Western Isles windfarm application



"Rooney" <[email protected]> wrote

> >The other two, though, were plain dark brown. Those were the ones I
> >was unsure about. Perhaps they're both female blackbirds?

> Yes.

Or undercover pigeons.
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:45:02 +0000, Malcolm
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>In article <[email protected]>, Rooney
><[email protected]> writes
>>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 09:17:05 GMT, "Sandy Birrell"
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>>Rooney wrote:
>>>> On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 21:53:04 +0000, Malcolm
>>>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Assuming the bird was of similar size to a Fieldfare, it is a Mistle
>>>>> Thrush.
>>>>
>>>> Cheers. There you go, Sandy - a couple of amendments needed!
>>>
>>>I haven't been able to get back for a better shot so I will bow to the
>>>majority, nearly :)
>>>
>>>It now reads "Fieldfare or Mistle Thrush?"
>>>
>>
>>Ha ha! I was quite sure it wasn't a fieldfare, but I didn't want to
>>commit myself (in case there was some strange immature variety that
>>was rarely seen) until it had been confirmed by our resident expert.
>>You can rest assured that Malcolm knows his onions.
>>
>And my birds?


Yes, ducks (-:

--

R
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In message <[email protected]>, Peewiglet
<[email protected]> writes
>On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 22:59:29 +0000, Chris Townsend
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>[...]
>>http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/m/mistlethrush/index.asp
>>http://www.bto.org/birdtrends/wcrmisth.htm
>>http://www.bto.org/gbw/Species/BIRDS_MISTH.htm
>
>Many thanks for those links - v. helpful, and particularly the last
>one which explains how to distinguish the mistle thrush from the song
>thrush.
>
>I've just been watching 4 birds in my garden. I think they were a
>male blackbird, two female blackbirds and a speckled thrush, but I
>can't always tell the difference between the female blackbird and the
>thrush.
>
>In the Lakes just over a month ago I was walking towards a fast
>flowing stream quite early one morning, on my way home, when all of a
>sudden a small, brown bird fluttered very quickly into my field of
>vision, flew towards the ground and appeared almost to get stuck in a
>little recess at ground level on the far side of the stream. I hadn't
>been paying attention, and for half a moment I actually wondered
>whether it had been a bat. It wasn't, though, and just as I stopped in
>my tracks it flew up again and along the stream to my right, where it
>seemed to dive down again into another little recess at ground level
>beside the stream, only about 20 feet away.
>
>I wanted to take a closer look, and although, I felt the bird would
>almost certainly fly away before I got to it, I nonetheless carefully
>crossed the stream whilst easing my camera out of its pouch and
>keeping my eyes on the place where the little bird had landed. I got
>there, with arms raised to take a picture, and peered in, and there
>was the little bird sitting on the ground staring straight back out at
>me, probably about 6 feet away! I got one quick picture, but quite
>suddenly the bird flew up again and this time flew away down the
>stream in the other direction, very quickly, and swooping up and down
>along the water.
>
>I had the impression that the bird was a wren. It was wren sized, and
>wren coloured, and in the couple of brief chances I had to take a look
>it seemed to have the wren's stubby little tail as well. Unfortunately
>my picture was absolutely useless (I'm no photographer), and I can
>only see the bird because I know it was there. To anyone else it would
>just be a little mid brown blob. Does anyone know whether this was
>likely to be a wren, or could it have been something else?

