Winter birds

[johnalison]

Even ardent birders can find some kinds uninteresting. One I knew, while ecstatic over things like snow buntings (in Svalbard) classed a lot of birds as "boring brown birds"!

Easily done, and I think it is something we all feel at times, though we can be caught out. In my youth one never gave house sparrows a second thought but now it is something of a surprise to see one, let alone a flock. I used to think of starlings as just second-rate blackbirds, but watching a murmuration that appeared locally for a few days was awe-inspiring and one of the highlights of my life. the trouble with LBJs, little brown jobs, is that sometimes there will be a treasure in a mixed flock. A few years ago at Titchmarsh among the many meadow pipits there was one water pipit, which is distinctly uncommon.

 

[oldgit]

Can recall in the 1980s ? driving to work and spotting a solitary strange looking albino "Heron" on a marsh bordering the south side of the Medway.
Now they are everywhere.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Easily done, and I think it is something we all feel at times, though we can be caught out. In my youth one never gave house sparrows a second thought but now it is something of a surprise to see one, let alone a flock. I used to think of starlings as just second-rate blackbirds, but watching a murmuration that appeared locally for a few days was awe-inspiring and one of the highlights of my life. the trouble with LBJs, little brown jobs, is that sometimes there will be a treasure in a mixed flock. A few years ago at Titchmarsh among the many meadow pipits there was one water pipit, which is distinctly uncommon.

I remember chaffinches (which are actually quite pretty) being ten a penny when I was in my teens - now I'd certainly pay attention if I saw one. And the same for puffins - we sailed from Dunbar, so the colony at the Isle of May meant we saw lots. But these days they're distinctly rare - probably the result of industrial sand-ell fishing.

 

[johnalison]

I remember chaffinches (which are actually quite pretty) being ten a penny when I was in my teens - now I'd certainly pay attention if I saw one. And the same for puffins - we sailed from Dunbar, so the colony at the Isle of May meant we saw lots. But these days they're distinctly rare - probably the result of industrial sand-ell fishing.

I believe you are right about the sand-eels - it is not as if they eat them; just spread them as fertiliser I'm told.

A nearby field has been planted with millet for a year or two and last year I counted a flock of sixty, almost all chaffinches. there was a smaller flock a few weeks ago, some of which are here:

 

[RobbieW]

Easily done, and I think it is something we all feel at times, though we can be caught out. In my youth one never gave house sparrows a second thought but now it is something of a surprise to see one, let alone a flock. I used to think of starlings as just second-rate blackbirds, but watching a murmuration that appeared locally for a few days was awe-inspiring and one of the highlights of my life. the trouble with LBJs, little brown jobs, is that sometimes there will be a treasure in a mixed flock. A few years ago at Titchmarsh among the many meadow pipits there was one water pipit, which is distinctly uncommon.

My dad was a keen birder, which he passed down to his sons. Our mum mostly classed them a LBJs

 

[RobbieW]

Rather further East, but the ferry I was on was followed by a flock of egrets. I still find it amazing that a bird we see in the UK is so common in Hong Kong!
View attachment 203660View attachment 203661

Egrets, I've had a few....

I'll get my camouflage jacket

 

[Puffin10032]

Easily done, and I think it is something we all feel at times, though we can be caught out. In my youth one never gave house sparrows a second thought but now it is something of a surprise to see one, let alone a flock. I used to think of starlings as just second-rate blackbirds, but watching a murmuration that appeared locally for a few days was awe-inspiring and one of the highlights of my life. the trouble with LBJs, little brown jobs, is that sometimes there will be a treasure in a mixed flock. A few years ago at Titchmarsh among the many meadow pipits there was one water pipit, which is distinctly uncommon.

The East Coast is great for birding. It's the first piece of land many of the Winter migrants encounter and there's all that mud to forage on.

Starlings are beautiful birds if you get them in their Summer plumage. The iridescence of their feathers is fabulous.