Good garden list, and the skies above for 5th of August 2013

I had a great list for today, very impressed, I still got a lot of work on the websites done, including the UK finance updates and a put a few new calculators on the aussie site -now closed- , The Starlings are doing great displays at dusk with more than 30 birds in the sunset. Here’s my list:

Blackbird x 2
Black-headed Gull x 1
Blue Tit x 3
Dunnock x 1
Great Tit x 1
Greenfinch x 2
House Sparrow x 1
Magpie x 1
Robin x 1 – first in a while!
Starlings x 30+
Swifts x – a few about today
Swallows x 8
Woodpigeon x 2

Garden Bird list for 4th of August 2013, thought I wasn’t going to see a Dunnock

For a long time today I didn’t see a single Dunnock and I was surprised, then one turned up at the same time as house sparrow, also had a common buzzard high overhead, wish I could get better at telling my gulls from the ground!

Blue Tit x 1
Carrion crow x 5 fly over
Common Buzzard x 1 once again getting mobbed by gulls, not sure on the sorts of gulls.
Dunnock x 1
Greenfinch x 2
House Sparrow x 1
Jackdaw x 1
Magpie x 1
Swifts x a fair few flying over, maybe 15 to 20.
Swallows x 1 flying quite low to the ground
Woodpigeon x 2

Garden bird list and birds of Gardening Scotland

earlier today I posted a few pictures from the Isle of May trip http://www.wbist.com/archives/2899, but a friend on twitter @RoseCottageFife wrote a much more in depth and informative piece about here trip to the Isle of May here: http://rosecottageeastneuk.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-jewel-of-forth-nature-lover-day.html and there’s the Isle of May Blog from 15th of May announcing they do have puffins: http://isleofmaynnr.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/yes-we-do-have-puffins.html – I would love to spend time out there as a scientist or conservationist, only problem is I have no degree in either!!! Silly me for pursuing computers and photography… Maybe they need a professional photographer!? Would love that, I’ll bring my own food!

My bird list today, there’s 2 lists as I went to Gardening Scotland and managed a few sightings there:

Garden list:

Blackbird x 1 – singing very very early! My wife has started putting earplugs next to the bed so that when they start at 3.30am she can dull the sound a bit.
Blue Tit x 2 – going into nest box
Carrion crow x 4
Coal Tit x 1
Dunnock x 3
Jackdaw x 2
Magpie x 1
Woodpigeon x 2

At Gardening Scotland:

Moorhens
Oystercatcher
Rook
Starlings
Swallows – a few nests around the buildings there.

These are the photos to go with the Isle of May post from the 29th of May: http://www.wbist.com/archives/2804 hope they give you a bit of an idea to what the trip was like:

Tern on Post

Guillemots

Puffins Isle of May

Razor Bill

Razor Bill Isle of May

Tern in flight

Female Eider on nest

Rock Pipit

Guillemot grooming

Razorbills

Puffins with the Bass Rock in background

Below are comments that got lost when the website went down.

2 responses to Photos from Isle of May, 29th of May 2013. Scotland UK.

Wes Donze said on June 3, 2013

excellent photos – very good selection
- KiwiGav said on June 3, 2013
  
  Glad you liked them, I hope to get a few from last year up, I felt they were better, it was a brighter day and a lot more birds about, the storms and spills of whatever it was down south seem to have taken their toll on the birds up here.

At a wedding, not a lot of birds for May 25th 2013

I was at a wedding today and didn’t get to see a lot of birds. The wedding was at Edinburgh Zoo and I did see a few birds from around the world, penguins, cassowary and a few other birds, but I don’t add birds that are in captivity obviously.

Blackbird
Carrion Crow
Magpie
Swallow

If you’ve never seen a Cassowary before there was a great BBC Natural World show, you can see the whole episode on youtube.

BBC Natural World – Cassowaries

New nest in the garden, already with young in it!

Not a bad day here in Edinburgh beautiful and sunny and decent list for the garden, found a new bird nest!

Blackbird x 2
Blue Tit x 1 – going into the nestbox, there’s still hope there’s something in there.
Carrion crow x 2 Flyovers
Coal Tit x 1
Collared Dove x 1
Dunnock x 5 – most I’ve seen at once, I also found a nest and a rejected egg, the egg was a bit away from the nest and sitting in a bush, I was surprsied to see something so bright blue amongst the green. Guess the poor little guy just didn’t survive, it did get very cold yesterday.
Great Tit x 1 – first I’ve seen in the garden for a bit.
Greenfinch x 1
House Sparrow x 1 – also first I’ve seen in a long time in the garden.
Magpie x 1
Starlings x 1 – flyover
Woodpigeon x 2

Below are comments that got lost when the website went down.

Wes Donze said on May 25, 2013

good selection – nice to see 5 Dunnock – shame about the egg – could be the parent rejected it
Hope the Blue tit nests in the box – ned to get new boxes up for next year myself

Wildfowl & Wetland Trust London Wetland Centre Bird list for 22nd of May 2013.