It sounds like a wren and there's no reason why it couldn't have been
one.
>
>It was really quite a magical experience, even though not a great deal
>happened. The memory of the little bird looking me straight back in
>the eye is very clear, though :)
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 17:08:19 +0000, Chris Townsend
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In message <[email protected]>, Peewiglet
><[email protected]> writes
>>On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 22:59:29 +0000, Chris Townsend
>><[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>[...]
>>>http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/m/mistlethrush/index.asp
>>>http://www.bto.org/birdtrends/wcrmisth.htm
>>>http://www.bto.org/gbw/Species/BIRDS_MISTH.htm
>>
>>Many thanks for those links - v. helpful, and particularly the last
>>one which explains how to distinguish the mistle thrush from the song
>>thrush.
>>
>>I've just been watching 4 birds in my garden. I think they were a
>>male blackbird, two female blackbirds and a speckled thrush, but I
>>can't always tell the difference between the female blackbird and the
>>thrush.
>>
>>In the Lakes just over a month ago I was walking towards a fast
>>flowing stream quite early one morning, on my way home, when all of a
>>sudden a small, brown bird fluttered very quickly into my field of
>>vision, flew towards the ground and appeared almost to get stuck in a
>>little recess at ground level on the far side of the stream. I hadn't
>>been paying attention, and for half a moment I actually wondered
>>whether it had been a bat. It wasn't, though, and just as I stopped in
>>my tracks it flew up again and along the stream to my right, where it
>>seemed to dive down again into another little recess at ground level
>>beside the stream, only about 20 feet away.
>>
>>I wanted to take a closer look, and although, I felt the bird would
>>almost certainly fly away before I got to it, I nonetheless carefully
>>crossed the stream whilst easing my camera out of its pouch and
>>keeping my eyes on the place where the little bird had landed. I got
>>there, with arms raised to take a picture, and peered in, and there
>>was the little bird sitting on the ground staring straight back out at
>>me, probably about 6 feet away! I got one quick picture, but quite
>>suddenly the bird flew up again and this time flew away down the
>>stream in the other direction, very quickly, and swooping up and down
>>along the water.
>>
>>I had the impression that the bird was a wren. It was wren sized, and
>>wren coloured, and in the couple of brief chances I had to take a look
>>it seemed to have the wren's stubby little tail as well. Unfortunately
>>my picture was absolutely useless (I'm no photographer), and I can
>>only see the bird because I know it was there. To anyone else it would
>>just be a little mid brown blob. Does anyone know whether this was
>>likely to be a wren, or could it have been something else?
>
>It sounds like a wren and there's no reason why it couldn't have been
>one.
>>
>>It was really quite a magical experience, even though not a great deal
>>happened. The memory of the little bird looking me straight back in
>>the eye is very clear, though :)
>
It could have been a Dipper which are seen near fast flowing streams.
AKA: White-throated dipper
A short-tailed, plump bird with a low, whirring flight. When perched
on a rock it habitually bobs up and down and frequently cocks its
tail. Its white throat and breast contrasts with its dark body
plumage. It is remarkable in its method of walking into and under
water in search of food.
See picture here:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/d/dipper/index.asp
I can recommend "Birds of Britain and Ireland" published by Collins
ISBN 07111126

Norman
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:35:58 GMT, [email protected] (Norman) wrote:

>> It was wren sized,



>It could have been a Dipper


Not if it was wren sized.

--

R
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On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:47:33 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:13:15 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>The other two, though, were plain dark brown. Those were the ones I
>>was unsure about. Perhaps they're both female blackbirds?
>
>Yes.

Ahaa.... thanks :)


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:51:45 -0000, "AndyP"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>"Rooney" <[email protected]> wrote
>
>> >The other two, though, were plain dark brown. Those were the ones I
>> >was unsure about. Perhaps they're both female blackbirds?
>
>> Yes.
>
>Or undercover pigeons.
>
;-)



(Or newts, of course.)


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 17:08:19 +0000, Chris Townsend
<[email protected]> wrote:

[...]
>It sounds like a wren and there's no reason why it couldn't have been
>one.

Thanks :)



Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:35:58 GMT, [email protected] (Norman) wrote:

[...]
>It could have been a Dipper which are seen near fast flowing streams.
>AKA: White-throated dipper
>A short-tailed, plump bird with a low, whirring flight. When perched
>on a rock it habitually bobs up and down and frequently cocks its
>tail. Its white throat and breast contrasts with its dark body
>plumage. It is remarkable in its method of walking into and under
>water in search of food.
>See picture here:
>http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/d/dipper/index.asp

Ahaa... part of the reason I asked was that I'd heard of dippers, but
wasn't sure whether this might have been one.

