Birders' Nest

[Kalevala]

And I do, and did, I assure you. We revelled in the moment. It was not so much disappointment in the camera's absence, as astonishment at my apparent inability to remember to take it.

We all have moments like that; you are not alone.     

K

[Elgarian Redux]

I am currently thinking (camera ready, in hand) of writing a learned ornithological article with a title something like:

'Why are there no dunnocks in my garden, now?'

[Kalevala]

I learned a new term today:  egg-capping.  They think that it doesn't happen often according to this article, but it can happen.  https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v113n03/p0703-p0705.pdf

K

[Elgarian Redux]

I learned a new term today:  egg-capping.  They think that it doesn't happen often according to this article, but it can happen.  https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v113n03/p0703-p0705.pdf

K

But also in that article, I read: 'Most parent birds remove eggshells from the nest
shortly after hatching.'

Thank you again for this. I passed on your comments to my wife, and her eyes lit up with hope!

[Kalevala]

But also in that article, I read: 'Most parent birds remove eggshells from the nest
shortly after hatching.'

Thank you again for this. I passed on your comments to my wife, and her eyes lit up with hope!

I didn't study the article intently (more like skimming parts of it), but found it to be quite interesting.  It never occurred to me that a hatched shell could possibly interfere with an unhatched egg.

K

[Elgarian Redux]

It never occurred to me that a hatched shell could possibly interfere with an unhatched egg.

K

Same here.

When the fledglings leave the nest for good - is that a quick process, easily missed? We thought we'd see them learning to fly, but nothing like that happened. There was just a day when there was no activity at the nestbox, and  zero activity ever afterwards.

[Kalevala]

Same here.

When the fledglings leave the nest for good - is that a quick process, easily missed? We thought we'd see them learning to fly, but nothing like that happened. There was just a day when there was no activity at the nestbox, and  zero activity ever afterwards.

Hi.  I don't know how often you were watching them (maybe install some sort of bird/wildlife cam?).  There's some info here about the species.  Sorry, but I am far from an expert.  "Nestling period" info sounds like it might be helpful to you.  Perhaps get involved in a local bird watching group/society?  I think that it's great that you and your wife care so much.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Tit/lifehistory

K

[owlice]

1. I never knew there were so many over there.
2. The quality of images here is such that I don't know how to comment sensibly on them except in terms like 'Wow' or 'Gosh' or 'Goodness me', followed by some random number of exclamation marks.
3. Each of those sparrows looks like a bird I would want to know, and have a conversation with.

1. I didn't know there were so many over here, either. And that's just in the US; there are also sparrows in most other places on Earth. SO MANY SPARROWS!!
2. You're very kind, and it is the camera. Really! I have often lent my "spare" camera (the P950) to others, and yeah, it's the camera. I could hand you this camera and your pics would require others to buy more exclamation points.... assuming you remembered to take the camera outside. 
3. The birds look forward to making your acquaintance!

[owlice]

So this morning we took ourselves up into the hills, with spectacular views across to the Pennines, and set off on a favourite walk. And there on a post was a male stonechat, calm as you like. We slowed down. He stayed. Eventually he was only a few feet away. I reached for my camera .... but ....

I hadn't brought my camera! Again!

So we stopped and just looked. No need for binoculars. White collar, black head, light red-brown chest. Fabulous. After a few minutes, Mrs Stonechat landed on an adjacent post, and then off they both went. This of course is a 'one that got away' story, but truly I have never had such a close view.

Otherwise the place was devoid of visible birdlife - not a lapwing or a curlew to be seen.

But I really, really have to sort out this camera issue. Apologies, @owlice. I appreciate you are doing your best to help.

This made me lol the first time I read it and every subsequent time, too! 

Maybe print it out and tape it to the door you use to go outside... ? 

Your stonechat encounter sounds enchanting. You might remember it all the rest of your life because you didn't take your camera!

[owlice]

The boardwalks never disappoint.

Bald Eagle (so big!)


Red-winged Blackbird (so noisy!)


Common Yellowthroat (so cute!)