I was hoping to have this list up a lot earlier today as it’s from 22nd of May however I was so busy doing the http://www.saverscene.com.au/finance/ (now closed as I move into gardening as a profession) updates for Australian best savings, credit cards and due to the fact many Aussies have to pay for bank accounts the best free bank account offers it took longer than expected as their saving interest rates are going the same way as the UK ones.

Now to birds thanks to the suggestion of Wes and the ease of getting to the WWT – Wildfowl & Wetland Trust in London Wetland Centre – see their twitter account here: @WWTLondon I managed my best bird list for the UK this year, sadly I didn’t have my camera and my legs didn’t hold out for a long time, it was still great getting 28 different species at the WWT London and finishing it off with a kestrel at Luton airport for the longest list of the year so far!

2 new birds were on my list for life, and they were both cracking views, there was a pair of reed warblers nesting almost directly outside the Observatory which gave amazing views, they came right up to the reeds in front of the windows. The other new bird was the Little Greeb I had amazing views of it feeding in clear water under the bridge just before you get to the Wildside hide, Fantastic to see!

The bird list for May 22nd from WWT London Wetland Centre:

Feral Pigeon
Reed Warbler
Mallard Duck – with young
Moorhen
Coot – with chicks
Woodpigeon
Starlings
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Egyptian Geese
Mute Swans
Cormorant
Grey Heron
Blackbird
Pied Wagtail
Common Tern – new for the year
Tufted Duck
Lapwing
Swallows
Magpie
Robin
Black-headed Gull
Great Tit
Little Grebe
Canada Geese – new for the year
House Martin – new for the year
Swift – new for the year
Greylag Geese

1 more bird seen at Luton airport, hovering over the grass:

Kestrel

Fantastic day of birding, can’t wait until I can walk for longer times and see more, I would often get 40 to 50 species at Musselburgh east of Edinburgh.

Whilst looking for bird sightings as I’d thought I’d seen something that I’m used to up in Scotland but wasn’t sure, I came across this Open University site: http://www.ispot.org.uk/ fantastic service and great for finding if a bird has been seen in the area!

Below are comments that got lost when the website went down.

2 responses to Wildfowl & Wetland Trust London Wetland Centre Bird list for 22nd of May 2013.

Wes Donze said on May 24, 2013

Excellent list – glad you managed to get there and have some good sightings including the 2 new ones for you
- KiwiGav said on May 25, 2013
  
  Wes, I really appreciate the suggestion, was great, wish I could have made it to a few more of the areas, next time! I’m sure my feet have to get better soon, looking at two more operations, hopefully after that I’ll be out and seeing loads of birds.
  
  The ridiculous thing is Little Grebe is so easy to see around my area in Lothians, if you go to the right place, I’ve just not been able to drive so haven’t got there yet. Going to try and get a lift from a fellow birder and watch them more intensely, the view through the water was great, but after that it was gone.
  
  sorry if I’m rambling a bit just back from a wedding at Edinburgh Zoo, great fun!

Birds of Chelsea Flower Show

Managed a good day at Chelsea, ankle only went out twice and added 1 new species to year and life list (although I think I have seen one silhouetted on the sky last time I was in London.

Blackbird
Blue Tit
Feral Pigeon – probably a few 100 today
Great Tit
Jackdaw
Magpie
Robin – a few of these in the were in the Grand Pavilion.
Rose-ringed Parakeet – new to life list.
Woodpigeon

If I do go next year I’ll be catching the train, my preferred means of transport when I can afford it, even booking 6 weeks in advance East Coast Railways wanted £240 per person return – Edinburgh to Kings Cross, I booked flights for £45 return, then 2 days later ECR wrote saying they had £28 tickets each way! Still more expensive but I was rather frustrated as I knew the train would have got me into the centre instead of Gatwick on the way in and Luton on the way out and I could bring back plants if I purchased any, instead I flew and couldn’t buy anything at Chelsea!

There were even a few places giving out free plants and I had to say no! Terrible, they had a nice Rowan which would have been perfect for my garden, and hopefully attracting waxwings for years got come. Wish I had of been able to, next year! Now ECR need to get their cheap tickets up 6 weeks in advance like they used to!

Below are comments that got lost when the website went down.

2 responses to Birds of Chelsea Flower Show

Wes Donze said on May 22, 2013

i am thinking of planting a couple of Rowan.
I was there yesterday too – didn’t see a magpie though.
Saw the Robins in the main Pavilion.
There was also a Blackbird in there for a while – it looked a bit agitated as one stand was playing birdsong that happened to be a blackbird song so the real one was wondering where it was as it could not see it
Hope you get to come along another year – or maybe check out the Hampton Court show – it is on a bit later in the year

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Hampton-Court-Palace-Flower-Show/2013
- KiwiGav said on May 22, 2013
  
  Thanks Wes, hope you had a great time and I really want to do it again. Also the WWT was a great suggestion, managed 2 new species for my life list. Will get the list up tomorrow, about midnight here and exhausted.
  
