What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?

[ardcarp]

Wigeon. Lots of them. Mrs A and I were walking along the sea front. (Not far inland is a wetland/marsh site...a birder's paradise.) There was a patch of wigeon, maybe around 50, floating just offshore and facing into a fresh SSE wind. Shortly another squadron came overhead making their faint whistling noise. They turned into the wind, and touched down to merge with the first group. Then another lot came. We tried to count them...rather tricky...but we estimated a total of around 200.

We wonder what they do bobbing around on a light chop on a cold mid-winter's afternoon. They obviously weren't feeding, and no doubt they would shortly be heading back to their inshore roosts. Passing the time?

[Richard Tarleton]

Wigeon. Lots of them. Mrs A and I were walking along the sea front. (Not far inland is a wetland/marsh site...a birder's paradise.) There was a patch of wigeon, maybe around 50, floating just offshore and facing into a fresh SSE wind. Shortly another squadron came overhead making their faint whistling noise. They turned into the wind, and touched down to merge with the first group. Then another lot came. We tried to count them...rather tricky...but we estimated a total of around 200.

We wonder what they do bobbing around on a light chop on a cold mid-winter's afternoon. They obviously weren't feeding, and no doubt they would shortly be heading back to their inshore roosts. Passing the time?

What was the state of the tide, ardcarp? Sounds high, if they were just offshore? If high, was this their high tide roost? (as of course they graze on vegetation - zostera etc. - at low tide or even in meadows....)

[Vox Humana]

Wigeon. Lots of them. Mrs A and I were walking along the sea front. (Not far inland is a wetland/marsh site...a birder's paradise.) There was a patch of wigeon, maybe around 50, floating just offshore and facing into a fresh SSE wind. Shortly another squadron came overhead making their faint whistling noise. They turned into the wind, and touched down to merge with the first group. Then another lot came. We tried to count them...rather tricky...but we estimated a total of around 200.

We wonder what they do bobbing around on a light chop on a cold mid-winter's afternoon. They obviously weren't feeding, and no doubt they would shortly be heading back to their inshore roosts. Passing the time?

Near Seaton by any chance? I'm wondering whether they had been pushed off the wetlands by a Peregrine or some other raptor - or even (perish the thought) a wildfowler.

[ardcarp]

Yes, Seaton, the wetland being Seaton Marshes. It was about 2 hrs after low water. A peregrine is often seen causing flocks to rise up and swirl around. I didn't realise they'd go out to sea and stay there for some time though. A wildfowler? As the marshes are supposed to be a designated wildlife reserve, I reckon a man [or woman] with a gun would get rather short shrift from the public!

[ardcarp]

Flocks of fieldfares around today. A wonderful sight seeing them all take off and flit low over hedges.

[Vox Humana]

Flocks of fieldfares around today. A wonderful sight seeing them all take off and flit low over hedges.

Of all our regular thrushes these are my favourites. Such beautiful birds.

[Serial_Apologist]

Of all our regular thrushes these are my favourites. Such beautiful birds.

Never ever seen one...

[Vox Humana]

Never ever seen one...

We used to have a few breeding pairs, but I'm not sure of the current situation. They are mainly winter visitors and are quite common, but they are birds of open country and farmland. Generally speaking they only come into towns and gardens when the berry supply has been exhausted and they are forced off the countryside by deep snow cover or when the earth is frozen rock-hard.

[Serial_Apologist]

We used to have a few breeding pairs, but I'm not sure of the current situation. They are mainly winter visitors and are quite common, but they are birds of open country and farmland. Generally speaking they only come into towns and gardens when the berry supply has been exhausted and they are forced off the countryside by deep snow cover or when the earth is frozen rock-hard.

That would probably explain.

[Richard Tarleton]

We used to have a few breeding pairs, but I'm not sure of the current situation. They are mainly winter visitors and are quite common, but they are birds of open country and farmland. Generally speaking they only come into towns and gardens when the berry supply has been exhausted and they are forced off the countryside by deep snow cover or when the earth is frozen rock-hard.

Acc. to the latest BTO Atlas, breeding in 2008-11 was confirmed in just 4 10km squares, all in the Cairngorms. It seems to be a species that is disappearing northwards as the breeding range contracts (although a pair did breed in Kent in 1991 ). But winter distribution is nationwide - so they've probably seen you, S_A, even if you haven't seen them

[Vox Humana]

Thanks for that, Richard. That's roughly what I thought.

[Constantbee]

Leucistic blackbird seen in a local park yesterday. Not my image, but bird affected to about the same extent as this one. Very tame and territorial. Looks like it might be nesting soon.

[Serial_Apologist]

Leucistic blackbird seen in a local park yesterday. Not my image, but bird affected to about the same extent as this one. Very tame and territorial. Looks like it might be nesting soon.

People should be more careful when disposing of their used bleach bottles!

Speaking of blackbirds, I'm wondering if the predominance of mild weather this winter will bring forward the song of the blackbird. At one time it was thought to start singing around week 2 of February - along with other members of the thrush family such as missel and song thrushes. Usually the song thrush starts first in these parts, I've noticed.

[ardcarp]

There's been a few squabbling blackbirds (male and female) in our garden. Some were jumping around and having a right old dust-up. Clearly, territory needs to be sorted out early in the season.

I nearly said 'pecking order' but thought better of it.

[Richard Tarleton]

People should be more careful when disposing of their used bleach bottles!

Speaking of blackbirds, I'm wondering if the predominance of mild weather this winter will bring forward the song of the blackbird. At one time it was thought to start singing around week 2 of February - along with other members of the thrush family such as missel and song thrushes. Usually the song thrush starts first in these parts, I've noticed.

Yes, round here song thrushes, blackbirds, robins, blue and great tits and even goldcrests are behaving territorially and singing away. Long-tailed tits still roaming around in flocks.