Any keen bird feeders out there?

Ken68

Don't remember taking this, but is my location and about as exotic as it gets.

cyclonebri1

Had a great amount of !!!! blackbirds around this backend.
And today I saw the amazing demise of 1:A

As said we have been feeding birds all winter, as usual.
None come until the frosts or fallen snow, but over the last few weeks we have had squabelling blackbirds around.

I was at the kitchen window doing veg for dinner and looked up at exactly the right second.
A !!!! blacky was on the garage gutter, about to drop on the mealworms we put down. Suddenly he was slammed 8ft over and down into the conservatory window by a beautiful Sparrowhawk.
It killed him outright and sat on him for at least 2 mins but just when the the camera was ready it simply lifted of with blacky in it's tallons, beautiful ce la vie or what ever.:A

Gers

Cylconebri - your experience reminded me of a photo I took on 03 October 2012 when I was at work in the Midlands. We sat inside the cafe one day looking through the glass when this happened. The raptor (and I can't identify it from this picture as we were a bit away from it) chased the pigeon which flew into the glass walls of the office building. In face there was a bloodied impression of the poor pigeon on the office wall for many months, could see all the feathers in red.

The raptor seemed unconcerned with everyone watching and taking pictures and proceeded to pluck out all the feathers from the pigeon. A pile of them were out there for many days until finally a wind came up

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Happygreen

Well caught, Gers! I'm just reading H is for Hawk, a brilliant book if you like raptors. I've never seen a Goshawk here, Sparrowhawks and Kestrels Buzzards and the odd Eagle (there is a releasing program in a nature reserve in the district), and never with the Camera out.
OH managed to get one on the road - if you google North Fife Eagle, the 3 pictures on the road are his. To illustrate the size of the bird, 2 cars pass easily on this road!

Ken68

Lucky escape, HG. looked like he was eying up for a kill.lol

cyclonebri1

Gers wrote: »

Cylconebri - your experience reminded me of a photo I took on 03 October 2012 when I was at work in the Midlands. We sat inside the cafe one day looking through the glass when this happened. The raptor (and I can't identify it from this picture as we were a bit away from it) chased the pigeon which flew into the glass walls of the office building. In face there was a bloodied impression of the poor pigeon on the office wall for many months, could see all the feathers in red.

The raptor seemed unconcerned with everyone watching and taking pictures and proceeded to pluck out all the feathers from the pigeon. A pile of them were out there for many days until finally a wind came up

[IMG][/img]

Yes, again, a Sparrowhawk, they are really amazing, the thing that struck me was that mine just sat there with talons clenched until it was certain the BB was dead, then just lifted off.


A mate called in today, he said he had seen the same thing recently in his garden, but it took a wood pigeon, a bird it's own size, but "his" kept rocking from side to side applying local pressure until the bird didn't struggle.


It's nature and is just as satisfying to observe as the more wholesome aspects.

Happygreen

Ken68 wrote: »

Lucky escape, HG. looked like he was eying up for a kill.lol

I think it was one of the newly released youngsters and a bit disoriented . It had no idea to better fly off when a car is approaching or OH would not have had time to take 3 shots...

Bakc to my garden - we have a blackbird with some white wing feathers, very odd!

Gers

My back garden is littered with birds all scoffing from either the feeders or the ground food.

Every time I go into my kitchen they all scatter with a mighty flurry, makes me feel like the gardener in Bill and Ben! Once I get to my sink at the window a few brave souls flutter back, eat from the feeder whilst keeping a beady eye on me. Funnily enough when I actually go out to refill the feeders they all gather in the spruce tree to watch and wait.

A blackbird with white bits? Please share if you find out what it is.

TravellingAbuela

Happygreen wrote: »

Bakc to my garden - we have a blackbird with some white wing feathers, very odd!

When we were at our caravan last summer we spotted a blackbird with white wing tips. It was around for quite a few weeks. Sadly I never got a photograph of it.


Just found this page on the RSPB site. Some more blackbirds with weird colourings.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/b/blackbird/feathers.aspx

Gers

Interesting read TA, never heard of that before.

Happygreen, great pics of a very grumpy looking eagle. Looks like one of those gnomes in the Harry Potter films.

There's a hide overlooking the canal and moss land near to me. This summer I will buy a better pair of binoculars and go to watch what's out there.

Meanwhile the garden birds have long gone 'to bed'. Tomorrow I have to get some plastic sheeting to cover up my possessions in the back outbuilding as it will be used later on by swallows. Want to encourage them back but not have my dried goods and tins pooped on!