Show Us Your Bird & Wildlife Photos

[Winsford Soul]

Razorbill - taken on the Isle of May in Scotland a couple of years back. And I'm wondering if that's a kittiwake blurred in the background.

 

IsleofMayRazorbill.jpeg

Russell. It certainly looks like a kittiwake you can just make out its black wing tips. 

Regards the previous post. I've fished since I was a five year old . It's in my blood,

Just love the outdoors day or night  regardless of the weather. 

There's a famous saying. There's no such thing as bad weather just bad clothes. Which is so very true, providing you have the right gear and experience why shouldn't you get out and about and enjoy this fabulous countryside.

 

Steve

[Swifty]

Saw three late last night, and not long ago spied a house martin out the front windows. The house martin is quite unusual as hardly any were to be seen from home earlier in the summer. This appears to be swift territory with the swallows and martins - I'm guessing - probably located themselves near the lake that's just behind us.

 

 Nobody messes with us Swifts

[Winsford Soul]

 Just seen five Swifts going about there normal flight hunting for insects flight as opposed to heading South flight  Happy chap tonight, really thought I had seen the last of them on Wednesday till next May

 

Steve

[Peter99]

 Nobody messes with us Swifts

Those strange folk from them Lincolnshire hills. Them hills have eyes.

 

 

Nice

 

[Swifty]

Those strange folk from them Lincolnshire hills. Them hills have eyes.

 

 

Nice

 

[Peter99]

Is that it? If I didn't know better I'd have that down as a pretty gay retort. It's not even a retort! 

 

Are you ill?

 

Nice

 

[Amsterdam Russ]

 Just seen five Swifts going about there normal flight hunting for insects flight as opposed to heading South flight  Happy chap tonight, really thought I had seen the last of them on Wednesday till next May

 

Steve

Again, more house martins over Aalsmeer town. I'm guessing these are just passing through - or they're local birds extending their hunting range. Either way, nice to see, even if they were in a rain-soaked sky.

[Tattoodave]

As the only time I've been outdoors in the last couple of days is to check on a neighbours cats, I've no idea where the swifts are, haven't heard them, but seen lots of martins and swallows. 

[Swifty]

Is that it? If I didn't know better I'd have that down as a pretty gay retort. It's not even a retort! 

 

Are you ill?

 

Nice

 

I didn't want to go off topic Mr. Nice Moderator , so Fook Off 

[Winsford Soul]

Just sat in the garden enjoying the sunshine when completely out of the blue a buzzard flew not more than 50 foot above where I was sat. A very common Bird of prey these days but it's only the 2nd one I've seen out of my back garden where I live.  I see them a few miles away quite regularly but not here. 

And I also seen a couple of Swifts.

 

Steve

[Martyn Pitt]

An immature male Ruddy Darter at Belvide this morning

 

 

[Tattoodave]

I'm hoping this is an adult male Ruddy Darter

This might be a Keeled Skimmer, though I couldn't get close enough to tell

and this was an Emperor, that decided to land for a while, again too far away for a clear shot, still, I'm satisfied with one of the three

[Martyn Pitt]

Dave the Ruddy Darter has a clubbed tail, it looks like it has been pinched half way down. What you have there is a a Red Veined Darter, a scarce migrant to our shores, but fairly common in southern Europe.

 

The 2nd one does look like a Keeled Skimmer in that image

[Martyn Pitt]

Back to the ladies, a female Brown Hawker showing how well they blend into their surroundings, these can be seriously difficult to spot, until they start flying around.

 

Their golden / amber coloured wings are always a give away when you see them in flight

 

 

Edited August 10, 2014 by martyn pitt

[Tattoodave]

Dave the Ruddy Darter has a clubbed tail, it looks like it has been pinched half way down. What you have there is a a Red Veined Darter, a scarce migrant to our shores, but fairly common in southern Europe.

