[lagerstarfish]

interesting that tapatalk made a whole new account for me

[gardinrm]

Saw a Jay in Manchester city centre. Have never seen one here before.

[fatneck]

Seems Jays are finally colonising our inner city park too, lovely birds!

Unexpectedly ended up at Parkgate on the Wirral on Saturday and saw lots of Lapwings, Herons, some Little Egrets and joy of joys, two Hen Harriers! Great views although I was very disappointed that as we hadn't planned on going there, I hadn't brought any bins...

[Johnny Brown]

Probably Kestrels anyway Lid. 

[fatneck]

Or pigeons...

I've never quite lived down being on the beach at Angel Bay and confidently shouting "kestrel" only be roundly abused by all and sundry as the "kestrel" alighted on the beach a few feet away looking much more like a pigeon

[moose]

Or pigeons...

I've never quite lived down being on the beach at Angel Bay and confidently shouting "kestrel" only be roundly abused by all and sundry as the "kestrel" alighted on the beach a few feet away looking much more like a pigeon

That's like that childhood Ricky Gervais story about finding out, years after the event, that the sloughed snake-skin he proudly showed his family was a used condom.

By the way, sad news for all raptor fans, and possibly Malham-ites in particular:

http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/14802907.Police_probe_continuing_into_killing_of_Peregrine_Falcon_in_the_Dales/

anyone know much about the range / population density of peregrines - whether the killed bird was likely one of those that frequents the cove?

[fatneck]

Bastards....

No useful info I'm afraid

[tlr]

In slightly better news....

There was a female hen harrier up on White Edge/Big Moor yesterday evening. I went up to see (and hear) the rutting deer and it flashed past in the distance.

Crap photo, but it does definitely show a hen harrier, not a kestrel or a pigeon...


IMG_7615 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

IMG_7643 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

IMG_7661 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[andy_e]

Crap photo

Incorrect. Great autumnal colours!

[JulieM]

By the way, sad news for all raptor fans, and possibly Malham-ites in particular:

http://www.ilkleygazette.co.uk/news/14802907.Police_probe_continuing_into_killing_of_Peregrine_Falcon_in_the_Dales/

anyone know much about the range / population density of peregrines - whether the killed bird was likely one of those that frequents the cove?

People are cunts.

The Malham peregrines aren't the only ones around the area, they nest at Blue Scar as well which is possibly a bit closer. I  noticed that Saturday was the first time I've been to Malham and not heard them making a racket but I don't know whether they go somewhere else over the winter so it might not mean anything.

[lagerstarfish]

I've had a couple of interesting lunchtimes watching the Sheff City Center dippers

a very cool experience was spending 10 mins listening to one singing - it was under the bridge where the Porter Brook goes under Matilda St, so I was able to get within 10 ft without it seeing me

I suppose that normally I can't clearly hear dippers singing due to water noise and distance, but this was ace - slightly echoey due to the bridge

[fatneck]

Great photos Tim!! Definitely not crap...

@Rob - don't think I've ever heard a Dipper sing either, nice one!

[tlr]

Really pleased to finally get a shot of the Goldcrest in my garden, it moves so quickly and rarely comes out into the clear. Not a perfect shot, but best I've got for now.

I was watching it a wren at the same time, waiting for one of the buggers to be properly visible.

IMG_7691 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[Dolly]

Your pics are great Tim .
What sort of camera are you using ?

[SamT]

Indian ring necked parakeets flying over Hunters Bar this morning - looked to be heading up to the top end of the Botanical Gardens.

[nai]

Really pleased to finally get a shot of the Goldcrest in my garden, it moves so quickly and rarely comes out into the clear. Not a perfect shot, but best I've got for now.

I was watching it a wren at the same time, waiting for one of the buggers to be properly visible.

Fucksake, we live in the same place, I've taken out a second mortgage to finance feeders and seed yet all I've got in my garden are sparrows and kestrels pigeons.

[nai]

And not clever ones at that.

[tlr]

What sort of camera are you using ?

Just a 7d mk1, and until recently an old 400mm f5.6, but I've just swapped the lens for one of the new 100-400mm mk2, mainly for the image stabilisation and the close up ability, although I think the colours are actually better too.

I'd love to try a 5d mk3, but the cost of the glass goes through the roof then when you lose the crop factor.

Fucksake, we live in the same place, I've taken out a second mortgage to finance feeders and seed yet all I've got in my garden are sparrows and kestrels pigeons.

You should come up some time!

We get a lot of pigeons, but stacks of blue, coal, great and long tailed tits too. Lots of goldfinches, a few siskins and green finches, occasional nuthatches and tree creepers and one sparrowhawk. Got a few big trees which probably help.

Not had ring necked parakeets though!

[nic mullin]

I'd love to try a 5d mk3, but the cost of the glass goes through the roof then when you lose the crop factor.

Not tried the Canon one, but on Nikon the 1.4x converter has minimal effect on IQ and AF performance and almost cancels out the crop factor for £100-150 second hand. It costs you a stop of light, but I'd be very surprised if the 5d3 didn't give you that stop and more back by allowing you to push the ISO up with less noise.

Lovely pics btw.

[nai]

Cool, I'll have to popup and see your setup. We used to have tits quite regularly and finches occasionally but they have all become very infrequent visitors despite better feeders and wider choice of feed, love to know what's changed and how we can get them back, have wondered if it's down to neighbours having acquired cats.

[SamT]

This ^^^^

We used to have sparrows mud bathing in the flowerbed below the kitchen windows, a flock of gold finch and a flock of green finch come through regularly here in sharrow.

Now, nothing baring bloody pesky destructive magpies. couple of pigeons, the odd black bird and that's about it.

I always reckoned the harsh winter of 2010 put paid to the finches, but somehow always thought they'd be back eventually.

There do seem to be an increased number of cats though..

[andy_e]

There was a bout of trichomaniasis a few years ago which wiped out most of the greenfinch population and reducing pressure on food sources for other species.

[tlr]

Very pleased to get this shot - wildlife photography as it should be; sat on the sofa with wine in one hand and camera in the other.

IMG_7874 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[Will Hunt]

One for Lagers' Junior. Me and my wife are still laughing at "I didn't think it would look so much like a badger" 

[lagerstarfish]

I'll tell her that - it's also become a comedy saying among her friends

mad ladybird migration scenes in Sheffield today

and a pair of buzzards magestically pissing off the crows in S11 this afternoon