Spring has started!

[Birdman]

I already saw my first Sand Martin of the year last Wednesday (17th March), some birds are flying around with twigs and lots of bats flying around here too!

[gunwharfman]

We have two Magpies who are gathering twigs to shore up their nest in a tree on the other side of the road. They are in competition with cats, blackbirds, and seagulls.

As regards birds, I visited the church in Foots Cray near Sidcup last summer, and all around me in the trees there were hundreds of screeching Cocateals, definitely parrot-type birds and orangey in colour. I presume they escaped from somewhere and have just multiplied in numbers. Are they in other parts of London and in other parts of the country as well??

[Jac]

Not my observation but nuthatches in Stover park, Devon are already feeding young.


GWM I imagine the cockatiels are ring necked parakeets which as you say were originally escapees - possibly from Chessington zoo or from a film set ideas differ. They have been very successful and as well a large flocks in the southeast are spread, to my knowledge, as far as Exmouth and Plymouth.

[ninthace]

The banks are full of primroses, daffs and celandines.  The pussy willow is out and the snowdrops are nearly over. 

The rookery in the trees at the foot of our garden is full of new nests and the rooks are cleaning up my lawn clippings for me.  Loads of rook porn in the garden too over the last few days.  Blue tits have moved into the nesting boxes and plenty of sparrow porn in the bushes by the back windows so yes, spring is sprung.

[richardh1905]

Skylarks singing their hearts out on Hampsfell.


..no sign of the Ospreys on Foulshaw Moss yet though - any day now, I suspect.
https://www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife/cams/osprey-cam

[GnP]

Isn`t it wonderful. We have a resident Wren and a pair of Robins courting . The Robin is ripping our old hanging basket linings into tiny shreds for nesting material and the sound of the Wren singing its heart out is so uplifting..Spring , bring it on .

[Birdman]

As regards birds, I visited the church in Foots Cray near Sidcup last summer, and all around me in the trees there were hundreds of screeching Cocateals, definitely parrot-type birds and orangey in colour. I presume they escaped from somewhere and have just multiplied in numbers. Are they in other parts of London and in other parts of the country as well??

I'm not aware of any orangey birds in large numbers. The common exotic bird in greater London is the Rose-ringed  Parakeet (also called Ring-necked Parakeet). It can be called a UK bird now because it has been a breeding bird here for about 50 years now and numbers are increasing. They originate from excaped (or deliberately released) cage birds and is originally an Asian bird (mainly India and Nepal).

[Birdman]

Seen last Wednesday on my walk in Pennington/ Keyhaven Marshes (my favorite birding spot in the South of England):

 
1   Brent Goose
2   Greater Canada Goose
3   Mute Swan
4   Shelduck
5   Shoveler
6   Gadwall
7   Wigeon
8   Mallard
9   Pintail
10   Teal
11   Tufted Duck
12   Red-breasted Merganser
13   Pheasant
14   Woodpigeon
15   Moorhen
16   Coot
17   Little Grebe
18   Oystercatcher
19   Avocet
20   Lapwing
21   Golden Plover
22   Curlew
23   Black-tailed Godwit
24   Turnstone
25   Ruff
26   Dunlin
27   Snipe
28   Redshank
29   Spotted Redshank
30   Greenshank
31   Black-headed Gull
32   Mediterranean Gull
33   Great Black-backed Gull
34   Herring Gull
35   Lesser Black-backed Gull
36   Great Northern Diver
37   Cormorant
38   Spoonbill
39   Grey Heron
40   Little Egret
41   Marsh Harrier
42   Buzzard
43   Kingfisher
44   Kestrel
45   Peregrine Falcon
46   Magpie
47   Jackdaw
48   Rook
49   Carrion Crow
50   Raven
51   Blue Tit
52   Great Tit
53   Skylark
54   Sand Martin
55   Long-tailed Tit
56   Chiffchaff
57   Goldcrest
58   Wren
59   Starling
60   Blackbird
61   Song Thrush
62   Robin
63   Stonechat
64   House Sparrow
65   Dunnock
66   Pied Wagtail
67   Meadow Pipit
68   Rock Pipit
69   Chaffinch
70   Greenfinch
71   Linnet
72   Goldfinch
73   Reed Bunting

[Skip]

Blimey! That's more species than I see in a year.
Anyway, spring is definitely bursting out all over 

[ayjay]

Seen last Wednesday on my walk in Pennington/ Keyhaven Marshes (my favorite birding spot in the South of England):

No Cetti's or Dartfords ?

[Birdman]

No Cetti's ?

They were singing all over the place, but I didn't manage to SEE one (you know how well they hide in the dense bushes) and I only count what I actually see. Therefore, the Tawny Owl I heard is also not on the list.

btw I just see I forgot to list the Great Crested Grebes, of which there were many.

or Dartfords

Unfortunately not. These are a bit hit and miss. I was fully expecting them because it was a sunny day without much wind. Also dipped on Ringed Plover, which is usually common here. But that's the cool thing about it. You see rather unusual things (like fantastic close views of a pair of Great Northern Divers) but some common birds I didn't see. It is different every time

[Mel]

That's some list there Birdman - not bad going for so early in the UK!


I was quite pleased to spot what I think was a little egret the other day.  It was flapping its wings off due to the 2 buzzards circling overhead - you could see the "yikes" on its face! 


Other signs of spring here are the hedgerows leafing up, spring blossom appearing and the birdsong generally ramping up a notch 

[ninthace]

Time was when Egrets were occasional summer visitors to the south coast.  Sign of the times!

[pleb]

Seen some marsh marigolds out today, as I killed nearly 5 hours while my car was MOT'd (£163.78 )
And a heron. And a kestrel.
Yesterday, butturbur and a mire/swamp area with a din of loads of frogs spawning. Further on, two swans nest building.

[Skip]

. . .  I killed nearly 5 hours while my car was MOT'd (£163.78 . . . )

@ Pleb
My car is in for its ticket too. It's staying overnight; discs and pads arriving tomorrow. The brakes alone are £150 ish,plus a few bits like wipers and bulbs. On top of that an oil and filter change. So over £200 all up. 

Yes, yes - I know that's off topic. But the jackdaws and the wood pigeons in my garden are in full spring mode - much courtship going on. The songbirds are being more discreet.

@ Mel
Good to hear you saw an egret - lovely elegant birds.