The UAFC

Rooster wrote:Owls are the one bird I have never got a photo of in the wild, heard plenty seen quite a few but never got a photo

Would love to see your Dodo photo ...

As would RSPB, WWF and several other nature based organisations.

Cap'n Grumpy wrote:

Rooster wrote:Owls are the one bird I have never got a photo of in the wild, heard plenty seen quite a few but never got a photo

Would love to see your Dodo photo ...

As would RSPB, WWF and several other nature based organisations.

I keep it hidden just like the 2 species of owl I have

Couple of great pictures above, lads.

I once saw a single magpie and got home to hear the news that my mother in law was diagnosed with cancer.
Oh the irony!

Just to bring this thread back to the surface ...

... which coincidentally is where I saw this eider duck today.

Bob'n up and down on the surface just off Donaghadee. Been along time since I saw one of these so close to shore.

Also saw (amongst others) this little stonechat catching flies in the unseasonably warm February.

and this heron was getting harried by a number of herring and common gulls.

Also saw a crow down on the shoreline repeatedly gather shellfish and fly up to a height, then drop them on the rocks below and then fly down to hoover up their smashed remains.

The gulls never bothered with it while he was doing that, but once he gave up on that and pinched food off one of them instead, they soon gave chase. He managed to get away with it though and had it all to himself.

Asyou can guess, I had a restful day just watching the birds doing what birds do. It's put me in a good mood for later.

I trust no fish hawk is gonna ruin my mood tonight.

Brett Herron signing for Quins, allegedly.

I saw a bittern a few years ago.

Got the twitchers all in a tizzy it did.

Any more of your photos, Grumpy?

Saw a tree creeper in BT9 and a hooded crow (which I think are quite common here but not on the mainland).

Loads of oystercatchers and plovers on the shore at a Holywood, which will probably come as no surprise.

justinr73 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 17, 2020 10:31 am Any more of your photos, Grumpy?

Saw a tree creeper in BT9 and a hooded crow (which I think are quite common here but not on the mainland).

Loads of oystercatchers and plovers on the shore at a Holywood, which will probably come as no surprise.

Yeah. They're very common here.

Saw a hooded crow and a grey squirrel sharing a meal the other day. Not sure what they were dining on, but squirrels are omnivorous and I thought it was an interesting little scene.

Saw a curlew merrily digging worms out of RBAI's redundant playing fields. They're on the red list apparently.

big mervyn wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:40 pm Saw a curlew merrily digging worms out of RBAI's redundant playing fields. They're on the red list apparently.

They are. Good news.

Saw and photographed a curlew at a distance at Castle Espey a few months prior to first lockdown, and another a year previous at Donaghadee of all places. Was at the Dee a few days ago - first time in ages - and got a few nice pics of a ringed plover. Lovely little bird. Also walked up to about 10 feet away from a cormorant that didn't care about me being there and got a few pics of that. Not that uncommon, I know, but I don't normally get that close.

Recently have moved house got a few decent pics of goldcrests and lesser redpolls coming into the garden from small wood adjacent to the house. Have also seen a treecreeper but haven't managed a photo yet, but did photograph a couple of treecreepers just off Kings Road about a year ago.

Have spotted a few grey wagtails in different places recently too - lovely little things, but keep getting chased off by pied wagtails (males).

Lots of corvids around the new shack - have had 20+ magpies in the back garden at a time, and lots of rooks, jackdaws, hooded crows (greybacks) and a smaller number of carrion crows. They have been systematically dismantling my bird feeders which is great fun to watch, and I have been making it harder and harder for them to do so. I don't want to take it away from them completely, but it's not bad making them work for their fatballs etc. Environment enrichment!!!

Am trying to remember how to post photos on here - is it still possible, or has that changed?