Back yard birding thread... (Corona virus restrictions)

[kittykat23uk]

Went back to the owl site very early yesterday morning and was rewarded with one of the owlets on view. 

 

 

[TonyQ]

Another garden visitor - this one from today

Long-tailed Tit

This is one of a pair that are visiting the garden at the moment. In the winter they come in flocks of 6-8, but at this time of year it is just a pair. I am always pleased to see them and to hear them "chatting" to each other

[Bush dog]

Always taken from my kitchen :

 

European robin

 

 

And again also, the green woodpecker

 

 

From the terrace of my garden :

 

Female blackbird

 

 

Wood pigeon

 

 

[Soukous]

The Guardian has decided to give us some assistance...

 

Home birds: how to spot 20 of the most common species from your window, walk or garden

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/16/home-birds-how-to-spot-20-of-the-most-common-species-from-your-window-walk-or-garden

[TonyQ]

Blue Tits are probably the commonest visitors to our garden - we see them daily (usually many times per day).

All of these are taken while sitting outside in the garden.

 

I think they are beautiful birds, full of character and quite bold. At this time of year when we brush our cats, we save the hair that is removed and put bits out onto bushes in the garden. A couple of weeks ago the birds were not interested. This week it was a different story. About 2 minutes after putting it out, Blue Tits flew in

 

Straight to it - they recognise good nesting material

Pull strands out and collect them

And ready to take back to the nest

[Soukous]

Cat fur, I never thought of doing that. We just use it for cushion and pillow filling.  (only kidding)

[Soukous]

This afternoon's walk didn't really produce anything new, but it was still a lovely walk.

 

Mute Swan

 

A rather wet Blue Tit

 

And a Long-tailed Tit that looks as though I cut it out and pasted it onto the photo. I didn't, but it is something to keep in mind for when times get really tough.

 

[Bush dog]

A few meters outside my garden, no birds but at least flying creatures.

 

Bumblebees.  One can see the pollen on their backs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one, I really do not know what it is, a kind of mosquito perhaps?

 

[TonyQ]

Lovely photos @Bush dog

[Towlersonsafari]

Hello @Bush dog is your mystery  creature a type of longhorn moth, a micro moth?

[Bush dog]

@Towlersonsafari

 

Yes, you're right.  It's a green longhorn moth (adela reaumurella) male.  They gathered in April/May to attract females.

 

@TonyQ

 

Thanks

[Bush dog]

They gather (and not gathered) of course.

[mvecht]

Recently the wind direction has not favored migration over our house but today there was little wind so we have had a few Buzzards (Buteo buteo).

 

[Towlersonsafari]

Hurrah! @Bush dog my photographic guide to British  insects comes good!

[pedro maia]

Today I saw a Booted eagle close to home, I saw it (probably the same) a few times during lockdown, it was quite high in the sky:

 

[janzin]

Yesterday's walk in our local cemetery yielded some nice birds, not many new migrants but it was a beautiful day.

 

Louisiana Waterthrush; this is actually a warbler, and one of our earliest. A bit later we will get Northern Waterthrush--they are very similar and difficult to separate for beginners (and some not-so-beginners like me, too...I often confuse them if I don't see them in good light.)

 

 

Palm Warbler, I know I posted one earlier but they are super-abundant now, the trees were just dripping with them everywhere.

 

 

Northern Mockingbird, not a migrant and so common here I never bother to photograph them, but right now I'll photograph anything Besides I thought our non-USA folks might like to see him.

 

 

Chipping Sparrow, some of these hang around all winter, a very cute little sparrow.

 

 

Hermit Thrush, a beautiful songster and first of the thrushes to migrate through here.

 

 

The other big adventure in the cemetery yesterday was that I tripped over my own two feet (well, stepped in a bit of broken pavement) and fell flat on my face with my camera smashing to the ground, on pavement, I actually landed on top of the camera. First thing to check...the camera was fine! Binocs fine.  Not so much my torn pants, skinned knee, and twisted ankle (not so bad really, not swollen and I kept walking on it.)

 

[michael-ibk]

Ouch! Get well soon Janet - very nice photos! 

[Towlersonsafari]

I do like your chipping sparrow @janzin very smart. I tripped over in the garden last week, putting  a few peanuts out for the badgers, and cos I am like a tortoise  on it's back had to quickly  hitch on my backside  to some steps before my wife spotted  me and started taking photos! Dangerous  lark this lockdown!

[pedro maia]

I think this could be a nice picture but I´m struggling with the focus:

 

 

 

[Caracal]

Australian Magpie on back fence. Here in South East Australia it's the White-backed species.

 

 

[Soukous]

On 4/20/2020 at 4:47 PM, janzin said:

The other big adventure in the cemetery yesterday was that I tripped over my own two feet (well, stepped in a bit of broken pavement) and fell flat on my face with my camera smashing to the ground, on pavement, I actually landed on top of the camera. First thing to check...the camera was fine! Binocs fine.  Not so much my torn pants, skinned knee, and twisted ankle (not so bad really, not swollen and I kept walking on it.)

 

 A close call, lucky no broken ribs.

Staying safe is about more than just Covid-19

[Soukous]

 

No surprise that there will be some reptition in this thread as there is a limit to the species that coem into the garden/back yard.

 

We have a pair of Common Buzzards  nesting soemwhere nearby. I haven't seen the nest but I hear them every day and see them flying around, being mobbed by crows.

 

This morning the light was good.

 

 

 

Chaffinches are abundant at the moment and very vocal

 

 

 

[Soukous]

and a couple of Dunnocks. There seem to be a lot more of them around - around here at least - this year.

 

through a dirty window

 

[xelas]

On 4/22/2020 at 11:41 AM, pedro maia said:

I think this could be a nice picture but I´m struggling with the focus:

 

It is a nice picture! Not every one needs to be tack sharp; a good picture has a story and emotions, and yours is such. Would you care to share the settings? As it is my opinion that it might be a tad soft due to the lens?? Is it in RAW or a JPEG, the original photo?

[pedro maia]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

 

It is a nice picture! Not every one needs to be tack sharp; a good picture has a story and emotions, and yours is such. Would you care to share the settings? As it is my opinion that it might be a tad soft due to the lens?? Is it in RAW or a JPEG, the original photo?

 

Ups, I don´t have the settings since I deleted the picture and this one is the edited version (in pixir), I can tell you that the shutter speed was 1/3200 but I don´t know the ISO. And it´s in JPEG.