[Elgarian Redux]

Hi.  I don't know how often you were watching them (maybe install some sort of bird/wildlife cam?).  There's some info here about the species.  Sorry, but I am far from an expert.  "Nestling period" info sounds like it might be helpful to you.  Perhaps get involved in a local bird watching group/society?  I think that it's great that you and your wife care so much.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Tit/lifehistory

K

Thanks very much - I shall print out the nesting info. Maybe also add a notice to the nestbox, asking future occupants to be less mysterious.

About the 'caring': whether we like it or not, a different attitude does develop in relation to the birds that visit our garden, compared with those we see in the wild (and yes, I know these are also 'in the wild'. They're not pets!) One can't be completely objective about the pheasant that wanders in as if he owns the place. And because we put up the nestbox, we can't help having a stake in the future of the great tits who choose to use it. I don't think we're sentimental about it, even though we sometimes talk of them as if they were people, for fun.

A few weeks ago we found a pigeon in the garden that was seriously ill - it looked as if it had had the equivalent of a stroke, and couldn't use half of its body. We didn't know what to do, so put some food and water within reach, and left him in case he recovered from whatever it was. His mate stayed nearby, clearly puzzled. She kept going over to him and nudging him, keeping vigil until he quietly died after about half an hour. Even then she couldn't figure out what had happened, and stayed around for another hour or so, as if hopeful of a revival that would never come.

Even though countless events of that kind are happening out of sight, it wasn't possible to watch that episode without feeling sympathy. I think of Blake: 'How do you know but ev'ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos'd by your senses five?'

[Elgarian Redux]

You might remember it all the rest of your life because you didn't take your camera!

There's something in that. Sometimes, photos have a tendency to dislodge the dynamic memory of an event and replace it with a static image.

[Elgarian Redux]

The boardwalks never disappoint.

Bald Eagle (so big!)

Crikey!

Red-winged Blackbird (so noisy!)

Blimey!

Common Yellowthroat (so cute!)

Not so common at all! What a charmer!

[Elgarian Redux]

This morning there was a dunnock in the garden - on the bird bath, in fact.
So [see discussion above] I grabbed my camera and clicked, again and again.

I ended up with multiple views of the bird bath, each one spoiled by a fuzzy blob where the dunnock should be.

This is the problem with dunnocks - they are NEVER still. Constantly flitting about, flicking every bit of feather in an orgy of motion. They have no consideration for the needs of the photographer.

[Elgarian Redux]

Roll up! Roll up! Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the game of 'SPOT THE DUNNOCK!'

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a little whirly blob of some sort? Is it a bit of fluff on the camera lens?

Let the people decide:

[owlice]

A few weeks ago we found a pigeon in the garden that was seriously ill - it looked as if it had had the equivalent of a stroke, and couldn't use half of its body. We didn't know what to do, so put some food and water within reach, and left him in case he recovered from whatever it was. His mate stayed nearby, clearly puzzled. She kept going over to him and nudging him, keeping vigil until he quietly died after about half an hour. Even then she couldn't figure out what had happened, and stayed around for another hour or so, as if hopeful of a revival that would never come.

Even though countless events of that kind are happening out of sight, it wasn't possible to watch that episode without feeling sympathy. I think of Blake: 'How do you know but ev'ry Bird that cuts the airy way, Is an immense world of delight, clos'd by your senses five?'

I did not have weeping into my morning coffee on today's bingo card... 

[Elgarian Redux]

So we went to see our daughter this afternoon and stopped for half an hour at the Little Egret spot. No sign of any avocets, but there was a little egret, just visible, apparently in a galaxy far away. I used the top of the car to steady the camera and did my best. The results are clearly rubbish, but they represent my first ever photographs of a little egret.

[Elgarian Redux]

Also, again at a distance best measured in light years, were these. I think they're black-tailed godwits. Are they?

[Elgarian Redux]

I did not have weeping into my morning coffee on today's bingo card... 

My apologies. It was very sad at the time.

[Elgarian Redux]

Finally, on this same visit, for the first time I've been able to see a tern and know whether it was common or arctic. Black tips on the bills! Ladies and gentlemen, I offer you two common terns.