Well - if this had been a male the cap would have been black. The female is more of a chestnut colour.
It's about the first time in three years I've seen one in the garden, and along with the redpoll it's another bird that C had never seen before.
They're meant to have such a melodious song that they have been nicknamed "the northern nightingale" but I'm afraid that with the door shut all I managed to capture sound-wise was C!
Showing posts with label bird video. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bird video. Show all posts
Sunday 8 January 2012
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Mandarins
I've had a cold the last few days so as usual I'm behind with editing and uploading photos. I have some more La Rochelle photos edited but hadn't got as far as saving a draft post.
So instead here's a video clip of the mandarin ducks in the park last week.
So instead here's a video clip of the mandarin ducks in the park last week.
Sunday 18 September 2011
Quick post
Just back from two weeks in France, still trying to catch up with everything.
The first half of the holiday we stayed in Brittany, borrowing a house from friends (that's where we were for a funeral last summer, and it was Pierre's house we stayed in, as his daughters still have it). Second half we camped in two different sites. This little video was from the third area we visited - the Marais Poitevin., a large marshy area also known as La Venise Verte or Green Venice. According to Wikipedia it covers about 970 square km , and according to our guide there are about 6000km of man-made drainage canals, as well as some natural ones. This work was started during the reign of Henri IV (1553 - 1610), who called in the Dutch experts, (just as the English did with the Norfolk fens in the early 17th century).
After our trip along the canals we visited a bird park - mostly waterfowl, and a great way of using the natural landscape. These storks were some of the birds we saw, and we were lucky enough to be treated to a real sight. When we passed by their enclosure on the return to the car, they were all just standing around quietly. The sound from their beaks was quite amazing - like very fast castanets. After all that display, that pair settled down to a mutual grooming session - I don't know if they were picking some sort of mites out of each other or what.
More will follow as I get organised during the week...
The first half of the holiday we stayed in Brittany, borrowing a house from friends (that's where we were for a funeral last summer, and it was Pierre's house we stayed in, as his daughters still have it). Second half we camped in two different sites. This little video was from the third area we visited - the Marais Poitevin., a large marshy area also known as La Venise Verte or Green Venice. According to Wikipedia it covers about 970 square km , and according to our guide there are about 6000km of man-made drainage canals, as well as some natural ones. This work was started during the reign of Henri IV (1553 - 1610), who called in the Dutch experts, (just as the English did with the Norfolk fens in the early 17th century).
After our trip along the canals we visited a bird park - mostly waterfowl, and a great way of using the natural landscape. These storks were some of the birds we saw, and we were lucky enough to be treated to a real sight. When we passed by their enclosure on the return to the car, they were all just standing around quietly. The sound from their beaks was quite amazing - like very fast castanets. After all that display, that pair settled down to a mutual grooming session - I don't know if they were picking some sort of mites out of each other or what.
More will follow as I get organised during the week...
Thursday 1 September 2011
Life is busy...
And the birds seem to be much more timid these days, although Mrs Robin and another one still fly to the back step for a snack (not together). I still see the coal, blue and great tits, and the dunnocks. I think I've seen a couple of young robins too, and the starlings are enjoying feasting on the rowan berries.
As C said he saw a sparrowhawk in the front garden last week (it flew into the window, and then sat on the hedge to recover till it was chased off by magpies), that might account for the birds being more cautious. I had a feeling we had some sort of bird of prey around as I saw a dead pigeon with wings torn off on the grass one day.
I wanted to share this video of how quickly the sparrows flock in when they see the feeders filled up - but as you can see, they take flight quickly when they hear the train go by, even though that's a sound they must hear so often during the day. I've been trying to get a better video, but they're not cooperative. I wish that the sound of their wings came out better. I remember hearing a programme about sound recordists some years ago, and they did say it was a hard sound to capture - but can be quite easily simulated with flapping leather gloves if I remember correctly.
As C said he saw a sparrowhawk in the front garden last week (it flew into the window, and then sat on the hedge to recover till it was chased off by magpies), that might account for the birds being more cautious. I had a feeling we had some sort of bird of prey around as I saw a dead pigeon with wings torn off on the grass one day.
I wanted to share this video of how quickly the sparrows flock in when they see the feeders filled up - but as you can see, they take flight quickly when they hear the train go by, even though that's a sound they must hear so often during the day. I've been trying to get a better video, but they're not cooperative. I wish that the sound of their wings came out better. I remember hearing a programme about sound recordists some years ago, and they did say it was a hard sound to capture - but can be quite easily simulated with flapping leather gloves if I remember correctly.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Ducklings revisited.
