Jump to content

TonyQ Big Year Number 5


TonyQ

Recommended Posts

@michael-ibk @Galana @Peter Connan @PeterHG @Dave Williams thank you

A couple more additions - the first especially for @Soukous :D

 

UK.90. Feral Pigeon (Rock Dove)   Columba livia    

Already posted from Malaysia

280444436_Pigeonuk-1.jpg.519df021999470ac4087bd9ceec7e5ea.jpg

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     13.06.20

1764586696_Pigeonuk-2.jpg.4a8a9102c1004bef2f52d07b28d566fc.jpg

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     13.06.20

Link to comment
Share on other sites

225.UK.91. Red Kite  Milvus milvus   

1157753835_RedKite-1.jpg.ad56979c09651c02922c9bba37ae6b0c.jpg

Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire        14.06.20

1832010179_RedKite-2.jpg.89ca20f6f2c8efbf671def84bcb6888b.jpg

Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire        14.06.20

288120689_RedKite-3.jpg.bcb9fcd51f9557cd5c52db2fc643a291.jpg

Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire        14.06.20

1459107495_RedKite-4.jpg.bce9e97ee47589741e71d2673076ed9b.jpg

Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire        14.06.20

Stokenchurch is a reliable place to see Red Kites - my photos from the two previous years have been taken there. It is a village near Junction 5 on the M40. Sometimes we stop off on our way to Heathrow. When we went past in February the weather was very bad so we didn't stop. So we made a special trip (just over an hour's drive). Just wandering around the village, lots of Kites are visible circling above, and sometimes they come quite low.

 

A woman from the village saw us taking photos and said  "Just sit on one of the benches and the Kites will  fly over".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, TonyQ said:

A woman from the village saw us taking photos and said  "Just sit on one of the benches and the Kites will  fly over"

 

There are so many of them there. I remember the first time I saw them it was like the Black Kites that swarm over rubbish tips in India. And to think they were endangered no so long ago.

Super photos of the Red Kites. Not so excited about the Feral Pigeon. You didn't even try to sneak it in as a Rock Dove. :ph34r:

I have photos of one as well; if my BY drought continues it may have to be uploaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great photos of the Red Kite, @TonyQ ! A village to remember for future days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Soukous said:

Not so excited about the Feral Pigeon. You didn't even try to sneak it in as a Rock Dove. 

No. He is saving the thoroughbred for its rightful place and another tick as should we all.

Great shots of Red Kites. Well worth a special side trip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beautiful Red KIte pictures, Tony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

michael-ibk

Very cool Kite shots!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just catching up - hedgehogs and drama in the garden, fabulous

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

awesome shots of the kite.

 

love the hedgehogs too and such drama in your garden!

Edited by Kitsafari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dave Williams

You have hit a new standard of dredging the barrel Tony. Feral Pigeon, not once but a claim to fame on two lists!! You also are responsible for dragging down @Soukous to lower his standards too. There are other BY participants who simply don't have standards so at least you can say they got there first:D:wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Dave Williams said:

There are other BY participants who simply don't have standards

Start and worry when 'they' try and introduce different 'breeds' such as Blue Chequer, Old German Cropper and Oriental Roller.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Dave Williams  I do have standards - they are just lower than yours:D

 

Although I have the Feral Pigeon in 2 lists (Malaysia and UK), it is only counted once in the BY

If (unlikely) I see a Rock Dove during the year, I would not count it, as it is the same species as the Feral Pigeon (I don't count sub-species)

 

I don't understand the dislike of Feral Pigeons - we humans tend not to like the creatures who thrive in the mess that we make. Taken prisoner, bred for our amusement, escape to freedom and live their life as Pigeons. How dare they..... ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

Feral Pigeon, not once but a claim to fame on two lists!! You also are responsible for dragging down @Soukous to lower his standards too.

