Originally posted by Paul Pennington today: Blue tits have been inspecting my bird box over the past few mornings. This is the nest boxes second year. Last year the blue tits occupied, and had 7/8 eggs. Two of the eggs didn't hatch. All the surviving chicks fledged. Also I have a pair of resident Coal Ti...
I made my first trip to Bickershaw Rucks on Saturday 17th May 2014 in search of Cuckoos. I dropped lucky and was delighted to hear and see one flying South quite nera to me. It was the first in the Wigan area for me since I was a child 40-odd years ago. We heard them regularly in those days near Bottling Wood e...
Would suit anyone wanting a starter scope on a budget or a spare lightweight travel scope. Reason for sale? See my review of the MM3 ED on the Focal Point thread but don't be put off - I'm comparing it to some high-end gear. But you can have this one for 10% of the price! Little used. Some marking on the rubbe...
Olympus SP-810UZ bridge camera for sale. 36x optical zoom, 24mm wide-angle view and 14 megapixel resolution. Other features include a 3 inch LCD screen, 720p HD video, 3D shooting mode, SDXC card compatibility, AF Tracking, in-camera panorama stitching and a range of Magic Filter effects. Still...
Note Mr Tymon won this week, well done John, superb photograph; Steve Young comments: "The two White-winged Black Terns at Elton Reservoir were popular among BirdGuides contributors this week and we had quite a few images submitted, but this shot by John Tymon has that little something extra...
I was travelling up Beech Hill Avenue in Wigan on Saturday afternoon 17th May 2014. My wife was driving so I got a decent view when I saw soaring about 200 ft above me what initially looked like a heron. As I got closer, it looked bigger than a heron and clearly had black wings and a white breast with long leg...
I was lucky enough to share six days of Easter sunshine with Anglesey and its birds between the evening of Tuesday 15th April and the following Bank Holiday Monday. My base was Silver Bay, one of two south-facing bays at Rhoscolyn, on Holy Island. This is where I now do most of my birding. These notes wer...
Calling all Birders, Lovebird found in Carlton Road, Lowton, WA3. Does anyone know if anybody has lost one? It is in a temporary cardboard box. Any ideas what we should do with the bird?
Apologies if this description is a bit vague but I was on the verge of photographing my mystery bird and was interrupted by a cyclist so any help appreciated! This was a brown bird somewhere between blackbird and collared dove in size, it was seen by a stream in woodland on the Irwell and was darting rapi...
The following information has been passed onto me and was written by Dave Crawshaw of the Lancs Wildlife Trust. Its time once again to put the collective power of this forum and its users to good, positive use once again. Please read through and more importantly take the tiny amount of time it takes...
Peacock butterfly at the bus terminus this morning. Also seen not far away from here this morning were a Buff-tailed Bumble Bee at Walker Fold Farm & a Small Tortoiseshell along Moss Bank Way
I started thinking the other day about all the things I'd like to do in my 'birding career'. There are, unfortunately far far too many things I'd like to do that are extremely unlikely to happen due mainly to cost (and things like the fact I don't get on well with boats so an Antarctic voyage is a definite n...
The recently launched Opticron MM3 Trael Scope is proving to be very popular, and not just as a travel scope either. Weight conscious birders are choosing the lightweight scope as a first choice for everyday use. The ED glass and up to date coatings mean an increase in light transmission over the MM1 a...
Hi all :) I hope it's okay to post external links here - this is not for profit or commercial gain, simply a bird lover's personal initiative! A friend of mine has set up a website aimed at beginner and novice birdwatchers (though anybody might benefit!) centred around a downloadable list of 259 Britis...
Stunning views of a Pipistrelle down Two Brooks Lane at lunchtime. Fluttering about just above head height, close enough to even to see it have a c**p. Butterflies around at last, Small Tortoiseshells, Peacocks, Orange Tips, and a Small White. A few Buff-tailed Bumblebees and a Common Carder-bee....
I have chartered a boat for a trip out from Rhos-on-Sea on Sunday 25th May. Two places still available.
This is a general birding and photography trip off the Great Orme, the wind farms and localities.
We sail at 11am and will be out for eight hours. Cost £30. If you are interested pm me or contact me...
10/5/14....7am-10:30am. The area covered includes beacon lane-crow lane-,roby mill-stoney brow-walthew green-lafford lane also including st josephs golf course and st teresas cemetery......(all records from st josephs golf course will be done from the definitive footpaths as st josephs i...
Stunning array of flowers Common Spotted, Southern Marsh, and Bee Orchids, Common Centaury, Blue Fleabane, Yellowwort, Eyebright, Sun Spurge, Greater Celendene, Hemlock Waterdropwort, Gypsywort, Figwort, Great Mullion, Japanese Rose, Comfrey, to name a few also plenty of Banded Demoisell...
Hi everyone. I'm a newbie and I'm looking to get a halfways decent pair of Bins, on a budget. E-bay is stacked out with them. What sort of magnification should I be looking for? There's a pair of Sakura 30 x23's for instance, would they be any good?
I know things like Viking etc seem to be the popular brand...
Moved to it's correct place under telescopes lol - thanks Tim, slip of the finger in a busy work day!! -- Edited by Doc Brewster on Friday 9th of May 2014 10:27:47 PM
A joint bioblitz organised by the GM Local Record Centre and the Salford Rangers' takes place at Worsley Woods on Fri 9th/Sat 10th May with the aim of recording as many species as possible over a 24 hour period. This is a great chance to go down to the woods and find out about the species that live there, as...
Chris Packham reports late April nightly on Youtube from the frontline of the slaughter of all birds on the miserable little island which is the misguided recipient of the George Cross - Malta http://www.chrispackham.co.uk/
With the football season now over for myself, and with not expecting the call from Hodgson to join the squad in Brazil, I packed my boots away a month back. In the interim I've been wondering how best I might halt my belt size increasing that doesn't involve mondane exercises or faddy diets only followe...
Lovely few hours here 10.30-1.00 2+ Lesser Whitethroat just passed reserve near canal bridge Also Wheatear, 4 Common Whitethroat, Peregrine Falcon, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, 2 Chiffchaff, 2 Common Buzzard, 3 Reed Bunting, 2 Blackcap, 4 Tufted Duck, 4 House Martin over church, many Lapwing and Swal...
Morning all. Just wondered if anybody had any thoughts - is it likely to be too late in the season now to find Dotterel on Pendle Hill or on the Bowland fells? Thanks for any input. Paul.