 

The 2nd one does look like a Keeled Skimmer in that image

Thanks Martyn, never heard of a Red Veined Darter, there were a couple of males being quite aggressive towards each other and the Emperor was chasing everything away, it's a pond at a garden centre that has terrapins and fish in it though it's always green. There's not much standing water here, though there are plenty of mosquitos.

[Tattoodave]

My favourite Indian

[Martyn Pitt]

Thanks Martyn, never heard of a Red Veined Darter, there were a couple of males being quite aggressive towards each other and the Emperor was chasing everything away, it's a pond at a garden centre that has terrapins and fish in it though it's always green. There's not much standing water here, though there are plenty of mosquitos.

 

We get the occasional Dragonfly around our back garden, they must be coming from garden ponds in the area, they do not need masses of water to survive.

[Tattoodave]

We get the occasional Dragonfly around our back garden, they must be coming from garden ponds in the area, they do not need masses of water to survive.

The only time I see them here is when there's water about, and there's pitifully little of it. Lots of butterflies, but I don't see many dragonflies.

[Suzannek]

This is England's version of Niagara falls High Force, Upper Teesdale, County Durham taken last autumn (not by myself)

Edited August 11, 2014 by suzannek

[Suzannek]

This is a common wildflower of wasteland/infertile grassland/roadsides. It is a parasitic plant which lives on the roots of other plants such as grasses. Like it's relative in meadows Yellow Rattle it increases the biodiversity of flora of where it is growing. One type of bee relies only on this flower's nectar as a food source...It is Red Bartsia. These were growing by the roadside in Wham

Edited August 11, 2014 by suzannek

[Swifty]

We get the occasional Dragonfly around our back garden, they must be coming from garden ponds in the area, they do not need masses of water to survive.

We've had some Dragonfly's in our courtyard over the last couple of weeks , never had them before , plus we are in town nowhere near any water as such.

The 2 smaller ones are about 3" long and are always perched on one of the coloured pegs on the washing line but whilst we were sat out in the sunshine the other Sunday we had a huge one 4-5" at least which looked like a mini Helicopter and had me ducking and diving as it kept flying near me . I've seen plenty whilst fishing as they quite often end up sitting on the tip of my float or on the end of the Rod.

[Martyn Pitt]

A male Southern Hawker from the weekend

 

 

[Winsford Soul]

 Seen a solitary swift this evening. 15th August is the latest I have ever seen one in the ten years that I have been keeping notes. 

One of my mates has seen them on the 17th August . So there's still a chance, weather permitting.

 

Steve

[Peter99]

It's August but feels like September. The light has changed and the temperature has dropped. My favourite trees Horse Chestnut and Chestnut are full of fruit. I also saw apple trees heavy with fully ripened fruit on Tuesday. It feels and looks like we're a month ahead of ourselves.

 

Peter

 

[Orotava]

A neighbour told me yesterday that whilst walking along a byway through fields at the back of us, he`d seen a red kite.  I`m looking forward to spotting one myself as I haven`t seen one for years.  It would be good to think they may become established locally, but I`m not sure how they would get on competing for food source with the resident buzzards?? 

[Tattoodave]

A neighbour told me yesterday that whilst walking along a byway through fields at the back of us, he`d seen a red kite.  I`m looking forward to spotting one myself as I haven`t seen one for years.  It would be good to think they may become established locally, but I`m not sure how they would get on competing for food source with the resident buzzards?? 

They pretty much both rely on their quarry being already dead, i.e. road kill, as they are what falconers term as slack mettled, meaning they'd rather find something that they don't have to hunt, so, with the roads as they are they ought to be fine.

[Peter99]

I think it was Reading

 

A neighbour told me yesterday that whilst walking along a byway through fields at the back of us, he`d seen a red kite.  I`m looking forward to spotting one myself as I haven`t seen one for years.  It would be good to think they may become established locally, but I`m not sure how they would get on competing for food source with the resident buzzards?? 

