West Ham Online

"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."

Swallows arrived today about a week late. I attribute their tardiness to the prevailing northerly winds and lack of rain (therefore lack of breeding insects to feed on) this spring.

Been a good day on the wildlife front today. Working out in the sticks About 08.20 spotted a barn owl quartering a field and about 14.30 this afternoon spotted a Marsh Harrier swooping low by the roadside. Never seen a Marsh Harrier before and I’ve seen 2 in the last 3 days. Also had a stoat run out in front of the van. I missed the little ginger twat luckily.

"Hermit Road 3:07 Wed Apr 2 I get it. I suppose I am just an old softy for Pigeons having recued and bonded with a few, would do the same again. Nothing against Hawks, they are magnificent creatures and do what comes natural to them. Seeing them up close is special. One other time I was near the window when a Sparrow Hawk attacked a Pigeon, but this Pigeon was smart, it came hurtling towards my window with the Sparrow Hawk on its tail, at the last split second the Pigeon dived down, but the Sparrow Hawk was unable to conduct such a manoeuvre and went head first straight into my window pane at some force. I admit I had a little chuckle, Pigeons are notoriously fast flyers and good at acrobatics, probably why they have been around since 3000 BC."

Hermit Road 3:07 Wed Apr 22 I grew up fascinated by the peregrine falcon (stories of medieval falconry probably helped) and was a budding eco-warrior with the DDT stuff back then. Wrote a couple reports on it in school. Still peak in on these every once in a while https://www.ab-conservation.com/wildlife-cameras/peregrine/genesee-power-plant-peregrine-camera/

"Kestrel today hovering above the fields in Abridge, and what looked like another pair of red kites."

J.Riddle 12:35 Wed Apr 22 My reaction would be the complete opposite. I love seeing birds of prey at work. They are incredible things.

You can't getting all anthropomorphic with a hungry bird of prey. Bird eat bird world out there. Feed the birds and you are inadvertently providing a sparrowhawk feeding station as well. All good.

Fair enough. I expect the hawk just went to the nearest BP garage and bought a ham sandwich and a bag of crisps for his dinner instead.

"About two years ago, put some seed out for the Pigeons, Hawks hide and wait when they see food for them to turn up. A flock of Pigeons came down to feed, a few minutes later I heard the birds fly off as if spooked and glanced out the window, saw a bird on the ground flapping about, looked again and I could see a hawk had pinned a white dove Pigeon to the ground (white birds stand out more). I ran outside and the hawk had the dove by the neck. I approached and shouted at it and calm as you like it let go looked me in the eyes with an evil stare and flew off. The dove was in shock, took it in and nursed it for a couple of weeks. It was lucky it had blood a small cut to its neck and wing. Found other pigeons occasionally too late, the hawks pluck them alive and eat the head, return later for the carcass."

Corvids

Corvid are birds of the crow family.

"In London I've seen woodpeckers picking at the grass and watched them for about half an hour on Hampstead heath, some corvids (peregrine falcons?) in Regents park and a cracking pair of tits in Prince Albert Rd. Seen more rats in London than I have ever seen and all the wildlife looking as generally chilled as I've ever seen them. Even the pigeons look less dirty and the African Geese in the park are far less aggressive. Proof that if we all fucked off and died the planet would be actually lovely."

"The last couple of evenings, just after sunset, I’ve seen a bat flying round in circles in the back garden. Don’t worry I won’t try to eat it."

i hope that the lack of activity has kept the football pigeon good condition.

I wouldn't give those cunts a penny.

I spent two weeks in Malta and Gozo at winter time and the only type of bird I saw was a sort-of-not-absolutely-sure-it-was-a sparrow. Even at the coast I didn't see gulls.

I spent two weeks in Malta and Gozo at winter time and the only type of bird I saw was a sort-of-not-absolutely-sure-it-was-a sparrow. Even at the coast I didn't see gulls.

"simon.s 2:13 Tue Apr 21 I’ve seen loads of Red Kite in that area. Beautiful looking birds. As for the bird killing fields, I think the Maltese are the main culprits. No bird is too small or too beautiful for them not to pop a cap in its arse and mount it on a bit of cheap wood in the living room."

"I shouted out to Mrs Riddle this morning Swallow, but she spat it out."

ROBIN Friday

Frank Swift was an excellent goalie

"A pair of swallows two days ago. Swifts in early April? Very unusual, I'd say another 7 to 10 days to go."

Also saw my first swallows this morning.

Phone the RSPB. They're helpful and know a lot.

That surprises me. I live in London and I'm watching the skies for swifts from the end of April onwards and never see them here until early May at the earliest.