Beautiful Nature Photos.

[Chulla 4,946]

I don't want to begin a new thread, so will put my ornithological question on here.

 

For years I have suffered terribly with a nagging question for which I cannot find the answer. I have sleepless nights over it, and the search through countless books and internet sites have all drawn a blank. It is this:

 

Do birds squint when they fly through rain; or do the raindrops hit their eyeballs like bullets?

 

Colin, re photo of swan. Note that the wing leading-edges are drooped to give the camber to the upper side of the wing, just like aircraft.

[plantfit 7,213]

I asked that question many years ago and was told by someone from the BTO (British trust for Ornithology) that the birds eyes are on the side of their heads (apart from Owls)  and because of their beaks and airflow over them it deflects rain drops/snow drops away, not sure if that was the fact or not but this guy was one of the Trusts top bird counters and lifelong member.

I think they also have a type of secondary eyelids that closes/opens front to back as opposed to the "standard" eyelids that closes/opens top to bottom, the former eyelids is I think transparent

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Peacock butterfly

Common Blue butterfly

Hoverfly

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

I've posted this before but I think PB took care of that,anyway,Bee Orchid, int it just great how nature works,making these flowers look like Bee's to attract other Bee's so that the plant get pollinated and life carries on

 

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Today I managed to get a picture of Britains smallest bird The Goldcrest,not very good pictures,bit blurry but I will stick at it until I get a better one

 

 

 

Once again just outside the side kitchen window,he was climbing down the Silver Birch tree trunk looking for small insects etc in the bark

 

Rog

[carni 10,046]

Here is a couple of clearer pictures. The Blue tits are definitely showing an interest in our box.

 

 

[carni 10,046]

Clicked the wrong link with the first one. Sorry still learning?

 

[carni 10,046]

Plantfit, Is the Goldcrest much smaller than the Blue tit. It looks similar in the pictures.

[plantfit 7,213]

Carni,The Blue Tit is 11.5 cm (4 1/2 inches)

Goldcrest is 9 cm (3 1/2 inches) so quite a bit smaller not as easy to photograph as the Blue tit because they are very twitchy.

I like your Blue tit pictures,you did very well to catch them in the doorway to the nest box

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Long Tailed Tit

 

 

This is a pictured I've been trying to get for sometime, Blue Tit climbing inside the peanut cage to take a whole peanut instead of clinging on the outside of the cage and pecking little bits,clever

 

 

Rog

 

 

[plantfit 7,213]

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Goldfinch

 

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Dunnock

 

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Not sure about this one at the moment but I think it might be a Twite,on the bird feeder just outside of the side kitchen window this afternoon

 

 

Any help will be most welcome

 

Rog

[catfan 14,782]

Yep it's a bird Rog, any fool knows that !  

[Compo 10,185]

I may have posted this photo before but I thought it was worth a second look. It is an Atlantic Grey Seal pup on the foreshore near Duncansby Head, Caithness. I took a scramble down a very steep cliff to reach the breeding colony but it was worth the effort. Nothing was disturbed during the taking of this photograph.

 

[plantfit 7,213]

Collard dove, quite rare in the 1950's but considered a pest now,especially around farm yards

 

 

This one and his mate decided to clear up some spilt corn from my bird feeders

 

Rog

[Compo 10,185]

There's a couple of pairs of these doves that nest in our garden, Rog.

[Compo 10,185]

On the subject of Doves (Above): there was a big flock of the large 'Chestnut Breasted Doves' living in my garden in the hils above Addis Ababa, so one day, seeing as how meat was scarce in Ethiopia at the time,  I thought I'd have a go at making pigeon pie.  I made a rudimentary catapult (Would modern kids think of this?) and managed to bring down one of the doves.  Alas, when plucked and cooked there was not enough meat to feed a mouse, let alone the two of us!  Please note: doves are tiny - it is the feathers that make them look as big as pigeons.  I never took a shot at another living bird after that.

[plantfit 7,213]

Bird feeder Pheasants

 

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Mum and pup,Donna Nook Lincolnshire

 

 

Rog

[plantfit 7,213]

Took this picture a few years ago when on my way to work,the lane is between Navenby and Scopwick,Peacocks in the road, theres quite a few out here now and breeding successfully

 

 

Rog

[nonnaB 4,766]

When I lived at Cinderhill there were a couple of peacock regulars that went into everyones garden, if we were lucky they would open their tails  for you. 

Living where we do we don't see many wild birds. Being in a vineyard area I think the farmers have chased them all away. I regularly see woodpeckers though and pheasants, but then the hunting season starts and you don't see them for a while. I would abolish hunting if I could ,its a cruel sport and the hunters trample over all the fields and vineyards.

[Jill Sparrow 9,675]

I too would abolish hunting because it appals me that people possess such a bloodthirsty mindset. I'd make an exception for humans who were cruel to animals, murderers and paedophiles. You can hunt them to your heart's content and save the taxpayer a fortune into the bargain!

[Jill Sparrow 9,675]

Peacocks always remind me of childhood visits to the arboretum. One often came into my garden when I lived in Brinsley. I named him Percy! He never obliged with a show of his tail feathers though.