Pixie 162 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 After another look... Iv just realized the owl under the sign saying about photos & donations, looks asif hes telling you to make sure you make a donation, he looks a very serious character! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 I'm very fortunate in that I have space around me for birds of all kinds. Buzzards, Hen Harriers, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks are not uncommon; there are red throated divers locally along with many other waterbirds. If I go to the north coast (11 miles) I can see Skuas, Puffins, Guillemots, Eider duck and Petrels along with many members of the gull family. There are Blackbirds, thrushes, Redwings, Fieldfare, Warblers Most of the Tit family, occasional Crossbills, All the usual garden birds, especially Chaffinch, greenfinch and Goldfinch; Siskins, occasional Black Caps, and recently Collard Doves have started nesting in the garden too. Barn Owls nest in the farm shed across the road and there are many bats in Summer. We are on a migration route for Pink footed goose, Greylag goose and Canada goose and we get martins and swallows too. Not bad for birds here really. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 23, 2012 Report Share Posted March 23, 2012 Sounds like your place beats suburbia any time Compo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 24, 2012 Report Share Posted March 24, 2012 I'm very lucky to have so much space. I was walking through our small wood this afternoon and I disturbed a pair of Wood Pigeon in the trees. What's so pleasing is that I planted the trees when we first moved in18yrs ago and now they are rewarding us with a variety of wild creatures. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 How lovely. What kind of weather do you experience up there Compo? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pixie 162 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Quite jealous over here Compo! I only get the odd pidgeon because of the amount of cats around. I'm popping a bird box up high up next to my bathroom window so I'm hoping itll attack some different birds. I'm not a 'bird watcher' but I do appreciate all kinds of wildlife. Love animals in general. If I had it my way I'd have my own petting zoo, guineapigs, rabbits, dogs, cats, fish you name it! Unfortunately I'm not aloud anymore Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 A rescued owl in Devon, Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Isn't that just Exquisite?: the heart shaped face and the pearl like beads on its feathers. I can quite see why Elizabeth 1 had her dresses designed from the features of this bird and then of course the owl is considered wise - all makes sense doesn't it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 I've been watching a female Wood Pigeon being persued around the roof tops by various suiters for the last couple of days . He spots her She spots him He huffs and puffs She ain't impressed He plucked up the courage to move in She still ain't impressed He then moved 'In for the kill' Job done , I'm off down the pub ! To brag about my conquest with the rest of the unlucky suiters He never writes, phones, or even acknowlages me in the street , I feel violated !! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlebro 234 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 And another in Devon Quote Link to post Share on other sites
piggy and babs 544 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 yes barn owls i think arethe best looking of the owl familyfollowes ithink by snow owls. is that an eagle owl in the last photo. little browor the great owl Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Looks like a Long Eared Owl to me Babs. Just been for a drive and have come back (Hopefully) with a few good shots of three Buzzards that were circling about a mile from here. I'll post a couple of them when I've had a look through them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 I've just had a quick look at the Uni Cam just as the female flew off of the nest . There's 4 eggs in there now , and do you know they look awfully like hens eggs (I never realised they were that colour , I always thought they were a bluey colour !) ...........DOH!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 \snip\ What kind of weather do you experience up there Compo? Cold, wet and windy as a rule. We still have four seasons: Winter can be very cold, -20°C not uncommon, -25 on a few occasions throughout a normal winter. Can snow heavily at times and there is only one proper "A" road out of the county (Nearest motorway over 200 miles away). So we can be cut off for a number of days at times. Spring usually lasts well into June and is followed by a short summer. Summer temperature reaches 25°C on one or two days a year but is more often around 17 - 19°C; a cool summer day in the rain is usually about 12 -14°C. Autumn is very short; leaves often blow away in the equinox storms before they have a chance to turn colour and fall naturally. The main stormy season is September to February, when winds often reach 100MPH but more usually 70/80MPH. The biggest wind I have encountered here is 129MPH but Shetland reached 153MPH in the winter of 1992/3 Christmas is white on about one in three years but the past three winters have given us two out of three snowy Christmases. The growing season is about four weeks shorter than Nottingham and new growth on trees is often cut back by the salty but freezing winds. One problem is "The Haar" This is a sea fog that rolls into the interior from the sea after a couple of warm days. The warm air flows over the cold sea and condenses into a thick fog that drifts back over the land in the evening. From our house we can see it approaching from Wick over the marshes as a thick grey bank rolling towards us at several miles per hour. we see it coming from the coast 7 miles away and it arrives within the hour. - it's quite eerie at times. 'Old Ace' will have the same Haar in Shetland. Today was the warmest March day that I can recall: 19°C but with a chilly wind blowing off the North Sea....I made 5 gallons of beer today 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Thanks for this Compo - a good write up - it's very visual, I'm going to take time imagining the land. :smile: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Dare I post a couple of photos of Caithness do you think? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jackson 301 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Hi littlebro, re your photo: 'head of a barn owl', it truly is Beautiful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Compo 10,328 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 A 5 second clip of teh waterfall at the end of the garden: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qboYktM8kovgpyFOY2RpUKww1u0rHRlavJsQxSKRTC0?feat=directlink Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Ok as promised a couple of the Buzzards and a very nervous looking Rook , watching them intently from a bit of shelter. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,601 Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Number 4 for me Ian, great pictures as usual Cheers mate Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Only got one chick left ! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-17942036 http://www.ntu.ac.uk/ecoweb/biodiversity/falcons/index.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dgbrit 258 Posted May 3, 2012 Report Share Posted May 3, 2012 Hummingbirds have showed in the back garden this week will get some pics when i can find time Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted May 4, 2012 Report Share Posted May 4, 2012 Very sad news there Red, but the old adage "Survival of the fitist" seems to be apt . They did ok last year with at least three chicks fledging so they're still above average Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 This falcon could soon be looking like a snowy owl ? http://www.ntu.ac.uk/ecoweb/biodiversity/falcons/index.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted March 23, 2013 Report Share Posted March 23, 2013 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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