BIRD NEWS:375

Well, before beginning to continue with photo posting - a back yard update. Early October, brought me dashing out the house and racing up the path quickly - in response to spotting a black cat on my path - and then spotting something large and grey in its mouth! Sure enough, as said cat darted off from my fast-approaching presence, it left behind a bitten bird.

A young wood pigeon shuffled off towards safety, drooping its wing. Worried it might be injured and need assistance, or be unable to fly as yet - for it was very young with stubbly feathers if full sized - I gloved up, scooped it up, and placed it safely on top the patio greenhouse in the ivy. I took a photo, but it does not seem to have come out very well.

Again, another update. Liz and I went on a hiking trip to Arundel - not to the WWT - but we did see some birds. A bluetit and group of longtailed tits were tree-flitting - as they were on my hike the previous day to Patching Pond. Then, Liz spotted a heron - which I managed to spot catching a fish through the noccies. On the Patching Pond trip the previous day, the only other birdlife I spotted was a pair of mallards on the pond - seen over a lay by fence.

My next excursion was to WWT Arundel, where regular readers may know that it is my custom to relax for a short time with either a coffee or lunch at the outdoor tables by the cafe. The above picture may therefore be familiar to some. My next shots were of the Bewick swan family - where the cygnets are as large as the parents, but still a little greyer, and more apt to lie down than stand on one leg by the looks of it.

In fact, when I arrived at the next swans enclosure, the Trumpeter swans were also hanging out in single legged poses.

BIRD NEWS:374

The pigeons suddenly all flew off to the rooftop - enabling me to catch another shot of them. I next encountered a flock of goldfinches nibbling nyger seed in the wildlife garden.

As I neared the cafe-exit yet again, I found some eider ducks to photograph. I had not seen them on the main pond when having lunch on arrival, but I had heard them fairly close by - now I found them!

My last shot from my Arundel excursion is taken on the bridge over the River Arun on my way to the bus stop to catch the bus home. I thought it amusing to spot a rook and a jackdaw eyeing one another standing on the bridge!

Back home, you can see my natural-wild back yard. The strands of bindweed hanging in front of the kitchen window attract the wren and blue tits right up close while they scurry about it for bugs to munch. If our winter is as cold as expected, the yellow berried bush to the right of the windows will be alive with blackbirds and robins in a couple of months.

As September entered its penultimate weekend, I took a trip to Pulborough Brooks RSPB reserve - where regular readers may recall a group of white show pigeons. They were there again - along with some other enjoyable sightings using the noccies (and a couple of other enthusiasts' scopes) - a spotted flycatcher was seen preening on a hedge and then flying up to grab flies, a blackcap was darting about the bushes too - along with a stone chat that I 'glimpsed' as it flew past - but did not see properly. There was also a rare sandpiper to grab our attention.

After coffee, Liz and I ventured around the woodland surrounding the reserve and spotted a group of long-tailed tits flitting about the trees. Alas, although I had my noccies, I had no camera on this excursion, so did not capture anything - not even a show pigeon piccie - to share.

HEREis a link to an article about Magpies.

BIRD NEWS:373

The answer is a mute swan. Pictured above are a pair, along with a pair of coots. Well, next was another feeder station and another bird - a pheasant! It amazes me how many species of bird manage to figure out how to get food out of these food-traps - designed mainly for the ducks and geese!

It did not take me long to find a bunch of pigeons to capture on my camera. I was nearing the cafe/mixed-bird lake again, preparing to go thru and take a short circular to 2-3 hides before the walk I had signed up to take on bird surveying.

I of course had to take a few shots of the pigeons - as, like swans, they particularly interest me.

To end today's post, I will share a couple of shots of some geese nibbling the fence. It appears to be something on the wire part from the latter shot.

Finally for today's post - HERE is some info on the starling.

BIRD NEWS:372

The blacknecked swans were trying to eat the caged food - but of course they were outside and the food inside - so, as did the gulls, they had to nibble other stuff. I passed a bit closer when I turned the corner and got some more shots.

The coot also decided to get into these photos - another black and white bird. I did not have to walk much further before finding some pigeons! They were hanging out the feeder station with the nenes.

Briefly, an update from home - no irregular sightings to report. The starlings gobble fat balls and sparrows gobble seed, ensuring the need to continue to top up the feeders nearly every day. Mr Bob and Pidge continue to visit my bedroom windowsill for a mix of suet pellets and seed early mornings. The wrens are busy flitting about gobbling bugs on all the bushes - often in front of the kitchen window on the dangling weeds. Blackbirds, magpies and jackdaws also frequent the garden and roof, with the occasional blue tit or great tit.

Another swan! Can anyone guess which variety this one is? I will give you a clue - It is NOT a Bewick, Trumpeter or black-necked swan! Here is a better look....

Your final clue is that it is very common in England, so I rarely bother to take a photo of it. The answer will start my next post.