Wildlife December 2010

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,

I showed this to my son about a week ago and he thought it wasn't funny at all. Eighteen and sensitive!

He was also a little upset on Christmas Eve when I decided that "Big Frank" a cock Jersey Giant was getting a little too much for some of our older hens. We had tolerated him when he was younger but he was passing into adulthood and was stamping his authority on our group of hens. Big Frank, had started life as "Tulip", hatched from eggs received from friends, but showed his true colours after some weeks but we were living in hope that he would not be too much of a bully. He was a very big cock but now no longer with us.

Paddy

[Juan Fornes]

  Mark, itīs a really good new to know that you are getting rid of Russy ducks! I forgot to say the pic of the Malvasía, white-headed duck was not mine-this is the only picture not being shot by me: I thought the link was not sent.  And those little ducks, mmm, I think they could get injured.
  Paddy: Iīm very fond of hens so would you have by a chance any picture of your "Poor Saint" Jersey Giant?

[Stan da Prato]

More snaps from the local coast. Waders feed in the intertidal zone so are less affected by snow than many other birds but they do need to take in more food to keep functioning.  Oystercatchers preparing to roost over high tide. Curlew with the longest bill of the lot so it can probe deeper. Bar-tailed godwit probably from northern Russia. Redshank probing in mud. Grey plover - short bill means it  looks for, then grabs prey at the surface of the mud rather than probe; also from the high Arctic. Skylarks driven to look for seeds on the beach. Male reed bunting looking for seeds in the snow. Female blackbird eating the last  berries on a hawthorn. Fieldfares on sea-buckthorn (Elaeagnus rhanmnoides)  sometimes  called the baked bean bush. In hard weather there can be thouands  on the buckthorn.
SdP

[johnw]

Hmm, the weather station says another major storm for January 3rd - a Monday. That will be 5 Mondays in a row.

Calm here, sun trying to peak through, the latest storm was somewhat of a non-event in the city.

johnw   -  +4c

[Maggi Young]

More wonderful photos, Stan...... I wonder why I feel the watery ones are actually "colder" than the snowy ones? No sense in that, is there?

[Juan Fornes]

Great set of pictures, Stan! Mediterranean sea has no appreciable tides (the less appreciable the further you get from the Gibraltar Strait and the influence of the Atlantic Ocean), so those rich intertidal places do not exist where I live though they can be found in southwest and above all up in the north of Spain, where birdwatching is said to be very exciting in winter with many rare birds being recorded each year above all coinciding with the worst winter storms (by the way John: good luck with your announced storm...)

[Stephenb]

Great pictures, Stan which brought back memories of when I was a student in Edinburgh and winter bird watching cycle rides to Aberlady from Balerno where I lived from 1977-81! Am I right that you were involved with the Scottish Orniothological Club in Edinburgh - used to go to meetings in the Grassmarket I think (or was that RSPB)?

Nice to see the Reed Bunting - I'd forgotten they were around all year - a summer visitor here...

[Paddy Tobin]

Juan,

I've looked and can't find any photographs of my "Jersey Giants". I will have to take some and post some other time. For now, here are some of the  other hens.

Paddy

[Juan Fornes]

    Thank you Paddy! Your birds look great (and the enviroment! By the way: you wonīt need a spanish, dwarf hen-keeper,will you ) I know hens are not the most elgant bird you can think of, but there is something about them that makes them as totally cool for me... My partner gave me as a present a hen for our 7th. anniversary (some 14 years ago...time is really running!) a hen very similar to those in your picture (thatīs why I have remebered this), and we called her "Seven". She stayed with us until a "lovely" neighbor told us to get rid of it, because her clucking disturbed her too much... Even though I donīt live there anymore, that has been my last experience with hens. However, I try to know native varities. In La Vecilla, Leon province, north of Spain and the villages around them, they have particular varieties, "Pardo" and "Indio", wich are very sought-after to make the wings of insects to fish trouts. The cocks are fabulous, and the hens are very very special. Thank you again for sharing!

[Olga Bondareva]

Stan
Thank you very much for pictures of pretty birds! Most of all I like the one with long nose.

Our woods are still frozen after icy rain. I go for feeding birds every day.

[Juan Fornes]

Beautiful pictures Olga! Lovely contrast the colourful spots of the tits with the naked enviroment.

[mark smyth]

Paddy your duck is very clean. Do you have a stream in your garden?

[Paddy Tobin]

Mark,
 
When I leave them out of their run they make straight for the pond and spend lots of time there ducking and splashing.

Paddy

[mark smyth]

Nothing worse than a dirty duck

[Hoy]

Our woods are still frozen after icy rain. I go for feeding birds every day.

Olga, thank you for your pics of the great and blue tit!
I have the two of them here together with tree- and house sparrows, robins, yellowhammers, blackbirds and some more. I too feed them every day. I tried to take some pictures but I can't get near them. They are afraid due to many cats here.