Not what I expect to see in November!

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Conifers
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Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Conifers »

in coastal Co. Durham!
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Bee-eater.jpg
flounder

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by flounder »

The blue sky is impressive as well! Do you think that bird is an escapee from some aviary, or is it an occasional visitor?
Conifers
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Conifers »

An occasional visitor, lost on migration - headed north instead of south.
flounder

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by flounder »

I suppose its not going to survive the winter then. Shame for such a pretty bird
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Bee eater?
Conifers
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Conifers »

flounder wrote:I suppose its not going to survive the winter then. Shame for such a pretty bird
Hard to know! It's doing OK at the moment, apparently it found a wasp nest and is tucking into them. It could realise the error of direction and head back south, or it might not (in which case, yes it will die - that's evolution for you, cull out the faulty migration gene mutation).
Yorkshire Kris wrote:Bee eater?
Read the filename :wink:

Some better pics by other birders with better cameras than mine:
http://whitleybirder.blogspot.com/2012/ ... 31112.html
http://birdingsometimes.blogspot.com/20 ... prise.html
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

I didn't cheat, honest.
stephenprudence

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by stephenprudence »

Bee Eaters are found throughout the European continent so it will easily survive here, however there are no breeding colonies here they are just passing visitors as it may have been migrating towards Spain from the continent.

Impressive to find one that far north though.
kata

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by kata »

lost on migration - headed north instead of south.
Awe, thats a shame.... :( I hope it survives Conifers.

One beautiful sighting.
Conifers
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Conifers »

stephenprudence wrote:Bee Eaters are found throughout the European continent
Only in southern Europe; they don't breed regularly north of the Alps.

This bird is still doing OK today, despite last night's frost.
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Yorkshire Kris
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

Conifers wrote:
stephenprudence wrote:Bee Eaters are found throughout the European continent
Only in southern Europe; they don't breed regularly north of the Alps.

This bird is still doing OK today, despite last night's frost.

Not much in the way of food for it I guess.
kata

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by kata »

Should be,

Berries, worms, Insects etc.
Conifers
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Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Conifers »

kata wrote:Should be,

Berries, worms, Insects etc.
Wasps. Apparently it has found a still-active wasp nest in a garden, which is why it is staying in the same spot for so long.

It won't touch berries or worms!
kata

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by kata »

Thanks Conifers, hope the wasps its found last it till spring,

A few less wasps for me to worry about..... :lol:

:mrgreen:
Clive60

Re: Not what I expect to see in November!

Post by Clive60 »

Strange coincidence, a pair of European Bee Eaters bred in Northumberland some years ago raising (I think) three young.
This one is no doubt on passage to Sub Sahara Africa as not all migrating birds fly years. Some fly as far south as Botswana! why they need to fly that far I don't know.
The bird is a beauty and hope it stays for a while although tonights temperatures might change it's mind.
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