Wildlife -Winter 2008

[Maggi Young]

Does anyone remember a  post, some time ago, from a forumist in Canada whose wife had shot a huge moose/elk?   I have been searching for an hour and I can't find it! Help, anyone??


AHA! Success, the search faciltiy was being awkward...tried a few changes and I found it!
 It was Clay K.'s wife.... you can see here and her prize here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/321/3772.html


 Of course, they live in Alaska, not Canada!!

[mark smyth]

It was good seeing those gardens again. I didnt think John Lonsdale was a young guy. I would love to see his collection

[Anthony Darby]

I didnt think John Lonsdale was a young guy. I would love to see his collection

Does this mean you now think he is or think he isn't?

[mark smyth]

I thought he was older

[mark smyth]

The last time waxwings came to N Ireland I only saw them once. Last Saturday I saw them once, on Sunday I saw the same flock plus two others, on Wednesday some were in a tree out the back of my house. Today I saw more waxwings feeding on hips.

[ashley]

Still no waxwings here, but yesterday our first blackcap arrived.  Over the last few winters males have outnumbered females at least 4:1; does anyone know why this is?

Today as I sat beside the water at the end of the garden a kingfisher perched close by and calmly proceeded to fish.  No camera unfortunately 

[Michael J Campbell]

Goldfinches at the feeders today.

This pic was taken through the kitchen window,so is a bit hazy.
 I know, I should clean the windows more often.

[mark smyth]

I love seeing and hearing Goldies. Very few are coming to my feeders this year. Usually only two at a time. I has Siskins last week.

I saw waxwings again yesterday and on Sunday. I've now seen more waxwings in the last few weeks than the rest of my life. The last time I saw some was about 14 years ago and prior to that I was about 16

[maggiepie]

These goldfinch have much nicer markings than the ones we see here around here during summer.

[Maggi Young]

I know, I should clean the windows more often.

Michael, go and wash you mouth out with soap.... if any Divine Being had meant us to wash windows he wouldn't have made glass dirty so easily.
Life is too short for many things, and washing windows is one of those ..... think how much time away from the feeders those lovely birds would have had to have if you were out there washing windows? Shame on you!



Helen, are they ( the Goldfinches) the same species over there in Canada?  Sometimes the name is the same but the bird is other!!

[Paddy Tobin]

Working in the garden today I had the good fortune to see Blackcap, Goldcrest, Treecreeper, Stonechat along with the regulars and Redwing over the fence in my neighbour's field.

Unlike Michael, I didn't have a camera to hand - difficult while pushing a wheelbarrow, digging etc.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

Paddy are you close to the sea?

Maggi there are 5 species of Goldfinch in the world
European Goldfinch
American Goldfinch
Lawrence's Goldfinch
Dark-backed Goldfinch

Ours is the most colourfull. There are 9 subspecies across Europe
The American male is brightest. He's bright yellow
Lawrence's looks like a cross between a Greenfinch and a Siskin
The Dark-backed hasa glossy black back and head

From my excellent book Finches and Sparrows
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finches-Sparrows-Identification-Guide-Guides/dp/0713652039/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230666568&sr=1-7
It was £20 but is now £94. Off to Ebay now

[Michael J Campbell]

Paddy, I had only one blackcap visit the garden last year and I have only one this year again.

[Michael J Campbell]

Helen, here is another pic showing a goldfinch from the front,you can see the nice red markings on the face.

[maggiepie]

What are blackcaps?
Here they are the blackcapped chickadee, lovely little birds, they always look neat and are very neat feeders, they grab their sunflower seed and buzz off, not like some birds that just like to sit in the feeder and drop the shells right back into the feeder.
The goldfinches do that as do the pine siskins.