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Post Info TOPIC: BIRD BEHAVIOUR


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RE: BIRD BEHAVIOUR


Aha! Greetings Simon, I can gelp you here, I was just browsing through and found your mystery behavior post. Even though pigeons have a bad reputation and for good reason, they are always serious about trying to keep clean. One of their methods is to raise their wing during the rain (or hail) and this is supposed to wash out any bits/parasites from under their wings, simular to what people do when having a shower. One thing all pigeons are full of is feather dust, and if they have a bath in a group, a film of this can be seen on their bath water. This means they need regular showers too. I do hope this helps. Ps. Regarding your garden problem- I used to suffer with this too, so under my bird feeders, i've built a cage to stop the bigger birds from getting at the bits of seed that fall, if you stop them getting at the seed, they will eventually give up in coming (unless If any of your neighbours feed them). The supply of feeders and stuff at Haiths might give you some ideas as it did with me?? Www.haiths.com. I wish you all the best on this!

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simon ghilks wrote:

Saw something yesterday I have not noticed before and looked quite bizarre.

During a hail storm there was a flock of about 10 or 12 Feral Pigeon on our lawn, most were behaving normally but 2 of them had crouched low, tilted to one side, fluffed up breast feathers, raised a wing vertically above them like a sail and spread their tail. As soon as the hail eased off a bit they resumed normal posture but as the hail intensified they would resume the wing raised posture again, one other bird also assumed this same position briefly but all the others carried on as if nothing was wrong. I have never seen this behaviour during a normal rain shower so can only assume that by raising a wing in this way that it somehow deflected the hail from hitting the bird directly.
These birds are really quite a problem in our garden but are possibly the most interesting to watch in terms of behaviour except maybe Starlings and young Magpies. They always seem to be ahead of the game.





They're a nuisance in our garden too Simon, but that is probably the main reason they are successful. Adaptable birds, with a forever inquisitive nature, they suss out what other birds are doing and soon start copying them and inevitably end up reaping rewards in terms of finding food.

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Saw something yesterday I have not noticed before and looked quite bizarre.

During a hail storm there was a flock of about 10 or 12 Feral Pigeon on our lawn, most were behaving normally but 2 of them had crouched low, tilted to one side, fluffed up breast feathers, raised a wing vertically above them like a sail and spread their tail. As soon as the hail eased off a bit they resumed normal posture but as the hail intensified they would resume the wing raised posture again, one other bird also assumed this same position briefly but all the others carried on as if nothing was wrong. I have never seen this behaviour during a normal rain shower so can only assume that by raising a wing in this way that it somehow deflected the hail from hitting the bird directly.
These birds are really quite a problem in our garden but are possibly the most interesting to watch in terms of behaviour except maybe Starlings and young Magpies. They always seem to be ahead of the game.


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On my walk into work I go through Hulme Park. A couple of months ago I saw a dead magpie discarded in a tree next to the path. I checked the following day and it had been removed. Strangely, on Friday, I was doing my usual walk and there was another dead magpie in the same tree!! Could these have been killed by a Bird of Prey?!

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Craig Higson wrote:

Two bits of interesting behaviour today round Viridor Wood. The first (and most interesting to me) happened just as I walked on site. A young Kestrel was perched in a hawthorn where a couple of Magpies were hanging about. What happened next I'm not sure but sudden squealing had me putting the bins up to see the Kestrel and a Magpie grappling with each other - the Kestrel looking far the more comfortable. However what happened next was the interesting bit, Magpies came streaming in from everywhere - at least 10 and possibly up to 15 suddenly in the same bit of hedge and basically defending their stricken colleague. In the end the Kestrel released the one it had grappled with and flew off, the Magpies quickly dissipating as well.





Saw the same thing many years ago on the disused railway lines in Lowton St. Marys - I came across a large group of Magpies surrounding a Kestrel and a Magpie grappling on the floor. The other Magpies kept attacking the Kestrel. As I walked up all the birds fled, apart from the two combatants who remained locked together until I was a few yards away, when they too flew off. In Scotland I've also seen a family party of Hooded crows attack a male Peregrine when the raptor had caught one of their group.