I had a lovely walk in Farmleigh and the park yesterday, although it was horribly heavy and muggy. I went to Farmleigh first, and started feeding the ducks the heel of a loaf of bread - and along came the little ducklings scooting at high speed. Then it was time to hop out onto the tree trunk, have a little groom and then a nap. It certainly made it easier to get some good photos when they weren't zooming around in the water. I love the little chittering noise they make, too.
Even though they were just napping, it was hard to move on and leave them, I wars really enjoying watching them. I've always liked the way the ducks use that curved branch to stand on and groom themselves - it makes for great reflection photos.
When I walked over to Quarry Lake I saw a lovely female mandarin duck, and several female tufted ducks who came up much closer than normal - more photos tomorrow, and the recipe for the Mississippi Mud Pie I made for the weekend.
Even though they were just napping, it was hard to move on and leave them, I wars really enjoying watching them. I've always liked the way the ducks use that curved branch to stand on and groom themselves - it makes for great reflection photos.
When I walked over to Quarry Lake I saw a lovely female mandarin duck, and several female tufted ducks who came up much closer than normal - more photos tomorrow, and the recipe for the Mississippi Mud Pie I made for the weekend.
Saturday 23 July 2011
Farmleigh Ducklings
These little chicks are so much later than the ones on the canal or even in the park, but apart from the solitary singleton I saw way back, they're the only ones I've seen there, so I don't even think they're a second brood. First I saw one, then two, and in the end I think we counted nine fearless little things. I'm glad we got to Farmleigh this morning - I had a lot of cooking to do today, but after I'd given 4lb of kidney beans their rapid boil for ten minutes, I reckoned there was time to go for a walk and call in to the butcher to get some mince while they simmered away.
I'll have to go back on Monday, weather permitting, and hope that they are still there! I've never been so near little ducklings before.
The funny flapping and splashing in the background is a moorhen.
Listen to all the funny little squeaks and cheeps - and see those stubby little wings!!
Poor Mrs Robin is moulting and has lost her tail .(I hope that's what it is, it's the most likely at this time of year). I hope it grows back soon. She looks funny in her truncated form.
I'd hoped to have a recipe to share but time isn't on my side today...next time.
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| Playful chick |
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| Intrepid chick |
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| Up close chick |
I'll have to go back on Monday, weather permitting, and hope that they are still there! I've never been so near little ducklings before.
The funny flapping and splashing in the background is a moorhen.
Listen to all the funny little squeaks and cheeps - and see those stubby little wings!!
Poor Mrs Robin is moulting and has lost her tail .(I hope that's what it is, it's the most likely at this time of year). I hope it grows back soon. She looks funny in her truncated form.
I'd hoped to have a recipe to share but time isn't on my side today...next time.
Friday 22 July 2011
Two flashes of gold
On the whole it's been a pretty grey and gloomy week.
Here are two flashes of colour which brightened it up.
We've had goldfinches (including a juvenile) at the feeder for a couple of days this week.
And this little heart's ease has popped up in my pot of Californian wildflowers.
I'm busy trying to winnow down my 1300+ photos from June to a manageable amount before I run a backup. It's all those baby birds!!
And a very brief display of robin rivalry: Fatso (my new name for him now his tail has grown) is trying to muscle in on Mrs Robin's territory. So as I heard the babies chirping to be fed I put some worms and grain on some bricks on the wall where she could easily get at them. But even there Fatso flew in.
Mind you, yesterday I saw one of the babies trying to chase Fatso away, so maybe his takeover bid will fail!!
Here are two flashes of colour which brightened it up.
We've had goldfinches (including a juvenile) at the feeder for a couple of days this week.
And this little heart's ease has popped up in my pot of Californian wildflowers.
I'm busy trying to winnow down my 1300+ photos from June to a manageable amount before I run a backup. It's all those baby birds!!
And a very brief display of robin rivalry: Fatso (my new name for him now his tail has grown) is trying to muscle in on Mrs Robin's territory. So as I heard the babies chirping to be fed I put some worms and grain on some bricks on the wall where she could easily get at them. But even there Fatso flew in.
Mind you, yesterday I saw one of the babies trying to chase Fatso away, so maybe his takeover bid will fail!!
Sunday 17 July 2011
For the birds
There are no flies on this little baby robin - he knows just where Momma flies to to pick up those tasty titbits she brings back. Actually, I'm interested to see that when there's a variety of stuff on the doorstep for her to choose from, she seems to like to bring a variety back to the little ones. Even though mealworms seem to be her favourite she'll bring grains and seeds and fruit back to the babies too.
Much of yesterday was rainy and not so warm - time to put the duvet back on the bed tonight, I think. But in between, C and the birds both enjoyed the sunny spells.
Mrs Robin on the trunk of a tree that came down in the snow two winters ago
I never picked a favourite card from June to share, because I was feeling flat and uncreative and didn't really have a favourite that stood out. This month I have several favourites, so I think Woodstock can settle in with the flock of birds in this post. Thanks for the twine, Lorraine!
