Any keen bird feeders out there?

Ken68

Am waiting for my neighbour to surface, she would know.
Otherwise in Google "Raptors with fork tails", the first pictures.

Ken68

Neighbour not sure. The 'forked tail' could be part of the wing of a peregrine. Could be a kite. Well spotted whatever.

cyclonebri1

Gers wrote: »

What raptor has that?

Some of the tiny little swallows actually made full contact with this bird, about six birds were going for it. Sorry for the fuzzy pic, it's through my kitchen window and only on my iPad, no proper camera to hand.

Certainly lifted my Saturdsy evening.

I had 1 of those too., :(:(

Gers

Ken68 wrote: »

Neighbour not sure. The 'forked tail' could be part of the wing of a peregrine. Could be a kite. Well spotted whatever.

My research comes up with either a marsh harrier or young kite. I was excited to see it but don't want it to think my garden is it's fast food drive through!

Ken68

The Marsh Harriers I see around here are big brown jobs.so probably a Kite.

cyclonebri1

Difficult to tell but looks too small for a Kite??

Gers

Now had the bird identified as a hen harrier - they are breeding about a mile away. Farmer's wife told me yesterday.

Last week I saw the bird catch a young crow and hold it to the ground, then the crow got away and the hen harrier just swooped in and caught it again.

I think my garden birds are safe because the garden is an enclosed space and the hen harrier may find it difficult to maneovure without banging into a wall.

Last week I scattered some unwanted linseeds and the birds loved them - first choice for most of them.

cyclonebri1

I wouldn't recognise 1 if I saw 1 either, , nice to know though

Gers

Just found that some cheeky birds have found the bags of food in the outbuilding and pecked holes in them to get to the seeds. I'm not sure if I'm impressed or flabbergasted.

The Robin is now back and hanging about both the front and back of the house. His little breast is very red indeed. I know they are ground feeders so will get some mealworms (yeugh) for him.

Got loads of starlings now too. They don't half squabble with each other in the air. Whilst they're busy fighting the others nip in for a clear field. 😄

So much pleasure for so little effort!

cyclonebri1

Gers wrote: »

Now had the bird identified as a hen harrier - they are breeding about a mile away. Farmer's wife told me yesterday.

Last week I saw the bird catch a young crow and hold it to the ground, then the crow got away and the hen harrier just swooped in and caught it again.

I think my garden birds are safe because the garden is an enclosed space and the hen harrier may find it difficult to maneovure without banging into a wall.

Last week I scattered some unwanted linseeds and the birds loved them - first choice for most of them.

Just thought about this again, without looking it all up is there a hen harrier, or is it a marsh harrier or similar, ie does the !!!! harrier exist

Edit;

MSE doesn't like Coc*

I meant *ock harrier