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Two bits of interesting behaviour today round Viridor Wood. The first (and most interesting to me) happened just as I walked on site. A young Kestrel was perched in a hawthorn where a couple of Magpies were hanging about. What happened next I'm not sure but sudden squealing had me putting the bins up to see the Kestrel and a Magpie grappling with each other - the Kestrel looking far the more comfortable. However what happened next was the interesting bit, Magpies came streaming in from everywhere - at least 10 and possibly up to 15 suddenly in the same bit of hedge and basically defending their stricken colleague. In the end the Kestrel released the one it had grappled with and flew off, the Magpies quickly dissipating as well.

The second thing was just quite amusing. At one point I heard a loud tapping, not dissimilar to a Stonechat call. Eventually I spotted the culprit - a Great Tit trying to peck its way into a hazelnut. I watched it for a good few minutes and it was really quite comical. pecking like mad, turn it round, peck like mad, turn it round. I'll give the bird it's due, it has much more patience than I. After what must have been 5 mins it hadn't made any noticeable impact and was still tapping away when I left.

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Many years ago, we used to have one the same at Heaton Mersey CC, lived behind the clock on the old pavillion.
Used to drink bitter, eat crisps and peanuts.....

Me and my mate taught it to fly to us on a whistle and if we were fielding we caused chaos, fielders , umpires and batsmen diving for cover with me and my mate in stitches.

One of the old brigade whom used to sit under the clock, got so cheesed off after about 3 months with it, he demanded the hole got filled in and soon the Magpie disappeared



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Royton Cricket Club has a resident (pest) Magpie who is apparently always flying into the bar and drinking peoples drinks and eating their crisps/nuts. We went to play there a couple of weeks ago, I was amazed at peoples reaction when it flew in. Some of them were genuinely scared of it. With a bit of patience and calmness, it hopped onto my finger and I took it outside. The most confiding (healthy) bird I've ever come across.

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Watched a Magpie eating a dead Wood Pigeon on Jacksons Crescent in Manchester. Not what you want to see at half 7 in the morning!

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keith mills wrote:

Yesterday evening, my Dog and I, were persistently attacked (similar to Artic Tern but not pecked)
by 2 screeching Jackdaws, near the Walkway 100 yards from my house. They were mainly going at ''Champers''

''Champers'' was pretty nonplussed and just looked puzzled at their noisy attention.I should add that in no way was this attack provoked by us, the Jackdaws coming down from nearby trees. My dog is totally non-aggressive towards birds, and often has Blackbirds/Robins inside of 10 feet as he sits on the Lawn without a problem!


-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 14th of June 2014 10:59:13 AM





I've only just got round to reading this and have to apologise Keith but it was fascinating to read about you and your dog being attacked! My almost unbelievable story is that I was once attacked by a Wren! When I lived in Chadderton, one year I could hear fledgling Wrens in my back garden. I came out to have a closer look but couldn't see them and I must have gone too close to where they were hidden, as what I assumed to be an adult Wren came and actually physically landed briefly on my shirt sleeve! It all happened in whirr and I suppose it is possible that it was a disorientated juvenile but whatever it certainly had the effect the bird desired as it distracted me from its young! I took it to be an extraordinary example of the drive of parenthood and also an incredible feat of bravery...either that or it somehow knew that I was a right old weakling and I was just there for the taking!!

The behaviour of adults and their young never ceases to amaze and fascinate me. I called in briefly at Chester Services on the M56 today and watched an adult Starling being chased around on the ground of the car park by three begging juveniles. The adult would approach the front of a parked car and repeatedly jumped a few feet in the air to pick off a dead squashed insect off the grille of the car and then feed it to one of the juveniles. When done with picking off the juiciest morsels off that particular car it moved on to the next one with young in tow and started all over again! What ingenuity by the adult, as well as being a marvellous sight and one that certainly made me smile.

Best wishes,


Bill.


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I was on Fair Isle from 26th May until 7th June this year and three things interested me. First off were two Bonxies battling it out, another four or five dropped down, seemingly to watch the fight, as we got closer they all seemed to disperse, then one bird, I assume the original victim, struggled across the road in front of us before heading to the edges of a nearby Geo, obviously injured from the fight. A couple of days later, I saw a Bonxie bring another down and they started fighting, this time it attracted the attention of a Great Black-backed Gull, when this landed close to the fight, the original aggressor flew off leaving the victim, the GBBG just stood close by until the victim flew off. Also, while we were there, I saw a Bonxie swallowing what appeared to be a small rabbit, a GBBG landed close by and grabbed the part that hadn't been swallowed and started pulling the rest of the rabbit from the Bonxie, before swallowing it itself!

