now for 2 days ! Normally see at least one on my trail cam.

 

[Zuriblue]

Not in the garden but called at Bempton Cliffs yesterday whilst away a few days.

Car park was really busy and for good reason. Only managed to turn up on the day of an Albotross being sighted which usually not seen in northern hemisphere. Brilliant to see it in flight.

 

[simmo]

Thanks …that’s the one. Was like an aircraft in flight.

 

[Kakhaber The Great]

they (parakeets) are plentiful in south Manchester, very difficult to photograph as they fly like the clappers and appear to roost in isolated areas. They have spread from London as far as Scotland, so here to stay unless Patel orders a cull.

Yeah, took this pic in Chorlton Water Park (2014). I moved away from the area in 2015 but assume they're still in there...