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."

The blackbirds have been singing for the last week and robin song has become less languid and melancholy and more strident and FRANTIC. Think zeb might be right about spring coming early.

"AH , that’s where I was , just a couple of hundred yards from the Waterwitch ."

Lab..I was down there at the weekend hoping to catch a decent sized pike..just a couple of 3-4 pounders..I was fishing in the basin behind the Waterwitch boozer..didn't see a kingfisher though

"Put 3 new bird feeders out recently - i've come to the conclusion that the cheap basic feeders are just as good/better than the more elaborate and expensive ones. Have a jay eating from them every day now, which I'm well chuffed about. also a squirrel, less chuffed...."

Yeah I thought so… wasn’t going to take any chances so I rung the little blue feathered fuck’s neck anyway…

"They wouldn’t worry about a budgie ,the bill wouldn’t be big enough."

Bird related… had a nice letter through the post on Saturday warning of an outbreak of Avian flu in our area and if I had any poultry or wild birds to contact the relevant department so they can come round and shoot all your ducks… wasn’t sure whether to tell them about the Budgie

Saw a kingfisher today on the Basingstoke canal at Odiham.

"Zeb, Either really early, or late going!! There are a number of warblers down in the far east corner of Kent still, that should have left weeks ago."

Nice spot Zeb.

Spring is coming early I think. Had a Wheatear in the garden this morning loading up with wild flower seeds for a couple of hours - beautiful thing. That is way earlier than normal. Also the crocuses and daffs are coming up already; hopefully they won't get too frost blasted.

ZzzzzZZZZZzzzzZZ How very dull and unfunny

ZzzzzZZZZZzzzzZZ How very dull and unfunny

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see first swan bird of 2022 today. Very taystee

They will pop up almost anywhere that there are decent sized fish in a lake in the spring or autumn while moving north or south.

"Never seen one round here. Too far south and overpopulated by people I would think https://raptorfoundation.org.uk/rescue-rehab/species-list/ This is the list of birds at The Raptor Foundation near St Ives, Cambs"

"SecondOpinion, Do you get the Osprey visit? Never seen one, but probably the bird I most want to see."

"I live on the edge of a village near St Ives, Cambs. Round here, there are plenty of well stocked fishing lakes which attract all types of nature, plus open fields and woodlands If you are ever up this way, pay a visit to The Raptor Foundation"

Saw my first Barnacle goose yesterday. Lovely plumage.

"Blimey exile, saw similar thing years ago while out walking, sparrowhawks are superb hunters."

"SecondOpinion 10:13 Fri Dec 24 That sounds amazing. If you don't mind me asking, what neck of the woods do you live?"

"The other day I heard a blackbird's alarm cry, closely followed by a thud against one of our conservatory windows. I looked out just in time to see a sparrowhawk with the blackbird in its talons landing on the ground about ten yards away. He stood over it with his wings half out looking very fierce then started pulling it apart straight away - very dramatic. Flew away when he saw me move."

"Took my dog out first light to our usual woods , flushed a few pheasants which is normal , but he also put up a couple of woodcock on two separate occasions ,they fly low and sit back down quite quickly. Cute . Very pointed wings . Check out their scientific name ."

"Took my dog out first light to our usual woods , flushed a few pheasants which is normal , but he also put up a couple of woodcock on two separate occasions ,they fly low and sit back down quite quickly. Cute . Very pointed wings . Check out their scientific name ."