Unexpected Garden Birds
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Same as all HTUK forums, be courteous, polite and tolerant, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if you don't agree with it
Same as all HTUK forums, be courteous, polite and tolerant, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if you don't agree with it
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
Nope!!Clive60 wrote:Pacific Golden Plover?
It's the one remaining choice in the genus, American Golden Plover
at St Mary's Island, Whitley Bay, Northumbs (and still there today, with about 2,000 Goldies).
How about this one?
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
Beach Stone-curlew Esacus magnirostris. From Australia.
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
Just looked it up in one of my books
Today's piccy . . . saw two of these this afternoon
Today's piccy . . . saw two of these this afternoon
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
YBWs arriving in numbers now but not down here yet, do they come to the same spot up there each year?
Cornwall seems to be the place to see them in the South but the odd one could turn up anywhere along the coast here. With the trees in leaf they must have been hard to find or did you hear them first?
I saw my first Whinchat this morning, haven't seen one for two or three years now.
Cornwall seems to be the place to see them in the South but the odd one could turn up anywhere along the coast here. With the trees in leaf they must have been hard to find or did you hear them first?
I saw my first Whinchat this morning, haven't seen one for two or three years now.
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
Yes-and-no, YBWs often turn up in the same sites every autumn, but not necessarily the same individual bushes. But there's so many of them that just about any coastal shrub could get one. There's a dozen been found in Northumbs this afternoon (including 6 on the Farnes alone), which given the few % of the coast checked, probably means there's hundreds actually arrived. The two I had today were both on the very first shrubs from the sea, pretty small, wind-blasted shrubs without a lot of cover, so they were fairly easy to find; one was vocal, the other rather less so. I'd not be surprised if several others are found at the same place tomorrow when the denser shrubberies are checked over.Clive60 wrote:YBWs arriving in numbers now but not down here yet, do they come to the same spot up there each year?
Cornwall seems to be the place to see them in the South but the odd one could turn up anywhere along the coast here. With the trees in leaf they must have been hard to find or did you hear them first?
I saw my first Whinchat this morning, haven't seen one for two or three years now.
Nice on the Whinchat; they're still breeding in good numbers up in the Cheviots so not too difficult to see them up here (yearticked mine this year on 1 May).
PS for those not familiar with birder speak, 'YBW' = Yellow-browed Warbler. They breed in Siberia, and mostly spend the winter in southeast Asia, but a small (and increasing) number head west to winter in W Europe instead, passing through Britain in late September and October. They're one of the autumn 'must-sees' for lots of birders.
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
YBW. I got the yellow and the warbler bit, but opted for breasted!
I love seeing all the different birds but tend to hear them rather than see them. It's only when a different song rings out, I really try and discover what has made the noise. You get used to your own areas population.
The commotion yesterday of every bird in the neighbourhood led me to viewing a sparrow hawk loitering around. Of course, by the time I grabbed my camera it was gone
I love seeing all the different birds but tend to hear them rather than see them. It's only when a different song rings out, I really try and discover what has made the noise. You get used to your own areas population.
The commotion yesterday of every bird in the neighbourhood led me to viewing a sparrow hawk loitering around. Of course, by the time I grabbed my camera it was gone
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
Well it's been YBW-crazy today - saw at least 6 myself out of 10 at the same site, and around 40 reported in Northumbs today! Sadly though, also one found freshly dead right on the coast - reached land, but too weak to feed.Conifers wrote: I'd not be surprised if several others are found at the same place tomorrow when the denser shrubberies are checked over.
Also saw this cracker . . . juvenile Bluethroat
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
With late reports for today, seems the Northumbs total for YBWs has moved up to 54, on just one day! Includes 17 on Holy Island (Lindisfarne), 10 at St Mary's Island (Whitley Bay), 9 on the Farne Islands and 5 at Low Newton.
The previous Northumbs record was 52 for the whole year 2011.
Record well shattered!
The previous Northumbs record was 52 for the whole year 2011.
Record well shattered!
Re: Unexpected Garden Birds
I am waiting to see the first reports here on the South coast, might be a week or so depending on how fast (or slow) they move.