RSPB Garden Birdwatch 29th-31st January

A Parrot comes over to Sheffield from Liverpool every April for the snooker.

 

Not seen any yet.

 

.

 

Surprisingly common at this time of year. Seen a few round here.
In 2015 whilst cycling to work at the steel works in Scunthorpe at about 7am, a lovely sunny summer morning, I suddenly found myself cycling about 5 feet behind a brilliantly white owl - a barn owl I think. It hadn't seen me and I followed it for at least 100 yards

 

https://postimg.cc/WF5Py9MV

Hopefully we see this little chap.... without him headbutting the glass doors this time!

 

look for the small birds

 

I've seen one hunting in daytime over a field with long grasses, and another that swooped over my car when driving in Sussex I think... but that sounds amazing, very lucky!

 

It was mate, a quite magical experience. A similar thing happened with a sparrow hawk once and also with a fox, I could easily have reached out and touched the fox. I think it's because you're almost silent on a bike, yet going at a speed that takes wildlife by surprise.

 

ive just seen Britains favourite Owl, ive logged it down, the teat

 

There's some at Smithies pond

 

The missus treated me to an "owl experience" for my birthday years ago. I got to hold a Turkmenian Eagle Owl. Incredible creature and a bit scary to be honest, had huge talons and was surprisingly heavy.

As for foxes, there are plenty of urban ones round here, we take any meat leftovers and scraps for them, and although extremely timid and cautious, I think they trust us... well my wife at least!

The other amazing wildlife moment was being divebombed by a Red Kite in Ceredigion. It was trying to pick up roadkill and chose the exact moment I was passing. I thought I was going to hit it, but its wings clipped the roof as it lifted off and to safety. Still haven't forgiven my wife for not taking a picture or video!

 

yes, will be doing it.
for some reason this winter birds seem to have little interest in the seed put out in the feeders.

 

I love Winter watch on BBC 2 during the week.

The chances of seeing various tits and beavers is a joy.

 

I assume it was a barn owl. It looked white. It was flying and then perching on the trees and looking round. Beautiful bird.

 

Mrs Snaptin's taking part in the Birdwatch tomorrrow. We saw a sparrowhawk in the garden the other day looking for some snap.

 

We're gonna do it Sunday. Live in the middle of farmland, near no one, have the usual robins, blue tits, swarms of great tits and long tailed tits. At varying times, Green Finch, Bullfinch, Goldfinch, Yellowhammer, Chaffinch, Wren, Sparrows, Thrush, Coal tit, Blackbirds, Magpies, Jays, Crows, Pigeons, Doves, Skylark, Lapwing, Pheasant, Partridge, the odd stray Coot and Moorhen, Woodpeckers (Both), Siskin, Redwing, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Tawny and Barn Owl, Buzzards, Red Kite......more I've prob forgot......

Think I spend about £50 a month on bird food, but I do love em, tho recently I feel like I'm merely fattening them up for the sparrowhawk, it's bloody impressive tho.

Amongst all that I love the robins, how they have no concept of size. They think they own the garden and all the feeders belong to them. Will constantly attempt to see anything and everything else off, cocky little buggers.

 

I'm booked in for this , I'm doing it tomorrow morning. I really don't know how accurate it will be because the birds come in hoards first thing, then they seem to disappear for hours.

 

allready got my kit, willbe doing it over the week-end.

 

Signed up.

 

Just been out with the bird food, a little later than usual. However, there was a blackbird waiting for me outside and when I started to put the food out, I swear it started to give me verbals! It didn't even wait until I got inside before it started feeding!
It's a bit much. Not only am I under the thumb with my wife and daughter, I'm also under the wing with our garden birds!