 

Come @Dave Williams, you can't hold @TonyQ responsible. I'd have posted it eventually anyway, even though I didn't take any pleasure in doing so. Needs must, as they say.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That is the difference @Soukous  - I took great pleasure in posting mine!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, TonyQ said:

@Dave Williams  I do have standards - they are just lower than yours

Mine are lower still. If I had seen, as I would have done if my Hebridean trip had happened, a genuine Rock Dove I would have had no scruples about using both. :)

To my limited scientific mind there is a world of difference between a beautiful wild dove of the sea cliffs and  the mangy flying rat of the town centres of UK. "C.l. "Domesticus" Pah I would not even allow it in the house but I will tick it.:P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quiet at the moment, so time for some babies!

First garden visitors (all taken through the closed window)

1862413471_Starlingb-1.jpg.8771409b88c0d5efdcb088c25a10a4de.jpg

Juvenile Starling, brought by adults

Then a bit cuter

475020935_Long-tailedTitb-2.jpg.5e83f201ad02844e9d1ca02d9b8b0a28.jpg

Baby Long-tailed Tit on top of feeder

342814375_Long-tailedTitb-1.jpg.db5f3ae58dac29528c124ee4282242cb.jpg

Begging for food from adult

1682223140_Long-tailedTitb-3.jpg.724b3bd877bd23c181f75f3155568941.jpg

Learning how to feed itself

792524624_Long-tailedTitb-4.jpg.f702dd3f434d190abe69563677b1ed32.jpg

Just a few days later visiting the feeder itself and confidently feeding - they develop fast.

I think this is the first time that Long-tailed Tits have brought their babies to feed in the garden. The adults are regular visitors

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And from a local park

1723524427_GreatCrestedGrebeb-2.jpg.bced40fafeb242c36d5eb271803e5fb5.jpg

Great Crested Grebe family - always a joy to see their babies

1491701495_GreatCrestedGrebeb-1.jpg.00095dd23814ebbf6706f371e294f54d.jpg

 

748686877_GreatCrestedGrebeb-3.jpg.e58b7a19ec741c1a99b4473291e9b971.jpg

And a real pleasure to see babies being fed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From the same park, there were an amazing number of Coot chicks

44699708_Cootb-1.jpg.e73e2a514902654920faff550910c45d.jpg

 

2143054821_Cootb-2.jpg.19124661c55562c2997396ff81163ccd.jpg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Peter Connan

Lovely moment with the Grebes!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Top marks in the cute stakes for the LTT.

And of course the Grebe chicks always score well with their striped pyjamas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm interested that you are still putting food out for the birds in Summer @TonyQ 

I have been told not to as there is plenty of food for them to forage and it is not good for them to build a dependency on feeders. Is there a right & wrong on this?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

GC Grebe chicks are very adorable, nice to catch the feeding.  We also had a family of Long-tailed tits feeding in the garden yesterday, still got to check the pictures.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Soukous said:

I'm interested that you are still putting food out for the birds in Summer @TonyQ 

I have been told not to as there is plenty of food for them to forage and it is not good for them to build a dependency on feeders. Is there a right & wrong on this?

We have always fed the birds throughout the year.  Sunflower seeds in particular are very popular at this time and also raisins for the blackbirds and starlings.  RSPB says it is ok to feed year round, but to be careful with peanuts when the young are being fed.

 

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/feeding-birds/when-to-feed-garden-birds/

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Adorable Lomg-tailed Tits!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We provide sunflower hearts and suet blocks throughout the year. We think that food at this time of year helps with bringing up chicks in a big city.

Right or wrong I do not know

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Safaritalk uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By using Safaritalk you agree to our use of cookies. If you wish to refuse the setting of cookies you can change settings on your browser to clear and block cookies. However, by doing so, Safaritalk may not work properly and you may not be able to access all areas. If you are happy to accept cookies and haven't adjusted browser settings to refuse cookies, Safaritalk will issue cookies when you log on to our site. Please also take a moment to read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy: Terms of Use l Privacy Policy