Wildlife -January 2010

[Diane Clement]

There are greys a few miles from here.  Apparently they follow  beech trees.  The Forestry Commission wanted to cut some mature beech trees to stop the grey squirrels from spreading but locals did not want them cut.  They no longer plant beech trees round the edge of conifer plantations as the greys cannot survive in pure conifer forests like the reds.  

These are fantastic, Roma, thanks for showing them.  Which species do you have in NI, Mark?

[Ragged Robin]

Fantastic photos of Red Squirrel Roma - as you say, they are so wary of being photographed, so yours is a real coup.  Here I have seen them in the forest but they are smaller and almost black with red tinge and long ears - really gorgeous to watch as they are such acrobats in the pine trees.

[mark smyth]

Diane our reds are almost gone except for County Fermanagh and Belvoir, said bever, Forest in Belfast. Greys are spreading fast in my town

[Sinchets]

I think the colour changes as you move across Europe, Robin. Here they are almost black with reddish undercoat.

[Ragged Robin]

Yes, Simon, their characteristics are very different to ones in Scotland with longer, thicker fur and much more compact and very vocal in warnings to each other.  Do you have any photos of Reds with you? 

[Stephenb]

The Hawfinch was back again today briefly and I managed to get one distant shot:

[mark smyth]

Excellent photo anyway. You also have greenfinches! It's a long time since I saw one over here. Yellowhammers are like hen's teeth. What other finches do you have?

[Stephenb]

This winter: Siskin (up to 20), Greenfinch (very common with flocks up to 50 in some years, but hit by the Greenfinch version of Swine flu this autumn) , Bullfinch (up to 10), Hawfinch.

Most winters: Chaffinch, Brambling (both usually up to 3 or 4), Goldfinch (up to 10), Redpoll (invasion species, can be hundreds when plenty of birch seed, not one this winter)

Occasional: Crossbill/Parrot Crossbill (more common in the country around)

In the countryside only: Two-barred Crossbill (small invasion this winter), Pine Grosbeak (rare), Arctic Redpoll (rare), Twite (rare), Linnet (rare)...

Think that's about it 
 

[Ragged Robin]

So far the Siskins have been keeping to the larch tree and peck at the cones but late afternoon as the weather changed they were on the peanut feeder, feeding so fast this was the best I could do for shots in focus!  I love their yellow bib and speckled waistcoat   

[Armin]

Super shots from your feeder stations.

Nice to see a picture of a hawfinch, bullfinch and siskin. All three are quite rare in my region I live.

Today afternoon a sparrowhawk flew an attack to my bird feeder. I relised it by the panic shrieks of blackbirds and sparrows. Unfortunately until I found my camera he disappeared... After the attack there was 20 minutes silence on my feeder... First birds returning were great and blue tits.

[mark smyth]

A couple of years ago Hawfinches were found in N Ireland

[Stephenb]

I thought that Hawfinches were relatively common in the UK as they have increased in numbers in recent years over here. I remember, when I lived in Edinburgh, that there were reports from the Botanics, but I never saw one. Now I see that according to Wikipedia they were formerly found at the botanics and that they are best known at Scone Palace in Perth:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawfinches_in_Britain

...and youtube:

[mark smyth]

Thanks for the Youtube link.

[fredg]

This little girl paid us a visit today.

That pigeon doesn't look too happy.

[mark smyth]

Is that a rock pigeon in it's talons? I don't mean rock dove.