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Author Topic: Wildlife early 2009  (Read 55187 times)

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #300 on: May 03, 2009, 09:05:32 AM »
Amazing Paddy. What a photo opportunity? My point wasn't about your post, but about Mark's. Mistle thrushes are less generally seen so song thrushes are just referred to as 'thrushes'.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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illingworth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #301 on: May 03, 2009, 12:43:06 PM »
Here they are Paul. I had intended to send two others but I guess I didn't get them attached. -Rob
Rob and Sharon,
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Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

ranunculus

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #302 on: May 03, 2009, 01:15:59 PM »
Beautiful images, Rob ... congratulations.
Cliff Booker
Behind a camera in Whitworth. Lancashire. England.

Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #303 on: May 03, 2009, 01:35:24 PM »
What an exciting event to witness and fascinating photographs of the grouse drumming out his patch -  what did it sound like, was he calling too?
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #304 on: May 03, 2009, 03:00:09 PM »
A friend has a mistle thrush nesting about chest high in a Betula. It is extremely steady and allows a very close approach except for magpies!
Antrim, Northern Ireland Z8
www.snowdropinfo.com / www.marksgardenplants.com / www.saveourswifts.co.uk

When the swifts arrive empty the green house

All photos taken with a Canon 900T and 230

Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #305 on: May 03, 2009, 04:51:51 PM »
Busy bees everywhere carrying full pollen baskets after visiting the meadow flowers..luckily the meadow fields are not sprayed  :)
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

Anthony Darby

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #306 on: May 03, 2009, 08:05:45 PM »
Ah, pee-the-bed, aka dandelion.
Anthony Darby, Auckland, New Zealand.
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Paddy Tobin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #307 on: May 03, 2009, 08:19:59 PM »
Rob & Sharon,

Brilliant photographs, a seldom witnessed occasion, great to see it.

Anthony, Naturally enough, I didn't have a camera to hand just when I really would have liked to have one. It is, perhaps, just a very local happening but there are more mistle thrushes than song thrushes around our garden. Over the winter there were always five or six about but only one pair of song thrushes.

The young mistle thrush is staying quite close to the nest area and is being fed by the parents and still is not bothered by us being quite close by.

Paddy
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Paul T

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #308 on: May 04, 2009, 12:40:44 AM »
Rob,

Thanks for the extra pics.  Great looking bird!!  8)
Cheers.

Paul T.
Canberra, Australia.
Min winter temp -8 or -9°C. Max summer temp 40°C. Thankfully, maybe once or twice a year only.

illingworth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #309 on: May 04, 2009, 02:45:17 AM »
Robin,  to me the sound is that of a person trying to start a small gas engine,;it fires a few times, almost takes hold and then fails. The drumming  noise is made by the beating of the birds wings against its breast with ever increasing rapidity. I took more photos today from the side and may try tomorrow again, facing the bird. He seemed to lack enthusiasm this afternoon as if he is getting disheartened with no females showing up to his repeated invitations..Rob
Sharon here now re. the question of calls.  The adults will make clucking notes, and the chicks will peep. The mother can make a racket like a banshee, along with a vigorous broken-wing act,  if she feels her chicks are threatened.
One last photo from today.
Rob and Sharon,
Our garden at http://www.flickr.com/photos/illingworth/
Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

Lori S.

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #310 on: May 04, 2009, 02:55:40 AM »
Terrific photos, Rob and Sharon!  What a thrill (or heart attack!) when they fly up from under your feet!  Such perfect camouflage!
Lori
Calgary, Alberta, Canada - Zone 3
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mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #311 on: May 04, 2009, 06:58:24 AM »
here are the chicks from my friends garden
« Last Edit: May 04, 2009, 07:02:52 AM by mark smyth »
Antrim, Northern Ireland Z8
www.snowdropinfo.com / www.marksgardenplants.com / www.saveourswifts.co.uk

When the swifts arrive empty the green house

All photos taken with a Canon 900T and 230

mark smyth

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #312 on: May 04, 2009, 07:19:12 AM »
I think this is the same Grouse
Antrim, Northern Ireland Z8
www.snowdropinfo.com / www.marksgardenplants.com / www.saveourswifts.co.uk

When the swifts arrive empty the green house

All photos taken with a Canon 900T and 230

Ragged Robin

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #313 on: May 04, 2009, 09:07:37 AM »
Ah, pee-the-bed, aka dandelion.
....extremely a-pee-ling to bees at any rate  ;D
Valais, Switzerland - 1,200 metres - Continental climate - rocks and moraine

ranunculus

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Re: Wildlife early 2009
« Reply #314 on: May 04, 2009, 09:25:40 AM »
Ah, pee-the-bed, aka dandelion.
....extremely a-pee-ling to bees at any rate  ;D

... And wee-vils perhaps..?   ;)
Cliff Booker
Behind a camera in Whitworth. Lancashire. England.

 


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