Birds Archives - Beyond

Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

schweboo — Wed, 10 May 2023 21:25:54 +0000

The Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) is a large, black, and conspicuous waterbird with an almost primitive appearance, with its long neck making it appear reptilian. It is often seen standing with its wings held out to dry.

Regarded by some as sinister and greedy, cormorants are supreme fishers, which can bring them into conflict with anglers, thus causing them to be persecuted in the past.

The UK holds internationally significant wintering numbers.

Seen by Thames (Strand on the Green) and by the lake (in the gardens of Chiswick House) in Sept 2020.

Cormorant fishing is practised in China, Japan, and elsewhere around the globe. In this practice, fishermen tie a line around the throats of cormorants, tight enough to prevent swallowing the larger fish they catch and deploy them from small boats. The cormorants catch fish without being able to swallow them fully, and the fishermen are able to retrieve the fish simply by forcing open the cormorants’ mouths, apparently engaging the regurgitation reflex.

In Norway, the cormorant is a traditional game bird. Each year approximately 10,000 cormorants are shot to be eaten. In North Norway, cormorants are traditionally seen as semi-sacred. It is regarded as good luck to have cormorants gather near your village or settlement. An old legend states that for people who die far out at sea, whose bodies are never recovered, spend eternity on the island Utrøst – which can only occasionally be found by mortals. The inhabitants of Utrøst can only visit their homes in the shape of cormorants.

[my_map]

The post Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) appeared first on Beyond.

Little egret (Egretta garzetta)

schweboo — Wed, 10 May 2023 21:20:04 +0000

The Little egret is a small, white heron that feeds on small fish and crustaceans. Once a very rare visitor from the Mediterranean, little egrets are now a common sight around the coasts of southern England and Wales as they expand their range, possibly due to increasing temperatures caused by climate change.

It first bred in the UK on Brownsea Island, Dorset, in 1996 and has been moving northwards ever since; it was recorded as breeding in Berkshire for the first time in 2007

Seen on the Crane River, just south of Hounslow Heath in Jan 2021

[my_map]

The post Little egret (Egretta garzetta) appeared first on Beyond.

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

schweboo — Wed, 10 May 2023 17:27:37 +0000

The goldfinch is a highly coloured finch with a bright red face and yellow wing patch. They have a delightful liquid twittering song and call and are sociable, often breeding in loose colonies. Their long fine beaks allow them to extract otherwise inaccessible seeds from thistles and teasels. Increasingly they are visiting bird tables and feeders. In winter, many UK goldfinches migrate as far south as Spain.

Seen in Bolton Road, Chiswick, in Nov 2022

[my_map]

The post Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) appeared first on Beyond.

Red kite (Milvus milvus)

schweboo — Sat, 06 May 2023 14:22:36 +0000

A majestic scavenger, the red kite searches for food in almost any environment, then returns to nest in broadleaved woodland. Look out for them wheeling high in the air or nesting up in the canopy

[my_map]

The post Red kite (Milvus milvus) appeared first on Beyond.

European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)

schweboo — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:27:07 +0000

The UK’s favourite bird – with its bright red breast- is familiar throughout the year, especially at Christmas! Males and females look identical; young birds have no red breast and are spotted with golden brown. Robins sing nearly all year round, and despite their cute appearance, they are aggressively territorial and are quick to drive away intruders. They will sing at night next to street lights.

What they eat: Worms, seeds, fruits, insects and other invertebrates.

Seen in the gardens of Chiswick House in November 2020

[my_map]

The post European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) appeared first on Beyond.

Green woodpecker (picus viridis)

schweboo — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:16:44 +0000

Green woodpecker (picus viridis) in west London.

The European green woodpecker measures 30–36 cm (12–14 in) in length with a 45–51 cm (18–20 in) wingspan. Both sexes are green above and pale yellowish green below, with yellow rump and red crown and nape; the moustachial stripe has a red centre in the male but is solid black in the female. The lores and around the white eye are black in both male and female. Juveniles are spotty and streaked all over; the moustache is dark initially, though juvenile males can show some red feathers by early June or usually by July or August.

I have been hearing a woodpecker in the gardens of Chiswick House for days, probably a different species as the green woodpecker does not ‘drum’ as much as the other two species.

Seen in the gardens of Chiswick House

[my_map]

The post Green woodpecker (picus viridis) appeared first on Beyond.

Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major)

schweboo — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:12:17 +0000

About blackbird-sized and striking black-and-white. It has a very distinctive bouncing flight and spends most of its time clinging to tree trunks and branches, often trying to hide on the side away from the observer. Its presence is often announced by its loud call or by its distinctive spring ‘drumming’ display. The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head and young birds have a red crown.

Seen in Chiswick House gardens in March 2022

[my_map]

The post Great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) appeared first on Beyond.

Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius)

schweboo — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:07:38 +0000

Although they are the crow family’s most colourful members, jays are quite difficult to see. They are shy woodland birds, rarely moving far from cover. The screaming call usually lets you know a jay is nearby, and it is usually given when a bird is on the move, so watch for a bird flying between the trees with its distinctive flash of white on the rump.

Seen in the gardens of Chiswick House in March 2022

[my_map]

The post Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) appeared first on Beyond.

Canada goose gosling (Branta canadensis)

schweboo — Thu, 04 May 2023 06:03:48 +0000

The Canada goose (Branta canadensis), sometimes called the Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to North America’s arctic and temperate regions, and it is occasionally found during migration across the Atlantic in northern Europe.

It has been introduced to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, New Zealand, Japan, Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands.

Like most geese, the Canada goose is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; often found on or close to fresh water, the Canada goose is also common in brackish marshes, estuaries, and lagoons.

Seen in the gardens of Chiswick House

[my_map]

The post Canada goose gosling (Branta canadensis) appeared first on Beyond.

Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula Krameri)

schweboo — Wed, 03 May 2023 16:49:17 +0000

The parakeets make nests in trees by digging out big spaces with their beaks that weaken the trunks. This increases the risk of trees ‘snapping’ in strong winds. Sometimes, they take over and expand the holes made by woodpeckers.

Taken in Chiswick House gardens in April 2023

[my_map]

The post Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula Krameri) appeared first on Beyond.