 

 

They pretty much both rely on their quarry being already dead, i.e. road kill, as they are what falconers term as slack mettled, meaning they'd rather find something that they don't have to hunt, so, with the roads as they are they ought to be fine.

I think it was Reading University that did a reintroduction of Red Kites project and it was very successful. When I go and visit a friend who lives in Berkshire you san see lots of them. People have taken to feeding them in their gardens and they are regular garden feeders.

 

Peter

[Missing Link]

I think it was Reading

 

 

 

I think it was Reading University that did a reintroduction of Red Kites project and it was very successful. When I go and visit a friend who lives in Berkshire you san see lots of them. People have taken to feeding them in their gardens and they are regular garden feeders.

 

Peter

I was working at Reading University a couple of years ago and I certainly saw a couple of red kites flying overhead.

It's not very far from the Chilterns where there are loads of them - the best place to spot them is whilst driving down the M40 (trying to keep your eyes on the road as well!).

[Peter99]

Missing Link, on 16 Aug 2014 - 12:32 PM, said:

I was working at Reading University a couple of years ago and I certainly saw a couple of red kites flying overhead.

It's not very far from the Chilterns where there are loads of them - the best place to spot them is whilst driving down the M40 (trying to keep your eyes on the road as well!).

Yep, Buzzards too.

[Missing Link]

Yep, Buzzards too.

Buzzards are really common now.

I remember being astounded, about 10 years ago, seeing one flying over Telford United's football ground. Now I often see them flying over my garden and occasionally see one having a meal (usually rabbit) in the middle of the lane on my way to the motorway way (about a mile away).

Red Kites haven't made it this far yet but there are reports of a nesting pair in South Shropshire.

[Winsford Soul]

Buzzards are really common now.

I remember being astounded, about 10 years ago, seeing one flying over Telford United's football ground. Now I often see them flying over my garden and occasionally see one having a meal (usually rabbit) in the middle of the lane on my way to the motorway way (about a mile away).

Red Kites haven't made it this far yet but there are reports of a nesting pair in South Shropshire.

I've seen them in Bishops Castle, Shropshire also Oswestry and nr Chester not seen any Manchester way yet.

 

Steve

[Martyn Pitt]

Bit cool for the dragons today, so resort to plan B

 

A Greenshank in flight 

 

 

[Winsford Soul]

Buzzards are really common now.

I remember being astounded, about 10 years ago, seeing one flying over Telford United's football ground. Now I often see them flying over my garden and occasionally see one having a meal (usually rabbit) in the middle of the lane on my way to the motorway way (about a mile away).

Red Kites haven't made it this far yet but there are reports of a nesting pair in South Shropshire.

 

The only picture i have managed of a red kite  up to now. Its on my list of must get a decent picture.

Always looking to get the best picture possible, always hoping its the next one you take. never happy, always room for improvement.

 

Steve

[Missing Link]

IMG_7814.JPG

 

The only picture i have managed of a red kite  up to now. Its on my list of must get a decent picture.

Always looking to get the best picture possible, always hoping its the next one you take. never happy, always room for improvement.

 

Steve

There's a Forestry Commission site just outside Aberystwyth on the A44 called Nant yr Arian where they feed them every day. It's well worth visiting. There are dozens of them there so you should be able to get a good picture there.

[Martyn Pitt]

For those bird in flight shots Steve you need to be pushing your exposure (EV) by +1 to +2, or the other way is to meter off the ground.

 

It is worth finding a Red Kite feeding station near you, fantastic sight to see them all coming in for their lunch. The one we visited was up in Dumfries & Galloway when we were on holiday, even Carol enjoyed seeing them.

[Martyn Pitt]

They have let some water out of the reservoir at long last, so we now have shoreline on our side, means we get the waders in closer.

 

A Common Sandpiper

 

 

Edited August 16, 2014 by martyn pitt

[Peter99]

Always a balance in getting our interaction with wildlife right. When we do get it right it's beautiful.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqV9TkU3vfo

 

Contrast this with a programme I was watching - miserably, about planned and mass hunts in the states - bears, wolves, moose, deer, fish - anything that moved and breathed was fair game. If I live to be 200 and I'll never understand that.

