OK, let's see what turns up - BY 2021

[Soukous]

1 hour ago, Galana said:

The depth of field restriction was mainly to blame for the focusing of the Red-legs as the centre one is OK.

 - I'm speechless

[Soukous]

21 hours ago, TonyQ said:

My guess would be a female Reed Bunting, but you might want a more expert opinion 

 

19 hours ago, Galana said:

I can go with Reed Bunting too

 

Thank you both for that assistance. I have also had it confirmed as a female Reed Bunting by a local birding fundi, so I'm happy to go with that and notch it up as another tick.

I'll revise the numbering to accommodate it.

[pedro maia]

On 1/9/2021 at 10:59 AM, Galana said:

Not my thread but the Black-headed is named because the spring plumage does have a 'black ' head. (Chocolate brown actually) Currently BH's are in winter plumage but they are starting to appear.

If it is any consolation I still get confused by some SA names.

 

And that´s why we call Gaivota-de-cabeça-preta (Black-headed gull) to the Mediterranean Gull, which in spring plumage does have a real black head (melanocephalus).

[Galana]

Gets confusing don't it? Mediterranean Gull is 'Larus Melanocephalus' which is 'black head'.  "Black-headed gull" is now "Chroicocephalus ridibundus" which translates as 'Coloured head that laughs'.

It's enough to make one take up stamp collecting or trainspotting.

[Dave Williams]

The Laughing Gull has a black head, not sure what the Latin name "Leucophaeus atricilla" translates to ! Probably something non descriptive too.

[Galana]

"The genus name Leucophaeus is from Ancient Greek leukos, "white", and phaios, "dusky". The specific atricilla is from Latin ater, "black", and cilla, "tail". Linnaeus appears to have misread his note atricapilla (black-haired), which would have been much more appropriate for this black-headed, but white-tailed, bird.^[2]

 

^{What with the Greeks and the Yanquis what chance do us Celts stand?}

[Soukous]

A fruitless hour spent trying to lure a Coal Tit out of hiding in my neighbour's garden.

Maybe tomorrow.

 

just to keep the wheels moving here are a few that I would not normally post - dreaded feeder shots - as I know I'll get better shots later in the year but, as has been pointed out many times, BY is about numbers not photographic skills.

 

#21 Chaffinch - Fringilla coelebs

Garden, Suffolk, UK. Jan 2021

 

not as colourful as the male, but even they have not started to look their best quite yet.

 

 

#22 - Blue Tit - Cyanistes caeruleus

Garden, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

#23 - Long-tailed Tit - Aegithalos caudatus

Garden, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

 

[Galana]

13 minutes ago, Soukous said:

BY is about numbers not photographic skills.

That's what keeps me in.

 

Nice photos too. I failed on Coal Tit for all 2020 so keep trying.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Galana

[Soukous]

Not much action lately - a combination of lockdown and blizzards - but a couple of new ones to add.

 

first a much improved shot of the Blue Tit (#22), still at the feeder

 

then a heavily cropped Skylark from yesterday's dog walk. A lot of Skylarks about at the moment anf they are more noticeable than other species because they are pretty noisy.

 

#24 - Skylark - Alauda avensis

Suffolk coast, UK. Jan 2021

 

 

Back to the garden and the feeders for the next one. (The tight cropping to to exclude the edge of the feeder)

 

#25 - Great Tit - Parus major

Garden, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

 

[PeterHG]

Beautiful photos! I love that Great Tit and the cropping works well here.

[Soukous]

25 minutes ago, PeterHG said:

Beautiful photos! I love that Great Tit and the cropping works well here.

 

Too kind. The first of many feeder shots I am sure. 

[Soukous]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who is spending a lot more time reading than I would otherwise.

I've got a great spot in the conservatory - as long as it is neither too cold nor too sunny.

Anyhow, as I sat there with my book my eye was drawn to a dark shape above the trees. It didn't look like a Corvid and was the wrong shape for a Buzzard. Then it turned and I saw the tail. It coul donly be a Red Kite.

I grabbed my camera and hurried outside. By now, of course, it was drifting further away. Nevertheless, it was the first one I have seen so close to the house so I'm happy with any shot for now. Hopefully it will come again.

 

#26 - Red Kite - Milvus milvus

Garden, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

 

[Galana]

Nice one and a worthy capture.

