Birdlife

MastermindChampion came to vist us at the weekend. He had never knowingly heard a nightingale or seen a kingfisher, so we invited him over at the right time of year. We (or rather, the Gloucestershire local group of the RSPB) came up trumps on the nightingale front, as we found a walk they were organising on Friday evening, which gave us the opportunity to hear three or four nightingales sing - a lovely way to spend an evening.

We were not so successful with our kingfisher-watching trip to Slimbridge the next day, although we did see (among other things) a pair of oystercatchers with chicks - and one of the oystercatchers was being a very brave little bird, driving off a crane that got to close to its young. Other youngsters included Nene goslings, cootlings, and moorchicks.

Also on Saturday, we took delivery of two hens, who we have called Nettle (after my father's ferrets of yesteryear) and Bramble (to go with Nettle). They were on the very point of lay, as demonstrated by the egg that one of them laid in the delivery van, and the eggs they both laid on Sunday.

I tried to record the nightingales on my phone, and I will put up a link to the recordings if they are any good. I also took lots of photos at Slimbridge, and I will put up some of these.

So what about you? Did you do anything fun / different at the weekend?

Slimbridge on Saturday

We saw a dancing oystercatcher ...


( Read more... )