 

Peter

[Missing Link]

Contrast this with a programme I was watching - miserably, about planned and mass hunts in the states - bears, wolves, moose, deer, fish - anything that moved and breathed was fair game. If I live to be 200 and I'll never understand that.

 

Peter

To kill animals for food is fine - that's the way of nature. To kill animals for 'sport' is just wrong on every level.

[Peter99]

Missing Link, on 16 Aug 2014 - 8:13 PM, said:

To kill animals for food is fine - that's the way of nature. To kill animals for 'sport' is just wrong on every level.

Some magnificent creatures being shot - a twelve foot bear (quite rare because of it's size), the alpha male and female of a pack of wolves, cougars. Outrageous in my book.

 

[Martyn Pitt]

I just shoot them with my camera Peter, much more fun 

 

Adult and juvenile Pied Wagtail

 

 

[Martyn Pitt]

"Your Autumn of Tomorrow .... sorry never heard of it"

 

[Ncfc]

 

Otter kill

[Suzannek]

Red Admiral caterpillars on nettle at Morley, Teesdale yesterday

[Winsford Soul]

Had a great day out and about in north Wales. Went up the great orme at Llandudno and went down into the bronze age mine workings. Didn't take the camera down with me as didn't know what to expect. Will be back with camera to share some of the sights.was superb.

Then ended up in betswy coed up in Snowdonia. I had forgotten how stunning the place is.Treated myself to a jacket I've been promising myself for ages a berghaus mera peak gortex jacket from Cotswold outdoors. Priced matched it and got myself a £100 knocked off the price. One tired after a 230 mile drive and a good few hours walking but happy person.

Steve

Edited August 19, 2014 by Winsford Soul

[Tattoodave]

Field Cricket

Spanish Marbled White Purple-Shot Copper

Giant Banded Grayling

 

All taken on the slopes of Sierra Nevada last week, where I attempted to go up and down in three hours and failed, made it nearly to the top, but found it difficult to breathe with bending down to photograph plants, still a good first effort, and I hope to return in the spring to dig up a few trees to cultivate as bonsai.

[Winsford Soul]

Field Cricket.JPG Field Cricket

Spanish Marbled White.JPG Spanish Marbled WhitePurple-shot copper.JPG Purple-Shot Copper

Giant Banded Grayling.JPG Giant Banded Grayling

 

All taken on the slopes of Sierra Nevada last week, where I attempted to go up and down in three hours and failed, made it nearly to the top, but found it difficult to breathe with bending down to photograph plants, still a good first effort, and I hope to return in the spring to dig up a few trees to cultivate as bonsai.

Dave. How high is Sierra Nevada ? Not that I'm questioning the 3 hours. Just curious about height of the mountain. I'm assuming it's a very hot and dry area even at altitude.

Steve

[Peter99]

Winsford Soul, on 20 Aug 2014 - 4:28 PM, said:

Dave. How high is Sierra Nevada ? Not that I'm questioning the 3 hours. Just curious about height of the mountain. I'm assuming it's a very hot and dry area even at altitude.

Steve

He is 83.

[Tattoodave]

Dave. How high is Sierra Nevada ? Not that I'm questioning the 3 hours. Just curious about height of the mountain. I'm assuming it's a very hot and dry area even at altitude.

Steve

The top is 3000 metres above sea level, you drive up to where they allow you to and then hike the rest, it's scree pretty much all the way, and there's quite a few paths, some steeper than others and shorter, which I went for most of the time to get to the alpine zone.  Very hot and dry in the summer, but they ski there in the winter.

[Tattoodave]

He is 83.

I know someone who did it aged 81, though took 5 hours.

[Tattoodave]

the summit of Sierra Nevada

The view from the road to the skiing village, Sierra Nevada