Many thanks for the link. Having taken a look, I'm still tending
towards the wren. The bird I saw was the same shape as the one in the
link you provided, but I'm sure it didn't have a pronounced white
throad/breast.

Here's a link to my rather cruddy picture (apologies for its
awfulness). The bird is the little brown/grey mark in the centre of
the picture, behind a blade of dried grass.

http://www.peewiglet.com/misc/

Having said that, I did wonder whether it might be a dipper, simply
because of the way it dipped up and down as it flew along the stream.
I'm not familiar with dippers, although I've heard the name. It sounds
from what you say as though the name may be a reference to movement
when standing, as opposed to pattern of flight.

>I can recommend "Birds of Britain and Ireland" published by Collins
>ISBN 07111126

Many thanks - I'll look out for that :)


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 19:16:23 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:

[...]
>>It could have been a Dipper
>
>
>Not if it was wren sized.

Ahaa... it was definitely wren sized.


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:36:15 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 15:51:45 -0000, "AndyP"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>"Rooney" <[email protected]> wrote
>>
>>> >The other two, though, were plain dark brown. Those were the ones I
>>> >was unsure about. Perhaps they're both female blackbirds?
>>
>>> Yes.
>>
>>Or undercover pigeons.
>>
> ;-)
>
>
>
>(Or newts, of course.)
>
>
>Best wishes,


Undercover pigeons give themselves away when they attempt to hop
across the lawn.

--

R
o
o
n
e
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On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:56:24 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 19:16:23 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>[...]
>>>It could have been a Dipper
>>
>>
>>Not if it was wren sized.
>
>Ahaa... it was definitely wren sized.
>

Then it was definitely a wren.

--

R
o
o
n
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On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 21:07:43 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:56:24 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
>wrote:
>
>>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 19:16:23 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>[...]
>>>>It could have been a Dipper
>>>
>>>
>>>Not if it was wren sized.
>>
>>Ahaa... it was definitely wren sized.
>>
>
>Then it was definitely a wren.

Cool, thanks :)


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:56:00 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 18:35:58 GMT, [email protected] (Norman) wrote:
>
>[...]
>>It could have been a Dipper which are seen near fast flowing streams.
>>AKA: White-throated dipper
>>A short-tailed, plump bird with a low, whirring flight. When perched
>>on a rock it habitually bobs up and down and frequently cocks its
>>tail. Its white throat and breast contrasts with its dark body
>>plumage. It is remarkable in its method of walking into and under
>>water in search of food.
>>See picture here:
>>http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/guide/d/dipper/index.asp
>
>Ahaa... part of the reason I asked was that I'd heard of dippers, but
>wasn't sure whether this might have been one.
>
>Many thanks for the link. Having taken a look, I'm still tending
>towards the wren. The bird I saw was the same shape as the one in the
>link you provided, but I'm sure it didn't have a pronounced white
>throad/breast.
>
>Here's a link to my rather cruddy picture (apologies for its
>awfulness). The bird is the little brown/grey mark in the centre of
>the picture, behind a blade of dried grass.
>
>http://www.peewiglet.com/misc/
>
>Having said that, I did wonder whether it might be a dipper, simply
>because of the way it dipped up and down as it flew along the stream.
>I'm not familiar with dippers, although I've heard the name. It sounds
>from what you say as though the name may be a reference to movement
>when standing, as opposed to pattern of flight.
>
>>I can recommend "Birds of Britain and Ireland" published by Collins
>>ISBN 07111126
>
>Many thanks - I'll look out for that :)
>
>
>Best wishes,
>--
> ,,
>(**)PeeWiglet~~
Having looked at your photo I am inclined to think it was a wren. The
only other possibilty might be a Dunnock which is about 2cm larger
than a wren. It likes walking along the ground and can be found high
up near the tree line.

