For WHO's birders

[Nurse Ratched]

"I thought you might like this video.



It's a compilation of different birds singing. Beautiful photography. If you expand the 'title' under the video it gives a list of species and the times they pop up in the video. Most of the species are familiar to us in the UK, but there are some 'exotics' (the cranes - wow, what a noise!) It was filmed in Belarus. The guy has a channel you can subscribe to. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and maybe it'll take your mind off you-know-what for a few blessed minutes."

[Nurse Ratched]

"Brilliant clip, geep."

[gph]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9mrTdYhOHg Animal tool-use for pleasure (at least on the surface of it)

[Nurse Ratched]

I get loads of greenfinches (sorry). Beautiful singers.

[JAC]

"Not seen greenfinches this year on the feeders, just the usual suspects ,great tits ,blue tits,long tailed and a nuthatch last week.Always a few robins about and the odd wren. Wood pigeons en masse so I shall be taking a few out shortly with my air rifle.Not many magpies which is unusual, managed to whack half a dozen last year but only one so far.I don't like shooting them but they are a menace to young fledglings/nests etc."

[Tomshardware]

"Like it Aalborg, not seen one for a long time sadly. Service stations are often weirdly good for birdspotting."

[Aalborg Hammer]

I was in the queue for drive thru coffee at Rownhams services near Southampton and was delighted to see (at least) half a dozen greenfinches in the bushes not having seen them for years (due to a virus I believe)

[Nurse Ratched]

"It very rarely happens. And when it does...well they're tiny creatures. If rhinos had wings, I certainly wouldn't invite them. But this way, I get to see the beautiful little buggers up close, and I can ensure their nestlings have plenty of food to go round."

[Hammer and Pickle]

Guess birdshit on the teapot is this season’s blue tit Instagram hit.

[Nurse Ratched]

"Oh, and this is the first spring that the bluetits have plucked up the courage to join the robins and great tits to feed inside my sitting room."

[Nurse Ratched]

"Good few days spotting: housemartins, chiffchaff, pied wagtails, swifts and...a RED KITE! First one I have ever seen and it was at the end of my road in urban north London. Surreal experience."

[Hammer and Pickle]

Can confirm the swallows are early this year. There seem to be plenty of bugs and midges around for them as well. Perhaps inflation isn’t such a bad thing after all as farmers have to be more sensible about pesticide use.

[Hammer and Pickle]

Can confirm the swallows are early this year. There seem to be plenty of bugs and midges around for them as well. Perhaps inflation isn’t such a bad thing after all as farmers have to be more sensible about pesticide use.

[arsegrapes]

Tomshardware 11:33 Fri Apr 14 Re: For WHO's birders Saw my first Swallow of the year yesterday. Pleased for you Tom it would have been bad manners for her/him to spit it out.

[DaveT]

Put up a couple of nest boxes at the start of the year and pleased to see that blue tours are nesting in them. Still way down on the number of birds around this year but have a pair of chaffinches and greenfinches nesting nearby. Best though is a pair of marsh harriers that are nesting nearby.

[lab]

I think the only finches I see are goodies. Use to love seeing a male Bullfinch.

[Aalborg Hammer]

lab-God knows-I hope not - they're bastards. Another promising sight yesterday was a greenfinch making a nest (not seen one for ages)

[aldgate]

It's the unexpected sightings that give you most pleasure - like spotting an actual west ham team in east london yesterday

[lab]

Aalborg Hammer 1:32 How long before a magpie finds it ?

[Nurse Ratched]

"There is a small river near where I live which, being in London, is dotted with tyres and supermarket trolleys, do I just assumed the water would be manky. Especially as the river runs past various industrial estates. Going past the river on the bus today, in a horrible area - a large traffic junction with flyovers, etc, and I spotted a 'little egret' wading in the water. Chuffed with that."

[aldgate]

Just back from an Easter break in the states and spent some time in the florida keys. Never got tired of watching the pelican squadrons fly over

[Aalborg Hammer]

Pleased to see our Goldcrests are back-fighting over turf with our resident wren over who gets the insects under the conservatory window sill and gutter - we also have a pair of Mistle thrushes nesting in the creeper on our oak tree

[gph]

"""Woodpigeon couple back and as useless as ever. Definitely a species that has degenerated with the Anthropocene"" Before the Anthropocene, they never had a salad that suited them so well. (Interesting that you hardly see them on the menu in towns...)"

[Nurse Ratched]

"Far fewer numbers for me this year, but still bewitching."

[Hammer and Pickle]

Woodpigeon couple back and as useless as ever. Definitely a species that has degenerated with the Anthropocene

[Crassus]

"It's all kicking off in Spring fever at our gaffe Ordered and deployed new feeders, the existing battered by squirrels, mags and bloody great black Dornier corvid types that swoop in and scorch earth Absolute flights by the squadron of tits, sparrows and starlings along with woodies, blackbirds, peckers etc In the field behind we have deer, rabbits, foxes, rats, voles and hunting stoats/weasels Wonderful time of the year and so lucky to have access to their lives and habitat - enjoy them all"