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Posted

Bullfinch love the seed heads of nettles, and the dried blackberry seeds on the brambles, there were a few about yesterday gorging themselves

 

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We moved into our new house in March, as soon as we had put our feeder up, we had a pair of Bullfinches regularly.  They had their chicks and brought them to the feeder, then they just disappeared at the end of the summer. We haven't seen hide nor hair of them, until yesterday.  They turned up on the feeder, it's maybe the cold snap that's brought them back? They are such beautiful birds.

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Posted

A bit of a mixture to end the year, a Water Rail, a Marsh Tit and a startled Heron ... I was stood on the other side of a hedge, as soon as the Heron came over the top of the hedge and saw me it slammed on the brakes and sped off in the opposite direction ...  :D

 

Happy New Year to you all 

 

 

 

I notice the willow tit has a ring on it.

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Posted (edited)

I notice the willow tit has a ring on it.

There is a local ringing group operates at the reserve.

 

Back in September the ringing group went over to Portugal for a weeks bird ringing, the one chap caught a Blackcap that he had ringed earlier that summer in the Midlands 

Edited by martyn pitt
Posted

There is a local ringing group operates at the reserve.

 

Back in September the ringing group went over to Portugal for a weeks bird ringing, the one chap caught a Blackcap that he had ringed earlier that summer in the Midlands 

Martyn, how long have they been ringing birds now,and don't you think we should know their habits and it courses stress for the birds.

Posted

Martyn, how long have they been ringing birds now,and don't you think we should know their habits and it courses stress for the birds.

They have been doing it for years, not sure that it does cause stress for them, but we should have plenty of info on them by now.

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Posted (edited)

Paid a visit to Leighton Moss today. Nothing of note. Sat on a bench (that someone had place some bird feed on the arms) having a coffee when a marsh tit landed less than two feet away from me. WOW.

Also heard the ping, ping sound of bearded tits calling ,didn't see them though

Steve

Edited by Winsford Soul
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Posted (edited)

Beautiful pics as usual, Steve !

 

What is the bird in the second picture ? It's the first time that I see it.

Edited by Philippe
Posted

Beautiful pics as usual, Steve !

 

What is the bird in the second picture ? It's the first time that I see it.

Thank you Philippe.

It is called a Water Rail.it's a very shy and secretive bird about half the size of a moorhen. It spends most of its time sulking about in reed beds and thick undergrowth next to lakes. Today was the first time I have managed to get a photograph of one. Very pleased with myself

Steve

Posted

Thank you Philippe.

It is called a Water Rail.it's a very shy and secretive bird about half the size of a moorhen. It spends most of its time sulking about in reed beds and thick undergrowth next to lakes. Today was the first time I have managed to get a photograph of one. Very pleased with myself

Steve

Not to be confused with a mono-rail

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Posted

Beautiful pics as usual, Steve !

 

What is the bird in the second picture ? It's the first time that I see it.

 

Actually Philippe it is the 2nd time you have seen one ... post #1507 above  :D 

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Posted

Thought I had a brand new bird to tick off my list today. There's been confirmed sightings of a cattle egret on the Mersey estuary at Widnes and hale marshes, so went for a quick mooch and when I got near the marsh I could see a white heron like bird on one of the lagoons.Using my best fieldcraft I managed to get about 50 metres from it. Guess what. It was a little egret.

Still never mind, always nice to see.

Steve

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Posted (edited)

Actually Philippe it is the 2nd time you have seen one ... post #1507 above  :D 

  Ooops ! Right Martyn, I was more concentrated on the Marsh tit, what did he have in its beak ?

 

Steve, we have this bird in France it's called râle d'eau. I read that it lives in swampy zones, personnally I'm living "lost in the woods".

Edited by Philippe
Posted

Thank you Philippe.

It is called a Water Rail.it's a very shy and secretive bird about half the size of a moorhen. It spends most of its time sulking about in reed beds and thick undergrowth next to lakes. Today was the first time I have managed to get a photograph of one. Very pleased with myself

Steve

On one Norfolk Broad a water rail used to get on a pike anglers boat.Their is a picture of it in John Watsons book.

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Posted

Ooops ! Right Martyn, I was more concentrated on the Marsh tit, what did he have in its beak ?

 

Steve, we have this bird in France it's called râle d'eau. I read that it lives in swampy zones, personnally I'm living "lost in the woods".

Philippe. I'm so jealous. I wish I was living lost in the woods. Instead of lliving lost in a suburban concrete jungle of Manchester.

Hope your safe and not in the forest that those two terrorists have been hiding in.

Steve

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