[SamT]

Yes. . that crossed my mind.. We have a new one which lights up the whole garden unfortunately. (or fortunately if I'm out fetching logs in for the fire)

[SA Chris]

just as it was getting dark, I saw a flock of 50+ pied wagtails in B&Q car park - not seen this before

1 for sorrow, 2 for joy, 3 for a girl, 4 for a boy, 5 for silver, 6 for gold, 7 for a secret never to be told, 8 for Lincoln City to win, 9 for good connies on a weekend, ........ 50+ for lagers to win the lottery.

Hope you bought a ticket.

[andy_e]

There's often a fantastic congregation of waggies in the trees on the west side of Millennium Square in Leeds, well worth watching (and listening) as it's quite mesmerising!

[webbo]

Forgot to post this. I was in York centre 3 weeks ago and there were flocks of Long Tailed Tits rousting in the trees as it was going dark.

[fatneck]

Tis certainly the season for flocking...

Saw lots of LT Tits at RSPB Conwy on Saturday. Great place, shame that the murmuration never really got going, especially as had managed to persuade Crouchy to join us for some bird helming! We did see Goldeneye and loads of Garganey (amongst the usual suspects)....

[fatneck]

Popped in to Brockholes a couple of times over the last few days on route to Teesdale and had great views of Teal, Wigeon, Shoevelers, Fieldfares and Goldeneye as well as some super close up encounters with Kestrels (one takeing off with a mouse from literally 4 ft away from us!) and Reed Buntings

[Jim]

thinking of going over to Cavendish mill at Stoney this evening to hopefully watch the starling murmurations.
Has anyone been recently, is today a good day for it? Should be dry ish but overcast
Sunset at 17:50 apparently, aiming to get there just before 17:00hrs, is this a good time?
Any info gratefully received

Chippy tea in the tollbar after I recon as well

[nai]

Went a few weeks back, you're probably getting there a bit early for the birds but a decent time for parking. Not sure if the wind might affect them tonight? There were 20,000 birds set to go at old moor last week but most of them went straight into the reeds, someone suggested it was due to the wind.

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[Jim]

Cheers, Found the facebook group thanks to Johnny Brown. Apparently Cavendish mill has been inactive for a couple of weeks now so will have to wait till next year

[fatneck]

Popped in to RSPB Conwy on Sunday PM and the starlings were still doing their thing even in frankly awful weather...

[Monolith]

Popped in to RSPB Conwy on Sunday PM and the starlings were still doing their thing even in frankly awful weather...

...until this Scouse lid turned up

[fatneck]

 

[Neil F]

Cheers, Found the facebook group thanks to Johnny Brown. Apparently Cavendish mill has been inactive for a couple of weeks now so will have to wait till next year

Whilst you're waiting, Jim, have a look at this vid the Mrs made at Cavendish Mill in 2014.  The patterns at c. 40s in are truly spectacular (though the old bloke in the foreground misses them completely!).



(sorry, I've no idea how to embed videos in the forum).

Clare uploaded 2 vids at the time (the longer one finishes with all the birds going down), but at 150 views, I can safely confirm they've not gone viral yet...

Neil

[tlr]

Saw a few Water Voles up by Redmires yesterday.

IMG_9058 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[mark20]

Had a quick walk on Blacka Moor yesterday evening, saw a kestrel sized bird, but thinner than a kestrel with wings angled more backwards, flying around close to the ground. Really cool to watch. Any ideas what it was?

[andy popp]

Some kind of vulture (I'm guessing) on the crag today.

[fatneck]

thinner than a kestrel with wings angled more backwards, flying around close to the ground

Merlin?

@Tim - great photo. As ever...

@Andy Popp - very jealous. Have you seen any deadly vipers/scorpions/things that might harm you?

[andy popp]

@Andy Popp - very jealous. Have you seen any deadly vipers/scorpions/things that might harm you?

No, but I've just googled and there are three venomous species of snake in the state. Google tells me there are black bears in the vicinity, more worryingly I suspect they're on South Mountain, where the local crags are. I see big raptors in the air all the time. There are deer everywhere, a family of groundhogs (very funny) living in the garden, chipmunks and racoons (I haven't seen the latter).

tlr's pictures are consistently amazing!

[tlr]

Nice pair of Reed Buntings at Shillito Woods yesterday, along with brambling, yellowhammer and siskin (and about a million* chaffinches). It's a great place for watching birds close up, and would be a good place to take kids.

*No, really.

Had a quick walk on Blacka Moor yesterday evening, saw a kestrel sized bird, but thinner than a kestrel with wings angled more backwards, flying around close to the ground. Really cool to watch. Any ideas what it was?

Could be Merlin or Hobby, both are very agile. Hobby is smaller than a kestrel though?

IMG_9556 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

IMG_9567 by Tim Russon, on Flickr

[Johnny Brown]

Had a quick walk on Blacka Moor yesterday evening, saw a kestrel sized bird, but thinner than a kestrel with wings angled more backwards, flying around close to the ground. Really cool to watch. Any ideas what it was?

Hmm, behaviour sounds like Merlin but they are quite a bit smaller and bulkier for the size. Hobby fits the description better but unlikely to be back from Africa yet. Any more info on the behaviour?

Plenty of Adders out on Ramsley moor today.

[nai]

Hobby fits the description better but unlikely to be back from Africa yet. Any more info on the behaviour?

I'm absolutely sure I saw a Hobby a few days ago. Only had a fleeting glimpse but definitely clocked vertical stripes on the belly and the distinctive wing shape.

[Johnny Brown]

Remarkable, where are you? Global warming I guess.

[nai]

It was between Blacka woods and Dore.

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[mark20]

Had a quick walk on Blacka Moor yesterday evening, saw a kestrel sized bird, but thinner than a kestrel with wings angled more backwards, flying around close to the ground. Really cool to watch. Any ideas what it was?

Hmm, behaviour sounds like Merlin but they are quite a bit smaller and bulkier for the size. Hobby fits the description better but unlikely to be back from Africa yet. Any more info on the behaviour?

It was sat on a wall and darted off across the moor once we got close. It flew quite erratically, darting around no more than 2 foot or so above the ground. Sorry no more info than that
Thanks, Nice adder pics

[fatneck]

First Chiffchaff of the year yesterday!! Spring is sprung...