Birding Year List

[Mice!]

Strange behaviour from. A sparrowhawk today, rather than flying through the gardens doing a hit and run, it was soring on the thermals like a buzzard would,  it was just dipping up and down over the gardens at quite a height, I couldn't see how it expected to catch anything where it was.

[twenty]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

Strange behaviour from. A sparrowhawk today, rather than flying through the gardens doing a hit and run, it was soring on the thermals like a buzzard would,  it was just dipping up and down over the gardens at quite a height, I couldn't see how it expected to catch anything where it was.

Most broader winged birds of prey use thermals to save energy when hunting, by riding the air current, they can gain height and travel further without expending much energy, this allows them a much greater scope to pick out prey before they strike......Narrow winged Birds of prey like the Falcons, usually only use the thermals to gain height before striking, although the Kestrel faces into the breeze to maintain its hover.

If you watch a Sparrowhawk in normal flight, it has a " Flap, Flap, Glide" movement, which again conserves energy,

[Walker570]

I always know when a sparrow hawk has been through the wood because all the little birds, even the woodpeckers are on high alert  The woodpigeons also keep a careful check on surroundings. Normal circumstances they are pretty relaxed.

We have a semi resident hen sparrow hawk that occasionally glides through the wood about 3ft of the deck between the trees. Amazing bird.

[JDog]

Our grapes are inedible and undrinkable so I have left them on the vine in the optimistic hope that Waxwings find them when they arrive.

[Yellow Bear]

Seen our first fieldfares and redwings on the holly and rowan, 2/3 weeks early this year.

[Walker570]

We have had one or two flocks of field fares about and pleased to say the bullfinches have settled in the wood and now feeding on the bird feeders in the village much to the delight of our neighbours who thought they where some exotic species as they had never seen them before. 

[Mice!]

12 hours ago, twenty said:

Most broader winged birds of prey use thermals to save energy when hunting, by riding the air current, they can gain height and travel further without expending much energy, this allows them a much greater scope to pick out prey before they strike......Narrow winged Birds of prey like the Falcons, usually only use the thermals to gain height before striking, although the Kestrel faces into the breeze to maintain its hover.

If you watch a Sparrowhawk in normal flight, it has a " Flap, Flap, Glide" movement, which again conserves energy,

It just seemed unusual for a sparrow hawk being so high, you expect it from a buzzard or kestrel,  it was no doubt checking out the bird feed stations in different gardens,  it didn't stoop just floated away.

[scolopax]

I was reading somewhere recently that a known killing technique for sparrow hawks is to drown their prey. Which leads me back to an old memory of coming across a sparrow hawk mantling a blackbird in a deep puddle, which I thought at the time was just where they had ended up, but now I think was intentional 

[Mice!]

The woods are still full of birds, I was looking at downed tree yesterday when a tiny Goldcrest came hopping along the trunk, Treecreepers and Woodpeckers along with loads of others further away that I didn't identify 

[twenty]

Black Redstart on Gloucester Cathedral south porch yesterday, probably the returning bird of last winter.

Two Scaup at Cotswold Water Park over the last few days.

[Walker570]

Sat in one of my permanent hides this morning and I had a little wren come and check out every crevice. It sat and stared at me for a few seconds but then assumed I was harmless.  Made my day. I know it is just one of our normal everyday birds but they are amzing litle creatures.

[twenty]

5 hours ago, Walker570 said:

Sat in one of my permanent hides this morning and I had a little wren come and check out every crevice. It sat and stared at me for a few seconds but then assumed I was harmless.  Made my day. I know it is just one of our normal everyday birds but they are amzing litle creatures.

The wren is the third smallest/lightest bird in Britain, the goldcrest is the smallest/lightest, weighing about the same as a 20 pence piece, followed by the firecrest. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by twenty

[JDog]

Grey Phalarope at Covenham reservoir for the past two weeks.

[twenty]

Male Goosander on Pittville Lake, Cheltenham, yesterday.

[twenty]

c14 Greenfinches amongst a mixed flock of 60-70 finches, ( Chaffinch, Goldfinch), feeding amongst Alder trees in Gloucestershire University grounds yesterday........hopefully a positive sign for the Greenfinch,(and Chaffinch), after recent years of rare sightings, due mostly to trichomoniasis

[Walker570]

2 hours ago, twenty said:

c14 Greenfinches amongst a mixed flock of 60-70 finches, ( Chaffinch, Goldfinch), feeding amongst Alder trees in Gloucestershire University grounds yesterday........hopefully a positive sign for the Greenfinch,(and Chaffinch), after recent years of rare sightings, due mostly to trichomoniasis

That reflects results around here but only a slow return. ......... tricho etc.....is that a natural deiseas in this country or another import.

[Mice!]

3 hours ago, twenty said:

and Chaffinch

I've been seeing good numbers of Chaffinches around my woods 😁

[twenty]

2 hours ago, Mice! said:

I've been seeing good numbers of Chaffinches around my woods 😁

Lucky you, please send some south,👍.......Have a good Christmas.

[twenty]

2 hours ago, Walker570 said:

That reflects results around here but only a slow return. ......... tricho etc.....is that a natural deiseas in this country or another import.

It first emerged in British finches in 2005, with heavy tolls of Greenfinch and Chaffinch in 2006 in central and western counties of England and Wales.

In 2007 it spread to more Eastern England, and in 2008 was recorded in Norway, Sweden and Finland, with the affected birds carrying English Leg rings.

 Greenfinch that migrate go directly to Norway and Back. Chaffinch that migrate go through Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium on their Autumnal return Migration, this led to the first cases in Germany being reported in 2009.

Symptoms of the disease which attacks the back of the throat and gullet,  are fluffed up plumage, difficulty in swallowing, laboured breathing and drooling of saliva or regurgitated food.

Known as canker in pigeons and doves, and Frounce in Birds of Prey.

Hope this helps explain a little.

 

[Mice!]

14 minutes ago, twenty said:

Greenfinch that migrate go directly to Norway and Back. Chaffinch that migrate go through Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium on their Autumnal return Migration, this led to the first cases in Germany being reported in 2009

Always amazes me that such small birds travel such distances. 

I haven't seen any Chaffinches in my garden for a good while, you area I'm seeing them is South lakes and Ulverston,  funny how a normally common garden bird makes your head turn when you haven't seen them for a while.

[twenty]

17 minutes ago, Mice! said:

Always amazes me that such small birds travel such distances. 

I haven't seen any Chaffinches in my garden for a good while, you area I'm seeing them is South lakes and Ulverston,  funny how a normally common garden bird makes your head turn when you haven't seen them for a while.

Yeah they are a stunning bird, ( breeding condition cocks especially),

Unfortunately the last one I studied closely was a probable tricho case, you could feel the breastbone like a razor blade, have also found a goldfinch and a greenfinch with same symptoms over the last year, both emaciated, but still beautiful in plumage.

[Walker570]

I am seeing a very slow return of finch species and thrilled to have at least hree pairs of breeding bullfinches in the village. Green finch are still rare. We feed year round both alongside our home and on seven purpose built feeding tables around our wood so have every opportunity to check any new comers.

In the 50s I spent a week in the Lakes on a school trip walking the hills and on every stop for a sandwich we would be mobbed by chaffinches.

[twenty]

A Great Northern Diver on the River Severn, above Tewkesbury weir, yesterday.

[twenty]

A White-fronted goose at Coombe hill meadows, nr Tewkesbury, yesterday.

[twenty]

A Dartford Warbler in gorse bushes on Tidenham Chase, Forest of Dean, yesterday.