We were sort of expecting a friend of C's to call yesterday, and we only had about three biscuits in the house. Since I knew Jorges likes peanut butter I went looking for a recipe for a bar cookie (for convenience) with peanut butter. This is what I found:
Oh Henry Bars: (approx 40)
2/3 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tblsp vanilla (I thought this was a lot, and would cut it back to not more than 2 tsp another time)
1/2 cup corn syrup (golden syrup over here)
4 cups porridge oats
6 ounces chocolate chips
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter.
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add vanilla, corn syrup and oats. Press into a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan. Bake at 350F, 180C for 15 - 16 minutes.
While it bakes, melt the chocolate chips (I just used chocolate) and peanut butter together over a low heat. When the cookies have cooled slightly, spread this over and allow to set.
We don't have Oh Henry bars here, so I did a bit of googling to find out more about them - and the cookies. This recipe is from The Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook, with a note that it came from the Boston Globe. But pretty much any recipe I looked at was almost identical. They all stress not to overcook!! One suggested using a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan with a reduced cooking time, although she notes that the original recipe was the size I used. That would give a thinner coating of peanut butter and chocolate on a thinner oatmeal base - I think I like the sound of that.
Thursday 14 July 2011
On the Way to Work
Two separate mornings, just gathering a few pictures together. The swans were yesterday, in Phoenix Park. My sister was up again (a video editing software interface is no longer Terra Incognita), so I got an earlier bus than my normal one with her, and then went for a walk in the park before work.
The wall is beside Heuston Station. It's looking down onto the river, and I no longer have a good head for heights so taking a photo at all was somewhat precarious, but I loved the sight of all those daisies growing vertically (reminds me of a vertical garden we saw in Paris, only these were prettier), and the fact that because you were seeing them from underneath you could see all the pink.
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The wall is beside Heuston Station. It's looking down onto the river, and I no longer have a good head for heights so taking a photo at all was somewhat precarious, but I loved the sight of all those daisies growing vertically (reminds me of a vertical garden we saw in Paris, only these were prettier), and the fact that because you were seeing them from underneath you could see all the pink.
Saturday 9 July 2011
Cormorant
For all the many times I see a cormorant flying up the river, or swimming and diving, last week was only the second time I've seen one standing on some of the junk in the river and grooming. And the first time it was just straightforward grooming, not the wing-drying, which I've only ever seen along the cliffs.
My sister is due to stay over again this week. I'll be glad if she can give me a quick video-editing guide so that at least the program makes sense. I like the way YouTube lets me replace a soundtrack that's pretty much just traffic noise with music, but not that it then gives you non-optional advertising...
My sister is due to stay over again this week. I'll be glad if she can give me a quick video-editing guide so that at least the program makes sense. I like the way YouTube lets me replace a soundtrack that's pretty much just traffic noise with music, but not that it then gives you non-optional advertising...
Saturday 2 July 2011
Taking Off
(This is the post I thought I made during the week, but it went AWOL. I think what happened is I originally posted it accidentally when I was copying the video link, so I quickly saved it as draft. But I think when I then posted it, it posted for the day I'd done it accidentally...another lesson learned. I could see a lot of fish in the river yesterday too, but they were on the far side to where I was walking, and as I was going to get the free paper and then to a little Polish shop for fresh yeast (they were out of it), I didn't have time to cross over and walk back).
Normally I see the cormorant either diving and swimming, or they appear in flight barrelling up the river. A rare treat to watch it taking off twice in the last few days. I spotted some big mullet in the river last week too.
Normally I see the cormorant either diving and swimming, or they appear in flight barrelling up the river. A rare treat to watch it taking off twice in the last few days. I spotted some big mullet in the river last week too.
Saturday 25 June 2011
Coots in the Park
As promised, coot videos. Not one, even, but two.
It was fascinating watching the coot reorganising the nest. At first I wondered if it was for another clutch of eggs, because the chicks currently on the lake must be at least a month old now, more like 6 weeks. But when you see the chicks walking around the nest in the second video, there certainly couldn't have been any eggs in there. I don't know if the chicks go on living there for a while as a safe place - I haven't been able to find much information. And looking at the lengths of the stems, she must dive quite far down towards the base of the lily to nip them off.
Anyway - after the first video ended the coot swam over to the little island in the centre of the lake, and after rooting around a bit she came out with an old leaf in her mouth, and started swimming to where the young ones were. I didn't quite see if she passed the leaf to another adult as in a baton relay, I almost think that is what I saw, but maybe the two just crossed paths. Whatever, the leaf got given to one of the young ones who seemed to sort of nibble at it and then drop it. And then, as in the second clip, he swims back to the nest collecting his own contributory twig along the way.
