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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 21 8:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Several people say they have seen swifts arriving over the last few days. I can't think why as it is about to turn cold again, but they must know something.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 21 9:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

the jackdaw airside mosh pit early today was fun to watch

the hole i did not fill in the wall seems to have a bumble house

the caterpillar silked into the new rosemary did not thrive

the pigeons are fine

mr and mrs brack are fine
young bracket is fine, changing into adult clothes but has a couple of albinistic feathers on the back of the neck
urban cammo? quite a few species have it round here

tweed and young tweed are regular diners, i think jason popped in yesterday but most of the sparrows are a few hundred yards away having a huge festy in a bush at the mo

spineless city is a bit quiet for the wet ones but the spiders are playing biggly
bathroom spider was a woppa and safely relocated, there is a new fast "on my hammock dinner" lurker in the eves/gutter of the wood shed
i know where and when to place the camera for that one
nice new web, allegedly they are the least toxic of their close rellies, they seem fierce enough to drag me in even without a good poisoning
the pounce on a live dinner is awesome, last year i got a few snaps this time i will try video

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 21 8:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Went for a walk round the woods yesterday, and apart from a dead oak tree that has come down across the public footpath, found quite a lot of interest. The primroses are beautiful, the wood anemones coming on nicely, with enough in flower to make a very distinctive scent; spicy to me. Found celandines, the toothwort starting to come up, and some twayblade just coming through. Found a couple of early purple orchid leaf clumps, but as ours tend to be unspotted, rather hard to distinguish them at a distance from bluebell leaves. Found a lot of early common violet and plenty of birds singing, including a yaffle and a pheasant that jumped up a squawked when I was within a couple of yards of it. In the other woods, I found the common rather than the early common violet. Rather odd, as no warmer, but I haven't found the early ones there at all. [/i]

sgt.colon



Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.
PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 21 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You've set the scene wonderfully MR. It sounds lovely. Which part of Hampshire are you in?

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Mon Apr 05, 21 10:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

bird town news
they are hiding from an air raid

grin and mrs grin are working the area
blue sky seems to be their favoured canvas
it does work for cammo and dazzle

the little birds are hiding

observation but not evidence, mr and mrs grin fly like a pair of well used fast jets in orientation terms

blue sky does seem to get their interest here, easy from blue above is not implausible

no snaps of that either

camera in a belt bag/tac rig and neck strap at all times was my clubbing kit, wildlife are easier than crazy happy folk

up me game

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 21 7:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

South Downs Sgt. Colon.

Yesterday we were up there firing the charcoal kiln and had light snow for a good part of the day. I had a few more walks while husband was minding the kiln; one to check where the dormouse boxes had been put. I found a few of them, but think I will investigate the others when there is not a cold north wind blowing with snow in the air. The second one was a general wander in the top part of the wood, which was rather nice, and the third was in the wood to the north of us. It is mainly plantation, but some rather nice bits anyway. Nothing of particular note seen.

We did see a couple of roe deer on the track as we left the woods just before dark though.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Apr 06, 21 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

the grins did it again this morning just after dawn, similar time similar conditions
next time i will be expecting them

the sparrows are back and most seem to know me, the bracks and young bracket have started to get very comfortable being close to me
the grin visit had some trying to hide under me like chicks and a broody hen

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 21 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

if the little birds panic i can get out with a camera faster than a firebobby down a pole

clear blue sky again, which seems to suit grin over this killing zone but two days in a row was unusual, they normally raid leave it a while and return when they are forgotten

i have a hound, i know hawks to speak to, i just need a camel as a pen pal to have all three for a show

other bird town news the mealworm ration has been doubled as it is cold and i think the bracks may be nesting possibly and with chick
the sparrow breeding season is later than last year but so are the invertebrates they rely on for fat and protein for growing chicks
they are back, some seem to know me, no babies yet

the ankles are quite plump after a winter of free seeds

tweed and young tweed are "domestic fowl" by behaviour and considering they do not look as robust as the average sparrow seem to be adapted to that niche

mr brack just looked at me and now has extra worms, almost certain feeding mrs broodybrack or a chick as he can grab and carry half a dozen at a time rather than just settle down to a breakfast fit for a king

i do not think i could carry half a dozen salamis in my mouth and travel home from the "shop" even with hands to arrange them

he is well busy, 4 journeys while i was typing about his collecting mealworms

i recon living with wildlife is the best way to observe it

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Apr 07, 21 6:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It certainly is a good way. We don't see a lot of our wildlife, but get to know their habits by the leavings. The badgers are at the sawdust heap again, so looking for grubs, and found an inhabited outlier hole the other day. I assume from this that there are cubs in the main sett and some of the unattached badgers have left home for some peace and quiet.

The 'yard' robin has been round looking for crumbs at its feeding station, and there has been a lot of bird song. Cock pheasant has been being a pain around the place for the last few weeks, and judging by its plumage it is in prime breeding condition. Have seen the odd hen pheasant, but very few.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 21 7:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

As we were leaving the yard yesterday, saw a couple of jays. By their behaviour, think they were a pair. We know we have jays, but don't see them as often as most other birds.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Fri Apr 09, 21 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i have a new sammison re-establishing the homestead, we have not introduced ourselves yet but the cafe is open and seems popular
this probably means we are rat free for the moment

the sparrows are starting to return and mr brack is very busy taking food to the nest

no sign of the grins since i put the camera ready:lol:
they are quite challenging to snap with a short distance high level horizon, like taking snaps in a canyon

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 21 4:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

that was fun, pre dawn rap battle between two blackbirds and two nightingales at the same time and close enough to be noticeable as a 4 deck play off

both duets had purpose, but they did seem to interact as well, using the other one's gaps

4 part, complex and not exactly harmony but rather nice

the sparrows are still snoozing

bird town is a bit new york for opening hours, 24 hrs a day there will be something happening

owls are loads of fun, night vis helps

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 21 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I will have to listen for nightingales as someone said we had them. We certainly have the right habitat, but not too sure about what they sound like, so have to listen to late night singers when we are up there with the kiln.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45374
Location: yes
PostPosted: Sat Apr 10, 21 12:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

try "nightingale song" as a search and listen to the youtube stuff, tis quite good.

complex tunes and afaik mostly top end of hearing Hz for humans, they may be doing higher as well that we cannot hear

Mozart stole tunes from them

i suspect the words they are using would make a drill rapper blush

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 21 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I have listened to the RSPB one, and can't be sure whether I have heard it or not. We have quite a number of different songsters in the woods, and I am never too sure whether I am listening to one or the other. I will try again, and see if I can hear anything in the evening when the blackbirds and robins should be in bed.

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