Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Last night Smudge brought a Hedgehog to the patio door, the first hog that we have seen this year.
Wildlife in the garden - Spring and what is this bird?
- Thread starter Dog Star
- Start date
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
Time for a round of "what is this bird?".
I took these poor photos earlier in this past week, difficult because the bird would not play ball.
The bird stayed for about one hour and I have seen it on just one occasion. There were Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Chaffinches on the feeders at the time with several Chaffs feeding on the ground. The bird on the ground did not go to the feeders, happy to look for sunflower seed debris on the ground.
Surprisingly, the bird did not fly off / flock with either the Greenfinches or the Chaffs.
regards, Graham
I took these poor photos earlier in this past week, difficult because the bird would not play ball.
The bird stayed for about one hour and I have seen it on just one occasion. There were Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Chaffinches on the feeders at the time with several Chaffs feeding on the ground. The bird on the ground did not go to the feeders, happy to look for sunflower seed debris on the ground.
Surprisingly, the bird did not fly off / flock with either the Greenfinches or the Chaffs.
regards, Graham
I agree with the greenfinch identity.
Are people aware of the Merlin bird ID app by Cornell Labs? It allows you to identify a bird by opening the app and it records it's song. It is available for different parts of the world and now is a good time of year to start listening. It was recommended to me by an avid 'birder'.
Lancastrian
Western Thunderer
Found in the garden this morning...
There were three in total. One I moved by hand and the other two hopped off. I had to disturb them as a chap is coming to measure up for a new fence.
There were three in total. One I moved by hand and the other two hopped off. I had to disturb them as a chap is coming to measure up for a new fence.
Ian Rathbone
Western Thunderer
It must be spring. On some honeysuckle today.
Ian R
Ian R
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Chris was sure that we had some activity at one of our hog houses over the last few nights so last night she set up her trail camera and managed to catch some footage of a hog taking hay in (which Chris leaves outside the entrance as an indicator of whether there has been visitors) to make a nest in the house.
SimonT
Western Thunderer
I don't know if any of you have heard of an app called Merlin. I heard of it a week ago in the BTO magazine. It was developed by Cornell University and helps to identify birds both visually and aurally and this last feature is fascinating. I knew I had wrens but not that there are four singing in competiton. I now know that there are Goldcrest in the conifer plantation. Yesterday it identified a Eurasian Serin. I haven't seen it but it may be hidden in direct view in all the siskin.
Best of all, it is free!
Best of all, it is free!
adrian
Flying Squad
I hadn't heard of it until now. Just tried it and seems to work very well and quickly, although the mixture or Blue Tits and Magpies around by us probably wasn't that taxing.
If you do install it make sure you select the Merlin Id by Cornell Uni, which is the completely free app. There seem to be several copycat spin offs with various "in app" purchases.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
Not really wildlife, and not exactly in my backyard other than figuratively, but it's at least adjacent I think.
#1 is with manual settings, I think a shorter exposure so less glare. #2 is with auto settings, things have gotten pretty blown out. #3 is with just the tiniest sliver of the sun starting to peak around the trailing edge of the moon. It's amazing how bright it is even despite being such a small percentage exposed.
All shot with a Sony superzoom bridge camera, so in my opinion not bad for a fairly inexpensive camera. The photos were taken right around 3pm this afternoon in Deshler, Ohio.
Normally there is an auditory effect where the birds go silent and the bugs and frogs get loud. But one would be hard pressed to notice any of that since there was a CSX freight train rolling through a tight radius interchange track concurrently, so the flange squeal drowned out all other sounds.
Watch one of Richard's videos from Deshler if you want to hear the soundtrack. 
Jim
#1 is with manual settings, I think a shorter exposure so less glare. #2 is with auto settings, things have gotten pretty blown out. #3 is with just the tiniest sliver of the sun starting to peak around the trailing edge of the moon. It's amazing how bright it is even despite being such a small percentage exposed.
All shot with a Sony superzoom bridge camera, so in my opinion not bad for a fairly inexpensive camera. The photos were taken right around 3pm this afternoon in Deshler, Ohio.
Normally there is an auditory effect where the birds go silent and the bugs and frogs get loud. But one would be hard pressed to notice any of that since there was a CSX freight train rolling through a tight radius interchange track concurrently, so the flange squeal drowned out all other sounds.
Watch one of Richard's videos from Deshler if you want to hear the soundtrack. Jim
Dog Star
Western Thunderer
All I can hear on Richard's videos are overworked diesels - no tweeting or croaking... I think that feathered friends and rivetters are not high on Richard's list of things to do
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
I was referring to the flange squeal on trains at Deshler transiting the sharp curves between east/west and north/south routes. Richard has captured this more than once in his videos from the same location.
garethashenden
Western Thunderer
Had this rather strange bird at the bird feeder last night.
Rob R
Western Thunderer
Puss Moth?
CrankyChris
Member
First swallow seen on April 8 near to Frome, resting wires. Today’s weather is certainly NOT summer!
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Puss moth????? It's a bl$$dy bear!
Fortunately we don't see many round this part of Buckinghamshire but I suspect that's because I throw torn up newspaper out of an upstairs window every day. I started doing that to keep the elephants away and I don't remember ever seeing an elephant here so it must work. Maybe it works on bears as well.
Oh...there's men in white coats just coming up the path...NURSE!!
Brian