[TonyQ]

Excellent addition to your garden list

[Soukous]

14 hours ago, TonyQ said:

Excellent addition to your garden list

 

Yes indeed. My 'seen in or from the garden' list has grown to 34. 

Not all of them seen yet this year, (ticks are for those seen this year) and I am sure there are others hiding in the hedges that I have not noticed. 

 

Blackbird	a
Bullfinch
Buzzard, Common
Chaffinch	a
Chiffchaff
Dunnock
Goldfinch	a
Greenfinch
Gull, Herring
Heron, Grey
Jackdaw
Jay	a
Kestrel
Kite, Red	a
Magpie	a
Martin, House
Partridge, red-legged
Pheasant
Pigeon, Feral
Pigeon, Wood	a
Robin	a
Rook
Starling
Thrush, Mistle
Thrush, Song	a
Tit, Blue	a
Tit, Coal
Tit, Great	a
Tit, Long-tailed	a
Wagtail, Pied
Woodpecker, Great Spotted	a
Woodpecker, Green
Wren	a

[PeterHG]

That is an impressive garden list!

[Soukous]

1 minute ago, PeterHG said:

That is an impressive garden list!

 

A little artistic licence as I have not seen Red-legged Partridge in the garden since we got the dogs. But then I am sure someone better at birding than me would quickly find species I have missed.

[Zim Girl]

Red Kite is an impressive bird to see from your garden!

[Soukous]

21 minutes ago, Zim Girl said:

Red Kite is an impressive bird to see from your garden!

 

The fly past was good but now I have to entice it closer 

Edited January 19, 2021 by Soukous

[TonyQ]

 

A good selection there @Soukous

We count flypast as seen from the garden. They all help in Lockdown interest!

Edited January 19, 2021 by TonyQ

[Dave Williams]

Like us you don't appear to have House Sparrow in your garden. We don't have Starling, Greenfinch and I can't recall seeing a Wagtail either. I presume you have included fly over birds?

[Galana]

4 hours ago, Soukous said:

The fly past was good but now I have to entice it closer

Well I understand that a few dead chickens left on the lawn works well.

[Soukous]

50 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

Like us you don't appear to have House Sparrow in your garden. We don't have Starling, Greenfinch and I can't recall seeing a Wagtail either. I presume you have included fly over birds?

 

No House Sparrows that I've seen actually in the garden but I can find them within a  mile or so. 

The flyover birds are mostly raptors: Buzzard, Kestrel & Kite plus the Gulls. I only included Herring Gull because last year one swooped down and nicked a whole suet ball from the bird table. It had to settle on the lawn to eat a bit before it could fly off.

The Grey Heron regularly comes to try and steal fish from our little pond. 

I can hear a Tawny Owl at night but have not yet managed to find out where it sits, nor have I ever seen it.

[elefromoz]

15 hours ago, Soukous said:

I only included Herring Gull because last year one swooped down and nicked a whole suet ball from the bird table. It had to settle on the lawn to eat a bit before it could fly off.

We had just ordered lunch at the Pub one day, my husbands Steakburger and Chips had just arrived. He turned away ever so briefly to move his cutlery, and bang, looked up to see his whole Steak being carried off across the road by a Gull. Sorry, your story just reminded me of that. Lucky spot with the Kite, beautiful birds.

[Soukous]

After 2 days of strong winds and heavy rain, today the sun put in an appearance. Still very windy but that's not a reason to stay inside.

 

The heavy rain has left a lot of meadows watelogged and scrapes that were almost bone dry 2 weeks ago are now inundated.

Good for the geese though.

 

#27 - Canada Goose - Branta canadensis

close to home, Suffolk. Jan 2021

this is actually a shallow lake which almost always has water. There were Goosander here a couple of days ago, but they done gone.

 

 

 

#28 - Jackdaw - Corvus monedula

close to home, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

 

 

 

#29 - Egyptian Goose - Alopochen aegyptiaca

close to home, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

they seem to be everywhere these days

 

#30 - Blackbird - Turdus merula

Ufford, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

female

 

#31 - Greylag Goose - Anser anser

close to home, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

it seems ot be the day for Geese, even if they are all just the ones we see pretty much throughout the year

 

 

 

#32 - Barnacle Goose - Branta leucopsis

close to home, Suffolk. Jan 2021

 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Soukous