Norman
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 21:07:13 +0000, Rooney <[email protected]> wrote:

[...]
>>>> >The other two, though, were plain dark brown. Those were the ones I
>>>> >was unsure about. Perhaps they're both female blackbirds?

>>>> Yes.

>>>Or undercover pigeons.

>> ;-)

>>(Or newts, of course.)

>Undercover pigeons give themselves away when they attempt to hop
>across the lawn.

Lol :)


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 23:13:12 GMT, [email protected] (Norman) wrote:

[...]
>Having looked at your photo I am inclined to think it was a wren. The
>only other possibilty might be a Dunnock which is about 2cm larger
>than a wren. It likes walking along the ground and can be found high
>up near the tree line.

Many thanks for checking :)

I'll look out the dunnock, but if anything this was a smaller than
average wren: in the first second or so when it flew into my line of
sight I wasn't even sure it was a bird.


Best wishes,
--
,,
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \
 
"Phil Cook" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Fri, 10 Dec 2004 17:42:39 +0000, The Reids wrote:
>
> >Following up to Rooney
> >
> >>We need to conquer more territory. Antarctica seems to be up for
> >>grabs!
> >
> >I think the army is busy at present.
>
> Send the marines then :)
> --
> Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"


On topic again phil!
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 09:48:51 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:


>In the Lakes just over a month ago I was walking towards a fast
>flowing stream quite early one morning, on my way home, when all of a
>sudden a small, brown bird fluttered very quickly into my field of
>vision, flew towards the ground and appeared almost to get stuck in a
>little recess at ground level on the far side of the stream.


Deffo a wren (even tho' you know that by now! ;-) Two things that
confirm it; the rapid darting flight and the dash into ground, oh and
the colour.

>I had the impression that the bird was a wren. It was wren sized, and
>wren coloured, and in the couple of brief chances I had to take a look
>it seemed to have the wren's stubby little tail as well.

See, knew you knew!! ;-)

Often, if yu can't get a decent view of a spuggy try and notice its
behaviour. Something else about the bird you saw, did it make any
noise - a wren has a huge voice, especially for its size, if your bird
made a noise (singing or alarm call) and you thought "crikey! all of
that out of such a small bird!!" then its another pointer towards it
being a Jenny.

>my picture was absolutely useless (I'm no photographer), and I can
>only see the bird because I know it was there.

Zooming on the picture shows... a little brown bird!! ;-)
....with a stubby little sticky-up tail :)



SteveO
--
NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk
 
On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 20:56:00 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:


>Having said that, I did wonder whether it might be a dipper, simply
>because of the way it dipped up and down as it flew along the stream.
>I'm not familiar with dippers, although I've heard the name. It sounds
>from what you say as though the name may be a reference to movement
>when standing, as opposed to pattern of flight.

Correctomundo, when the Dipper is standing it [occassionally] dips up
and down. Other things; the white breast is unmistakeable and the
size, a dipper is, more or less, blackbird size.





SteveO
--
NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk
 
On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:15:34 +0000, Peewiglet <[email protected]>
wrote:


>I'll look out the dunnock, but if anything this was a smaller than
>average wren: in the first second or so when it flew into my line of
>sight I wasn't even sure it was a bird.

is it a bird?
is it a plane?
<g>

Dunnocks are pretty little birds, they are sparrow-sized... hence, in
some respects their "other" name of "hedge sparrow". Their colouring
is also quite distinct... accepting that they're very well camouflaged
;-)... a deep mahogany/brown wings/back with a slate-blue hue to the
breast feathers.





SteveO
--
NE Climbers & walkers chat forum;
http://www.thenmc.org.uk/phpBB2/index.php

NMC website: http://www.thenmc.org.uk
 
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