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Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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The Love for Birds
Tue Mar 10, 2020 6:59 pm
Many on here might not know this. But apart from castles, and music of course, I am a amature birdwatcher (twitcher) being another hobby of mine. I find birds fascinating and always have. Many a castle trip I always like to capture birds. At my work at the castle we get many birds, and house a pheasant and many canary's which I always enjoy feeding when it's my turn. I have some photos from when I last fed them. Let me know if you want to see them and i'll post them on here.
I also feed a few species of bird life at my home such as the common Pigeon, Sparrows, Wrens, the odd Magpie, rare Robin and Blackbirds. We used to get Starlings all the time, however, over the last x amount of years we have seen less and less of them. In fact I haven't seen even one in our garden for many years now. That in its self is a shame being we used to get a huge number daily. A cool place to spot birds up the road from me is at the local nature reserve (Sutton Park)where i go on my bike rides and take the dogs for walks. That place nests many species of birds, but one in-particular is the shy bird known as the Eurasian jay. They are hard to spot but cool when you do. I filmed one once a few years back - wish I still had the footage...
My favourite bird is the blackbird. I found this video today and thought it was great for people who don't know much about this bird. In our front hedge we have a family of blackbirds nesting. Anyone else on here have a passion for bird life?
I also feed a few species of bird life at my home such as the common Pigeon, Sparrows, Wrens, the odd Magpie, rare Robin and Blackbirds. We used to get Starlings all the time, however, over the last x amount of years we have seen less and less of them. In fact I haven't seen even one in our garden for many years now. That in its self is a shame being we used to get a huge number daily. A cool place to spot birds up the road from me is at the local nature reserve (Sutton Park)where i go on my bike rides and take the dogs for walks. That place nests many species of birds, but one in-particular is the shy bird known as the Eurasian jay. They are hard to spot but cool when you do. I filmed one once a few years back - wish I still had the footage...
My favourite bird is the blackbird. I found this video today and thought it was great for people who don't know much about this bird. In our front hedge we have a family of blackbirds nesting. Anyone else on here have a passion for bird life?
DarkGothicQueen- Posts : 424
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Re: The Love for Birds
Tue Mar 10, 2020 9:13 pm
As you might know I have pet budgies. When I used to live in a place where I had a yard, I`d feed all kinds of birds--songbirds, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and many others. I now live in a high rise (due to health) and I miss feeding my wild birds a lot. One of my favorites will always be the Northern Cardinal. For a few years there was a lone cardinal who would be the last bird at my feeder. Usually I would put them away during the night to keep the night crawlers like raccoons from getting into my seeds. I left one out just a little bit later just so this one cardinal could have his evening meal. This was mostly during the winter months when food was scarce. He made this steady peep-peep-peep sound as he ate. I called him Mr. Peepers. I knew he was an older bird. When he didn`t come to my feeder anymore I knew he had died. Sad ending? No. Because his daughter and grandbirds, who all made the same peep-peep-peep sound, came to my feeders as well in later years.
Mr. KAdvisor- Posts : 2067
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Mar 12, 2020 2:27 pm
Great topic, Rich, and lovely stories from you and DGQ.
My three favourite birds are:
3) Pheasant
2) Oystercatcher
1) Northern Lapwing (below)
My three favourite birds are:
3) Pheasant
2) Oystercatcher
1) Northern Lapwing (below)
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Mar 12, 2020 5:11 pm
Two great stories from the both of you. Never heard of the Northern Lapwing before - what a lovely bird. 
- Mr. KAdvisor
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Mar 12, 2020 8:31 pm
Cool Cool Water wrote:Two great stories from the both of you. Never heard of the Northern Lapwing before - what a lovely bird.
It's also known as the Peewit--maybe that rings a bell.
According to Wikipedia, "[t]he northern lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) [is] also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tew-it, green plover, or (in Britain and Ireland) just lapwing".
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_lapwing
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Mar 12, 2020 9:18 pm
My three favourite birds are:
1) Blackbird
2) Eurasian jay
3) Robin
... DJ next!
1) Blackbird
2) Eurasian jay
3) Robin
... DJ next!