I believe Bonxie means 'bully' in Shetland dialect, so that would explain the first incident, but clearly they are something of cowards when it comes to confronting a GBBG! My wife and I have visited Fair Isle on a number of occasions since 1987 and this is the first time we have seen anything like this sort of behaviour, the Bonxie population is increasing on the isle, much to the detriment of Arctic Skua, maybe this is the reason for the aggression.

regards


Dave

PS. Fair Isle really is a must visit place for birders, we had what I thought was a quiet fortnight but still saw Kumlien's Gull, Caspian Stonechat, multiple Red-backed Shrikes, Quail, Marsh Warbler, Icterine Warbler (down to ten feet), Red-breasted Flycatcher and Blyth's Reed Warbler, the birds we missed included Temminck's Stint, Collared Flycatcher, Honey Buzzard and Common Rosefinch amongst others. The new observatory is stunning and the residents very friendly and helpful.



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Hi Tony.. Yes I guess your right that's the only answer...I did have a glance round for a fledgling, but grass at least 6 inches high.
We beat a hasty retreat with one Jackdaw following us!
Trouble was it was right by the main Walkway, which I was on, and my dog a few feet off.
No trouble there today.
Well I do enjoy the bubbly occasionally, but usually a glass of Pinot Grigio is good enough.smile
-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 14th of June 2014 05:02:57 PM

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keith mills wrote:

Yesterday evening, my Dog and I, were persistently attacked (similar to Artic Tern but not pecked)
by 2 screeching Jackdaws, near the Walkway 100 yards from my house. They were mainly going at ''Champers''

''Champers'' was pretty nonplussed and just looked puzzled at their noisy attention.I should add that in no way was this attack provoked by us, the Jackdaws coming down from nearby trees. My dog is totally non-aggressive towards birds, and often has Blackbirds/Robins inside of 10 feet as he sits on the Lawn without a problem!


-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 14th of June 2014 10:59:13 AM




As far as birds are concerned you, and especially your dog, are seen as potential predators. I would guess there was a recently fledged
Jackdaw on the ground close by probably trying to hide (which would explain why you didn't notice it), and the other 2 were the parents.
"Champers"? Is the dog named after your regular tipple Keith? smile

-- Edited by Tony Darby on Saturday 14th of June 2014 04:33:29 PM

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Yesterday evening, my Dog and I, were persistently attacked (similar to Artic Tern but not pecked)
by 2 screeching Jackdaws, near the Walkway 100 yards from my house. They were mainly going at ''Champers''

''Champers'' was pretty nonplussed and just looked puzzled at their noisy attention.I should add that in no way was this attack provoked by us, the Jackdaws coming down from nearby trees. My dog is totally non-aggressive towards birds, and often has Blackbirds/Robins inside of 10 feet as he sits on the Lawn without a problem!


-- Edited by keith mills on Saturday 14th of June 2014 10:59:13 AM

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male whitethroat displaying on the old railway line at amberswood, before the rain moved in.

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I saw the same at Berry Head and Dawlish Warren down in Devon, with Shags in the mix too. Maybe the GBBs are trying to capitalise on the work of the Cormorants? I saw LBB and Herring Gull sniffing round feeding Great Northern Divers on the same trip. These associating birds are the gulls that can be bothered to fly and swim, rather than just go through the bins on the beach! Its actually quite amazing how comfortable gulls are now. My mum is still smarting from a Herring Gull that walked up to her while she was sat on a bench on the sea front in Paignton, and pecked the chips she was eating from her lap.

What was also a bit surprising was seeing Turnstone being similarly confiding. I saw one feeding with a few Purple Sandpiper in Brixham, picking through seaweed like it's supposed to. Later on the Purple Sands were roosting and the Turnstone had reverted to sniffing round some anglers on the breakwater, getting fed maggots from the hand! I saw another 6 or 7 in Paignton eating chips off the floor (Not my mum's chips...). They behave like Pigeons! When I wandered over they were fussing around my feet like a springer spaniel.

