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

[Soukous]

16 hours ago, Zubbie15 said:

The past couple of days we've had a big male Turkey patrolling our backyard

 

Keep him there until Thanksgiving 

[Soukous]

11 hours ago, janzin said:

@Zubbie15 we'll convert you to a birder yet

 

 

 

Yeah, and we'll get you contributing to Big Year Janet. 

[Zubbie15]

14 hours ago, janzin said:

@Zubbie15 we'll convert you to a birder yet

 

 

 

Hmmm, well baby steps at least. 

[Patty]

Pinnacles National Park has been one of the few national parks which has remained open on a limited basis. We went once for a day trip and have camped there twice since it closed to day use. On our day trip we had 4 California condors fly right above our heads on the Steep and Narrows portion of the High Peaks trail. I heard their wing beats before I saw them. I managed one phone photo after they were much farther away.

 

On the same trail

 

That portion of the trail along with the two talus caves closed the following day due to social distancing issues

 

Edited May 22, 2020 by Patty

[Towlersonsafari]

Came acoss this rather jolly sight on our river walk

[Peter Connan]

Love,y sighting!

[xelas]

Adorable!!!

 

[Soukous]

Birdlife in the garden has been a bit sparse recently; apart from a pair of Jackdaws that strut around the lawn and the Blue Tits that are feeding chicks in our old water pump.

The Blue Tit parents have been busier than Deliveroo over the past few days, bringing food to the chicks pretty much non-stop from dawn to dusk.

I think this morning will be their last day though, as some of the chicks have already flown the nest.

 

It's fun to watch them. They fly in and stand on top of the pump for a look around before dropping down inside to feed their young. Then between 3-7 seconds later they shoot out of the spout to go in search of more food.

getting shots of them standing on the pump is easy.

 

 

 

 

 

Getting shots of them coming out is much harder.

The only way I could get anything at all was to wait until they had gone inside, then count to 3 and start firing a burst.

Even with the shutter speed cranked up to 1/2000th of a second this was all I could get; they come out so fast

 

 

 

[Soukous]

it's not only Swans that are caring for their young at the moment.

Lots of Canada Geese and Geylag Geese around at the moment with little Gooselets

 

 

[Soukous]

Last year I couldn't find a Yellowhammer or Linnet for love nor money, this year they are everywhere

 

 

 

 

 

and the Linnets are even taking appropriate Covid-19 precautions

 

[pomkiwi]

Having a lot of fun watching our barn owls at the moment. I have witnessed them interacting which is not something I've heard much about or seen pictured. I'll post a few images but in the meantime here is a shot from a couple of evenings ago of a male (I think) enjoying a successful hunt.

 

Not the best quality I'm afraid but I am a fair way away, it was nearly dark and my ISO unpleasant (Nikon D500, FP500mm f/5.6, 1/3200 sec, ISO 8000). 

[Soukous]

I see Pied Wagtails quite often but this one had actually found something to eat.

Mistley, Essex. May 2020

 

 

 

 

 

[Soukous]

Skylarks aplenty this year, all along the mud flats from Shingle Street to Boynton

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Towlersonsafari]

a few butterflies we have seen on our recent walks, the Small heath-a very small but common butterfly, and large skipper-also a small butterfly, and a Hawkmoth caterpillar

[Towlersonsafari]

and I have been trying, with mixed success, to photoraph and then identify drgaonflies, so (I think), Male Broad bodied Chaser, female Black Tailed Skimmer, female Keeled skimmer

[mvecht]

A long walk today provided a few birds that will be shared in the BY section but also this young Fieldfare

 

At a nearby pond there was a huge amount of Frogs mating and being very vocal.

Is there a specific term in English for this phenomena?

 

The lock down has been eased quite a bit and some locals were practicing Polo nearby. This was a first for me as Polo is not a very large sport in Denmark.

[janzin]

A very exciting wake-up call this morning. Common Ravens on the roof of our apartment building! These photos were shot out of my bedroom window! I heard them...caw caw cawing so loud, I thought they were in a tree in the park across the street, but I got up and looked out the window and there they were! There were actually three of them. And as they flew away they were carrying something, possibly a bird fledgling...or a baby squirrel...there may have been something nesting on our roof. What a way to wake up! Luckily my camera was set up and loaded and in the next room, so after yelling at Alan to "wake up and open the window!"  I was able to grab some shots before they flew.

 

These birds are getting more common in Brooklyn and New York City (after many decades extirpated) and are often seen and heard flying over Prospect Park and Greenwood Cemetery but now I can call it a yard bird

 

 

 

[Towlersonsafari]

So, as I am working only 4 days a week due to the  virus thingy, I will include these here-a walk on my day off-the Uk's commonest butterfly, (probably) the Meadow Brown, and then one of the rarest, found in the Uk only in a rough line from Oxford to Peterborough in woods with lots of blackthorn, the Black Hairstreak-although it clearly is not black, named after the white lines

Edited June 3, 2020 by Towlersonsafari

[Towlersonsafari]

And this is very silly, but I planted some bee attracting plants in an old wheelbarrow, and nearly got a decent shot of one flying-the bee not the plants, or the wheelbarrow

[wilddog]

Flying wheelbarrows would certainly raise a few eyebrows  @Towlersonsafari

[Towlersonsafari]

@wilddog said

Quote

Flying wheelbarrows would certainly raise a few eyebrows  @Towlersonsafari

well looking back through my photos I seem to be better at photographing flying wheelbarrows than flying bees! We first saw flying wheelbarrows over Moutain Zebra national Park, and then again over Mull.

I think they must be the .....

Red Barrows

Edited June 5, 2020 by Towlersonsafari

[wilddog]

That is certainly a rare sightng.................... a bit like flying pigs!

[janzin]

@TowlersonsafariFlying wheelbarrows? Someone has too much time on their hands, for sure!

 

 

[JohnR]

@Towlersonsafari Brilliant. Reminds me of my Red Sparrows t-shirt! Pity I can't find it.

[offshorebirder]

I like the Terry Gilliam-esque artwork @Towlersonsafari.