Author Topic: Local Wildlife  (Read 527605 times)

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Offline DVT

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1875 on: June 16, 2022, 08:15:21 pm »
Surprised to get this pic this afternoon at Bodnant Far End pond.  I did think that a heron had destroyed the Little Grebe family, but today there was Mum with 5 youngsters, two of them smaller than the other three.  She was feeding the two small ones, the older ones able to dive and catch their own fish.  Been trying for a while to get a good shot, this isn't brilliant I know, as they dive as soon as I point a camera at them, and they are very fluffy so don't come out sharp!

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1876 on: June 24, 2022, 03:57:05 pm »
I have been feeding a lot of birds over the last few days (photos to follow) while sitting in the sun, just now throwing some crumbs from the back door, I noticed I was feeding a Robin, but no red breast, a quick search tells me that juveniles do not get the red colouring to later in the summer......... still learning.

Juvenile Robins lack the red breast and have brown upper parts and breast speckled with dark brown. Bit by bit, the red breast starts to appear in late summer, but even in juvenile plumage the round shape, long legs and cocked head postures are characteristically 'Robin' in nature.


Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1877 on: June 25, 2022, 06:21:36 pm »
Tellytubby was at the Big Pool reserve near Prestatyn and was lucky enough to see the Kingfisher there

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1878 on: June 30, 2022, 01:53:13 pm »
Quite a while back I mentioned seeing birds sunbathing close to the house (see below) well its happening again, only this time they are getting closer, bathing on the warm back step, as I said before they are very trusting, considering the vulnerable position they leave themselves in................ PS. we have seen the Ring Ouzel twice this season so far.

"Sunbathing' is used by some birds as part of their routine feather maintenance and is most commonly seen by Garden BirdWatchers in Blackbirds and Robins. The birds invariably adopt a posture in which the body feathers are fluffed up and one or both wings are held out from the body, with feathers spread."

Offline SAJ

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1879 on: June 30, 2022, 04:34:45 pm »
Sunbathing blackbirds near the house aren?t a problem. It?s when they want to come in and test the indoor temperature that we need to worry!

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1880 on: June 30, 2022, 05:32:34 pm »
SAJ, I should have introduced her, we call her Mrs B. and she does come in the kitchen when the food runs out, however she's in our bad books at the moment, after plundering our strawberries, she's not a problem but the pigeons can be, if they mix up the opening in the glass doors, they are now discouraged, although I do enjoy the interaction with all the local bird life.

Offline SAJ

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1881 on: June 30, 2022, 06:08:42 pm »
Steve, who can blame Mrs B for scoffing those strawberries? I?ve netted over mine this year but have left some self-seeded ones around the garden for the wildlife. ?Our? female can be over enthusiastic when she?s after food. I arrived home in the car one day last week and no sooner had I stopped the car than there was a ?thud? on the roof and there she was. I do like seeing them though, especially at this time of year when they?re busily feeding their young.

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1882 on: June 30, 2022, 08:17:19 pm »
We have a few Blackbirds in the Garden and they are really interesting to watch.     We have a couple of bird baths in the garden and when they have a bath in them it's funny seeing them as they scatter water everywhere.
They are very hardworking parents too and often when it's getting dark they are still out there looking for food  for their chicks

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1883 on: July 03, 2022, 10:22:26 am »
Some of the photos from the recent good weather spent in the garden, there were many visitors during that time, including normally shy wren's and three Robin's, however the pigeons made themselves at home............

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1884 on: July 03, 2022, 10:23:56 am »
a few more......the colours of this flock (about fifteen birds) are mostly in the brown/pink range, and a various mix of colours but very few standard greys.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1885 on: July 14, 2022, 12:46:01 pm »
Hilarious antics from the pigeons trying to share a six inch bird bath earlier, we have now added three more bigger baths, but still trying to share the smaller ones 

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1886 on: July 14, 2022, 03:28:11 pm »
You'll get a lot of pleasure watching the birds going to your bird baths Steve.     If you see a Blackbird by the bath keep watching it as they really like having a bath and they splash so much water you'll need to keep refilling it often.
By the way I like those Hydrangeas they look in really good condition

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1887 on: July 14, 2022, 04:27:48 pm »
Thanks Hugo, there appears to be a rota system, when the pigeons fly off, then the smaller birds come in, I do like watching the Blackbirds, and there are a lot of Sparrows this year, they also like sharing the baths.........

Another shot of the Hydrangea, with a courting couple in the background......

Offline Hugo

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1888 on: July 16, 2022, 03:10:04 pm »
Now he's no longer the Terrible Teddy of last year thanks to some very good advice given to me by Mull.     Patience and perseverance and you'll get the love and respect and obedience from your dog was the advice and it has paid off as other dog owners today said how placid Teddy is now.
He's still banned from the top part of the garden though.

Offline SteveH

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Re: Local Wildlife
« Reply #1889 on: July 21, 2022, 03:46:01 pm »
A couple of visitors during the hot weather waiting their turn for the bird bath, including a new baby pigeon, very pale black/white....