Slight digression there Tim, sorry. I guess it's nice that the phenomenon you describe is something that evidently occurs at different ends of the country. I'm not an expert on gulls but I bet it is something to do with opportunism on the part of the GBBs. If they chillax with the Cormorants, when they head off to feed maybe the gulls can follow them and join in/take advantage?

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Changing the subject from Herons does anyone know why Great Black-backed Gulls lounge around with Cormorants? I've seen this a lot on rocks on the North Wales Coast and recently on the shoreline at Marshside. Neither species seems bothered by the other and they are often only a few feet away. Why is this?

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Herons do indeed produce pellets Rick, but so do quite a few other birds. Most if not all of the Corvids (Crow family), Kingfishers, some of the Gulls, Cormorants, Shrikes, Terns, Grebes, to name a few, some of the smaller birds do too.

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I take it Herons emit pellets like other birds of prey? How on earth does it go about dealing with huge bills?

Any huge bills I get, I go to the bank of Mum and Dad!!!no

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It's a good job they have no gag reflex. I was gagging a bit watching my one, imagine swallowing a crocodile, no matter how old!

I've seen one catch and swallow a pretty massive eel at Brockholes near Preston, but I imagine they slip down a lot easier than a duck or a dogfish for that matter. Dogfish skin is like sandpaper.

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This conversation cropped up last year when a Grey Heron was reported eating a Snipe, and with reference to Tanmay's sighting with the Water Rail, what surprised me was how it dealt with the long bill on both birds.
But Herons eating Rabbits, Rats, Ducks, and fish as large as a Dogfish/small Shark (ref a YouTube video somewhere) then this comes as no surprise at all.
Most of the Herons and their allies Egrets, Storks, etc all eat live prey for the most part, and the size of the prey is 'usually' dependant on the size of the bird and probably also what the bird feels it can handle. If it sees it as fair game then why wouldn't it go for it?
Great Egrets take Mammals, small Birds, reptiles amph, etc.
Marabou Storks in Africa take what they can get including fairly large Flamingo chicks, unwary ground Mammals, and even Crocodile youngsters of a size they can cope with.
Jabiru's in the Americas take the same kind of prey over there. So basically if prey is deemed to be a possible meal due to whatever the factors are at that moment, in my view chances are they will go for it.
Cheers
Rob

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I remember back in the late Eighties watching a Grey Heron at Martin Mere suddenly grabbing an adult Mallard and struggling with it, but managed to pollish it of after some 20 minutes

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Back in the early '00's I was working in Knutsford and used to wander down to Tatton Mere. A pair of Heron nested at the Knutsford end of the mere and were raising two chicks. One of the chicks succumbed and, one lunch time, I watched the rather macabre sight of one parent bird consuming the dead body ! It was not small and took quite some effort (which made it all the more grisly !!!)

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If you go on you-tube you will see Herons eating all kinds of Animals,Rabbits,Rats,etc

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I've seen a heron eating a water rail at Parkgate. It was a struggle for the heron to get it down but it succeeded in the end.
An almost fully grown mallard duckling is pretty impressive though!

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Rick Hall wrote:

I filmed a Heron the other day eating a Mallard duckling that must have been right on the threshold of what it could swallow. It was almost fully grown.





The threshold of what a Grey Heron can swallow is amazing. One of my most memorable birding encounters was watching a Heron at Leighton Moss first spear then drag to a bank a two foot long Pike. It then positioned its bill over the Pike's jaws to clamp them shut and gradually jerked the whole fish down its gullet before waddling slowly like a fat City businessman off into the vegetation to digest. It only needed a 'waffer-thin mint' to complete the job!

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I filmed a Heron the other day eating a Mallard duckling that must have been right on the threshold of what it could swallow. It was almost fully grown.

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Hi Rick,
Saw the same effect as you describe last June, with A Buzzard over Lostock Mire and reported this ''hovering'' twice
under the Middlebrook Valley Trail thread.
This bird was not riding the wind and looked, as you say just like a Kestrel's hover.

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Hi Rick, I witnessed the same thing a week or so back near Orrell but thought nothing of it as I'm relatively new to birding. It was definitely a buzzard I saw too as I was watching on the fence before it flew off for it's kill. Would be interesting to know if this isn't common behaviour!


