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Post by ambersalamander on Jun 17, 2007 10:38:17 GMT
I thought I may as well post this on here, in case there are ornithologists among us, although it's primarily intended for Amber Aleman as I know he is a keen birdwatcher I've been looking out of the window while pretending to revise for my exams, and have noted that the rather splendid cherry tree in my back garden is yielding not only the most delicious fruit, but also a quite astounding variety of bird life. This morning alone, I have seen what I think are two green parakeets that are making a racket like a pair of monkeys (see news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3869815.stm for various theories) and have been living here for at least a few weeks; some magpies, a thrush of some sort, several blue tits, a chaffinch, two jays, some blackbirds, a small yellow bird I couldn't quite identify, some starlings and a pied wagtail. All in one tree in one morning! Anyone beat that?
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Post by amberaleman on Jun 17, 2007 19:12:17 GMT
Them pesky rose-ringed parakeets are all over south and west London these days. But did you know that they like non-League football grounds? In recent years I've observed them flying over Hayes, Welling and Hampton & Richmond! AmberSal's small yellow bird may have been a greenfinch, which has a lot of yellow in its plumage. Or maybe it was an escaped canary. ;D As wild cherry trees are now fruiting, they are bound to attract lots of birds. The scientific name of this tree is not Prunus avium for nothing! My flat overlooks an area of meadowland beside the River Wandle (part of a former sewage works, now transformed into a nature reserve). This is home to various species of warbler, including chiffchaff, blackcap and whitethroat, plus the occasional willow warbler and lesser whitethroat. Also around here are herons and kingfishers, two types of woodpecker, grey and pied wagtails, stock doves, swifts ( , kestrels and sparrowhawks. Not bad for a London postal district!
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votp
Steaming Bovril
Posts: 328
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Post by votp on Jun 17, 2007 19:43:02 GMT
Kingfishers? Fantastic, I may pop down and try to see them; I remember sitting in a pub near Telford seeing them whoosing down the banks of the river, spectacular birds. Seems to be a lot of Common Buzzards circling around Wallington at the moment.
There is a canary flying around Colston Avenue at the moment. Its an omen I tell you.
<ObOrnithologyJoke: Whats the difference between a cormorant and a shag? You can beat a cormorant.>
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Post by ambersalamander on Jun 17, 2007 20:16:26 GMT
Haha! The yellow thing was a yellowhammer- I saw it again and it stayed still long enough this time!
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Post by medibot on Jun 17, 2007 22:30:43 GMT
I just get cats Though in Wales i've seen Red Kites and based on how cool they look they are my favourite birds. As it happens, my Welsh Granny loves Kingfishers, a pointless fact for you all there.
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votp
Steaming Bovril
Posts: 328
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Post by votp on Jun 18, 2007 9:59:21 GMT
Though in Wales i've seen Red Kites Not-Mrs-VotP comes from Reading and red kites have been re-introduced over the Chilterns. Very impressive to see them low flying over the back garden.
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Post by medibot on Jun 18, 2007 14:38:52 GMT
My mum (yes...) had the chance to get a picture of a red kite swooping down the Elan Valley with the Pen-y-Gareg dam in the background but she managed to miss it.
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Post by bh on Jun 18, 2007 15:09:31 GMT
I'm afraid I'm blind where birds (the feathered variety) are concerned. I know Sparrows, and Robins (sic) Crows, Magpies, but as for the rest I would not know what I was seeing. Must have seen all sorts, including Kingfishers, and the rest, but I suppose I could be called bird blind!!
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Post by amberaleman on Jun 18, 2007 20:18:06 GMT
Though in Wales i've seen Red Kites Not-Mrs-VotP comes from Reading and red kites have been re-introduced over the Chilterns. Very impressive to see them low flying over the back garden. I saw a red kite from the train on the way to Weston-super-Mare last season. Twenty years ago, the UK population was confined to a few Welsh valleys. Now they're all over the Chilterns, and there are populations in Yorkshire and Scotland too. Magnificent birds.
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Post by malxscfc on Jun 26, 2007 10:34:13 GMT
I saw a red kite from the train on the way to Weston-super-Mare last season. I've got a red kite. And a blue and yellow one! Can't believe you can see that variety of birds near London!! Sparrowhawks!? Woodpeckers!? Impressive that you can recognise the different warblers too. I don't have the patience, I'm afraid. I recently failed my "Bill Oddie corvus family recognition" diploma too - I get loads of black-feathered dinosaur ancestors in my patch, but they never seem to look or sound like the ones in the book... P.S. Should this 'room' be re-named randomchiff-chaff?
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Post by ambersalamander on Jun 26, 2007 18:22:17 GMT
I saw a woodpecker in Sutton last year. It unnerved me.
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Post by amberaleman on Jun 26, 2007 22:09:12 GMT
Here's a story. Anyone know how the game subbuteo got its name? There's an ornithological explanation. The guy who invented the game wanted to register it under the name "hobby", but was told that he couldn't. However, knowing a bit about birds, he was aware that the Latin name of the bird of prey the hobby was Falco subbuteo (which translates roughly as small buzzard-falcon). He therefore offered "subbuteo" instead and it was duly accepted. So next time someone asks you for a game of "small buzzard", you'll know what's being proposed.
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Post by bh on Jun 27, 2007 8:39:05 GMT
I read that in 442 a couple of months ago. I used to play a lot when I was a nipper. Among my mates we had leagues, cups all sorts. Always thought it was the closest thing to the real game! 'Flick to kick' Yep that sad!! Still know b----r all about birds! (Feathered) ;D
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Post by bonehead on Jul 11, 2007 8:27:29 GMT
There was a proggie on Beeb2 yesterday evening that included a bit about red kites in Britain. In 1905 we only had 5 breeding pairs. We now have around 3,000 pairs, and 10% of those are in the Rockingham Forest area of Northants. You should have passed through there on the way to Stamford, maybe, Ms Iguana ;-)
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Post by malxscfc on Jul 11, 2007 13:59:35 GMT
There was a proggie on Beeb2 yesterday evening that included a bit about red kites in Britain. In 1905 we only had 5 breeding pairs. We now have around 3,000 pairs, and 10% of those are in the Rockingham Forest area of Northants. You should have passed through there on the way to Stamford, maybe, Ms Iguana ;-) Ah no. No, no, no. Amber "doesn't do Northants"!
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