Catching Worms

Another fine day, and I hoped another opportunity to photograph the Ring Ouzel in the Paddock, if it was still there. As I was walking towards the gate of the Paddock I met a couple who said they'd been round, but not seen a Ring Ouzel, however at that point Colin Sumner appeared and told me he'd just been watching it near Mc Swiggans. We walked over there but failed to find it, and I was just about to leave, to walk round the farm, when it caught my eye, flying into a bush.

The couple I'd been talking to had left by now, but I managed to get reasonably close and took a few photos.

It was soon off and disappeared into the hedge on the farm side. As it obviously liked feeding on the short grass, "mowed" by the ponies it seemed a good idea to sit under a bush and hope that it would return.

There were still birds to watch, particularly the various finches, and of these most prominent were a group of Linnets. They seemed quite quiet last week, but the warm weather seems to have made the very active now and the males were singing well from their watch points while the hens got on with the business of home making.

My patience was rewarded and the Ouzel returned to feed on the turf. At first it was almost into the sun and the light was harsh. I did get some pictures of it with a worm, but it was an unsatisfactory angle. By walking a wide circle I managed to encourage it to move to a better position, and then I walked back behind a bush, sat down and slowly shuffled forward, never mind the pony poo, until I was in line for it to move into my vision, in better light.

It worked well, and soon it was on the slope not too far away, and seemingly taking no notice of me. It seemed to be finding worms very easily and it had quite a battle getting this one out of the ground.

When it finally got it out of the ground you could imagine that you could hear a pop as the worm came out and the Ouzel almost fell over backwards. It seemed to mess around with the worm for some time.

In this picture it appears to be doing the Indian Rope Trick, with the worm standing vertically with no visible means of support.

The bird got a bit closer and caught yet another worm, and I noticed that the battery symbol was flashing almost flat on my camera, and to compound it, I'd left my bag next next to the bush I'd started at, and the Ring Ouzel was right next to it.

I did get a couple more shots before the battery gave up completely and I them had to wait for the Ring Ouzel to move before getting a charged battery.

All the time I'd been watching the Ring Ouzel a pair of Long-tailed Tits had been flitting passed me as I sat on the ground. They seemed to be collecting feathers and then vanishing into the hedge.

I'd seen them in this area before, and if they were collecting feathers they should be getting close to finishing their nest. Once I was free to have a look, I carefully peered into the hedge, without touching it, and was surprised to see a beautiful globe of moss, lichen and cobwebs quite close to the front of the bush. Hopefully it is well enough hidden from any predators, but I did find it very easily. I will keep an eye on it and hopefully in a few weeks time they will have a brood fledged and easy to watch.

X certificate birding

I arrived at the Monument reasonably early today, the poor catch in the two moth traps I ran last night didn't occupy me for long! Right on the top of the cliff a male Kestrel was sitting on a low stem.

It didn't seem too bothered about me and allowed quite a close approach. I did wonder if it was a recent arrival, as it seemed reluctant to fly.

A couple more paces and it was off and quickly hunting over the rough ground. I think that the probability is that it is one of the local pair and it has got fairly used to people backward and forward there so it is quite habituated to people.

In the paddock almost the first bird I saw was a cracking male Ring Ouzel. I wish that this had been as indifferent to my presence as the Kestrel, but typically it was quite flighty and didn't allow close approach.

There were also three female type Black Redstarts about, but I totally failed to get a decent picture. They two were not prepared to pose, and seemed to have the knack of always landing in the wrong place to get decent light. Perhaps they'll be a little more cooperative tomorrow morning. Jack and I strolled onlong the cliff top, but it remained pretty quiet, with just two Swallows the encourage the onset of Summer.

Do not read this bit if you are offended by tales of lust and sex

A pair of Dunnock has set up their territory at the base of the Cotoneaster bushes behind the pond, and they can frequently be seen flicking their wings and chasing up and down there. Sometimes they are joined by one or more of another couple and the activity gets very agitated. yesterday the following behaviour had me quite perplexed and I have to say I felt like a bit of a voyeur watching this activity. The female (judging by her behaviour) stood on the path, drooped her wings and vibrated them vigorously. At the same time she cocked her tail up, almost vertically. The male was flicking his wings in an excited was just behind. I thought that her actions were designed to seduce him and that they would mate. But instead he kept dashing towards her and pecking at her cloaca. (The cloaca is the posterior opening that serves as the only such opening for the intestinal, reproductive, and urinary tracts, in birds, amphibians and reptiles). I don't know if he was an interloper trying to remove a sperm "package" of her mates, or her mate trying to do the reverse, but it was behavior I hadn't seen before. They vanished into the cover of the bushes before the drama concluded, but it had added another chapter in the already astonishing tales of the sexploits of the Dunnock.

Another day another Peregrine!

There were three Black Redstarts around the paddock this afternoon, but all cunningly managed to stay out of range of my camera.

This adult Peregrine was a little more cooperative and did pose long enough for a photo. After the pictures of a juvenile I though it would be good to show the how different an adult looks. Gone are the course streaks down the chest and in their place are a series of quite subtle wavy bars. I think that this is a male, with the extensive white throat, but without the larger female to compare the size I am not 100% certain.