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I saw a Buzzard hovering like a Kestrel in Scotland at the weekend. I've never seen this before. It wasn't using the wind, it was properly hovering in exactly the same way as a Kestrel with slightly slower wing beats. It even did the steadying wing shivers of a Kestrel. It was definitely 100% a Buzzard.

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Had a male Wheatear singing to his mate today from about 18 inches away on top of a wall. ..... nothing spectacular but very low and intense.

As you say Tim ... oblivious to me about 12 ft away.

Think I've only ever heard them making the clicking sound before.

So one of those special moments that I'll probably never witness again.

Roger.

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Tim glad to hear that someone else feels the same wonder at these great little moments in the natural world, they really don't leave you. its only a few years or so since i watched the dancing display of the male whitethroat but it will live long in the memory.

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dave broome wrote:

Tim Wilcox wrote:

Witnessing a courtship dance from even our most common species is a moment of delight and wonder and isn't that often experienced. A Chaffinch courtship dance I witnessed at Millgate Fields, Didsbury over 10 years ago ranks in my top 10 birding experiences - seriously! Never seen it since. The male sang within 6 inches of the female perched on separate twigs and at the same time shuffled sideways to and fro. I watched from about 6 feet. They were oblivious to my presence like your Chiffchaffs



Tim, a pair of Chaffinch were displaying like this on the ground at Binn Green recently, close to myself, John Rayner and Mark Rigby. It isn't something which I could recall seeing previously. Great stuff



These are true birding moments really. Running about ticking stuff off is fun but in a way not real birding

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On Sunday I noticed Coal Tits beside the lower path up to Binn Green doing a wing-shivering routine with an almost insect-like call. Reminded me of something similar done by a Chiffchaff at Strinesdale the other Spring, and the food solicitation done by a female Robin just before mating.

-- Edited by Mike Chorley on Monday 14th of April 2014 09:47:04 PM

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Tim Wilcox wrote:

Witnessing a courtship dance from even our most common species is a moment of delight and wonder and isn't that often experienced. A Chaffinch courtship dance I witnessed at Millgate Fields, Didsbury over 10 years ago ranks in my top 10 birding experiences - seriously! Never seen it since. The male sang within 6 inches of the female perched on separate twigs and at the same time shuffled sideways to and fro. I watched from about 6 feet. They were oblivious to my presence like your Chiffchaffs



Tim, a pair of Chaffinch were displaying like this on the ground at Binn Green recently, close to myself, John Rayner and Mark Rigby. It isn't something which I could recall seeing previously. Great stuff

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Dave Tennant wrote:

Just watched a pair of chiffchaff at close quarters down to about 5 metres in a hawthorn tree, they were totally unaware that i was watching [ it seemed like that anyway ]. the male was fluffing out his feathers and looked bigger and every few seconds would call out the familiar chiffchaff call, what i presume was the female would in response give out a simple high pitched cheap, this went on for several minutes with the male following the female round the tree.





Witnessing a courtship dance from even our most common species is a moment of delight and wonder and isn't that often experienced. A Chaffinch courtship dance I witnessed at Millgate Fields, Didsbury over 10 years ago ranks in my top 10 birding experiences - seriously! Never seen it since. The male sang within 6 inches of the female perched on separate twigs and at the same time shuffled sideways to and fro. I watched from about 6 feet. They were oblivious to my presence like your Chiffchaffs

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Just watched a pair of chiffchaff at close quarters down to about 5 metres in a hawthorn tree, they were totally unaware that i was watching [ it seemed like that anyway ]. the male was fluffing out his feathers and looked bigger and every few seconds would call out the familiar chiffchaff call, what i presume was the female would in response give out a simple high pitched cheap, this went on for several minutes with the male following the female round the tree.

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I've never seen exactly what you witnessed Tim, but the males can be particularly aggressive in the breeding season - and not just towards other male grouse. I remember stories from a few years back of one individual which would attack human passers-by - but only ones wearing red clothing smile

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Seeking any info on what turned out to be (to me anyway) a most extraordinary sighting at Binn Green this evening whilst failing to see any species of Crossbill. Two Red Grouse flew up the valley towards me calling with one bird attacking the other and pecking it repeatedly. They flew up to a height of over 80ft and carried on up the hill. Has anyone seen such behaviour in Red Grouse before?

