What have you seen

On one of the wildlife sites I follow I came across the following:

The dead Scops Owl was found by children in their garden in the district of Neunkirchen (Lower Austria).

Officials were called to investigate the noise by a resident who was annoyed at the ‘loud’ singing. During this inspection shots were heard to ring out. No body was found at the time and the bird was not heard to sing again.

On Friday 8th May children found the dead bird at the base of a tree.

"That a weapon is immediately used because a harmless bird is singing, shocked me a lot, ”says Johannes Hohenegger, bird of prey expert at BirdLife Austria.

He added “It is particularly painful as Scops Owl is a rare breeding bird in Lower Austria”

The police are now investigating the crime.

On a slightly happier note 2 x Turtle Doves which were shot on Malta have now recovered sufficiently to be released

Was reading this morning that there has been an increase in “deaths” of raptors in the UK since the lockdown. Seems gamekeepers have been taking advantage of the lack of visitors/ walkers and “removing “ the birds from the grouse moors without being seen.

Not good, but no great surprise.

😢

What have we not seen.

After spending hundreds of pounds on bird food, supplying nest boxes, keeping cats away and providing fresh water over many years, devastated today to realise they are totally ungrateful. 😩

They have provided endless hours of pleasure wrens, dunnocks, sparrows, blue tits, great tits, goldfinches, greenfinches, pigeons and doves and various occasional visitors.

The one thing we always miss is the fledging of the blue tits as we are always on our first trip of the year along the east coast nature reserves. This year, with the lockdown, we were hoping to enjoy the fledging.

Yesterday we became aware that the parents were no longer in and out of the box. Looks like they flew the coup before we got up, bummer.

lets hope there is a second brood.

I'm outside now, sitting near a box of bluetit fledglings. I think the parents are trying to encourage them out. The trees are full of other fledglings, it's been an upside to knockdown enjoying all this! 🐦

Hi Brue

Are you still based near Steart, we were thinking of a a bit of excercise in a more pleasant surrounding if it is not to crowded.

Any advice, polite please 

We have a lot of gold finches fledged unfortunately a couple of days ago one hit our kitchen window and was killed instantly 

Well the advice would be a bit limited as we're over near the Dorset/Devon border.  Looking at photos of Dunster Beach last weekend I'd hope it would be less crowded.?!

I called to the storage facility where my caravan is over the weekend. I saw about 300 caravans, all gathering dust. 

Our van was serviced and cleaned in early October, then covered for the winter. The way things are going, it will be due the next service before the cover comes off.

We've been royally entertained by the birds visiting and stripping bare our fat ball holder.

In just the last 24 hours we have seen... Blue, Great, Long Tailed, and Coal Tits, plus House Sparrows.

The Robin, Blackbirds ( male, female and even latest Junior), Song Thrush, Jay, Jackdaw, Magpie all flying up to the holder and having to keep their balance with wing flapping, except the Jay who merely held onto the pole and leaned sideways to gain access, plus 2 natural bird feeder raiders, the GSW and the Nuthatch.

The Dunnock, Wren, Woodpigeons and occasional Blackcap have picked up the pieces.

The Crow decided against it.

I'm filling the thing up twice a day now. Have to admit it's never dull and as I can see it from the room I'm in at present and from the kitchen it always brightens the mood.

They may not be rare but to me they are still spectacular.