Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527901 times)

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Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1650 on: May 03, 2020, 11:38:49 am »
We are lucky to have some Goldfinches in the garden and hopefully they are now nesting nearby.      After a tip from Bellringer we started using Niger seeds and in no time at all we noticed the Finches feeding and they seem to love the seeds, so much so that we order a 12,5 kg bag each time.
I seem to remember another forum member The Metz posting photos of them on a nest in his garden, he was so lucky to see that.


On a different note we must have all heard about the Goats in Llandudno and the Deer somewhere else and they have entered urban areas looking for food during this lockdown.
 I've noticed that the Seagulls have started to come inland for their food,  now that they are not being fed chips on the Promenade.
They have come to our back lawn and eaten food that we have left out for the small birds and the Badgers and then left their calling card on our sunlounge windows.      The other day I saw one picking up grass and moss and realised that he was picking up nesting material so I hope that they are not going to nest on our roof as they are even more aggressive when they have got chicks.
My friend was attacked by a Seagull and was left with a nasty head wound after he ran past a house that had Seagulls nesting on the roof,  after that he was too scared to run past the house so he altered the route of his regular run
 

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1651 on: May 03, 2020, 12:28:47 pm »
We surround our ground feeding area, with large plant pots overnight, with a couple of small access points for the smaller birds, the trouble with gulls they do not give up, and seem to remember where they have found food, do your best to knock this habit quickly, as for mess, the houses by me, all have a side garage, which leaves a gap between the houses, which the gulls choose to fly through,  unfortunately, that is in the same line we park our cars on, we clean the car most days, and I think the record was washing 5 times in one day.  &shake&

I read this morning, that in the Newcastle area, gulls are attacking feral pigeons..



Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1652 on: May 13, 2020, 11:04:58 am »
Largest flock of colourful Bee-eaters ever seen in North Wales
Bird Notes columnist Julian Hughes of RSPB Cymru reveals what's been spotted in the past week.

The major bird spectacles occurred on Saturday, starting with eight Dotterels on the Great Orme; it’s a regular stopover site for these colourful plovers en route to the Scottish Highlands or Norway.
Even so, eight together is a bit special.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/bird-race-wales-rspb-bee-18236050

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1653 on: May 19, 2020, 10:53:03 am »
What you should do if you come across a baby chick
Bird Notes columnist Julian Hughes of RSPB Cymru reveals what's been spotted in the past week.

Rarity of the week was an Alpine Swift over Llandudno’s rooftops on Monday.   (I did spot a few Swallow type birds last week over West Shore /)

With a bright white throat and belly, they are larger than the Common Swifts that should be returning to nests in local roofspaces around now.
Only a dozen Alpine Swifts have occurred in North Wales, but this was the second in the vicinity after one over the Little Orme in 2015.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/local-news/what-you-should-you-come-18273193

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1654 on: May 20, 2020, 09:25:30 am »
I remember reading on the forum a long time ago that someone had spotted an Orca when they had a walk around the Great Orme, it must have been a fantastic sight


https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/two-killer-whales-seen-north-18277400

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1655 on: May 23, 2020, 02:40:16 pm »
Our Blackbird relationship has continued this year, you may remember a young female (below), who became very friendly, she and others,
continued to feed over the winter, later we suspected she had a mate, as they fed together without the normal squabbling, they have been quiet for the last few days with the wind, so I was surprised when I took out some bits after lunch to the feeding area, and they immediately flew down to feed, Mrs H noticed that the male was feeding the female, then it clicked, it was a new female? chick, with the male, we watched for about 10 mins. before they flew off, this little ground feeding area, keeps on giving.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1656 on: May 23, 2020, 04:09:04 pm »
They are lovely friendly birds and their song is so nice to hear.     Have you got a birdbath in your garden Steve?      Seeing a Blackbird having a bath is so comical, they really enjoy it and splash water everywhere
We have a couple of birdbaths in our garden but we also put Marco's old drinking bowl in the garden for the birds to have a drink from it.     The other day though the Blackbird sat in it and started having a bath and the water was going all over the place.  It was so funny watching him trying to have a bath in the small bowl

Offline Nemesis

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1657 on: May 23, 2020, 04:34:27 pm »
I put a stone in the middle of my bird bath as the edges seemed rather slippery for the smaller birds to drink from. The blackbird are really amusing, as they squeeze between the edge and the stone to bathe. The pair of collared doves come daily and seem to be losing their fear of the pigeons, but always move when the magpie comes along.
Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1658 on: May 23, 2020, 05:59:43 pm »
We have a very small water dish in the feeding area, occasionally we have seen the Blackbirds bathing, however this years new visitors are a pair of Dunnocks, who have a nest close by, they have no fear of other birds, they get their share, also they bathe all through the day, even if we are a few feet away, I noticed the speed that their wings and tails feathers move is almost a blur, anyway we have to keep topping up this bowl, so when we can a new bird bath is on the list. 

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1659 on: June 07, 2020, 10:41:27 am »
About three weeks ago, we noticed a Blackbird that looked like it had been dragged through the proverbial hedge, we thought it had been attacked by something ? since then it has visited a few times, but is still in the same condition, and we are pretty sure it's not molting, and appears to be permanent, also we believe it is one of this years young birds, photo is nearest I could find, anybody come across this before.

Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1660 on: June 07, 2020, 11:52:54 am »
We have a few blackbirds visiting and one of the males is scruffy, although not as scruffy as yours!  No hairdressers working these days so that could be why!!!  He does seem quite healthy.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1661 on: June 07, 2020, 02:58:10 pm »
We have a few blackbirds visiting and one of the males is scruffy, although not as scruffy as yours!  No hairdressers working these days so that could be why!!!  He does seem quite healthy.

I don't think a hairdresser would help, his feathers seem to be at odd angles, rather than lying flat on his body, but, he is definitely fit, flying and eating well. 

Offline Blongb

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1662 on: June 07, 2020, 03:46:51 pm »
Blackbirds are very resilient, we had one with a broken wing, that visited us on a regular basis. It got about, hopping around and would use nextdoors fire escape to get up to the roof.  {}{}
Quot homines tot sententiae: suus cuique mos.
(There are as many opinions as there are people: each has his own view.)

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1663 on: June 09, 2020, 03:14:23 pm »
There was a photo of a young albino Blackbird in the Daily Mirror this week and it looked a strange sight

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1664 on: June 09, 2020, 03:20:01 pm »
I met these lovely looking Goats on the Great Orme today and they may be heading down to town soon!