BIRDS – Page 10 – ROLLING HARBOUR GALLERY

SPARROWS NESTING IN WALL CAVITIES (VIDEO)

Published on July 27, 2012July 27, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

I previously posted about the sparrows that started building nests this year in small cavities in the stone wall at the gable end of our house. The top room, now a bedroom, was formerly the hayloft – the brickwork shows the extent of the hayloft entrance

The walls are very thick, so there is plenty of room without the risk of birds bursting through into the room beyond…

Today the wall was busy with adults coming and going. I tried to see if I could get a picture of sparrow chicks, but they were too far into the cranny. Turn up the volume and you can hear them, though…

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/46443292]

AN ADOPTED DUCKLING & HIS NEW FAMILY…

Published on July 20, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

A WHITE DUCKLING AND HIS ADOPTIVE FAMILY – OXFORDSHIRE

This duckling struggled to keep up with the rest of the family in a rain-swollen current. He soon got the hang of it and was able to lead the troop…

A BRACE OF PARTRIDGE IN DORSET

Published on May 18, 2012May 18, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

TWO PARTRIDGES have taken to regular visiting quite close to the house – especially when the feeders have been filled. They come for a peck around every morning and evening, and burble quietly to each other as they feed. Yet again I missed them when the window was open, and have had to take photographs through glass, so their wonderful markings are not pin-sharp. The female is slightly paler than the male. I tried sneaking up on them, but they are very wary of being papped…

GOLDFINCH IN A WEEPING ASH – DORSET

Published on May 17, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

GOLDFINCH IN A WEEPING ASH – DORSET

A PIED WAGTAIL’S EVENING PREENING ROUTINE

Published on April 30, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

PIED WAGTAIL PREENING IN EVENING SUNSHINE

This is a complicated routine involving a great deal of busy activity, from 180° head rotation to elaborate fluffing up to pauses for admiration. I watched this bird, one of a pair, for several minutes. The photos have been cropped but not in any way photoshopped… I’m pleased at how well they turned out, considering that I was filming from the ground 20 feet below, and the bird was moving most of the time. I’ve put some individual pictures up first, then a slideshow of the whole performance…

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THE FIRST SWALLOW OF SUMMER & OTHER SPRING BIRDS

Published on April 30, 2012July 10, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

THE FIRST SWALLOW OF SUMMER

THE FIRST SWALLOW TO ARRIVE AT OUR HOUSE IN DORSET, APRIL 27 A handful of swallows arrived from Africa on the first day of sunshine for weeks, preened for a while on the wires, then flew round the garden after insects. The next two days have been heavy rain, and they haven’t shown again… We saw the last ones leave last Autumn, so it’s good to have seen them come back.

PIED WAGTAIL PICKING ITS WAY DELICATELY ALONG THE ROOF RIDGE

GOLDFINCH IN A WEEPING ASH

BLACKBIRD’S NEST

The chicks fledged and flew during the past week, and we missed it… suddenly the nest was empty

SPRING – SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT…

Published on March 27, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

A ROBIN IN FULL SPRING SONG AT THE TOP OF A CHERRY TREE

(for more robins CLICK HERE )

HOUSEMARTINS IN WALES

Published on March 26, 2012March 27, 2012 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

HOUSEMARTINS – CWMDU, POWYS, WALES These little birds moved too fast and too acrobatically for the small camera I had with me. They were nesting under the eaves of the cottage I was staying in

MUSCOVY DUCKS: THE MATING GAME

Published on February 28, 2012March 10, 2012 by Rolling Harbour4 Comments

This is going to be a bit awkward for me. And for you. We are all going to have to be very adult about this. If you are sensitive about discussing… intimacies, then look away now. Because we are going to have to confront the facts with courage and fortitude. Ducks have sex. Oh, you didn’t quite catch that? They have Sex. SEX. SEX. Let’s call it something less.. well, I think mating is the correct word, although given the fact that the female suffers total submersion during the proceedings, ‘ducking’ would not be wholly out of place…

Muscovy ducks turn out to be very interesting in this area. A quick piece of research about them unearthed this unbeatable wiki-nugget of anatidaean life: “Male Muscovy Ducks have spiralled penises which can become erect to 20 cm in one third of a second. Females have cloacas that spiral in the opposite direction to try to limit forced copulation by males”.

SPRINGTIME. I THINK IT’S TIME TO FIND MYSELF… A LADY FRIEND