  Love to go to Hampton Court! Will see how I’m placed, I’ll be trying to be in Heidelberg Germany on the 13th or 14th for catching up with a friend that’s doing a talk there on I think the elemental make-up of distant galaxies, it’s been a while since I’ve seen her work and she’s now back in Oz, so not 100% sure what she’s working on… It all depends on cash, I haven’t travelled since October 2011 and then this year it’s finally been a bit busier! I’ve missed it.
  
  As for the Magpie it was down towards the band stage when I first got there at about 9.30am.
  
  Didn’t notice the stand playing the blackbird or see it in the Pavilion, so many things to see and do, missed a few I’m sure!
  
  Can’t wait to see if I can get there next year!

Calthorpe Projects London, little bit of wildlife in the city, small bird list.

In London for the Chelsea Flower Show and trying to get around London to see a few things, I can’t manage a lot of the wandering so a lot of sitting and eating, far too much! I did get to to – Calthorpe Projects which has a small but decent nature garden right at the back including bees nests and a pond, for the first time ever I saw newts, who would have thought the first time I saw newts would be in the centre of London! So impressed. While there I also managed to see:

Blackbird
Magpie
Starling
Wren

There were a lot of butterflies as well, and a few moths, but didn’t pick up what types, think small white was pretty common, but can’t be sure.

Other birds from today, all over the place

Dunnock
Blue Tit
Feral Pigeon
Woodpigeon

Not a big list for today, but was very happy with the newt!

These were comments added before the website went down

6 responses to Calthorpe Projects London, little bit of wildlife in the city, small bird list.

Wes Donze said on May 20, 2013
I am heading to the Chelsea flower show tomorrow – it is the 100th anniversery of the 1st show – have not been for 3 years so looking forward to the show – it’s right by the Thames so you might get to see some birds there as well as in the normal gardens on the site
if you do have a spare day or part thereof you might like the London Wetland centre http://www.wwt.org.uk/visit/london/
There is a direct bus from Hammersmith to the centre

KiwiGav said on May 20, 2013
Hey Wes, Thanks for the info!
I’ll be there tomorrow as well, can’t wait, my first Chelsea.
I’m going to see how my feet are on Wednesday and see if I can make it out to the London Wetlands, I didn’t bring scope, bins or even a long lens for my camera. Just didn’t have the space in my bag for carry on luggage for the flight down. It’s on my list if I can, I’m sure I can still get a good list with eyes only.

KiwiGav said on May 21, 2013
Have a good day Wes? Would have suggested meeting up, but was unsure of what my parents and wife wanted to see and do. I hope to be back next year!

Wes Donze said on May 20, 2013
yes i’m sure you will still get to see plenty – i believe there may be binocular hire there too

KiwiGav said on May 20, 2013
Thanks Wes!

KiwiGav said on May 21, 2013
Told my dad this today and he said “I’ve got mine, you can borrow them!” YAY! I know where I’m off to tomorrow!
Log in to Reply

It was very quiet in the garden today, I gather bad weather put the birds off again!

Today was looking pretty dire, almost nothing then Greenfinches, Blue Tit and a Magpie saved it! I’d been outside a bit even though it’s been raining heavily and yet there were very few birds in the garden, on my final outing to check the feeders, down to just a few fat balls, coconuts and 1 seed feeder due to birds not taking a lot at present and some of the seed in the feeder started to sprout in the feeder so cut back on what I’m putting out. The fat is still popular though! I am hoping that it’s more the fact the birds are in nest and on eggs that they’re not out as much. I hope to hear a dawn chorus next week if I can manage getting up into the woods in the dim light. Seems weird thinking “if I can get into woods in dim light” I used to do half my hiking in those conditions for landscape photography! Enough rambling onto the bird list:

Blue Tit x 1
Dunnock x 3
Greenfinch x 2
Magpie x 1
Woodpigeon x 1

Managed to get out for a walk and added a decent list of birds.

Managed to get out for a walk today, very happy with that! My ankle tendons didn’t even click out of place once!!! So excited by that, will let you all know how I go tomorrow morning. Below the birds with a number were in my garden, the rest were out on the walk, many of the birds in the garden were also spotted out on the walk in Corstorphine woods, it was great to see 2 Song Thrush on the fields on the westside of the woods. I’ve heard there’s green woodpeckers in the area but I haven’t been able to see them yet, my wife has managed to hear them, but not see them in the past. Here’s the list for today:

Blackbird 2
Blue Tit
Carrion crow 1 – It was carrying nesting material
Chaffinch
Coal Tit
Common Buzzard – pretty sure there was one hovering very high over the fields today.
Dunnock 3
Long-tailed tit 1
Magpie
Robin
Song Thrush
Starlings
Woodpigeon

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

2 responses to Photos from Isle of May, 29th of May 2013. Scotland UK.

BBC Natural World – Cassowaries

2 responses to Wildfowl & Wetland Trust London Wetland Centre Bird list for 22nd of May 2013.

2 responses to Birds of Chelsea Flower Show

Cookies for birds? Are they made of peanuts?