Lovely as the bird sounds are, there was almost nothing but wind noise on the first video, so I've replaced it with music - learning all the time!
It was fascinating watching the coot reorganising the nest. At first I wondered if it was for another clutch of eggs, because the chicks currently on the lake must be at least a month old now, more like 6 weeks. But when you see the chicks walking around the nest in the second video, there certainly couldn't have been any eggs in there. I don't know if the chicks go on living there for a while as a safe place - I haven't been able to find much information. And looking at the lengths of the stems, she must dive quite far down towards the base of the lily to nip them off.
Anyway - after the first video ended the coot swam over to the little island in the centre of the lake, and after rooting around a bit she came out with an old leaf in her mouth, and started swimming to where the young ones were. I didn't quite see if she passed the leaf to another adult as in a baton relay, I almost think that is what I saw, but maybe the two just crossed paths. Whatever, the leaf got given to one of the young ones who seemed to sort of nibble at it and then drop it. And then, as in the second clip, he swims back to the nest collecting his own contributory twig along the way.
Lovely as the bird sounds are, there was almost nothing but wind noise on the first video, so I've replaced it with music - learning all the time!
Friday 17 June 2011
Phoenix Park
My sister stayed over Wednesday night, so on Thursday I got an early bus with her, and after seeing her off at the mainline station I went for a walk in the park as I still had plenty of time before work. Just as well it was yesterday and not today; we had heavy rain almost all day long.
There were also a bunch of swallows and swifts swooping low over the grass - lovely to watch.
And more squirrels than I've ever seen in one place in the park before.
Mister or Mrs Blackbird collecting a beakful of worms.
A mistle thrush
There were also a bunch of swallows and swifts swooping low over the grass - lovely to watch.
And more squirrels than I've ever seen in one place in the park before.
Friday 10 June 2011
A Great Day
The young great tits somehow don't have the same cute factor as the baby blues. I think it's to do with the masked face the blue tits have - think pandas, raccoons...
But they are certainly very handsome in their pristine plumage and with a creamy yellow belly rather than the brighter yellow adult plumage.
I got to see a Little Grebe in the park this morning, but oh my, little is the word. The battery in my SLR had gone flat, but at least it still gave some magnification to see the detail and come home and work out what it was. Next time we go I'll bring the spotting scope just in case it's still there - but I've never seen on there before. Watching it diving in among the lilies nearly left me running late as I needed to be home by noon; I was trying to decide what would be the loser if I had to prioritise between the library, the DIY shop for more peanuts and Marks and Spencers. I think it would have been M&S, but I was glad to have time to do all three as the luxury Charentes butter croissants were in stock, so we have a treat for breakfast tomorrow.
We had a massive thunderstorm with large hail stones - I could see them breaking up as they hit the skylights. I hope all our little birds were well under cover!!
But they are certainly very handsome in their pristine plumage and with a creamy yellow belly rather than the brighter yellow adult plumage.
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| A brief harmonious sharing with young blue and coal tits. Brief is the word! |
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| Two generations |
I got to see a Little Grebe in the park this morning, but oh my, little is the word. The battery in my SLR had gone flat, but at least it still gave some magnification to see the detail and come home and work out what it was. Next time we go I'll bring the spotting scope just in case it's still there - but I've never seen on there before. Watching it diving in among the lilies nearly left me running late as I needed to be home by noon; I was trying to decide what would be the loser if I had to prioritise between the library, the DIY shop for more peanuts and Marks and Spencers. I think it would have been M&S, but I was glad to have time to do all three as the luxury Charentes butter croissants were in stock, so we have a treat for breakfast tomorrow.
We had a massive thunderstorm with large hail stones - I could see them breaking up as they hit the skylights. I hope all our little birds were well under cover!!
Thursday 9 June 2011
It's Raining Babies
With all the juveniles currently at the feeder, I feel those very scruffy specimens from a couple of weeks back must just have been harried and haggard parents worn to a frazzle trying to keep all those big beaks satisfied. I had a couple of glimpses of a young thrush, too many of a young magpie, and my first sighting of these little baby blue tits. Aren't they so cute!! It was hard to tell how many there might be - I only ever saw two together at one time, whereas there can be at least four little coal tits clustered on the feeder these days.
I said it was raining - here's the young thrush in the rain:
I'm not sure if I'm anthropomorphizing here, but seeing it standing in the steam rising from the shed roof in the sunshine after a shower, I couldn't help thinking that it looked as if it were taking a sauna.
I said it was raining - here's the young thrush in the rain:
I'm not sure if I'm anthropomorphizing here, but seeing it standing in the steam rising from the shed roof in the sunshine after a shower, I couldn't help thinking that it looked as if it were taking a sauna.
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