- DarkGothicQueen
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Re: The Love for Birds
Fri Mar 13, 2020 1:25 am
Only three?
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Fri Mar 13, 2020 8:53 am
DarkGothicQueen wrote:Only three?
As many as you like, why not! I was just following suit from Mr K which worked for my top 3.
- DarkGothicQueen
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Re: The Love for Birds
Fri Mar 13, 2020 12:50 pm
Cool Cool Water wrote:DarkGothicQueen wrote:Only three?
As many as you like, why not! I was just following suit from Mr K which worked for my top 3.
I`ll have to think on this for a bit. Birds come in different categories and I need to do some sorting.
Then again one of his is called a 'Peewit'. 
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Fri Mar 13, 2020 6:29 pm
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Sat Mar 21, 2020 12:51 pm
- Mr. KAdvisor
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Re: The Love for Birds
Mon Mar 23, 2020 12:40 pm
Cool Cool Water wrote:I saw a beautiful Heron on my boggy dog walk this morning.
https://www.strava.com/athletes/44789935
Herons are brilliant birds. They're not shy over here--you see them everywhere, even in our back garden, checking out the frogs in the pond.
Actually, I came here to post this:
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Apr 02, 2020 8:57 am
Mr. K wrote:Actually, I came here to post this:
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Wed Apr 08, 2020 9:13 pm
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Fri Apr 10, 2020 7:09 pm
Hey all. I have finally kick started my twitching YouTube channel off (after the failed 2015 run - long story!). I captured this, this morning. Information is in the info if interested.
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Apr 16, 2020 3:24 pm
A snapshot from the footage I filmed above. It is quite funny to be honest!
A starling with a monkey nut, April 2020, RH
A starling with a monkey nut, April 2020, RH
- DarkGothicQueen
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Re: The Love for Birds
Thu Apr 30, 2020 12:03 pm
I`d rather listen to the Kookaburra than Trump (or a lot of other politicians). Or a jackhammer if the bird isn`t available.
- Mr. KAdvisor
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Re: The Love for Birds
Mon May 11, 2020 9:11 am
Two ravens, Munin and Jubilee, at the Tower of London.
From Lee Holden's YouTube blurb:
"Munin is the eldest Raven at the Tower of London (born 1995 in North Uist, Scotland).
"Jubilee (born 2012) is actually the second Raven to be named Jubilee after the first was taken by a fox at the Tower."
Wonderful birds.
From Lee Holden's YouTube blurb:
"Munin is the eldest Raven at the Tower of London (born 1995 in North Uist, Scotland).
"Jubilee (born 2012) is actually the second Raven to be named Jubilee after the first was taken by a fox at the Tower."
Wonderful birds.
- Cool Cool WaterHonorary Member
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Re: The Love for Birds
Mon May 11, 2020 12:11 pm
Mr. K wrote:Two ravens, Munin and Jubilee, at the Tower of London.
Yes, the famous ravens at the Tower of London. You know I have never been to the TOL.
- Mr. KAdvisor
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Re: The Love for Birds
Tue May 12, 2020 12:08 pm
Now here's a sorry tale. The Great Auk had the great misfortune of being tasty and easy to catch and so it went the way of the Dodo. Those that didn't make it onto the dinner table ended up stuffed in someone's collection. How to decimate a species in two easy stages. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_auk
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_auk
- Mr. KAdvisor
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Re: The Love for Birds
Wed May 13, 2020 12:28 pm
I'd never heard of Steller's Jay until last Saturday. It seems it's a bit of a comedian:
"Vocal with a diverse array of squacks, rattles, harsh screams. Call: a piercing sheck sheck sheck and a descending harsh shhhhhkk. The Steller’s jay frequently mimics other species, particularly raptors, and also incorporates calls of squirrels and household animals, such as dogs and chickens."
[Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/s/stellers-jay/]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steller%27s_jay
"Vocal with a diverse array of squacks, rattles, harsh screams. Call: a piercing sheck sheck sheck and a descending harsh shhhhhkk. The Steller’s jay frequently mimics other species, particularly raptors, and also incorporates calls of squirrels and household animals, such as dogs and chickens."
[Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/s/stellers-jay/]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steller%27s_jay
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