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For the last few days we've had a young robin in the garden. Today it was perched on the bird table watching a female blackbird bathing in the birdbath. A couple of times the robin tried to fly in whilst the blackbird was still in with no success. When the blackbird had finished the robin immediately flew in and started to bath itself.

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Near Roman Lakes a juvenile Green Woodpecker was excavating an ant mound and tucking in. It was temporarily displaced by a Magpie that dropped in to sample an easy food source. It ate a few but apparently not to its liking and the Green Woodpecker resumed when it flew off.

Cheers John

-- Edited by John Rayner on Sunday 11th of August 2013 02:42:26 PM

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On 19th July, on the Stamford Park, Ashton-under-Lyne thread Steve Suttill reported a female Mallard which appeared to have "adopted" three small Tufted Duck ducklings. When I visited the same site on 22nd July a female Mallard looked to be escorting 2 Mallard & 2 Tufted Duck ducklings. Visits to Alexandra Park, Oldham on 21st July found a "traditional" Tufted Duck family of a female with 6 ducklings but also 3 female Mallards seemingly in charge of mixed broods of Mallard/Tufted Duck ducklings in the following numbers - 7/5, 5/4 & 3/1. Two further visits to this site in the following week were perhaps a little more confusing as the young ducklings grew and became more mobile but still the general impression gained was that many of the Tufted Duck ducklings did not appear to be under the guidance and supervision of female Tufted Ducks.

Two possible explanations have been forward for these observations but rather than outline them and pre-empt others opinions on such a subject I am asking if anyone else has records in recent times in GM of mixed broods of specifically Mallard and Tufted Duck ducklings and their thoughts/opinions on how these might have arisen. I have had a look through the last 10 years county bird reports and I can't find any such similar sightings being reported.

Many thanks,

Bill.


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Each morning the milkman places 3 x 4 pint plastic cartons of milk through the railings in the gate at my workplace in Salford. Occasionally one of the cartons develops a hole in it and we end up with a large puddle of milk, this is always blamed on the milkman's heavy handedness.

Early this morning as I arrived at work I noticed two of the local Carrion Crows in my works yard and they were taking it in turn to peck at one of the cartons eventually causing the milk to leak out. As a large puddle began to form both birds started to bathe and generally splash about. A third Crow flew down and a good time was had by all.

I let them have five minutes before I went to get the remaining cartons. I remember as a kid seeing Blue tits pecking at the silver milk bottle tops at my parents home but if these Crows start doing this regularly the poor milkman is going to get fed up with my manager moaning at him

<img src="www.sparkimg.com/emoticons/biggrin.gif" border="0" alt="biggrin" title="biggrin" />

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Cheers John, it was something I couldn't remember seeing

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See it regularly at houghton green pool,saw 2 pairs displaying the other day and a few pairs at penny,doas seem strange in winter plumage,but its not uncommon.I think its a bonding display when they have returned after say the water was too flooded and they moved away from thier normal water,when they return they display :)

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A work colleague saw two Great Crested Grebe displaying on Amberswood Lake, Hindley yesterday (19th Oct) and showed me a photo he had taken, as he was surprised to see it at this time of year. I couldn't recall seeing this in autumn either. Anybody seen this?

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Your right. It does not look as dark as the owl footage. I think he needs a timestamp on the videos for night filming. I have asked Alun does he know the actual time and i will post when i get a reply. great footage. cheers Den

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Looking at the video I'm not sure it's actually that dark and like Paul think it may actually have been taken at dusk when they often hunt. The lighting on the video looks a little too 'bright' (you can clearly see detail in the background), especially compared to the Tawny Owl video which was obviously taken in total darkness and only the area immediately around the feeding stump (and bird itself) is lit.

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Yeah very interesting about the bat hawking, the birds going into roosting starlings at night, Alan did not know what time the footage was took, he is experimenting with nightvision and motion sensors to trigger any movement to see what he can get, he has had barn owls as expected on the post at night but he did not expect a sparrowhawk,

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Nice bit of footage Dennis, do you know what time it was taken? they regulary hunt birds going to roost so could still be eating in darkness if it had caught one last thing. saying that though American Falconers have used Coopers Hawks ( larger than Sparrowhawk but not as big as a Goshawk) to hunt Starlings at night, in total darkness with some success. see the following link and scroll down to Bat Hawking www.americanfalconry.com/recipe.html
regards Paul

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