Bird Watching a Relaxing Hobby

[Waspie]

Handsome little beasts aren’t they……and, unlike wasps, not aggressive unless provoked.

Just had to have a Wasp nest terminated after wifey was stung and had a reaction!! Luckily, we caught it before they managed to set up a colony. Little boogars had set up in our dry stone wall. Bad enough she was stung, the worry was our young pup would get stung as she's very inquisitive.
Didn't like calling in the chap but two blast of magic powder and sadly they were no more. Angry little devils, I learned they, unlike Bees, can sting repeatedly and always go for the upper body and head.

[Tim Marlow]

Sad but necessary in my experience Doug.

[Tim Marlow]

Hi all. I’m usually quite good at this stuff, but this one has me stumped……been watching it for about thirty minutes sat on next doors roof.
I know what I “think” it is, but am equally sure that the bird I think it is is so rare that it can’t be…l






The photos are rubbish, but they were the best I could get. He has a grey/black beak, a prominent eye stripe, and yellowish legs, along with a grey body with a black top side. Now, to me he looks like a black crowned night heron between juvenile and adult plumage, but they are very rare so it just can’t be…..can it?

[Tim Marlow]

Slightly better definition on the plumage…

[Dave Ward]

Certainly looks like an older juvenile

Better hope it isn't too rare, otherwise you'll have a horde of twitchers trampling your garden!
Dave

[Tim Marlow]

Certainly looks like an older juvenile
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1228929[/ATTACH]
Better hope it isn't too rare, otherwise you'll have a horde of twitchers trampling your garden!
Dave

Only if I tell ‘em Dave…….anyway, he flew off to the North East so isn’t here any more. He’s probably a visitor from the levels. They are very rare though. Only a dozen or so sightings a year….

[Tim Marlow]

Great sight on the back lawn this evening…….watched them for ages.

Not the greatest of pictures, but that’s a green woodpecker feeding a juvenile using ants from our lawn.

[Richard48]

I like bird watching.I go to Holland on sea Haven which has a marsh and large pond.Some guys who are armed with binos and stuff are kind and name the birds for me.Then we have Walton on the Naze nature reserve and get to see Terns,Cormmorants,Turnstones,Heron etc.
Nice to sit and see what i can see.
Richard.

[Tim Marlow]

Not really birding, but nature related nonetheless. Picked up these cuties from our lawn today before cutting the grass. All now safely rehomed.

All about six inches long, so are this year’s. Mum is about six foot long and lives behind our greenhouse. Feel quite privileged to have them. To those from foreign climes….they are grass snakes and are totally benign and harmless. They have now been rehomed to slightly safer areas around our patch. They will probably come back until they hibernate though, so grass cutting will be a much longer task for the rest of the year.

[PaulTRose]

I visit the wifes grave most days..... Theres a lot of crows that are a pain in the posterior....... Theres also a lot of magpies...... The wife was always superstitious about magpies...... I was once sat on the grass and looked up to find myself at the centre of a ring of 12 magpies!

Theres two that would come close when i sat on the bench so i started throwing peanuts to them so they got tamer...... A month ago they turned up with a youngster..... Following the mother squawking for food and mother ignoring thinking bugger off and fend for yourself

It took a week but the youngster has learnt to come close for nuts

The nuts are really for the squirrels...... Regulary have 3 or 4 at infront of me for peanuts.... One is tame enough to come and take them from my fingers

Makes me smile

[Tim Marlow]

That’s twelve for wealth Paul…..draw the line there though, thirteen is “the devil himself” apparently 😁

[PaulTRose]

That’s twelve for wealth Paul…..draw the line there though, thirteen is “the devil himself” apparently 😁

Does the one on my shoulder count? Lol

Its been touched up since the day this was done.... More black on the head and body

[Tim Marlow]

Does the one on my shoulder count? Lol

Its been touched up since the day this was done.... More black on the head and body

Ooo er, one for sorrow there Paul…..

[PaulTRose]

Ooo er, one for sorrow there Paul…..

Like i said..... Late wifes spirit animal